88 Alternator. NEED ASAP

[GTRS Fiero]

Ah.  I was trying to picture how this would work.  That helps a lot.

Hmmm.  His trunk is probably much cooler than mine.  I had an ALDL adapter laying in the trunk, and the plastic on the ALDL adapter deformed.

[GTRS Fiero]

I don't believe the BAT light has any effect on the 88 like it does on the earlier years.   

All year Fieros that came with the AUX volt gauge have this feature.

[GTRS Fiero]

I'm guessing that this was eventually replaced.

[Fierofool]

It was replaced, but as I recall, they charged him $190 labor to do it. 

[GTRS Fiero]

It should not have taken an hour to replace.  Ouch!

[Fierofool]

That's what I told him.  I even told them how to remove it out the bottom. 

[MikeMac]

It was replaced, but as I recall, they charged him $190 labor to do it.

That is the price they charge you when they really don't want to do the job. If we had a  customer come in with a car we didn't want to get involved with we would quote them a high price. Better to give a price even if it is high than to get into with a customer about why you don't want to touch the car.

[GTRS Fiero]

There is something I don't understand.  Fairly easy installs, but many places won't tough it, if there isn't a computer walk-through.  We had a place nearby that was very popular.  The original owner retired, and sold the business.  The new owner refused to work on older cars.  So, he lost all the customers.  Many of the customers also had new cars, but they took all their cars elsewhere.  Word spread, and he lost more customers.  Most of the mechanics left.    The guy refused to change.  He's basically an oil change place, now.

The mechanics went to work at a place down the road, and can't keep up with the business.

[The Art Doctor]

I have been saying for years I'd love to open a shop that only works on old cars ("retirement" gig for 10-15 years from now when the eyes and hands are no longer 100% for working on expensive fine art).  Not full restorations, but basic maintenance, sorting out newly acquired cars, shocks, brakes, R&R type stuff.  Larry's Old Car Garage, has a nice ring to it doesn't it?  There are lots of guys (and gals) who love their old cars but do not drive them because they cannot fix simple problems due to advancing age or lack of skill/tools/space.  I have a friend, Bruce Fair, who does this out of his three car garage in Brookhaven.  He is always busy and advertises via business cards and flyers at car shows.   This business is an extension of a car radio instillation business he started as a younger man, he's getting older now and its getting hard to get up and down to the floor for him.  He's picked up a few young apprentices over the last few years but none have stuck around.  They should, there is good money to be made. Lots of repeat customers with multiple cars.   People just keep asking him to fix one more thing while he is at it......

[GTRS Fiero]

You should.  I think there is another person or 2 here who had a similar idea.

[Raydar]

Heh... I'll bet I could still gap a set of points. Been decades since I've done it.
And I remember enough about Holley carburetors to know that I still don't like them. 

[Fierofool]

I've been trying to help NoMad find a shop and there's one out here that has closed.  The building may be available since it's standing vacant.  It's up near the Panoz facility between Hamilton Mill and Chateau Elan area at Exit 126.  Three bays with an office.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0565541,-83.8280701,3a,75y,178.36h,82.83t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sxRDuQ607NJFZL6Q5Wc6dSQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[MikeMac]

I have been saying for years I'd love to open a shop that only works on old cars ("retirement" gig for 10-15 years from now when the eyes and hands are no longer 100% for working on expensive fine art).  Not full restorations, but basic maintenance, sorting out newly acquired cars, shocks, brakes, R&R type stuff.  Larry's Old Car Garage, has a nice ring to it doesn't it?  There are lots of guys (and gals) who love their old cars but do not drive them because they cannot fix simple problems due to advancing age or lack of skill/tools/space.  I have a friend, Bruce Fair, who does this out of his three car garage in Brookhaven.  He is always busy and advertises via business cards and flyers at car shows.   This business is an extension of a car radio instillation business he started as a younger man, he's getting older now and its getting hard to get up and down to the floor for him.  He's picked up a few young apprentices over the last few years but none have stuck around.  They should, there is good money to be made. Lots of repeat customers with multiple cars.   People just keep asking him to fix one more thing while he is at it......

When you say 3 car garage do you mean his house?  What kills you if you have to lease a building is the government comes around looking for a business license, correct zoning and all that goes with it. It is an unbelievable hassle and expense. If you can work out of a residential garage and keep it on the downlow you might could make some money. When I had Northlake Automotive it was between 3 and 4 hundred a day just to turn on the lights.

[Fierofool]

The one I mentioned above is already zoned as a commercial property so that wouldn't be an issue.  It was formerly a towing service plus the sign out front says Thomason Performance.  If it's for personal use, no licensing is required.  Barrow County usually doesn't mess with anyone unless there's something very obvious that they can see from the road, or there is a complaint.  Since it's been a long established towing service, impound facility and garage, there probably wouldn't be any complaints from neighbors.  It's in a rural area. 

[The Art Doctor]

Yes, out of his home garage.  He is careful not to upset the man or the neighbors.  But the Richie Riches are infiltrating.  Nearly 75% of the normal homes that are in his area have been knocked down and replaced with a huge one.  Gets a knock at the door nearly every week "why don't you want to sell?" just tells them to shove off.  Truth is he needs to keep working, if he sold sure he'd make some quick cash but he needs a house with a shop to pull in income for quite a few more years. 

I hear you on the cost of doing business.  It is not easy on the little guys.  The biggest issue is not being able to buy your own shop space.   This results in giving a large chunk of your money to someone just to have a place to do business in.  Pushing a lot of people underground.