1000 Miles To Go

Turn on subtitles or view the transcript at the bottom of the description if you'd like explanations on what I'm doing throughout the video.

Approximately 1000 miles from home, I purchased this 1968 Pontiac Bonneville off Facebook Marketplace. The ad stated some things like "daily driver", "ready to drive anywhere", and "has plenty of power". Welp, none of those things turned out to be true. This boat barely hits the baseline of a running and driving vehicle, severely leaks every fluid, and needs just about one of everything. And to my surprise, despite being a GM product, there's almost no parts for this car available locally between between Colorado and Minnesota. So, everything just is what it is. Me and my girlfriend spent 5 days in Vail, Colorado, to celebrate our 5 year anniversary and so I could patch up whatever I could on this pile before I doubtfully drove it home to Minnesota in a day and a half.

Chapters:
00:00 - Doesn't run
02:14 - Patching spark plug wires and more
06:13 - Brake work
19:13 - Cleanup
20:20 - Power windows, nice
22:14 - Date night, Vail village
25:30 - Oil change and fluid check
28:30 - An unfortunate series of events at the gas station
31:08 - Leadville, Colorado
34:22 - Alignment issues
40:06 - How do the spark plugs look?
43:06 - Flooding carburetor
45:55 - A quick break
48:00 - A few more things before leaving
50:40 - The drive home
58:47 - Made it
1:00:52 - cat

[mongosaqqara]

Simon I had a 73 Eldorado...500 cubic inch....I rebuilt the carb...plugs...tune...like you still no power... I finally went to an old timer muffler shop...the old GM had a double wall exhaust system...sure enough the inner wall failed and collapsed...acted just like yours...new system installed and Vroom! Explaned the blow by too...Nice girl...happy anniversary 🎉

[davidniebeling]

Yay! I’m always happy to see when you post a new video. You’re one of the very few channels that I actually follow and look forward to new ones coming out!!! Keep up the great work!!

[maoxian]

Enjoyed meeting Mrs. Fordman for the first time....

[ВладиславНекряч]

Hello Simon. I'm from Russia. I came across your video in recommendations. You have a good video shooting style. We dream about cars like this here and I believe that classic American cars are the best creations in the history of the automobile. I wish you good luck and all the best.

[johnkendrick]

Don't listen to bad advice. Those bumper jacks work excellent

[stephengirling]

Notice how the Mc.D looked like it was made this morning. If flies, maggots and bacteria won't eat it then probably best we don't!

[alexandrebilloir]

Honestly im french and i begening to follow your Channel and it’s amazing like 70´s old movie ! Nature, Old cars restauration and driving, walking and i love it ! Thank you

[TheMemazo]

Amazing thing is watching a young man with such knowledge and experience, fixing any trouble with anything you can find, CONGRATULATIONS AND KEEP THE OLD SCHOOL ALIVE 💪

[thomasknobbe]

So many thoughts! Dad and Mom had a '68 Catalina (basically same car, except with a shorter wheelbase and regular gas V8)-white over green, our all time favorite family sedan. That big front seat will make it a great date night car when it is running well. And you will love the disappearing wiper blades. From the door cards, I suspect yours may be an Executive, rather than a Bonneville. But we won't tell.

You are very brave to get under that thing to change the oil. That oil pan sat so low I once tore a hole in it on rutted gravel driveways in the spring. You have to remove the engine to replace the oil pan in those cars. Dad was not happy. Thanks for the ride, and Happy Anniversary!

[johnwolffe]

Simon has a quality I admire greatly in a video. He does not feel the need to talk. He does not feel the need to play music. He just works. Some videos show a man, usually obese, who starts talking the second the video begins, often in some manure covered hick accent filled with intolerable asides and verbal tangents and continues until the very end of the video. His boss and coworkers no longer tolerate it, his relatives no longer invite him to anything anymore, his dog hates him, and the wife has long since left him for what she might have had. Then he goes on YouTube.

[single-handed]

Congrats on your anniversary . That Land yacht was a leaky ship the minute you looked at it. The leaking gas tank was a sad sight to watch. But the "one" wiper not working was too funny to watch. A kid from my neighborhood growing up had a 67 wagon Executive Safari. He beat that car to death. $150.00 he paid . Every day he would race down the street, It was fast. Gas was 65 cents in the early 80's It was fun watching your video.

[nickmonroe]

Looks like life is good! Happy anniversary to you and your lady! Another great video. Love these. Nice work!

[noneprovided]

Prior to discovering this channel a couple of months ago, there were two established automotive channels that were perpetually neck and neck as my favorites. Since that time, this channel has edged its way in to make it a three-way tie.

Now, _SimonFordman_ takes its rightful place in the triumvirate alongside _Fuzzy Dice Projects_ and _Ronald Finger._

[TheTwelly]

One of the best channels on Utube.
But dude, you surely took a few risks with dodgy brakes, leaking fuel tank, wandering steering.
Sitting in car with petrol washing around with your nearest and dearest sat inside.
That's one anniversary you won't forget. ❤

[johnpartridge]

It's great that your're keeping these old Classics on the Road

[rogerdumais]

I know it's not that great of a car the people lied about the condition but I know from the work you do you will get her in the shape she deserves

[UnusSedLeo-wl]

It was like watching a movie. A good one. Beats Netflix. Living the life, well done!

[أحمدآلتمام-ظق]

Hi Simon, I'm from Saudi Arabia

I support you and encourage you to continue to succeed

I have a 1989 Chevrolet Caprice that I maintain and it's in very good condition

My father had a 1983 Buick Park Avenue. We had it since I was a kid. I learned to drive it and even used to go to college in it. Those were the good days

It makes me very sad that we are losing those beautiful cars on our streets and now cars are the same and boring

[bluerazor]

Looks like the old Bonne' will need a lot of work, the previous owner clearly didn't know what the hell he was doing but at least it's in your hands now, lovely video and an adventure!

[robertashbrook]

Thanks a lot Simon you gave me a some courage to take my beater without a heater on a road trip. Bout 800 miles. I have a 64 galaxy with a 352 auto. I don't have a heater because I had to bypass the heater core. It was leaking. I have a new heater core I'll put it in when I get back. Thanks for the encouragement