I went yesterday to look at this car. The girl said it was dead by the
road about a mile from her house. So we meet where the car is. She
tells me she swapped her 05 truck for it 4 days ago, guy says it needs a
"timing belt." She drove it a ways to visit a friend and she says it
overheated then died right there close to the house. This girl is 22,
very sweet, the guy won't do anything for her, she is distraught, knows
nothing, loves the car, has no idea how to deal with it and no idea what
to do on it, just wants some money and to move on. She figured it was
driveable, so did, with this consequence.
It looks really nice. Newish paint, a few little rust spots here and
there bubbling through but nothing major (but who knows what's under the
paint?). Interior very nice, looks like all the upholstery was replaced
or maybe just very clean. Carpets very clean, headliner good. Wood
veneer gone on some of the pieces but someone varnished the base and it
looks half decent. Original radio. Dash looks good. Glove box actually
latches. New whitewall tires of some off brand but they look OK.
I pop the hood and notice the alternator/water pump belt is gone.
Hmmmm.... no alternator = dead battery. No pump = overheating. Engine
bay very clean, looks like new plug wires, etc. Rad was mostly full.
There is some kind of aftermarket K$N like round filter stuck on the
intake, original air filter not there. I see a bit of oil down at the
bottom of the head on the passenger side. No milkshake on the dipstick
so at least no water in the oil. Her friend goes and gets a jug of
water, we top off the rad, only took a bit, no oil in the rad, good
sign. Has a newish Sanden compressor, 134, hoses are new.
I put in a good battery, crank a coupla times and it fires up but dies.
Crank again, it catches and sputters. Uhoh. Try again and give it some
gas and it finally catches and smooths out and is running well. Go look
at it and listen, I hear a bit of clatter from a back cylinder, not sure
if it is valves or what but it is running well and pretty smooth. I get
in and drive it to her house, gets to maybe 250 right at then, probably
OK. Trans shifting fine, brakes good, Shut it off and pop the hood
again, doesn't seem too hot but I notice a bit of spitting down at the
bottom of the head where that oil was, I guess the head gasket is
cracked or something. We discuss it, she is actually really happy I
know something about the car and some random jerk isn't wanting to buy
it, she loves it and wants it to be taken care of, she knows she knows
nothing, etc. We work the deal so we're good.
Went back with the trailer this morning and got it, it was a little
unhappy starting again but once it lit off it ran well, idle a bit
high. I stopped at an auto parts store and got a belt, will go put it
on shortly and take it for a drive and see how it does.
For $1200 I think it is a pretty nice car though it might need the
engine work. The guy at the auto parts I got the belt from was a former
mech at the Stealer up the road and said he had rebuilt a couple of
those engines, got his name and number. He says it is not a real hard
job, just have to watch the head bolt torques, etc. So I guess I will
see... I'm kinda happy with it, it's a pretty car. Looks like someone
put a fair amount of money into it so I'm hoping other stuff has been
dealt with fairly well. Worse comes to worse I can flip it to a FB boy...
I'll put up some pics later on some site.
Oh, so she says she needs another car cheap, if I see something let her
know, or if she finds something can she call me to help her since it
seems I know something about cars... I did tell her once it gets sorted
out I will come give her a ride in it, and she was really happy about
that! looks like I might have adopted another daughter... YIKES!!!
--FT
On 4/20/20 11:39 PM, Buggered Benzmail wrote:
So I’m going to go get this thing in the morning. Details to follow. It looks
pretty nice, seems to run well but some strange aspects. I think the head
gasket is blown. Poor girl got taken on the deal.
--FT
Sent from iPhone.
--
--FT
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