Had to drop off my baby...

I'm in the Pensacola FL area, anyone know if a reputable Vette shop in the area, that will pamper our babies???

I was wiping the dirt off the sidewalls waiting on him to fill out the repair order. LOLOL

A ragged shop (Tau) isn't always a sign of less than work quality, though..

Leo has a new big ass shop with like 15 bays, clean as a pin and he also has to pay for it.... LOLOLOLOL

95 % chance its your lock cylinder. the ignition switch is located down by the firewall and could not hang up the show. there could be a problem beyond the lock cylinder but within the column?

if what you are saying is true ? (watch out for a slander charge) don't understand why you would ever forgive him.

really doesn't apply.

your discribed problem will not set off the air-bag. believe it or not those are not easyto set off.

g'luck

-- "Key"

you could visit a local Locksmith with a key/lock problem.

you said he was ripping you off. how many times must you get ripped off before you wake up ? :-)

-- "Key"

again, visit a local Locksmith with a key/lock problem. if you just have to mess with it yourself? (wouldn't advise without proper knowledge and tools) disconnect the battery / wait 10 minutes and don't worry about the air bag. forget the ignition switch, its NOT your problem.

retired locksmith

I trust your diagonsis being a retired locksmith, but I left it with Robert this morning... an hour's labor or so will be worth it to me not to hassle with that particular thing.

I do just about all my own stuff, I have a fully equipped shop didn't know about the lock/switch in conjunction with the airbag. Although the service manual had a section with jumpers or connectors to cross to disable the airbag. And in my "old age" I get dizzy upside down under the dash (if it would of been the switch). So on some things I just say screw it let someone else do this one. LOLOLOL

But I will have to detail it again from the dirt parking lot :-)

Cleanliness counts with me. When some guy drops a bolt, nut or washer on the floor, then picks it up...

In a prior life, I relied on Pensacola Buggy Works (Chevy dealer one block off lower Palafox St.) They kept a clean shop, did good work and seemed like straight shooters. Twas a long time ago. They've probably moved.

Paul.

LOL WOW I used to work there, I was the Asst. Service Manager there for a couple years when Pete Moore first bought it, '80-'82. The building was torn down a bunch of years ago.

(cuz my horn always worked fine LOL) Betcha I get charged for it. :-)

Does the steering wheel have to come off to R&R the lock cylinder?!? seems weird to me....

Do you still >

My '87 car had the same problem, I got the key out the first or second time it happened, but finally the lock kept it..

After you pull everything out of the way, cover, airbag, little delicate horn contact parts, etc. (I never did a '96 car, but I own a '95 so I know what you have) you can then use a wheel puller too remove the steering wheel in order to gain access to the lock, which must be changed, you will need a new key too, I think it comes with one. I did this operation on my '87 car and I broke something off the delicate horn contacts but was able to get by without replacement. You wouldn't want to put the same lock back in, even if you got the key out of it, it would just screw up again. Difficulty level on this job would be experienced only, some special tools needed. Oh, yeah, if the wheel goes back on EXACTLY like it was, go to church next Sunday.

Well Bones that made me feel better and feel worse LOL I'm glad it required some tools and experience in this exact procedure after handing it off. BUTTTT the steering wheel being put back on the exact same spot now has me worried. I'm soooo damn anal.

Hopefully he is thorough enough to maybe mark the shaft/wheel to get it back on the same "teeth" on the shaft. LOL If not I will have to do it in the garage. With the wheel being off recently I might be able to pull/wiggle it off without renting a puller, and also avoid cracking myself in the face with it. LOL Been there done that :-)

I can see it now, whack> My '87 car had the same problem, I got the key out the first or

---snip---

g'luck..

if it worked before ? I wouldn't pay..

yes, thats probably how he broke horn contact ?

no, yours is held in by a set screw that has to be removed.

---"Key"

actually the lock can be repaired correctly and will hold up probably longer than a new one. I have seen fairly new locks do the same thing. what happens is the retainer that holds down the springs that are over the tumblers comes un-crimped, pops up and gets hung. a machine crimps down the retainers on at the factory. doing it by hand, one can do a better job of crimping.

my2¢

you should have no wories. there is a line up mark that has a flat spot. the wheel will not go back on but one way.

when trying to pull the wheel by hand. always screw the nut back on just a little. that way, when it comes loose, the nut will keep it from breaking your face :-)

Even worse that I imagined..... BEWARE ROBERT TAU AUTOMOTIVE, PENSACOLA FL

They went joy riding and wrecked it!!! F**K Me!! I called on the second day and was told Robert has left for the weekend and was on a flight... rutroh.... OK went to pick it up and they had it parked in a dirt pile..... COVERED with dirt.... I mean it looked like it had been offroading or mud bogging!!!!!

Walked up to it and the front end is smashed up and the spoiled hanging........ Then the mechanic came out and tried to look surprised... I don't know what happened.... ARRRRGHHH

They had parts still laying on the drivers seat with a greasy bathtowel.. The drivers floor was full of dirt leaves sticks..... greasy hand prints all over the doors... the fuse panel still laying in the passenger seat.. I went OFF when the mechanic tried to play dumb.... I immediately saw bits of chipped off paint laying on the ground and a couple small broken bezel parts in front of it and noticed the spoiler had been ripped half off and dirt packed up into the radiator inlet..... and the front license plate area cover smashed in and the bumper cover all crushed, broken bezel on the parking light..

Then I turned the key on and sure enough there was 2.7 miles on the trip odometer, the radio was tuned to a station, the seat had been moved up and the rear view mirror had been lowered (the mechanic was smaller than me). When I dropped it off I had to pull the ECM fuse to shut down the engine and disconnected the battery, plus the radio was off... This resets the trip odometer, and clears all the radio stations and defaults the radio to the low end of the dial (with NO reception)...

Then the mechanic tried to snatch my keys out of the car...........

Bastards!!! I called the police and they came but has I figured since it was on private property they wouldn't even file a police report. I even asked the very curt cop if he would file that there are broken body parts and paint chips laying on the damn ground right in front of the car!! Nope he was kinda an ass... I did get a "blue sheet" with a number on it from his partner. FWIW.

Called my insurance and reported it and called the credit card company to dispute the charges (they never had me sign anything, including the mandatory check boxes on the repair order OR EVEN the credit card slip... PLUS to add insult to injury they sure did charge me for the horn contact they broke..... $300.00 charge for a dang lock cylinder replacment. ARRGGHH

It's gotta be the HotRod Karma Gods displeased with me taking something I shoulda done myself to someone else to do......... cuz I just didn't want to be bothered with it at the moment...

I hope you got lots of pictures and are ready to go see Judge Judy. Been there twice and if you go prepared you can kick their ass. The operative word is be PREPARED and that means overly so and don't let up until you have them pounded into the ground. Document everything, have proof, paper, pictures , witnesses, tell the cop he is heading to court to testify, don't just raise a stink, shit on everyone and everything. Look into their background, see how they pay their bills, has the BBB been getting complaints, do they drink on their business site, anything that puts them in a bad light.

By the way one was a draw, (I got my money back), the other one they lost and I got damages and my money back.

Good luck, it helps,

Ric,

Sorry to hear of your dilemma. You just described the nightmare of every guy who prefers to turn his own wrench. Unfortunately, modern auto design has taken that pleasure from us. Anymore, you need a degree in auto mechanics to change the friggin' oil. We all feel your pain.

If you have the way and the proof, I hope your able to shove a "blue wrench" up their A**.

Brian

I hope you had a camera. You probably didn't since who does, but go back and take pictures of EVERYTHING car, odometer, seat position, radio, damage, the work area, parts in the dirt, etc.

Is it in running shape, i.e., did they drive it back or tow it? Do they have their own wrecker or did they have it towed in. If so, you can find the tow company and then know where it was wrecked. This will make a difference, as if they wrecked it on the street, and didn't report it, well, Florida isn't too nice on that.

And most importantly, get a lawyer. The meanest, nastiest, one you can find, and preferably one that loves cars or drives an exotic.

I can only add my sympathy to the suggestions above. Go after those SOBs with the law and back it up with a pitchfork. Every single cent that it costs you to put the car back in the condition it was before they damaged it should come out of their pockets, along with compensation for your time and trouble.

AJM '93 Ruby coupe, 6 sp