Yeah, I've made it abundantly clear that she should have pulled over right
away! She knows it. Yet, I'm a part-time mechanic self employed and NOT a
car dealer. And I have to kick myself in the ass for not replacing old
hoses. It was a $3 item that lead to disaster! I looked into the "fix and
flip" business years ago, only to learn you can't fix them and sell them and
make money. And I was never willing to unload junk onto people because...
well... people are ignorant. I always have a small fleet of my own vehicle
on the road and when someone needs something and I'm ready to part with
something, I just try to get out what I have into it. And it's almost
always to a friend or friend of a friend. Now I've been trying desperately
to get her into something else and can't come up with anything. LOL, she
just needs something cheap and dependable (and non-smoker interior). Double
LOL. That's what EVERYONE needs, and that's exactly what NOBODY sells,
trades, or lets get impounded! With so many now not buying new and next
level replacing good used with the new buyer's trade, as it always used to
be... and it's been bad for so long... there's nothing out there cheap
private sale (scrap prices going way up didn't help, nor the clunker
program) that doesn't need time and money sunk into it. And the dealers???
Last time I went to a dealer auction in my area they were bidding way higher
on risky stuff then I would have ever dreamed. Then most the stuff on the
lots have serious problems. The warrantees they offer are a joke. Covers
the bizarre stuff maybe, but not the typical stuff... with a payment more
expensive per month than "I" would ever pay... I really don't want to see
her signed into something she than can't afford to fix!
Anyway, back to "skubi" : ) The body is dented with rust holes shabbily
patched over and more rust about to become holes. Over 300k on the clock.
Also, it has the classic torque bind in turns via the transmission. Not a
real problem there, since I wired a switch on the dashboard from the
diagnostic fuse under the hood. Switch is labeled FWD in the normal
position, and 4 LOCK in the up position. Loved it that way! Front wheel
drive is fine all the time, and when I flip the switch, it will plow the
front bumper through over a foot of snow! But technically, it's not right.
It was an $800 car (what I had into it all total), and until it got cooked,
was a much better car than what's out there for sale for twice to three
times that amount for sure. But now, it sounds like a lot of work to do all
the seals, too. Then I would wonder about valve springs, rings, and
whatever else may have just gotten way too hot. On the other hand, I've
seen a write-up online showing head gaskets being done while engine still in
the car... I could just do those and the front seals, and hope it doesn't
start puking oil out the rear main next. For now, at least it yard drives
until I rob any part off it. I suppose I should put a pressure test on the
radiator and confirm it's headgasket. Right now, it acts like the waterpump
isn't pumping at all. Which I suspect is because it can't pump exhaust
gasses! A LOT of stuff on it I can use on my 95, including the rear struts.
But to keep it on wheels means needing a second work area (out in the sun
probably) to do the swap so it ends up with my old struts back in it.
Double the work vs buyng new struts. Hmmmm... maybe I'll advertise some
parts. I think the rear propeller shaft would sell for 300 at a bone yard.
Any idea how many different years and models THAT fits?? : ) If I can sell
that or the rear diff... then I can yank the rear struts and whatever else
and have a ramp truck "drag" it onboard and take it away! Yaaaaaaaaaaay!!
