Recommend a mechanic in Oklahoma City?

[david42]

Hi all,

I disappeared for a while because I sold my '67 Monaco... but I replaced it with a beautiful '67 Imperial. The problem is that the Imperial has been stuck in storage halfway across the country in Oklahoma City (long story....).

But next week we'll be reunited when I go to OKC for a quick vacation. The Imperial needs a little help getting back on the road: the transmission is leaking, and the problem (I'm pretty sure) is a shift shaft seal. I'd like to bring the car to a trustworthy mechanic in the area. Any suggestions?

Here's the car. Her name is Sylvia. Only 80k miles. Other than the clock and the cruise, everything works. Some of you might remember that I asked the forum a couple years ago for advice on whether my brother should buy this car. Well, he bought it. He loved it but barely had a chance to drive it. So he sold it to me. I've had a chance to drive it a few times over the last year and I'm REALLY looking forward to finally having it in the same city as me (hopefully in a few months).






Thanks,
David

 

[saylor]

if its a 727 transmission, the shift seal isn't too bad of a driveway repair. I think a shop would milk you on labor pretty good. maybe you can get this car over to another OKC members house and do some repair?

are you driving it back home or shipping it ?

 

[david42]

Yeah, I realize that the shift-shaft seal should be an easy thing (assuming that's really it)... but I won't be in town for very long. Basically, I'll have time to drop it off somewhere, but that's about it.

As for shipping/driving the car home: neither! We're actually going to move to OKC before the end of the year. I could just wait until I get there, but I don't like leaving the car to sit for so long. We have some friends down there who have been taking the car for a weekly "walk" just to keep it in good shape. I want to get back on the regular exercise schedule ASAP.

 

[saylor]

wow, Oklahoma aint boston....

and boston sure aint Oklahoma.

that's some move.

the + to that is you will miss this next boston winter.
the - to that is you are abut to move to hell in the summertime.

 

[david42]

Yup, big change. We've lived in Boston for about 20 years, and we're done with the winters, the crowds, the expense, etc. My wife and I have very flexible jobs, and we have lots of friends in OKC. So why not try something really different, at least for a few years? (Plus, the Imperial has great a/c!) Anyway, OKC is a pretty great town. I've never been to Austin TX, but lots of folks say that OKC is like Austin before it got quite so popular.

 

[patrick66]

You'll dig Oklahoma!

 

[Big_John]

IMHO, if the trans is leaking so bad that it can't be driven, you may have other issues besides that shifter seal. If it's just spotting the floor when it sits, then yea... shifter seal or dip stick tube seal. In that case, I'd just top it off every once in a while until you can get settled in your new digs.

Boston to Oklahoma.... Wow. I've been to both and yea... there's some difference.

 

[david42]

Yeah, I think (hope!) so. We've visited a lot and loved it, so we're ready to load up the wagons...

 

[david42]

Since I've only been able to see the car occasionally, I'm not exactly sure when the leak is occurring. Definitely while sitting, but I'm not sure if it's a drip or a flood. (The car sits for a very long time between my visits.) And it leaks a lot while driving.

My friends in OKC--who are not car people--took it to a mechanic down the street who thinks it's the shift-shaft seal. But I don't think he really gets old cars: his recommendation was to replace the whole transmission with a rebuilt Jasper. Well, obviously that story doesn't add up, so I'm taking everything with a grain of salt for now, including the shift-shaft seal diagnosis.

 

[detmatt]

What a beauty of an Imperial, congrats! Nice color combo!

 

[azblackhemi]

I've found that the shift shaft seal will leak after sitting for a week or more due to the fluid all draining back into the pan. If you drive them every day they don't leak that bad.