Day 6

Day 6 was a short, but expensive day.  I really want to get the car out on the highway, but I also really want to get to where I’m going with all four tires remaining intact, so time for new tires.  During the past few drives, its become evident that the tires are ready for replacement.  This is not an unknown expense, but I was hoping to wait a little while longer before spending the money.  I started searching for a set in the stock size and haven’t found much out there.  Not much of a market for a wide 16” tire.  Really, what self respecting individual would ride around on 16’s?  I guess me, for one.  If I knew for sure what the ultimate outcome of this whole project was going to be, and I were going to keep the car for myself, I would upgrade the wheels to a newer larger wheel…  But, in order to keep the car as original as possible, I’m going to stick with the 16”, so that limits the options.  I did finally find a set of the same tire that is presently on the car, and with the lack of other options, I ordered them. 

The tire place had them in the same day, but I didn’t have time to get there to have them mounted.  I had a dinner to get to tonight, but that wouldn’t be until later in the evening, so I left work, grabbed the car and headed out to the tire shop.  They got me right in and out.  I was going to keep the two front tires as spares, but as I examined the passenger side front tire, I saw the evidence of dry rot between the treads and there was a bad cupping wear pattern on the inside edge.  The driver’s side had cupping along the inside edge too, but not as bad, so I kept that one.  The cupping wear pattern concerned me, as that tells me there is a suspension problem of some sort, and if memory serves me, it is the shocks being worn out that causes that. 

I decide to swap out the shocks, they’re only about $30 a corner anyway and fairly simple to get to… or at least it looks that way.  So after dinner, I placed an order for a set of shocks as well, then bedtime. 

Until tomorrow…

Parts replaced today:

Tires $630

Parts cost so far: $850