I started the story in the new users thread, but I thought I would continue it here since it is a little longer than an introduction. I won't copy the other story at the beginning of this one, so if you missed it and want, you can read my initial post.
Long story longer, after I got my car home (the picture is the day I brought it home), I put it in my garage (that picture is at the bottom of my initial post). It sat there for about 4 months before I decided it was time to do something about it (I drove a semi OTR at that time, so having time to work on it was VERY limited).
The guy I bought it from told me that it had not even been started for about four years, so I knew I had to tread lightly. First, I decided to replace all fluids in the car, because four year old liquids are not good starting material. I drained the oil, I replaced the filter, I drained the anti-freeze and replaced it (thankfully no leaks), I drained the transmission fluid and replaced that, too. So, I thought, I wonder what happens if I try to start it. I bought a battery and hooked it up. Crossed my fingers and hit the ignition. IT STARTED! It ran like a COPD smoker of forty years. Coughing, sputtering, blowing smoke... So, I cut it off. I knew I needed a real mechanic, not a farmer/semi driver who had no training.
I took it to a local shop and told them I needed the engine to run better. I told them the story of how I got the car, how long it sat, etc. It sat there six months. They did nothing. So, I had it towed to another guy who I thought would fix it. He had two different shops. He always worked in the "other" shop, but said the guys at the shop I delivered to would be able to get it fixed. Another six months go by with no progress.
People might be wondering why I just let it sit there for all this time without doing anything. Well, being an OTR driver is difficult and home time is precious, so the car was hard to attend. Anyway, I finally got annoyed. The guy I trusted apologized profusely, but said those guys he fired and was closing that shop so he was down to one. But, I had already talked to a guy who was a "80's car guru". So, I thought I would trust my car to him. He explained in vivid detail his experience with these cars. . He knew the engine size without looking it up, he asked questions about the shifters, all without looking at the car, as it was not here yet. So, I was pretty pleased and thought, "Finally, some progress might happen!" But, alas, I was overly optimistic.
The first thing he did was repair all the brakes. He changed all the pads and rotors and brake lines. That was not what I asked him to do, but, since it needed to be done, I said fine, and I paid him for it. Then, he told me that the motor would have to get an acid bath, and he did not have one, so it would have to be sent out and rebuilt. I thought, well, as long as it is getting done. So, I asked, "What will this cost?" He said $6,000. I was floored. So, I said, "No, don't do it. I am going to research options." He told me that if I wanted he could probably sell it for me for about $5,000.
Friends in other forums told me to get it out of there as soon as possible because he would be trying to get it as his, via abandonment, or a mechanics lean. Well, after about another two months, I was talking to the second guy, the one with the two shops where he closed the one shop. He has been a mechanic I have used many times in the past for other vehicles. He asked me how it was going getting the car fixed. I told him what the latest guy said, that the motor needs acid bathed. He told me he could do it, and he could do everything else that the car needed and he felt just horrible about his previous employees not fixing it. He would only charge me about $1,500 and parts cost to do all of it, whatever it needed. So, me, the eternal optimist, took it to the new (2nd) mechanic again. I decided to keep abreast of the situation more completely this time, as I now have a home daily job, where I am only out sleeping in my truck two nights a week.
Well, the pictures in the first post show the block with the water jets full, and the water pump. These obviously have been cleaned with the acid dip. He got the motor back in the car. It has to have a new radiator. I do not care about originality as that ship had already sailed with this car anyway. So, he supposedly found a replacement radiator. But, also supposedly, the wrong one was delivered, THREE TIMES!
So, the motor is clean, runs great. The transmission had the shifter cables replaced and the clicky thing on top (no clue what it is called, but it is the lever that the cables attach to) works well now, as that had to be replaced. All in all, almost done. Water pump and fuel pump were replaced, and new radiator should be in tomorrow.
THAT is the story behind me getting my car running. But, with the money I paid to the mechanics, the towing, and the price of the original purchase, I have about $8,200 in it total.
I think that is not too bad...
Long story longer, after I got my car home (the picture is the day I brought it home), I put it in my garage (that picture is at the bottom of my initial post). It sat there for about 4 months before I decided it was time to do something about it (I drove a semi OTR at that time, so having time to work on it was VERY limited).
The guy I bought it from told me that it had not even been started for about four years, so I knew I had to tread lightly. First, I decided to replace all fluids in the car, because four year old liquids are not good starting material. I drained the oil, I replaced the filter, I drained the anti-freeze and replaced it (thankfully no leaks), I drained the transmission fluid and replaced that, too. So, I thought, I wonder what happens if I try to start it. I bought a battery and hooked it up. Crossed my fingers and hit the ignition. IT STARTED! It ran like a COPD smoker of forty years. Coughing, sputtering, blowing smoke... So, I cut it off. I knew I needed a real mechanic, not a farmer/semi driver who had no training.
I took it to a local shop and told them I needed the engine to run better. I told them the story of how I got the car, how long it sat, etc. It sat there six months. They did nothing. So, I had it towed to another guy who I thought would fix it. He had two different shops. He always worked in the "other" shop, but said the guys at the shop I delivered to would be able to get it fixed. Another six months go by with no progress.
People might be wondering why I just let it sit there for all this time without doing anything. Well, being an OTR driver is difficult and home time is precious, so the car was hard to attend. Anyway, I finally got annoyed. The guy I trusted apologized profusely, but said those guys he fired and was closing that shop so he was down to one. But, I had already talked to a guy who was a "80's car guru". So, I thought I would trust my car to him. He explained in vivid detail his experience with these cars. . He knew the engine size without looking it up, he asked questions about the shifters, all without looking at the car, as it was not here yet. So, I was pretty pleased and thought, "Finally, some progress might happen!" But, alas, I was overly optimistic.
The first thing he did was repair all the brakes. He changed all the pads and rotors and brake lines. That was not what I asked him to do, but, since it needed to be done, I said fine, and I paid him for it. Then, he told me that the motor would have to get an acid bath, and he did not have one, so it would have to be sent out and rebuilt. I thought, well, as long as it is getting done. So, I asked, "What will this cost?" He said $6,000. I was floored. So, I said, "No, don't do it. I am going to research options." He told me that if I wanted he could probably sell it for me for about $5,000.
Friends in other forums told me to get it out of there as soon as possible because he would be trying to get it as his, via abandonment, or a mechanics lean. Well, after about another two months, I was talking to the second guy, the one with the two shops where he closed the one shop. He has been a mechanic I have used many times in the past for other vehicles. He asked me how it was going getting the car fixed. I told him what the latest guy said, that the motor needs acid bathed. He told me he could do it, and he could do everything else that the car needed and he felt just horrible about his previous employees not fixing it. He would only charge me about $1,500 and parts cost to do all of it, whatever it needed. So, me, the eternal optimist, took it to the new (2nd) mechanic again. I decided to keep abreast of the situation more completely this time, as I now have a home daily job, where I am only out sleeping in my truck two nights a week.
Well, the pictures in the first post show the block with the water jets full, and the water pump. These obviously have been cleaned with the acid dip. He got the motor back in the car. It has to have a new radiator. I do not care about originality as that ship had already sailed with this car anyway. So, he supposedly found a replacement radiator. But, also supposedly, the wrong one was delivered, THREE TIMES!
So, the motor is clean, runs great. The transmission had the shifter cables replaced and the clicky thing on top (no clue what it is called, but it is the lever that the cables attach to) works well now, as that had to be replaced. All in all, almost done. Water pump and fuel pump were replaced, and new radiator should be in tomorrow.
THAT is the story behind me getting my car running. But, with the money I paid to the mechanics, the towing, and the price of the original purchase, I have about $8,200 in it total.
I think that is not too bad...
