Finally!

[piece-itpete]

I'm busted - kinda. I do like working on machines, any machines really, I was a maintenence man in another life. But sold out, cut my hair, gave in to The Man, all for money lol. If I didn't owe it to someone then, I sure do now!

But as Rob points out, frigid weather, plus no garage, and the shed 100 feet from the end of the (gravel) driveway can be something of a discouragement

Plus having just the one car. But no use whinin', bust a knuckle, have a beer, put on a sunny face, rack up Prius points and go postal someday

Pete

[mossbacked]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Ahhhh.... relief.

Now I can beat my beater 89 TC with a hammer and pretend it's the dealer lol.

A 1985 Sig TC, 34,000 showing (certainly 134), one teenie teenie speck of rust. Very well cared for, very clean underside and clean interior.

I'm uncertain if I really like the color. I do prefer the dark blue, but pics don't exactly do this paint justice, it is very metallic. Dark blue leather interior.

I actually had the brains to see and drive this one before forking over the cash. I've got the 89 as a donor for parts, nothing major, just the stuff I figured I'd have to do on the 89. First up - suspension!

Pete

She's a beaut!

You must live somewhere where they don't drop 5,000 tons of salt on the roads every day.

Despite rustproofing 3 times, my '93 van with just 140K (and almost perfect paint and leather interior) had to go to the boneyard Saturday as the unibody was rusted to a point I decided it shouldn't be driven.

Nice find.

P.S.: Vintage anything (and tubes) rule!

[merrylander]

You should have seen the very first Honda Civic after a winter in Canada - looked like Swiss cheese.

[piece-itpete]

Shhhh, I've done heard we've got a Honda driver here. When he's not scalping folks with monstrously outrageous and completely unjustifiable fees, he's slyly driving around a vehicle that makes mine a paragon of greenish virtue.

Not quite.

But Toy Yodas? For fun, crush them, we will

Moss, I live in the Cleveland area, yes salt, yes rust. I bought the car in Columbus, but it's a survivor, must've been kept clean and inside. It's a sad day when a car goes to the crusher, hope you got your money's worth!

Pete

[Charles]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Right, nothing quite like lying on your back bleeding brake lines at 5 degrees.

I always liked to throw a piece of plywood on the snow so I'd have something warm to lay on.

Chas

[piece-itpete]

Well, since it's finally recognised that I drive the best brand ever made in the history of the entire world...

Any of you buying that?

I don't know why it took so long for other folks to figure it out

Anyway good time to ramble on about cars. Heck anytime's a good time in my book.

Got the lower ball joint tack welded in a while back. Still with the ride problems.

Then I got my mitts on a set of 16" rims off a 96 Towncar Cartier (below) (all full size ford car rims are interchangeable 1980-2002, although 98-02 needs 16").

Slapped a set of cheap tires on there (all radials!) and wala' - it's really a Lincoln ride. Finally. Almost a year. Even the SO says 'what;s wrong with your car? It seems you have to push too hard on the gas pedal, and when you look you're always going 45 instead of 35' It's a cruiser.

Spring almost here, then the timing, core, etc....

And I've got something to compare it to: a glamorous 2003 Grand Marquis Ultimate! 52K.

You would NEVER believe it could be related to my 85. For good reason, it's something like 70 lbs less unsprung weight - PER TIRE. Front strut suspension, a honking giant aluminum crossmember that spans from alloy lower control arm to control arm and also does engine cradle duty. Massive front and back sway bars. Toss a watts linkage on the back axle for good measure, maybe twin caliper front brakes too

Oh and a DOC V8, posi, and all the electric doodads and geegaws. 28 mpg highway.

It feels like a car half its' size. I can't believe they didn't advertise these cars more heavily.

Anyway, it does most things better than the 85 TC. But! The 85 has more class, a better highway ride, and seating position/cockpit controls.

It's really nice to be back to two cars.

Anyone do anything car related?

Pete

[d-ray657]

After having two cars shoot craps this year, it looks like I might be getting an '87 Chevy Caprice Classic for the boys. You have any opinion on those?

Regards,

D-Ray

[piece-itpete]

I love this guy

Seriously the full size GM products were my first love, and seem to be popular among the kids even today.

The 3 or 4 I owned (all station wagons) (had to be sexy lol) were all very reliable. It's been a long time though, and I can't remember the minor stuff. Oh yeah, front springs newer? They had a rep for needing them after a while. You can let them go but given time it'll be hard on the front end.

I did change a transmission on one of them at about 120k iirc. The small block chevy is a great engine, although the one with a 350 in a '79 had the plastic teeth on the timing gears, I don't know about the 87.

Because it's been a long time I don't know what age problems they may have developed. A 24 year old car will probably have some upkeep as a matter of course. But even that might be OK, they're fairly simple compared to todays cars.

Reading this thread you might think it's crazy. But my 85 had TONS of deferred maintenence and I knew it going in. If I would've spent more up front I would've had one with much of this work done, over time, as needed, as we would do if we had owned it since new.

So my take is, if it's clean and been kept properly, it's probably going to be a good servicable car. My dad got 200k out of his 86 I'd have a good mechanic give it a thorough onceover before you buy it.

And heck, your kids might even like it! Slap some 26" spinners on there, 10 or 12 subs...



Pete

[d-ray657]

Thanks Pete,

It's owned by a friend of a friend, who is a mechanic. I hear that it was his mother's - one owner. It has 100K on it.

Even with gas going up to five bucks, it would take the boys a long time to spend more on gas than they saved not having to buy a car. Besides, Edmunds says that it was rated at 16mpg city and 23 highway. We were down to one car among the 4 of us (with both of the boys 40 miles away) so we're looking at having to replace two cars. Can't spend very much on one to send over there, and still pay their rent, tuition, etc. We'll see if the owner and I can come to a meeting of the minds.

The older one is excited by the size because it would be able to haul a lot of band gear. As far as spinners, etc., when they're working full time and paying their own auto insurance, they can dress it up as much as they want.

Regards,

D-Ray

[piece-itpete]

Sounds like it might be great! I didn't think about the gas, but it's because I think that same way, price of car offsetting the gas. Good luck D.

Pete