What's Going on Around ADT!!!
(Don't forget to keep checking back for updates on the happenings in the Automotive & Diesel area!)
I received an e-mail from my director stating in the subject box “someone needs help” It was a lady needing help on a van he owned that was broken.
It is very difficult to work on peoples while teaching and I usually refrain from doing it.
I called the number given to me with every intention to say no we do not do outside work. After talking to Louis Gilbert I couldn't say no. She is confined to a wheel chair and has several other issues that keep her in pain most of her waking hours. She Lent her van a 1993 Aerostar to someone. They destroyed the engine and gave it back. Because the van had to sit, most of the windows were broken out and the tires were slashed. She paid a mechanic to change the engine and glass. He took the money and ran.
How can anyone be so cruel? I told her to have the van towed to ADT and I would look at it to see if it could be salvaged. It came in with the spare engine in the passengers compartment, all tires were slashed and most of the windows were broken.
We with the help of NAPA are almost ready to mount the good engine and reinstall it in the van. NAPA has donated most of the parts for this vehicle and our welding department has contributed as well.
Log of happenings...
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1/6/2008
You guys will be glad to know that NAPA Parts is donating over 2,500 dollars in parts for the “Extreme Makeover Car” including all new air conditioning parts so she can have air.
The project is going along slow. I have been a bit under the weather and have had only limited time to spend on the van. All students are busy at the moment but we are making progress.
I have most of the broken windows replaced. Two windows she supplied didn’t fit but I may have a place to look for ones that do. I will keep you posted.
I hope to get the parts for the engine, brakes, driveline, A/C this week so we can start assembling.
I power washed the carpet, it was so rotten from the broken windows letting in the elements it just blew apart. Don’t know how I am going to put out that fire yet.
Anyway Just wanted to bring you guys up on our “Extreme Makeover Car Addition” was going along.
Beginning Photos...
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1/21/2008
I haven’t written for a while so I would bring you up to date on Extreme Make over Car Addition!
I was troubled with putting all the parts in this van and still have the inside look like trash. I thought about putting carpet but the expense seemed high. I started looking at Craig’s list to see of anyone was parting out an Aerostar I could purchase the carpet and seats (hers were sliced up).
I saw an ad I had seen before but paid no attention to because I figured it was so cheap the van must be junk. Out of desperation I finally called the number to see if it had been purchased yet. They said no. I made arrangements to look at this 1993 (same year as the trashed one) “Eddie Bauer” van. I brought a fellow instructor for a second opinion. When we got there we looked at the van and couldn’t believe it.
The interior was almost perfect. It had all the options available on it and everything was intact. Plus it was all wheel drive. We asked why so cheap and were told they didn’t want it anymore and they thought the transmission was burned up and a spring was broken.
We had it towed to our shop put a battery in it and it started right up. The engine was as quiet as a church mouse. The transmission seemed sluggish so we checked the fluid. It was two quarts low on fluid. We added fluid and it seems fine. We will look closer at the transmission and fix the leaks. Worst case we can put the transmission from the original vehicle in it. The A/C works, it has a fully digital dash which was rare in those days. The tires have less than 1,000 miles on them.
I spent the weekend cleaning and washing the van and Louis is coming to see it. If she ok’s it we will put the donated parts on this van and junk her original van.
I will keep you posted.
