Veterans & Community Auto Skills Center

Veterans & Community Auto Skills Center Providing affordable repairs, hands-on training, mentorship, and community support for veterans, families, and people in need.

Driven by Service — Built for All.

Making progress on the Grand Prix. Those deteriorated lower intake gaskets have been replaced with updated metal gaskets...
10/10/2026

Making progress on the Grand Prix. Those deteriorated lower intake gaskets have been replaced with updated metal gaskets from ZZPerformance.

It’s also getting a new belt, tensioner and coolant elbow, valve cover gaskets and grommets, throttle body gasket, and all the O-rings, including the injector seals. Fresh Castrol synthetic oil and a new filter too.

Tomorrow I’ll finish putting it together, add fresh coolant, and check for leaks and proper operating temperature. One step closer to getting this old Pontiac back on the road.

I fix older cars, and I’m building this nonprofit to help veterans get reliable transportation without a car payment.The...
10/08/2026

I fix older cars, and I’m building this nonprofit to help veterans get reliable transportation without a car payment.

The 2004 Grand Prix I’m working on is an example of what I can do. It runs well but has an overheating problem. Updated metal intake gaskets arrive today to address a suspected coolant leak. Fresh oil and transmission fluid are also part of the plan.

I prefer older GM cars because they’re straightforward to work on and parts are affordable. With around $2,500, I can buy and repair a solid older car. With funding, my goal is to hand a veteran the keys to one.

I enjoy working on people’s daily drivers too, but I’m one person. Cheap, fast, and mobile is a lot to ask. Good repairs take time. I’m here for the car culture, sharing skills, and helping people.

I’m not looking to get rich. I want to help someone get to work, appointments, or pick up their kids. We all need help sometimes.

Want to help fund a car, donate a vehicle, or contribute parts? Text 325-276-1328 anytime.

And be kind to each other. There’s enough hate already. Helping someone feels good, and even a little help can make a difference.

10/06/2026

Picked up a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix with plenty of life left, despite its rough appearance and a common 3.8L issue: deteriorated lower intake gaskets. The block test was negative, but disassembly confirmed the gaskets were badly worn.

We’re installing updated metal gaskets, resealing the top end, and changing the oil and coolant before retesting. It already runs well, so I’m hopeful it has many more miles ahead.

It won’t win any beauty contests, but it’s practical, comfortable, and worth a second chance. Any profit will help my household, and I’ll share the repair process along the way.

10/02/2026

The Truth of It

Working on cars is almost therapy to me. You can’t fake it. The car doesn’t care what you think is wrong. You test until you find the truth.

This Buick had a battery dying overnight with no obvious lights left on. We tested for a parasitic draw and traced it to the horn circuit. We pulled the horn fuse, eliminating the drain. It’s not factory perfect, but he has a bypass horn and it works for him.

Then the rest started making sense. Even after fixing the drain, the alternator was only putting out about 13.1–13.2 volts, dropping with the A/C on, and the bearing was making noise. New alternator arrives today, along with the correct oil-pressure switch. We also know there’s a power-steering leak still to address.

That’s what I love about this work. Test. Eliminate. Understand. Fix.

It’s solving a mystery instead of throwing parts at it.

Truth = Freedom.

09/28/2026

Battery kept dying overnight on this 1997 Buick LeSabre, so we tracked down the parasitic draw instead of throwing parts at it.

We measured the current with the car shut down and started isolating circuits. Eventually we traced the problem to the horn circuit. The horn blows constantly when connected, and the steering-wheel controls and turn-signal cancel already have problems, pointing us toward the horn contact, clockspring, or related steering-column wiring.

For now, I removed the passenger-side #3 horn fuse to isolate the problem and stop the drain. The steering-column repair can come later.

Diagnose first. Fix what actually needs fixing.

This is what we do.We’ve been working through this old 1997 Buick LeSabre one problem at a time. The A/C is now working ...
09/28/2026

This is what we do.

We’ve been working through this old 1997 Buick LeSabre one problem at a time. The A/C is now working great. We diagnosed the heat issue down to a bad blend-door actuator. It’s about a $79 part, but instead of just throwing parts at it, we figured out that the door can still be moved manually in a pinch.

Now we’re chasing an overnight battery drain. We’ll test the battery, check the draw, and isolate the circuit before buying anything else.

That’s the point of this nonprofit. Diagnose first. Repair what needs repairing. Teach along the way. Keep costs down and keep good cars on the road.

We’re not trying to sell people parts they don’t need. We’re trying to help people understand and maintain what they already have.

09/27/2026

1997 Buick LeSabre Update

We’ve been working through this old Buick one problem at a time. The ball joints checked out good, but we found a loose inner tie rod, a bad motor mount, repaired the A/C system, and got it blowing cold again.

Then today I checked the heat… barely warm.

Both heater-core lines were hot, so I disconnected the blend-door actuator rod and moved the door manually. Heat works great. That narrowed it down to a bad temperature blend-door actuator.

That’s what this project is about. Diagnose before replacing parts, learn something along the way, and keep an older car safely on the road without throwing money at it.

Veterans & Community Skills Center
Driven by Service — Built for All.

09/25/2026

Veterans & Community Skills Center

Another day working on the 1997 Buick LeSabre! Today we're tackling the A/C system, replacing the condenser, inspecting the refrigerant lines, and installing a new or***ce tube.

It's an older car, but that doesn't mean it's ready for the scrapyard. With a little knowledge, patience, and affordable parts, we can keep these vehicles running and help our neighbors save money.

That's what our nonprofit is about. Helping veterans, families, and our community keep safe, reliable transportation on the road.

Driven by Service — Built for All.

09/24/2026

A little maintenance lesson from today’s 1997 Buick LeSabre. Debris had made it past the air filter and collected on the throttle body screen. That little screen caught quite a bit, although it was damaged too.

A reminder to check more than whether your air filter is dirty. How it fits and seals matters.

Helping our neighbors keep their cars going and sharing what we learn along the way. That’s what our nonprofit is about.

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San Angelo, TX
76905

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+13252127612

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