[Robert Coats]

I had a '72 Corvette in decent shape I bought from the original owner in 1981.Was in college and living at home when Dad says he and mom are moving, and suggest I find an apt. and stay in school. I decided I'd better make sure the Vette was in top shape, as I was going to loose the garage and most of the tools. Drove up on a set of ramps and knocked out an oil change, then looked around the underside for anything that might need attention. The gear oil bolt/fill hole on the side of the manual transmission called out to me. A quick skim of the Haynes manual delivered a simple drawing to check the level by removing the bolt and confirm the gear box oil was up to the threads. Okay, bolt out and gear oil starts pouring out. Well, how about that? The last idiot who did this clearly overfilled it. So I let it pour out and confirmed the oil as right at the threads.

Cleaned up and patted myself on the back, and rolled the Vette. Missed the part about doing this when the car is flat and level. Fast-foward a month, and in a new apartment, mom and dad in new house 350 miles away....and hey, why won't it go into 1st and 3rd anymore !!?! Transmission is shot, but local shop had a line on a used one for the princely sum of $1100. Wiped out savings but learned a valuable lesson about reading and understanding the ENTIRE procedure before jumping right in.