Thought you'd get a kick out of this.. You MIGHT be a redneck if...

I dunno... you know.. you think you see everything and then .. well..

This was some poor guys idea of a light fix for the '58 Wagon I recently acquired, but hey.. at least it's an LED light (that doesn't work). I mean really.. how hard would it have been to get another light assembly. I've got one on there now.. but I really scratch my head at some of the "quickie home fixes" that are out there.

I'm sure you've all run into some interesting "modifications" on cars you've acquired...

 

that is one of the most redneck fixes I've seen.................when you bought it was it in the front yard with the grass growing over it?.......lol

 

If you like that fix how about ... and I'm assuming it's the same individual.. installed a TH350.. and that's fine.. for now.. however to shift you reach through a hole where the gas pedal used to be and grab a bolt that's attached to the side of the tranny. Sigh.

 

I like the balsa wood door panels myself...

 

Yeah.. those were so thick that the door handles and window cranks wouldn't work..

Also had (scattered about) indoor/outdoor carpeting...

Funny thing is the transmission was installed quite well, the cross member that was built was a good job and there is a professionally installed brand new exhaust system on it. Go figure.????? :banghead3:

 

Are those frenched green bean tailights?

 

This is how my mechanic buddy who did my transmission rebuild patched up my tail lights. (of course, he was only concerned with being road legal to drive it back to me across town.)



My much more permenant improvised fix. Still can't locate the real deal.
http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6374

 

That's pretty darn close.. and at least you made the effort to fix after you got it home.

 

73,I'll bet he was so proud of that taillight fix that he would park it so he could see it and admire his handiwork. I guess with the jury rigged tranny, it made it kind of hard to valet park.

 

LOL! You're probably right.. Needless to stay I'm checking the rest of the car out VERY carefully.....

 

That rigged trans, that's great. Bet he doesn't have to worry about anyone stealing it. Wonder how he gives it gas though.

I see taillights like that first pic quite a bit. Lots of bumpers made from 2x4s. Many front ends crumbled to pieces from smashing a deer and held together by several bungee cords. Once I saw one of the many a-bodies with the typical broken trailing arm attachment, but this one was blowing past me down the highway with a chain keeping the rear axle from falling off the rest of the way. Pickup trucks with no tailgate because the bed is so rotted it won't keep a tailgate on. I know of people drive around for years with only 2 working brakes. Most e-brake cables are eventually just disconnected because of rust, and many catalytic converters are just replaced with straight pipe once they rust out. The Michigan DaYoopers song "Rusty Chevrolet" is a true thing here. If Michigan ever started vehicle inspections, I think most would fail, from both purposely inappropriate fixes cause the locals can't afford anything, to pothole, deer, and rust damage.

One of the cars I got had a household light switch rigged up to run the electric fan. What baffles me is when I hooked it up properly to the coolant temp sensor and relay, it functions just fine and has for years. The radio was ripped out and lamp cord was run out in the open from an aftermarket radio to aftermarket speakers, just laying in there. Cat converter was missing too.

Another one was an 86 Celeb with electronic carb. The AIR system was removed, tubes cut and bent over, hoses sawed off and bolts shoved into the end of them, the ECM disabled so the carb would run on its own. An ugly drink holder screwed to the floor with drywall screws. A rubber mat glued to the dash. At least it had a muffler but I was told it came from a tractor. Cat converter was missing on that one too.

Even my 90 6000 wagon when I bought it, mint condition dealer's own car, was cobbled. It had been hit hard on the passenger front sometime previously. There were still broken parts laying loose under the hood. The crank pulley and tensioner pulley wobbled. The passenger front seat leaned inward from a bent floorpan. The subframe was bent and the tire scraped the fenderwell during sharp turns. The rear washer tank was never replaced, but the wire was cut flush with the firewall and the hose was hooked up to the fuel vapor canister to make it look like it went somewhere. But it ended up being the best and longest running car I ever had.

I like that last taillight fix. Even the first one is better than nothing. I see countless vehicles running around here in the dark with the whole side of the car burned out or broken, so you can't see it till it's right there. If I see someone I know with a burned out light, I let them know, but their response is usually "yeah whatever".

I've done my share of cobble fixes too. But I do make every attempt to keep it safe and legal, even it it ain't pretty.

 

Yeah - good luck finding one of those tail lights......'74 - '76 Toyota Corona MkII.