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After spending two days in Dad’s Tahoe, we’ve retrieved Phoenix the Intrigue from the transmission shop. A rebuilt tranny will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $1700-$2000, and a brand new ’65E can be had for a cool $2600 installed.

The Jasonian is researching the possibility of replacing the ailing hydraulic pressure control solenoid (translation: expensive little actuator thingy), with the help of a technician friend and the use of a garage bay at the local dealer, for the cost of the part and a case of beer. It would take the better part of a Saturday to do, but supposedly is well within the realm of possibility…

Meanwhile, I’m driving as gingerly as possible and remembering my prediction when I named the car “Phoenix” – after all, a Phoenix is “a legendary Arabian bird said to periodically burn itself to death and emerge from the ashes as a new phoenix”.

So I guess I knew this would happen eventually… And I like Ani DiFranco’s take on the outcome:

“…and God help you if you are a Phoenix,
and you dare to rise up from the ash…
A thousand eyes will smolder with jealousy,
while you are just … flying away.”