Okay, this isn't Ford related necessarily, but still an automotive story...

I've been working on Dad's El Camino for a couple weeks now. I put on a new carb, intake, headers, sway bars, ignition upgrades, trim pieces, pedals, door seals, and just generally cleaning, tuning whatever needs to be done. Well, I got the intake and headers done, but it idled horrible, and had a nasty miss in the low RPM range. I spent a couple nights checking everything I could (ignition, carb, vacuum leakes), but still there...

Well, last night a buddy comes over wants to go for a ride, so I take him around, and it's still idling horrible, and running rough, and I'm about to pull my hair out, because I know it has to be something I've overlooked... Well, I get it home, it's dark, and I decide to one more time check to make sure the plugs aren't arcing out somewhere. Well, while I'm leaning over the fender my phone falls out of my pocket, and wedges between the inner fender and firewall, and my big hand isn't going down there. So, I coax my GF into a jacket and some shoes, and while she's getting my phone. I'm fuming, just holding the flashlight on the engine... and think to myself "Hmmm... might be a good idea to plug that very obvious open vacuum port the flashlight beam has so lovingly come to rest on". For some reason I kept thinking the little vacuum tree had three ports, and in the garage light it appeared to be that way, but there were four. One smack dab on top, that didn't really look like a port, and I guess it was just the way the light hit it,and created a shadow inside... Needless to say I was elated, but felt so stupid...

Well, after she gets my phone I run into the garage grab a plug, and voila, she just purs... The Camino that is. By this time my GF has already gone back in the house dismissing me as a fool...

Tonight it goes back to the muffler shop to get its tailpipes. (BTW I don't recommend driving to the muffler shop with open headers and expired tags when the muffler shop is next to the police station. I got lucky, guess they were on a coffee break.) Then a few more adjustments, and she should be very much road worthy. Going to get some new floor pans put in too...

Okay, just felt like sharing that with you guys... Thought maybe ya'll could understand...

Got a similar story? Feel like sharing?

 

Good story. I hate it when that happens. Once you overlook something obvious then finding it later is a real pi$$er.

Not car related but.......
I won't go into full details but once, when working out on a drilling rig, I had a problem pressure testing a piece of equipment for an entire 12 hour shift. I couldn't get a test all day. No breaks for coffee, no lunch, no smokes just pulling my hair out.
When my oppo came out to relieve me, he just listend to my story, took ONE look at what I was doing and then closed a valve that was right in front of me.
The one I checked first. Or thought I had. Or knew I had. For sure.

Bugger

 

good story

My dad and i restored a 53 all original cheby pickup. Been there, done that The work never ends.