QuestionI seen some of you answers to question and there a great help so I was wondering if you could help me out with a few easy question? I just found a 1964 Impala In a small car lot that was droped off by a older lady that can not drive no more so I bought becuase I have always loved the 60s impalas. Now my question is I dont know much about fixing cars but this one is all orignal and it runs great but there is a few things I notice like a power stearing fulid leak stuff like that so my question is I live in colorado Springs and I do not know the right people to work on something like this so I was wondering if you can point me to the right type of place to check the engine and then a place that would maybe deal with checking the drum brakes out and am I able to just to to these 15 min oil changes places for oil or is that a bad idea. I just dont want to take this to anyone so I'm just asking before I make a mistake and let someone work on this and they should not be. Thank you any advice for a new 1964 Impala owner would help me out a great deal.
AnswerWell, first thing is, I want to welcome you to the hobby. It's a great way to learn stuff, keep out of trouble, and spend your money!
I don't advise going to the oil change places - those guys are not really mechanics - and they are all on commission so they will always try to sell you all sorts of stuff and repairs that you don't need. They also have a bad reputation for forgetting to tighten the pan plug and that sort of mistake - which can cause you lots of grief.
The best place to take an old car is to an old time mechanic. I don't know anything about your part of the country, so I can't recommend any special mechanic, but I can maybe help you find one.
Look around town for an automotive machine shop - one that has been there for a long time - at least 10 years. Just walk in and ask the head guy "who does good work on old cars" in your area - someone who is not afraid to get into something that old, and has been at it for many years. This sort of mechanic probably won't have the shiny new equipment, or the prettiest looking place, but he will have a lot of experience, and know all the shortcuts to keeping a car running well.
Another thing you should do is look in your local paper in the "events" section and find a place where old car folks get together, usually on Saturday nights at some Burger joint - and go there. Find someone with a car sort of like yours (a mid-60s Chevy) and just talk to the owner. Bring your car - it will break the ice and get you a bunch of people looking at it. Most of those folks probably know less than you do about fixing it, but there will be a few people there who really know the cars, and they will help you find a good place to take it, and maybe even offer to help you fix this or that.
As for your power steering leak, see if you can figure out where the fluid is coming out. Since a fluid that is leaking always goes down and toward the rear of the car due to gravity and the wind from the fan and car motion, find the highest, furthest forward place where you see the oil leaking - that will be the source of the leak.
If it is one of the hoses on the pump, those are easy to change, and any auto parts place will be able to get them. If it is coming out of the pump itself, the pump will probably need to be rebuilt - and you can buy a kit and do it yourself if you are handy with tools and have a place to work that is clean and well lighted, or you can have a shop do it for you, or you can take it off the car and take it in to an auto parts store and have them send it out to be rebuilt for you. One other "trick of the trade" is, if the leak is only very slow, and seems to be coming from the pump or the steering gearbox (down at the bottom of the steering column), you can sometimes make the leak stop for a while by adding about 2 ounces of "DOT 3" brake fluid to the reservoir on the pump.
If the leak is in the hoses though, it makes more sense to just replace the leaking hose yourself.
The two hoses are the pressure hose - that is the one with the fancy fittings on the end - it is expensive (like $40), but simple to change if you have the right size wrenches.
The other hose is the return hose - it just has simple hose clamps on it, and anyone can change it easily - but be sure you get the right kind of hose (power steering return hose) at the auto parts place.
Don't ignore this leak - many cars have been lost because of leaking power steering fluid. If it hits the exhaust manifold, it will catch the whole front end of the car on fire!
For the brake check - I'd look for a brake and alignment shop that has been in business for many years - don't go to any of the big outfits (you know, the ones that advertise on TV) - they all are looking for other stuff to sell you, and the mechanics are not experienced on old cars. I can't mention names here, but if you recognize the name from ads you've seen, stay away from them. Get an old phone book and look in the yellow pages for a shop which is run by the owner (not a franchise deal), and go there. If the mechanic is an old guy (like me) with gray hair, grease under his fingernails, and wearing a dirty outfit, you can be pretty sure he's a real mechanic. Get HIM to check your brakes for you!
Good luck, and if I can help you with anything, just ask!
Dick
