1975 Dodge Dart SE – the “Land Shark”

finished changing the oil on the Dart. ran around the block and no trannie slippage. nice! runs so smooth. driving that car is like slipping on wet glass in silk pajamas. HOWEVER… i also tried to install a new fuel filter. you get about an inch and a half to squeeze about 5 inches of filter, filter case, and two hoses. when i was almost done, it was pretty bendy-looking, but would have done okay if it weren’t for the fact that that last clamp was impossible to get to, even using tiny spring-loaded surgical-looking needlenose pliers. so i have to rip the whole fucking mess back out (it’s really a serious bitch to squeeze that shit in, trust me) and start over tomorrow. i think i gouged a hole in one of the hoses with the plier teeth trying to skrink it on the fuel line. add to that brand new nicks and cuts from working in tight quarters with lots of mid-70s Amurkin-quality sharp steel around my precious little guitar-pickin’ fingers. the most excellent cut is on my index finger, just where it webs going to the thumb. of course, when spilling gasoline, it went RIGHT to that cut, plus the manifold burn i got yesterday, and the blister from the cigarette burn the other day. so i probably have carcinogenic toxins in my bloodstream. must remember to check for the red line down my arm later. i think i’ll be alright. breathing that gasoline fumage didn’t make me feel too much better. by the time i missed the 8pm Simpsons episode, i was ready to burn the whole fookin’ car, just like that guy that Ponch got his Firebird from in CHiPs. also noticed some real bad surface rust along the passenger side. MUST get car painted by next summer. i hate having to do that, since everything on this car, except for fluids and filters, is original. but if i don’t….