So a friend of mine called me a week ago and asked if I was still looking for a geo. couple rounds of questions later I was put in touch with a former coworker of his with a $200 Geo Tracker for sale. I told her without seeing it that I wanted it knowing I could flip it to someone or scrap it and make my money back on it.
So what does $200 buy you in terms of a beater cute ute?
I'll get some interior shots up later, but it's a 94 Geo Tracker, soft top, 5 speed, 4x4, with 160k miles on it. Originally an Ohio car then on to West Virginia then here to Florida. So quite a bit more rust than I'm used to.
PO stated she was driving it daily till the brakes went out her. "They just quit!" I looked at it Thursday morning with her boyfriend, I got the feeling from him that he just wanted her out of it and the brakes quitting was a convenient excuse to talk her into replacing it. So I paid my $200 and Told him I would be by to pick it up this weekend.
MrJoshua and his oldest were kind enough to drive me across town and help move it. I had jumped it off and drove it a bit Thursday morning but the only braking I got was from the right rear corner. So having a second set of eyes was a blessing. Looking at it, we decided to pull a wheel and take a look. What we found left us both asking WTBerk?
She had worn the brake pads to beyond the backing plates. I'll post proof tomorrow. Quick trip to the parts store later and we do a quick pad slap. Hey whadya know, we've got a brake pedal! Soft, flacid, and squishy but we've got BRAKES!
Quick jump start later and she's sitting on a high idle right at 2000rpm. slight rod knock when I bump the throttle trying to get it to idle down. 
I knew there would be issues with a $200 vehicle. Going to try and roll a set of rod bearings in next weekend most likely. See if that buys me some time. Long ride later she's parked in front of MrJoshua's house and I get to go get her tomorrow and baby her the rest of the way to my place. BTW 2000K rpm in 5th gear is 40mph.
Found during a random Goggle search: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/geo-trackers-anybody-know-about-their-problems-iss/4688/page1/
learn me thread: http://m.grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/learn-me-94ish-geo-tracker/74870/page1/
Going to reserve this slot for a running project budget total as my reasoning for purchasing this thing was thus; Vet bills are piling up for our oldest pup, deciding to "man up". I decided to sell my DD and grab myself a 500$ beater to make sure I can still get to work. This thing literally fell into my lap.
http://s969.photobucket.com/albums/ae180/leegene78/tracker
So far:
200$ for vehicle purchase.
18.01 for VatoZone brake pads.
Up here in New England it's the perfect vehicle IMO. Topless in summer, 4x4 for the snow, rwd and an actual frame.
No lack of aftermarket support as you know. I have a VHS tape with nothing but Trackers and Samurai's.
Trail-wise it's great: good on the beach but can be made to be at home in the rocks as well. Whatever you want it to do, it can be made to do!
PROOF!
RF
Friction side
LF, notice something missing from the RF?
ebonyandivory wrote:
No lack of aftermarket support as you know. I have a VHS tape with nothing but Trackers and Samurais.
Floor pan patch panels would be nice! Add a top mount turbo manifold that keeps AC and PS to the list and I would be truly happy.
Did you mention the fact that that pad had left the caliper? :D
No I failed to mention the RF piston side had left the caliper and just the piston was riding on the disk.
I got mine for free when the PO couldnt get it to move. Turns out the RF caliper was frozen HARD to the rotor. Then the caliper bolts were rounded off. I had to whack the rotor enough times to break it just to start the R&R process.
Some elbow grease and a caliper/rotor and I daily drove that free Tracker for quite awhile. Ended up filling it with some scrap metal and got ~$400 for it!
Not bad. Should be fun. I am in no way surprised with the condition of the brakes. Great price.
Well bought. We have a 93 Tracker that my wife bought new, yours appears to be the rare rust free version. Our lost it's rocker panels years ago, but it starts whenever you need it too. Front brakes are a doddle, rear shoes are hard to find. Even when perfect the brake pedal is a bit soft and squishy.
Adrian_Thompson wrote:
.... yours appears to be the rare rust free version. ...
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA
HA
HAHA
HA
Just wait, those pics are coming. 
I was serious when I said it had more rust than I was used to. Lets just say I've spent ALOT of time looking for certain patch panels. Looks like I'm fabricating them. 
No biggie, but with the prices for the rest of the parts on this thing, I was really hoping to be able to just cut out the bad, tack in the new, seam seal it, rhino line it and go. Not so lucky.
Spinout007 wrote:
Adrian_Thompson wrote:
.... yours appears to be the rare rust free version. ...
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA
HA
HAHA
HA
Just wait, those pics are coming. I was serious when I said it had more rust than I was used to. Lets just say I've spent ALOT of time looking for certain patch panels. Looks like I'm fabricating them. No biggie, but with the prices for the rest of the parts on this thing, I was really hoping to be able to just cut out the bad, tack in the new, seam seal it, rhino line it and go. Not so lucky.
You're not from the North are you? I was serious. I checked the rear seat belt mounts last year. I'm pretty sure I could pull them out single handed with a good yank.
Anyway, these things are more fun than they have any right to be. Go play in the sand, you'll love it. You can't kill them. Once offroading my wife tried to drown ours, she went through a lake disguised as a large puddle and it literally floated while she stood up (top was off) and played on the cute blond bit to call for help. It only sank once she made the mistake of opening the door. Two Jeeps gladly played Sir Galahad and pulled her out, then pulled the plugs and turned it over to blow the water out. Put the plugs back in and it fired right up. She then drove back to camp and sheepishly told me what had happened, I thought it was awesome! I ran to the local store (in a different vehicle) and got some oil and a filter to change the oil before driving home. Approx 2 gallons of what looked like chocolate milk came out of it, cheapo filter and cheapest oil and we drove 200 odd miles home. It still runs great even after that abuse, although I think the drowning may have contributed to the rust issues.
LOL that's AWESOME! I'd heard of some little trucks that would float, but never thought I might own one. Though this one would sink from holes in the bottom. It looked good till I pulled the carpet back, Next time I'll remember to check that first.
Body on frame = floor boards optional. Just keep the carpets in place to stop your feet falling through
Body not really connected to frame=don't take it over any sweet jumps just yet.
MrJoshua wrote:
Body not really connected to frame=don't take it over any sweet jumps just yet.
I've gotta believe it's connected in there somewhere...though I'm betting on fabbing body mounts to while I'm at it.
Serious note for a min. The Tracker has been the most reliable vehicle I've ever been associated with. Aside from consumables (tires, battery, brake parts, exhaust parts etc) litterlay nothing goes wrong with it. OK it's old and rusty, but to my memory the following is the list on 'non consumables' I'm aware of needing replacement in probably 130k miles:
1. One thermostat, and you could call that a consumable.
2. One starter motor, and that was about 125K and some serious rattling off road
3. The adjuster knob has fallen off the heater control!
4. The top was replaced due to a cloudy and cracked rear window
Seriously, that's it, it just keeps on running
Spinout007 wrote:
I've gotta believe it's connected in there somewhere...though I'm betting on fabbing body mounts to while I'm at it.
It's connected by the universal force known as Gravity. I'll bet most frame to body mounts are G O N E.
I really want one of these one day. Although a 4 dr Sidekick would be my first choice...but anyway, I can't wait to see what you do with it! Good luck, and keep the pics coming!
Adrian_Thompson wrote:
Serious note for a min. The Tracker has been the most reliable vehicle I've ever been associated with. Aside from consumables (tires, battery, brake parts, exhaust parts etc) litterlay nothing goes wrong with it. OK it's old and rusty, but to my memory the following is the list on 'non consumables' I'm aware of needing replacement in probably 130k miles:
1. One thermostat, and you could call that a consumable.
2. One starter motor, and that was about 125K and some serious rattling off road
3. The adjuster knob has fallen off the heater control!
4. The top was replaced due to a cloudy and cracked rear window
Seriously, that's it, it just keeps on running
That was pretty much our experience with the '01 GV we had. Tires, oil/fluids, a battery and a warranty timing chain tensioner in 98k miles. I think I replaced the front pads once, nothing but clean and adjust to the rear shoes. Oh... and spark plugs. at 90k.
In reply to Bobzilla:
I'm assuming GV means Grand Vitara?
FINALLY got her home tonight. Didn't think it was going to happen evah! When leaving MrJoshua's place we were talking about it and realized neither one of us had ever checked the oil on it. I took the girl on her word that she was driving it up till "the brakes quit on her". So we checked it and realized it was barely on the end of the stick, and really smelled like REALLY OLD oil. So a quick stop at the gas station up the street, and a quart of 40w to help with the knocking engine later, and she only knocks now when above 2500 rpm and no load, if you're accelerating or going up a hill there is no nock. (gives me alot of hope for the thought of hopefully just rolling a bearing into the rod, for a temporary/cheap fix)
ANYWAY! on to the pics. We've had to jump it every time we start it, the battery will hold a little bit of a charge, but no joy on getting it to crank again. It just turns over very very slowly then goes to nothing at all. This might have something to do with it.
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ALOT of work with a terminal cleaner and some steel wool got it cleaned up, checked the fluid levels on it, and it's sitting on a 40a charger now. Here's to hoping it takes a charge. Date stamp says 07/10
Checked the other fluids, diff's look good, coolant is a bit low, but happily everything looks non rusty/crusty so it hasn't been totally neglected, haven't gotten to the trans yet to check it's fluids.
Took some shots of the body mounts.
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I've got a lot of work in front of me.
Anyone know what gauge steel I should be using to rebuild those mounts?
Maybe I need to resize those!
Bottom of the drivers side fender.
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One of the few repair panels I can find for these is a rocker panel. Anyone know how much extra metal comes with those? I'm worried this driver side rocker may need to be replaced. 
Spinout007 wrote:
We've had to jump it every time we start it, the battery will hold a little bit of a charge, but no joy on getting it to crank again. It just turns over very very slowly then goes to nothing at all. This might have something to do with it.
[URL=http://s969.photobucket.com/user/leegene78/media/tracker/2013-12-07170550_zps02a88bd9.jpg.html][/URL]
ALOT of work with a terminal cleaner and some steel wool got it cleaned up, checked the fluid levels on it, and it's sitting on a 40a charger now. Here's to hoping it takes a charge. Date stamp says 07/10
UPDATE!!! SUCCESS! Well so far, Took it off the charger and let it rest. Voltage stabilized at 13.18 per the multimeter. Plugged it into the truck, cranked her up an let her get to operating temp. Shut it down, waited a min, and turned the key with my fingers crossed. Fired right up!
