20th Apr 2009, 13:33
I agree with everyone else (Keep the car!).
I have a 1969 Impala, and I have left it sitting in the garage too long, and now I am rebuilding the brakes on it also. And I wouldn't sell or trade my old Impala for anything, it's a joy to drive and really turns heads. People chase me to the stop light wanting to know if it's for sale, and I always say "Ya don't see a for sell sign on it do ya?"
30th Aug 2016, 13:19
I daily drove up to 1990 a 1969 Camaro SS The 69 got notes on the windshield everywhere asking if it were for sale. When its value went way up I started to use it just for cruises and shows. There's no reason that a 69 Impala couldn't be daily driven today. Cars like this and others like late 60s Cutlass, Skylarks can be driven anywhere. If they were the muscle car variant such as a GS or 4-4-2, they would need to be carefully watched today. We had a 68 Olds Cutlass as just a driver car. Drove to the mall, anywhere and it wasn't a theft concern. As great as the older muscle cars are, it is this very reason that limits some of the fun owning one. A base model especially as a convertible driver is really fun to own.
2nd Dec 2008, 12:24
Reading your problems, timing chain, gear, cover, I'm gonna say that you'll probably need to loosen the pan bolts and lay the front on the cross-member. The lip of the timing cover and gasket are boogers to force over the lip of the pan. Use a little "gasket maker" RTV on each side to seal it.
On your brakes, If they're non-power, look under the dash where the master cylinder pushrod comes through the firewall. Peel back the rubber boot and see if there's fluid leaking. If power brakes, loosen the two 3/8 nuts holding the cylinder to the booster. Pull it forward and see if it's been dribbling into the booster. Betcha find it since there's no outer visible leaks. When you rebuild your system I'd suggest going with DOT 5 silicone brake fluid. The DOT 3 & 4 are glycol fluid which is hygroscopic and attracts moisture through the rubber brake seals. I totally redid my system in 1979 on the old wagon and looked at the rear cylinders last year. Still see the hone pattern with no corrosion. The silicone fluid will eliminate interal corrosion in the system. And, if you spill it on the paint, will only shine it up like Armor All. No damage. The DOT 5 can be used on all non-ABS cars. Good Luck and keep the car. Scare yourself and price an alternator, water pump or brake parts for one of those little econoboxes!