Saturn Similitude

How's the newest member of the automotive family doing a couple months in, you ask??? Pretty good, still. Of course, there's been a few things. That's why a little follow-up post!!!

First thing that came up of note were the rear brakes. Bought a new set of shoes (they're cheap) & went to work. Come to find out, on the S series Saturns, the access hole on the backing plate lines up with... NOTHING!!! The side that was making the most noise took me HOURS of pounding & levering to remove the drum!!! If I had a clue to how bad it was inside, I may have been a little rougher with it. A new one was in order, and the wheel cylinder was leaking, too, so it started getting a bit more expensive. Finally finished the passenger side, and went to the other side. It went quicker, but the wheel cylinder was shot on that side, too. Took way longer and cost more than I'd wanted, but still a lot less than if I'd taken it to a shop.

Insult to injury, the hoses to the cylinders have a brass sealing washer. The one on the driver's side... didn't seal anymore. A week later I was out there again replacing that. It's all better now, but even though I've thoroughly bled the lines, there still feels like there's more pedal travel to it than on the coupe.

The other major thing was seen to just last weekend, for my wife's birthday. One of the initial questions I'd asked when I first contacted the previous owner was if the windows were tinted. They said no, but soon after getting the family truckster home I realized there indeed was some tint to the back half windows. The passenger rear door window had some interesting streaking on it, as though some solvent had gotten on the weather seal & melted the surface all along the area it rolls up and down. Also, in the bottom corner it was peeled away in a tiny little area. Just the TINIEST hint of color to the windows, and the film was so far to the edge of the windows I thought it was actually in the glass. The tint shop we took it to ended up not being able get it all off in the one day they'd thought they could, but they agreed to drive over for my wife on Monday once it was done, so that worked out. Had them do limo tint on the side windows and for a visor strip, and a shade lighter on the back hatch for easier night time viewing. Pretty good picture of my wife through the back window there!!! Fortunately my younger went with her to pick it up, because he noticed they hadn't done the visor tint. They took another 15 minutes to get that together. I think they should have knocked the price of it off and done it anyway. The pictures don't show it too well, I don't think, but I'm pleased with the results. Compare the side view with the Paint Shop job I did in the original post!!!

What else??? Things I like about the newer one:

The key doesn't have to be turned to run to roll the windows. The SC2 has that, and if you don't have your seat belt on, it does the ding ding. Irritating.

The daytime running lights don't come on until you put it in gear. The SC2 lights them when you release the parking brake.

The tint shop managed to knock off this little access panel below the hatch on the inside. It has three along the edge. Behind the panel is a nice thick steel tie down hook!!! Nice touch, my dad's Durango didn't even have that, he had to add in some eye bolts.

My wife drives her mostly around town, but even so she seems to get not as good mileage as the SC2.

Things yet to do:

I need to replace the lock switch on the driver's door. Interestingly, that was the first thing I had to replace on the SC2!!!

Duplicate the exhaust system I made for the SC2.

The actual throttle body goes straight down on the SW2, as opposed to horizontal on the SC2. I'll have to look, but I think I might be able to get the cowl scoop that Subaru has on their cars. I'll bet doing a straight shot instead of the twisty duct from the air cleaner back would do her a world of good. I've been thinking forever that I should shorten up that duct on the SC2 and flip the air cleaner box over, modifying it into a scoop.

The Broken Screen

When the main event of this post occurred, my youngest exclaimed, "I know you're going to use this on your blog!!!" With that kind of set up, guess I have to!!!

Pictured above is something I rigged up a while back. On my last recliner, the cat always loved to lay about on the foot rest portion. (As i searched for the post on the recliner, I realize I've not made mention of it's demise. It was an excellent chair, but unfortunately somehow the mechanism for the footrest broke, so it was permanently extended, making the sitting down and rising up difficult... but providing a ready resting spot for the feline!!!) Around my birthday of last year it was replaced by a smaller recliner, which fits the room nicely, but the footrest hits me mid-thigh, and it's vinyl skinned. But, it's in good shape and the recliner portion works well.

So, as the old one was on it's way out, I detached the footrest portion. Knowing that kitty was already accustomed to it, and knowing that one of his favorite places in the house is looking out of the window over the washer and dryer in the laundry room, I devised something I knew he'd like. I already had a couple of shelf brackets, but to span the distance I had to add a piece of wood under the footrest. All I had around was a 2x2, which I screwed to the bottom. Naturally, I had to mount the whole rig far enough out to clear the old school louver windows. He took to it right off!!! The first hiccup happened a couple days later. The shelf brackets are of stamped steel, and the 2x2 is on the very end. In other words, not near strong enough to support the mighty girth of wonder cat. It twisted around and probably dumped him off, or at least made him do the awkward struggle to maintain composure as it rotated around. I added in a couple aluminum brackets running up higher on the window frame, and it was back in service. As the weather warmed up, I finally got the chance to open up the window, affording him not only the view, but also the multitude of smells his kind so enjoys!!!

A couple weeks back, my wife, being the first one up, explains, "The screen is out!!!" There's another phrase that has taken on a whole new connotation!!! First thing I was wondering was if it was a computer screen, a TV screen or a phone screen!!! Of course, when I found out, I wasn't as concerned as I'd started. A little miffed that I was going to have to replace a screen, but that was about it. I mean, there wasn't any way our giant cat could get out between those little four inch slats... was there??? I did my morning routine, but I did notice that he wasn't around... so I told my wife to try and locate him. He eventually answered back... from directly below the window!!! Now his tuxedo markings are that of the Great Houdini!!! Oh, and the window is now closed.

Next up is some of the most intricate whiteboard art yet, the older's rendition of the Mobius Double Reacharound (Virus??? will putting virus references on my blog make it a restricted site???), another reference to Homestuck!!!

Found the original image. I know I had issue with it before, but now it looks like blogger posts GIFs without issue!!!

And finally, a little cup art. The only part I did was the 512. Below it is one of the new line stickers from work, which one of the girls did my nickname on. Now if you wondered, you have a clue to my real identity!!! Last week I'd worn my Karkat shirt, and ended up having to explain it several times. Did an image search for Karkat for one of the girls, and she says, "Awww, he's CUTE!!!" Haha!!! I was working with her again the next day, and she added in his shirt logo. I noticed shortly thereafter that it was actually a mirrored image. I theorized that it was because she's left-handed!!!