<VV> RE: Running engine

[Ian Harding]

Thanks! That's what I'm trying to avoid! There is something about that car 
on jackstands looking at you every day that is depressing. I also got 
depressed driving a car that kept breaking. I think I may have broken the 
code for me which is:

1. Buy a great car that someone else has already restored. This is probably 
the most cost effective and least emotionally destructive option. Can't do 
it, don't have that kind of spending authority.

2. Rebuild a drivetrain in my spare time, then buy that "nice driver" and 
put the fresh, clean drivetrain in. This gets me a car that may have 
cosmetic issues option 1 doesn't, and maybe even electical/body issues 
(windows hard to roll up, cigarette lighter doesn't work, etc) but always 
starts, runs perfect, and doesn't leak. May cost more, but while I'm doing 
the engine work, I am not looking at a car I can't drive, and once I can 
drive it, I can drive it.

Plus, I actually _want_ to rebuild one! I've only done it once before and it 
was fun!

- Ian

On 8/5/05, Cliff Tibbitts <tibbitts at qx.net> wrote:
> 
> > Personal Opinion Here:
> >
> > Do your FAMILY a favor! Spend time with them! Go to Corvair meets
> > with
> > $$$ that you've SAVED UP!.......some day that perfect deal will pop up!
> > Garages all over the world are filled with LONG TERM PROJECTS [ JUNK ]
> > Your
> > family will grow up before you know it!
> 
> Ian, I doubt you are interested in one more opinion. I was in your shoes a
> year ago. I wanted to buy a driver when the CORSA convention was here in
> Lexington, but decided on a "Project Car" instead. I ended up with a '66'
> Monza with a decent body and interior, but no engine to speak of. I got 
> the
> block/crank/cam with 30K on them. Also boxes and boxes of parts. To date,
> I have invested close to $3000.00 in the engine and missing parts, and the
> car still sits on jack stands in the garage. If I had to do it over, I
> would have held out from a running driver in decent shape. Granted, you
> will likely sink a lot of cash into the driver as well, but at least you
> would be driving it. And the outlay would be over a longer period of time.
> 
> These guys are right, and I wish I had listened to this kind of advice a
> year ago. Good used parts are getting harder to find all the time. But, if
> you like a project, then go for it. They're out there.
> 
> Cliff Tibbitts
> '66' Monza 140/4sp, (sort of)
> 
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