[Jazzbass]

Ok, after going through the car tonight, my current plan is to work in three stages:

Stage 1: Safety. New tires, brakes, windshield. Oil change, air filter and replace MAF boot.
Get inspected, tagged and insured.

Stage 2: Cooling, tune up and convenience odds and ends (window regulators, seat heater, etc)
Teach kids to drive it.

Stage 3: Drivetrain. After the new drivers are finished abusing the clutch, pull the transmission, driveshaft and dif and replace the dif bushings, clutch, center carrier bearing, shift linkage bushings, and detent pins in the transmission.

God willing that'll be it.

[racer]

Just curious. After all is said doing items 1,2 +3, plus original purchase price, plus the cost of your time, could you have found another manual transmission car out there (any brand) that would have cost overall the same and saved you hours of work (fun)? I admire your can do willingness and spirit and maybe your kids will be there with you doing all this work but it sure seems like you wanted another project

[Trak Ratt]

^ my experience supports Jazz's decision. Even a 2 year old car will need some work. Or at least a thorough going over to include; changing fluids, checking breaks etc. Not to many "older" cars that have been so well cared for that they are ready to go out of the gate.

Seems a sound decision to pick up something you might actually enjoy owning rather than just another insurance liability.

[Jazzbass]

Originally Posted by Trak Ratt

^ my experience supports Jazz's decision. Even a 2 year old car will need some work. Or at least a thorough going over to include; changing fluids, checking breaks etc. Not to many "older" cars that have been so well cared for that they are ready to go out of the gate.

Seems a sound decision to pick up something you might actually enjoy owning rather than just another insurance liability.

Yup. Over a certain age, all cars are crapshoots. One thing about cheap cars, the seller doesn't try to hide anything. There's no illusion that the car has been kept in a heated garage and maintained by angels sent from Bavaria, like all the guys trying to sell $6000+ cars will try to tell you. IME those cars will need new brakes, new cooling, etc, as well.

This car was dirt cheap and the seller told me everything he knew that was wrong with it. So far, everything I've seen has matched up. My goal was to get a car for under $3000 that would last the kid a couple of years in high school. We'll see how close we can come to that.

[Dr K]

Jazz, if the "good" tire is 12 years old, it's likely not good any more (even if the durometer says its soft enough). Your children will be in this car - keep the "good" tire as the spare, maybe put the "iffy" one in the rack over your garage doors, and put 4 new, safe tires on the car, in my opinion.

And Dave - don't you remember the replacing of the fuel lines, and before that TD's (now HoodPin's) electrical system? Jazz loves this kind of stuff!

[Jazzbass]

Originally Posted by Dr K

Jazz, if the "good" tire is 12 years old

The good tire is three years old. Bad tires are 12 yrs old.

Originally Posted by Dr K

Your children will be in this car - keep the "good" tire as the spare, maybe put the "iffy" one in the rack over your garage doors, and put 4 new, safe tires on the car, in my opinion

Yeah, no shit Peter. You think I'd almost kill myself redo-ing TD's POS 944 (no offense Tony) but suddenly decide to start cutting corners on my own child's car? C'mon now... you're smarter and and know me better than that.

[Vicegrip]

I guess you must have finished up the last one. Looks like a fun project.

[Dr K]

Originally Posted by Jazzbass

you...know me better than that.

True dat! Sorry to have doubted you.

[HughA44s]

Hey BT, The 6-Speeds are the rare ones as most of the manuals were 5-Speeds. Having said that, manuals of any type are far less common in these cars. The good news is that the 5-Speeds are far stronger and more durable than the 6-Speeds to the point that hard core racers of these cars go with the 5-Speed (or so I have heard).

[87turbolook911]

Jazz,

Call me I've got lots of tips and parts after resurrecting Pig Pen (below).