When do you let one go?

Well my 96 Bonneville finally bit the dust. About a month ago the engine locked up while my daughter was driving. The crankshaft will turn backwards (counterclockwise) but once it gets to a point it will lock and go no further. 240+K on the drivetrain, transmission still shifted good last time I drove it. Started to tear the engine down for a post-mortem but I figure if I do that I might as well fix the thing. Bought my daughter a newer car, and I've got my truck and my project car so I don't really need it anymore. I figure it's time I let it go, i bought it for $400 about 5 years ago and I think this fix, unless it's something really simple will put me even further upside down than I already am as far as investment in it vs what's it's worth in running condition, since we're not talking about a creampuff. Here's what it looked like before the engine failure. <img src="" /> So, my question to the GRM hive is, how do you know when it's time to let go?

What you described with that car, yep, that's when you let one go.

I struggle with the whole concept of a $400 car that runs.

I think it's let you go already.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I think it's let you go already.

I think you're right..

DeadSkunk wrote: I struggle with the whole concept of a $400 car that runs.

This is what i posted on a Bonneville forum when I got it: It's not sick as in modded, it's actually sick, in the needs some attention kind of way. Had a little time to look over it this weekend, it's got a fuel line leak, 2 bad coil packs, plug wires that look to be original and what may be a bad cooling fan relay or blown fuses. As well as a small dent in the drivers rear door and a broken drivers vent window and missing left wing mirror and other assorted issues. A trip to the local pic-n-pulled got the window and mirror fixed. Even was lucky enough to find a mirror in the correct color. This is pretty much a reclaimation project, the price was right though and the car looks to be pretty solid, even them ugly wheels..Bonneville forum post

I would at least make sure there isn't something jammed into the flexplate teeth (unless the engine would have seized for some obvious reason), then list it on Craigslist for $400 for a week or two before scrapping it. Honestly if it was me I would probably fix it if I could find an engine, although I know it's not worth it.

How much is a used engine? I bet they are cheap.

I look at the cost and time vs. the value and need for the vehicle. But you sound like you are done with it anyway.

As long as you can't see daylight through the chassis rails where the rear of the subframe attaches, and the tops of the rear wheelwells are still watertight, and the battery tray still attaches to something besides air, it's worth an engine IMO.

On the other hand I've had plenty of customers with these things where the wheelwells were gone and the rocker panels were also completely gone and we told them that the car was disappearing and they say well, if $1500 gets me another year, then let's fix it.

Have also had people pissed off, calling us rip-offs and cheats, because we call a DNR on these chassis cars when the body rails disappear where the subframe mounts. Yes, we're somehow ripping you off because we won't take money from you. Alrighty then.

A forum exists for ppl who actually like these cars ?!?!? Incredible. I now know there is a forum for everything...

I just let one go before I typed this innuendo reply

Sofa cushions?

I thought this was going to be a thread about poots.

Time to move on fella.

I like to let one go when my girlfriend starts being... oh wait, this is about cars.

In reply to Travis_K: That's exactly why posted the topic. I can get a series II or III bottom end from the Pick N Pull for about $200. I'm not racing the thing so a stock Series II bottom end should hold up. A Series III would be great because they got the upgraded connecting rods across the board. Only supercharged Series II engines got the good rods. Just have to put the time in to do the R&R

In reply to Knurled: Body is pretty much rust free, just a spot on the decklid and the battery tray. From what I can tell it's always been a southern car so rust just isn't an issue. Front subframe is a little beat up from jumping curbs and whatnot, and i've already fixed the damage my kid did to it. I could probably fix it for around what i might get to scrap the thing (been offered $212 so far, so probably not for that, but for $400 easy-peasy) But i'm not sure I want to put in the time and effort. At the same time, I hate to see it go the scrap heap. Guess i'm a bit torn.

Trackmouse wrote: A forum exists for ppl who actually like these cars ?!?!? Incredible. I now know there is a forum for everything...

Actually there are several, the one I posted was absorbed into the GMForum, but there still 3 or 4 separate forums I know of. These cars have quite a following. TBH, for an appliance they aren't half bad and are very cheap to keep running as long as you don't have a catastrophic engine or transmission failure. Mine is a SSEi with the supercharged 3800, so for me the biggest issue has been a matter of getting some of the model specific trim and whatnot because these aren't in the yards like they used to be. Mechanically other than the iron lung it's pretty much like any other GM H body, most mechanical parts that aren't engine related (and quite a few that are) from any other GM H body will interchange. The Interwebz are an amazing thing.

If it's a good shell, it's worth fixing in this case. Perhaps things are different in your area, but up here that's a $600 car as it sits, and at least a $1200 car running and driving. More if the AC works.

In reply to Kenny_McCormic: Working AC is only a compressor away, i think it has a seal leak. Even the HUD still works! If I knew I could get a offer of 1K for it once it's fixed I'd have it ready to go in a couple of weeks. But, it's not a Box chevy or a bubble so the market for these here is limited.

Yeah, if you have the time and can get another engine, I would say fix it. When it would cost less than $400 to fix and mean you could have a running car again that would be worth $1200 when you are done with it, scrapping it for $200 doesn't seem worth it.

I'm sure you can buy another of those for less than it would cost to repair it. Then you have a parts car.

Do you like the car enough to want to put the work into it? Is your financial situation good with spending on a better car or is it better for you to keep this one hanging around for a while?

In reply to pres589: Don't need it and iv'e already got one project car I don't have time to work on. Money isn't an issue, just time and space. Already got 2 cars on the grounds that don't run, this one makes 3 and that's 2 too many. (actually 3 too many but the Datsun roadster gets a pass)

In reply to 06HHR:

In that case I would walk away.

Get it running and a clear OBD2 reading and that is easily a $1k+ car in CNY.

It sounds like a good 2015 challenge car too.