John Welsh said:
Mini battery, hood pins, helmet.
How does the current owner race it? Track, autox, rally, drag?
With two, he knows more than a little about these. Why is he selling it and not keeping it for parts?
I know someone in Utah who has one, and he travels all over the place buying parts. He went up to Canada for some bits...
I would pass because owning a car that was a unicorn when it was new 30 years ago is an exercise in frustration, imperfection, and bleeding far more money than you think you will. And that is when you are starting with a complete, fully functional vehicle.
wspohn said:
Looks like a candidate for an LNF engine that could easily double the power output, but I doubt that the driveline could take it.
Jon has a Cadillac V8 in his, the trans is not the weak point. He says that the transmission (Getrag?) got extra heat treating that GM didn't bother to pay for for the GM badged versions of the trans.
Sorry late to the party but if Lil Stampie came to me with either of these two cars I'd say hell no are you on crack? There's a Geo Storm on my list of cars sitting in driveways nearby. Want me to go contact them? Might be a week or two.
Update:
It sounds like the prevailing consensus is it will take triple the time, triple the work, and triple the money I think it will to work it out, and it will suck to deal with as a first car. The consensus is "are you insane" haha. And I just well might be.
I was quite literally about to tell him that cooler heads prevailed, and that after some advice I was going to have to pass but if he ever wanted to sell a better condition to let me know. However, I then got this:
Now, I am definitely on the side of, I should pass on this. Trust me, I am not going to ignore the many decades of collective vehicle experience by the hive mind here in favor of "i know best because I want it." The fact that is is a cheap unicorn is both what makes it so exciting, and a terrible car for me at the moment. And chances are, I will let it go. However, I will still try to get eyes and hands on it, and I'm not giving up hope just yet, although I'm definitely close to saying goodbye to it. Once he does the magnet test, I know more, and I get eyes on it then I will make a more informed, likely "no" decision.
If I don't get out to look at it this weekend (extended weekend break) I'll probably put something out asking a GRM'er if they could take a look for me. Anyway, that's the update. Close to saying no, but holding out a tad bit of hope until I know more. Thanks for all the advice
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Yeah that's the one I was referring to. Cadillac not audi huh. Northstar?
Did he replace the rear diff with a miata diff? I know he had axle, and driveshaft problems but I can't remember if I'm imagining that diff swap or not.
Some rust-repair videos from Classic Motorsports that should help, too, should you decide to tackle the job.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Yep, like I said that is the way I am leaning. The sensible decision. Got a little hope it looks good in person but not much
In reply to Stampie :
Yeah I get it, not too sensible of a decision and I'm probably going to pass. Is it the rust thing that turns you off or the car itself?
Haha if it's got an impulse AWD system swap sure.......otherwise I'll go with something better from the other thread :D
In reply to Evanuel9 :
Yeah the rust and the mods all scream run. The fact that he says he thinks there's no bondo when bondo is clearly in the picture means one of two things. One he has no clue what he's talking about and shouldn't be trusted. Two he's lying and shouldn't be trusted. I get the unicorn thing. Buy one in your mid 20s when you can afford it more and appreciate it more.
In reply to Stampie :
Got it, thanks for the advice. Yeah with the fact that everybody can clearly recognize bondo and he is saying there isn't any it's scaring me off. I'll go for something more sensible (though still quirky), but I'm still going to take the chance to look at and test drive it. Maybe, I'll get lucky and it'll be nicer in person but I'm highly doubtful after what everyone has said
Update: He put together a local deal, if that falls through he'll let me know. Hopefully I'll at least get a chance for a test drive
