2002 Daily Driver?

[Daily02]

Hello All,

 

I am a new 1974 2002 owner. The car was bought as a running non-functioning vehicle. The right rear hub spun making the car undrivable. I would like making it a reliable daily driver. What should be checked, replaced, and or modified?

The current condition snapshot: The motor has good compression 170, 172, 170, 170, and starts & runs. The rust isn't that bad compared to cars I've looked at, and the frame and subframe areas look great. All the lights, wipers, fans, and gauges work (a 1st for cars I looked at). I can see the windows gaskets and sunroof need help before the rainy season. The tie rod ends are shot as well. The heater is bypassed, and driver door lock is falling out. The paint is well aged, and the interior is okay for a 48 year old car. It is stock except for a Weber 32/38. The good news is it is all there without a multitude of things missing. It was said to be a daily  before the car became undrivable. 

I want to hit all of the common failure points within reason. Of course a test drive after the hub replacement will tell more about the car.

 

Things I am currently in the process of doing:

1. Replacing spun hub & axle.

2. Replacing wheel cylinder damaged by the spun hub.

3. Rear wheel bearings. While the axle is being replaced.

4. Replacing broken door lock on driver's side.

5. Replacing front & rear window gaskets. They leak.

6. Replacing the heater core. Bypassed due to leaks

7. Replacing the oil pressure sensor. Leaks.

 

Part availability seems to be a pretty big issue. Any recommendations especially for NLA items.

 

Regards

 

Dono

 

[mac]

Sounds like you bought a 48 year old project car, 

And you want to make it a Daily Driver??

Good Luck with that. 

 

Mac. 

[TobyB]

The cars are reliable and fun as daily drivers.

 

I've had several- one a fixer, one a resto.

 

The CARS are fine.

 

The TRAFFIC is not.  One tangle with a Navigator driven by a Los Angelino 

and you're, frankly, fucked.

 

I stopped in Seattle sometime around 2012 because traffic got hostile.

No other word for it- the shitheads won...  it just wasn't any fun.

I sold the fixer.

 

So if you're in a small town, go for it.  People will wave, you'll have fun.

In Atlanta, Boston, Bellevue, San Fran- 

don't.  It's not fun.  No- one needs a Tahoe enema.  

 

t

realistically.

[ray_]

47 minutes ago, mac said:

Sounds like you bought a 48 year old project car, 

And you want to make it a Daily Driver??

Good Luck with that. 

 

Mac. 

Chicken. I bet you drive a Honda.

 

😁

[John76]

The problem with a 48-year-old daily driver is the maintenance required to keep it on the road.

At the current labor rate, it will cost you a small fortune if you have to rely on someone else to do this.

This is the value of this forum. 2002's are great cars to work on....if you are willing to learn and do it yourself.

Just compare the service intervals of a new car vs. a 48-year-old.... Ridiculous!

 

John

[Mike Self]

10 minutes ago, John76 said:

The problem with a 48-year-old daily driver is the maintenance required to keep it on the road.

A slightly contrarian viewpoint.  I've been daily driving 2002s since 1969 (really!)--except no Ohio winters since 1998.  I've been keeping up with the regular maintenance (4k oil changes, fresh antifreeze--but not as often as I should), and replace consumables as necessary (brake pads, rotors, drums shoes etc) and while there are more of those projects than my wife's 07 Toyota, my 02s have well over double the Toyota's mileage and three times the age.  

 

I would hazard, Dono that once you have taken care of all your 02's mechanical needs, and keep up with the maintenance, it'll be a reliable daily driver. 

 

But I also agree with Toby WRT driving in big cities...I'm perfectly happy driving around Dayton and environs--not crazy here...yet.  But I am very careful driving around in SW Florida; it's not Miami/Ft Lauderdale crazy but there are a lot of, uh elderly folks in Lincoln Town Cars, Chevy Caprices, LTDs and giant SUVs, and they don't have the fastest reflexes in the world,and some have forgotten basic traffic (or physics) rules.  So my neck's on a swivel, and I'm prepared for an autocross maneuver when it becomes necessary to protect both my car's body...and my own.

 

mike

[SydneyTii]

One thing I did when I daily drove my car was make sure I had at least one of the necessary consumables in my stash, I always had plugs, leads, light globes,  coolant hoses, fan belt, brake shoes and pads, oil filters, basically all the service items I could think of, I also did  prophylactic changes to many of the service items before I used it every day, then every time I used something I restocked, I even has a Tii water pump on the shelf because they were getting hard to find.

These cars are built for use, stop driving it and watch how quickly it goes to crap…

like the others I wouldn’t bother in City traffic…

These days it’s weekends only…. 

[Daily02]

So far it sounds like I need a spare water pump.

 

It's the items that are "out of stock" or the dreaded "No Longer Available" that are the killers for the daily plan. 

[dlacey]

I daily drive an 02, it's been lightly rear-ended twice recently by people who don't see it (it's small but bright orange). It goes fine, reasonably fuel efficient...quite comfortable....but interior noisy by modern standards (difficult to Zoom call and drive). The greatest thing about driving these old things is that you get noticed by normal drivers, people give way & are more accepting of your bad parking or other deviations. 

Make sure ignition,cooling and fuel systems are in good order...be ready for climate extremes...don't try to race anyone...take pride in the fact that you are the only one driving an appreciating asset while the others all drive depreciating liabilities.

[Charles in PA]

Would love to acquire another 02 to run it as a seasonal daily driver, keep my 2006 330ci zhp as my winter rat and summer driver.  Taking my tii in next month to see about putting in a modern AC system, increase my odds of convincing my significant other to take more summer road trips with it.  

[Conserv]

13 minutes ago, Charles in PA said:

… Taking my tii in next month to see about putting in a modern AC system, increase my odds of convincing my significant other to take more summer road trips with it…

 

In my marital life, A/C in the ‘02’s gets me from “Why would we take that?” to “Okay, if it’s only a 30-minute drive!” As to destinations outside the 30-minute radius, well… ‘02 A/C is… ‘02 A/C… 😯🙄

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[ray_]

16 minutes ago, Conserv said:

In my marital life, A/C in the ‘02’s gets me from “Why would we take that?” to “Okay, if it’s only a 30-minute drive!” As to destinations outside the 30-minute radius, well… ‘02 A/C is… ‘02 A/C… 😯🙄

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

 

Yeah. Like it gets hot up there.

 

[jimk]

9 hours ago, Mike Self said:

But I am very careful driving around in SW Florida; it's not Miami/Ft Lauderdale crazy but there are a lot of, uh elderly folks

You young dude, Mike.

[Conserv]

20 minutes ago, ray_ said:

Yeah. Like it gets hot up there.

 

It’s the humidity, wise ass! 😋

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

[Leucadian]

It also really depends on where you live?  Would I DD an 02 in LA, absolutely not.  Are you a lumberjack, and your commute is through the backroads of the Pacific Northwest?  Then yes, I would drive that car everyday.