Beautiful Machine.

Posted by mike d. 26 comments

As time passes, you can expect more and more quality posts about car repair here on MikeDiDonato.com. My mother continues to incessantly nag calmly recommend that I get a new vehicle, but I think this car has plenty more life within it.

Let’s recap this month’s fiasco.

Here is Rod Zapa post deer impact

Rod Zapa's hood, like a wrinkled dress shirt, pleas for ironing.

I had a few options.
1. Buy a brand new hood.
2. Buy a used hood.
3. Bang out the dents in this hood.

After a short amount of deliberation, I decided to go with option two.

First destination? The salvage yard. Roommate Brian was kind enough to come along for the trip, and lend his truck to the acquisition of a new hood. We searched the yard, finally finding a 98 Mazda Protege. We took the hood and the IAC valve, sadly the front headlights were missing. Still, like the vague smell of milk just past the expiration date, something seemed awry.

When we got home we realized that my hesitation was more than purely psychological. I don’t have a 98 mazda. It’s a 97.

So… amazingly… dumb.

Brian was kind enough to return to the salvage yard yesterday while I was at work, and picked me up a hood off of a 97. Strangely, the IAC from the 97 still didn’t fit. The hood however? Perfect.

Final results:

Beautiful.

Oh man. I bet you never thought it’d look so good! Now all I need is a new IAC valve, air intake hose, and driver’s side blinker and light. With these modifications, Rod Zapa will safely bring me into new eras of epic driving.

Filed in Acclaim To Fame 26 comments
26 Comments
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Nov 23, 2010
11:01 am
#1 Shaun L :

Keep up the nagging Momma D!

[Reply]

mom d. Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:03 pm

Will do!

Get a new car, Mike.

[Reply]

Mykal Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:56 pm

I’m going to stand with Mike D. here, do you have 200k on your car, if no, KEEP IT.

[Reply]

mike d. Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 2:02 pm

Thanks Mykal!

Only 125k on this beast. He’s got plenty of life left.

Nov 23, 2010
11:28 am
#2 Jocelyn :

I had to replace the hood of my Camry awhile back because a bunch of snow fell on it, dented it, and insurance didn’t cover it. I even got a color match. Salvage yard FTW!

[Reply]

mike d. Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 11:35 am

AND. Salvage yards are fun to visit.

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mom d. Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:04 pm

Mike, just get a new car.

[Reply]

mom d. Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:03 pm

Jocelyn, he should just get a new car.

Get a new car, Mike.

[Reply]

Nov 23, 2010
11:32 am
#3 Jesse :

You going to keep it two tone? I like it.

[Reply]

mike d. Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 11:35 am

I will keep it two-tone, yes. Although I was thinking it might be a good time to paint that stegosaurus on the front hood.

[Reply]

Jesse Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 11:39 am

UNQUESTIONABLY

[Reply]

mom d. Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:05 pm

It would be a better time to just get a new car, Mike.

[Reply]

Tom Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 4:12 pm

The two-tone does look remarkable good. But instead of a stegosaurus, I think maybe something a little more practical. Something that will tell the next deer, whoa, I should get out of this guy’s way. Now a stegosaurus should tell a deer to get out of the way, but I don’t think they remember the triassic* period, so maybe a bear or something. And it goes with out saying the bear should be encased in flames, and maybe wailing on a guitar.

*I did not look up when stegosaurus were around

[Reply]

mom d. Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:05 pm

Jess, he should just get a new car.

Get a new car, Mike.

[Reply]

Nov 23, 2010
12:05 pm
#4 Jon Abad :

MikeD…
As an engineer, i think you can appreciate two things:
1. deer impacts can damage the frame and suspension of your vehicle making it unsafe.
2. a number of safety innovations are available in cheap cars made after the year 2000.

And don’t think i didn’t notice the photoshopping of the license plate!

[Reply]

mike d. Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:08 pm

MSPaint! Not photoshop!

[Reply]

mom d. Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:07 pm

If you had a new car there would be no need for the MSP or photoshop improvements.

[Reply]

mom d. Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:06 pm

Good points, dear, dear JonAbad.

You should just get a new car, Mike.

[Reply]

Jon Abad Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 3:04 pm

MikeD… why are you against cars from this decade?
Is it because you hate technology and by extension, fun*?
* Where fun is defined as buying cars which helps keep people that make cars employed and therefore help the American** economy.
** When you buy cars that are made by american companies or at least by american workers.

If this argument doesn’t work, then maybe one rooted in economics. lemme know if you want that one.

[Reply]

mike d. Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 3:14 pm

What is more American than competition?!
Globalisation* all the way.

If you are indeed adamant about my having a new car, I encourage you to donate to the cause. It’s easy to insist expenditure when it’s not from one’s own pocket.

*spelling intentional

Jon Abad Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 6:27 pm

Oh, its very easy indeed!
Doesn’t make the message any less meaningful though.
Newer car = more safety = less new hoods when hitting deer.

Jesse Reply:
November 24th, 2010 at 9:44 am

I think it’s a terrible idea to get rid of a car that works fine. And it’s not as if safety were invented in this decade – somehow completely overlooked in the past. Also, the most environmental car you can get is the one you already have*. The American auto industry is in trouble exactly because of their nasty little habit of making HUGE beasts no one really needed but bought anyway (until now). Put those factory folks back to work making something we actually need more of, like clean energy products. Yay eco-rants!

*I drive a ’99 Buick Century with 150K miles on her.

Kurt from Work Reply:
November 24th, 2010 at 2:39 pm

I’ll see your ’99 buick with a ’90 Buick Regal with a rolled over 6 digit Odometer.

Nov 23, 2010
11:38 pm
#5 Alicia :

Mike, get a Segway.

[Reply]

Nov 24, 2010
9:52 pm
#6 sander :

Mike – I stand by your sensible choice to keep the Zapinator rolling. Criteria for my support:
1. Economically sound!
2. Ecologically sound.
3. Really, besides the slight black eye, it just needs a few typical repairs and it’ll be pretty solid for a while longer.
4. There’s a certain manliness that comes with standing by your choices. Of course if you car tries to kill you, get a new one. But if it’s just a little hiccup along the road, why discard it so carelessly? I’m not sure Mom D. understands this notion, but I for one applaud your steadfastness in the face of mother nature’s automotive attack squad (DEER – what do they do, anyway? Besides body damage?).

[Reply]

Jon Abad Reply:
November 25th, 2010 at 12:36 am

Sander is just trying to get more food for himself.
I’m trying to keep you alive to eat more food.
Who are you going to follow!

[Reply]

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