Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Topic: Winter beater, or what to do for three months? (Read 3011 times) previous topic - next topic

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #15 – September 23, 2012, 11:03:45 PM

I've pretty much decided that it's not important as to what the beater is but what condition it's in. I'm going to take my time and look at a few cars before I just buy something. I want something cheap that will just run without any money/repair for a few months, something that is probably impossible to find

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #16 – October 10, 2012, 12:35:00 PM

I think I found something. Seems like $500 would be more realistic given the paint fading and MASSIVE dents on the driver's quarter and door. Plus when it dies spare parts!

http://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/cto/3325255715.html

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #17 – October 10, 2012, 01:27:03 PM

Hey Lou, That looks like it would be a real good winter beater/parts car for ya :D

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #18 – October 10, 2012, 04:08:41 PM

+1

The Mounty is also a good suggestion.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #19 – November 17, 2012, 09:55:55 PM

Wellll here's an update on the situation. I'm going to look at the 87 T-bird I posted earlier in the thread tomorrow. I talked to the guy and he said it starts, runs, and stops. It has 104K on it. The car does have an overheating problem, which he believes to be the water pump. I'll look at it and see but if it's just the water pump that's an easy fix.

I did look at another car today. A 1992 Taurus Vulcan 3.0 V6 with 90K. The body is in pretty good shape it has no rust but some clear coat/paint fade. The engine trans, radiator, and electronics work fine. It needs a ler (no biggie) but also a passenger side half shaft at some point. The half shaft is only $47 buuuttt I've never changed one and it looks like a beoch to change out. The seller wants $950. I would jump on it except for the half shaft issue. The boot is torn but not leaking grease everywhere. I only would drive it about 3 miles a day, but I'm sure it's a bad idea to chance it over the winter till I would have time to dive into it in the spring.

I'll have more info on the T-bird tomorrow. If not for the half shaft issue with the Taurus I probably wouldn't be looking at the T-bird. Any thoughts?

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #20 – November 17, 2012, 10:20:34 PM

Taurus is better in snow. Period.
For axle, you need a jack stand, a prybar, some basic sockets and ratchets, a 29 or 30mm deepwell, and a reasonably strong impact gun. Lift, pull wheel, remove axle nut, remove pinch bolt from lower balljoint, use prybar to disengage balljoint, swing brakes assembly away from axle (if the axle doesn't freely slide out of the hub, put the axle nut back on 3 or 4 full threads and drive if out with a hammer), use prybar to pop the axle out of the trans. Reverse to install, drink beer, feel like a man.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #21 – November 17, 2012, 11:15:21 PM

The only tool I don't have is the impact gun. So I'm basically screwed on changing the half shaft at home :hick:. I know it would probably cost me about $200ish over the cost of the half shaft to have it done.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #22 – November 17, 2012, 11:29:08 PM

Got a big breaker bar? Pop the center cap off and crack the nut loose before you lift the car up.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #23 – November 18, 2012, 01:51:44 AM

The impact gun would make the job easier, but as Foe has already said, bust the nut loose before lifting the car. I might have to look up the spec, but the nut should the be torqued to about 250 ft. lbs or in that vicinity. Easy enough to do with a decent cheater pipe and a breaker bar. Good Luck!

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #24 – November 18, 2012, 11:49:19 AM

I'd probably take the taurus over the Bird....you didn't say (or else I misses it) if the Bird was 3.8 or 5.0 so I'd be careful of the overheat issue. As states, cv shaft is no big thing on a Taurus, done about 100 over the years, never used air tools.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #25 – November 18, 2012, 09:23:41 PM

Well I looked at the Thunderbird I posted about before today. 87 LX 5.0 car. The interior was in pretty good shape. It is a fully optioned car except for leather seats. It has a red interior with the sport seat option (TC seats) the LX had in 87 with a floor shifter and even a sunroof. Yes it was an LX with sport seats and a floor shift. The exterior on the other hand.....oh boy. The drivers door had a large dent at the rear, the driver's quarter has a huge dent for most of the length of the rub strip, and the passenger fender is dented all to hell. The paint is faded beyond saving. Rust has made a hole in the rear rocker that requires replacement of the rocker. The under body has a fair amount of surface rust but no holes. Surprisingly, no strut tower rot! Mechanically it's screwed as well. The water pump is bad, so bad that it leaks like a sieve when it's sitting. The overheating problem has, in my estimation, popped a intake or head gasket as it had some water in the oil (which he said may be because it has been sitting for several months). It doesn't smoke (like it's burning coolant) so it might just be oil condensation from sitting. The exhaust is full of holes though.

All in all it's a parts car, and one that does me no good as the interior parts are all red. I have no room to store it and strip it at home, otherwise I would do so. I feel sorry for the guy as it was his mother's car, which she bought brand new in 87. His daughter drove it as her first car after his mother passed and pretty much destroyed it. He wants to restore it but he doesn't have the money. Plus it would never be worth what he would have to put in it to put it back to where it should be. I could have it for $400 though, but it makes no sense for me. I put some pics of the T-bird on here so you can what shape it's in.

I'm going to call the guy with the 92 Taurus to see if I can buy it. He want's $900 for it, which seems like a deal. I'm pretty sue me and my buddy can change out the half shaft and I'll have a winter beater:D.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #26 – November 19, 2012, 11:05:11 PM

Well I passed on the Taurus. The guy wanted $900 and I wanted to give him $800 because of the half shaft issue. He wouldn't budge so I passed. I figure I'll find something that needs a bit more minimal work.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #27 – November 21, 2012, 09:44:39 PM

See here: http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?34909-Now-we-have-4-cars-floating-around.

Winter beater, or what to do for three months?

Reply #28 – November 21, 2012, 11:57:52 PM

Nice! Congratulations. If you want to get rid of it in the spring, let me know.