The Citizen, 2004-04-15, Page 121,.ilummilTanntili111111111111111111111m
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► AUTO BODY & TOWING LTD.
me- Owned and operated by Bill & Brenda Burkholder
► BLYTH, ON NOM 1HO
24 Hour Towing
MP-
"Big or Sniall, Will Tow 'em all!" -41
0- 519-523-9474 • TOLL FREE 1-800 -350 -6993
Complete
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Car Oiling
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Doors & Underside Door Panels
Inner
Fenders Inner
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CARS & LIGHT TRUCKS
Hours: Mon. - Thurs. 1 pm - 9 pm; Fri. 1 pm - 6 pm;
Sat. 8 am - 12 noon
(Weather permitting)
348 Dinsley St. E., Blyth 523-9151
Exhaust Systems 4zig Brakes
Dripless Undercoats
Tune-ups
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Repairs to all
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Jack Van Dorp
Located 2 miles south of Blyth
Corner of London Road and Hullett-McKillop Road
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PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2004.
on the ROAD 2004
Restoring old classic a five-year labour of love
New classic
This classic 1958 red Chevy Impala Convertible was recently restored by Don McNeil of
McNeil Auto Body in Brussels. The car has a 348 motor with a tri-power carburetor, power top,
rear deck antennas and took five years to restore. (Elyse DeBruyn photo)
power top and rear deck antennas. $112,300, but he has seen them sell
McNeil said the owner of the car for as low as $63,000. By Elyse DeBruyn
Citizen staff
Don McNeil of Brussels, has done
it again, this time with a 1958 Chevy
Impala Convertible.
The newly-restored red
convertible took McNeil five years
to finish, but it was worth it. It has a
348 motor with tri-power carburetor,
It doesn't take an accountant to
recognize that it costs more money
to operate a vehicle than it did a few
years ago. This may cause some
motorists to try saving a few dollars
by using cheap gas and delaying
needed maintenance.
"That s a classic' case of false
economy," says Rich White, of the
Car Care Council, "and it's no
surprise that these 'money-saving'
measures can cost big money in the
long run."
Substandard fuel is one cause of
the knocking or pinging sound,
commonly known as a spark knock,
usually heard when accelerating or
climbing a hill. Whether or not
you've heard the noise, read on.
Like the tree that fails in the forest,
the sound could be there, but never
reaches your ears.
Technically known as
"detonation". this noise results from
improper combustion due to an
engine malfunction and/or the
(from the Stratford area) wanted him
to restore it in 1994, but couldn't get
the car to the garage until 1998.
McNeil said when the car came in
its value was about $10,000 to
$15,000.
He said an identical style car sold
at auction in January for about
aforementioned incorrect fuel. if
you hear a sort of rattling sound
from under the hood when you step
on the gas, you should look into it,
especially if persists. It could
damage the engine.
Incorporated in most engines is a
"knock sensor", an emissions
control component designed to help
correct the condition, adjusting the
engine timing or otherwise
compensating to reduce or eliminate
pinging.
"But only so much compensation
can be tolerated before engine
performance suffers," emphasizes
White. "Both- fuel economy and
power suffer, often before the owner
realizes what's happening. The
condition usually is readily fixable.
If fuel quality is the problem, the
noise will disappear after running
through a tank of the right gas.
Otherwise, an engine diagnosis may
be in order.
"Certain automotive symptoms*
"It makes a big difference in the
condition of the car as to what it will
sell for."
The convertible was originally
white and came into the garage with
rusted floor's and holes in the trunk.
"We put all new floors in and cut
the old rust out of the quarter panel
can be the harbingers of serious
trouble on the horizon. An engine
noise, especially a spark knock is
one of them, a good reason to be car
care aware."
For more information on the Car
Care Council visit www.carcare.
org
OMNI MOM 4•00 MEN *OW
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and welded the new pieces
in."
Once the car was stripped down,
priming and detailing started.
When that was done, McNeil
began estimating the cost to restore
it
He said a lot of the time, the
estimated cost will double because
of all the little things not seen during
the initial look over of the car.
"It's difficult to put a cost on
restoring the project. A lot of times
the restoring cost will run into the
cost of the automobile."
After the car was stripped, McNeil
said it was hard to find the right parts
and some took-anywhere from three
to six months to find,
He began restoring the frame after
they took the body off.
The convertible has new tires,
rims and glass, convertible top,
proper engine and new interior
which will be done at an specialized
interior shop.
"We have to work around these
cars very carefully. One scratch can
cost up to $5,000."
Although all this has been
completed, McNeil said he is still
hunting for a rocker panel molding
and a cowl light.
"It's phenomenal the time that
goes into it, but it is something I've
enjoyed doing."
How not to save money