The Running $40 2002 Reminds Me of Last Ride Stories

[jwcurry]

Anybody have any good, "last ride" stories. That is, you go and find

a running parts car and you somehow, some way nurse that baby home.

I had a roundie once that had the lowest compression possible and would still run. Absolutely NO power and it jogged from one side of the road to the other like a person on ice skates for the first time. Longest 40 mile drive of my life.

Oh....any any feelings about Eibach springs? ;-)

Jerry

[Guest Anonymous]

"RUNNING" IS ALL IT WOULD DO . NOOO POWER .

SOUNDED LIKE IT RAN ON TWO CYLINDERS .

I HAD A FRIEND OF MINE TAKE ME TO PICK UP THE CAR .

I USED STARTER FLUID AND GOT IT PUFFING AND WHEEZING .

HE FOLLOWED ME HOME THROUGH THE SMOKE .

THE CAR WAS IN CARY , NC AND I DROVE IT ON THE RALEIGH

BELTLINE . IT COULD GET UP TO 35 ON LEVEL GROUND .

WE TOOK CAPITAL BOULEVARD ALL THE WAY OUT TO WAKE FOREST .

I WOULD REV THE ENGINE AT STOPLIGHTS FOR FEAR OF IT KNOCKING

OFF & NOT RESTARTING .

WE MADE IT HOME IN ONE PIECE AND THUS AVOIDED A TOWING CHARGE , ABOUT 40 MILES , MUCH OF IT THROUGH TRAFFIC .

MY REWARD ?

-I USED THE LSD , THE 5 SPEED TRANNY AND THE REAR BRAKES IN MY 2002 .

-I CONVERTED THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR FOR 914 USE & SOLD IT ON E-BAY .

-I USED THE FRONT CALIPERS OF A BIGBRAKE CONVERSION ON MY 914 .

-I SOLD THE RECAROS FOR $250 .

-I SOLD THE BBS BASKET WEAVE WHEELS FOR $150 AND PUT A SET OF 2002 STEELIES ON THE CAR .

-I USED THE FRONT CALIPERS OF A BIGBRAKE CONVERSION ON MY 914 .

-I FINALLY SOLD WHAT WAS LEFT FOR $400 TO SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO BUILD A RACECAR .

IT WAS WORTH THE TRIP .

[tkent02]

Rust bucket.

Drove it to Denver and beat around in it about a month.

Drove it to Las Vegas and taught my daughter to slide it around on a dry lake.

Too much dust coming in the rust holes.

Drove it to Phoenix and parted it out.

Lots of fun along the way.

The engine is still running strongly in my other E30.

Has not burned an ounce of oil.

[_z_]

My 70 sahara -- I never even expected to get it started --It had been sitting in a field for a few years (only discovered after mowing).

After charging the battery and banging on the stuck starter it ran!! WHen I hit the brakes so much water sloshed to the front it splashed up in my face. I limped it to a gas station so I could use the squeegy just to see enough to drive (you know its bad when its green on the inside). Then going down 101 the front wheels started wobbling like crazy at about 45mph.. i almost stopped, but trusting the 02ness, I stomped on it. The tires had sat so long they were out of shape, but after warming up they were back into shape and even passed a bago on the way home.

cleaned it out and heck.. drove it all summer!

woot!

parts car my arse!!

[KFunk]

After blowing the motor in my 86 Escort beater, I heard about a running Escort with blown tranny that the guy would sell for $150. I planned on buying it for the motor and parts. We took our truck over with some tow straps, and my dad went inside the house to sign the paperwork. In the meantime, I pulled a couple quarts of tranny fluid out of the truck and poured them in the Escort. Then my dad came outside with the signed title. Then the previous owner was shocked as I started the car up and drove away in it.

Even though it was the ugliest ford escort ever, I decided to be lazy and just leave the good motor in it and drive that one. And I commuted with it for all four years of my undergrad, as well as for summer jobs. When I moved to Hawaii, I sold the car for $150. Last I heard, it was still on the road, and someone got in trouble for doing a hit and run on the mail truck in an icestorm with it. It probably never even hurt the car.

[Mike Self]

Wilmington OH, about 40 mi from home. I took a carb down to the car along with a new fuel pump, installed both and it started right up...but on the way home it would go about five miles, then stall. Then I'd have to stop and clean out the solidly packed (with very fine rust) fuel pump. Then go another five miles and do the same thing.

Eight fuel pump cleanouts later, I got it home. When I pulled the gas tank, I filled a 1 lb coffee can with rust--out of the 7 gallon gas tank. Once cleaned out, it ran fine, and the tank didn't leak either. I fixed it up, gave it a paint job, drove it for a year and sold it for $800!

mike