stingray250
True Classic
I know this should go in the "for sale" wanted section but I need to know if there is any real interest before I pull the trigger...
As most of you know, I'm in the process of installing a GM Ecotec in my 79" x1/9... What you don't know is I've been fighting serious issues with this build...
Nothing really in relation to the actual swap, more so to do with the car's overall condition.
Like the trusting soul I am, I purchased this vehicle out of Florida back in 12/2015 sight unseen... I know... What??? Well here's the story...
I found this car on Craigslist stated as a One owner, never wrecked and had been in storage for over 15 years... From all indications, these statements appeared to be true and correct... The vin check showed no damage... The last registration proved the age of storage... The "gentleman" (we shall use that term lightly) appeared agreeable and for the most part knowledgeable when questioned...
Well I sat on all the info I received from the seller while I looked at several other prospects... Not finding anything that appeared to be a better deal, I spoke with him again... Pressing issues such as body damage, rust damage, mechanical issues... etc..etc..
After then again sitting on it for another week or so, I decided that in lew of flying out to Florida to inspect the car personally I would take a leap of faith...
Bad move... Instead of a leap of faith, I jumped right off a cliff.....
After receiving the car the first thing I noticed was the grapefruit sized holes in the floorboards... after that came the mismatched paint... then the front trunk area that was heated with a blow torch to re stretch the metal trunk pan...
First thing I thought was... Wow, I just bought a wreck... Being the "Can Do" kinda guy and in keeping with my sense of pride, I figured with a little clean up and some metal massaging here and there it would all be better... Little did I know it would get worse from there.... A lot worse...
After doing a preliminary inspection from underneath on my belly, I saw more obvious damage and repairs from a pretty good smack to the left front quarter... Again, pride and "Can Do" took over and I pressed on with fabbing motor and trans mounts along with axle and shift box thinking I'd be able to address the body issues when I got to the point of body work and pan replacement...
Fast forward to today...
I finally put the car on the rotisserie I made this past weekend and was able to actually get a firm look at the undercarriage of my little gem... Whoa... Train wreck is nowhere near the carnage I found.... In addition to the gorilla snot welding up and down the left quarter and blue silicone seam seal covering up the SH*T welds and rust holes I found a 5/8" dia Frankenstein bolt holding the majority of the left front section to the main body... Man talk about devastation... I removed the bolt and the left front strut tower drooped almost one full inch!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pride and ego aside... This now has become a major structural concern along with a major safety issue... Putting almost four times the hp thru the cars chassis won't allow for this kind of sh**tery... One 2G right turn and I could be driving a three wheeler! Or worse someone I sold the car to could be seriously injured or killed... Not worth it in any way shape or form...
So... This leads me to my opening statement...
When I am able to source a new (new to me) chassis to replace this derelict of an automobile, I will be happy to try and give anyone out there the option of purchasing body parts from this car...
I will be willing to section select body parts but only for a short period of time as I don't have storage for a long part out... I will give 72hrs notice before the complete chopping up and subsequent disposal of this chassis to the junk metal man...
Word to the wise from one of my favorite writers...
"It is poison -- rank poison to knuckle down to care and hardships. They must come to us all, albeit in different shapes -- and we may not escape them -- it is not possible -- but we may swindle them out of half of their puissance with a stiff upper lip"
~Mark Twain- Letter to Will Bowen, 25 August 1866
No worries...
As most of you know, I'm in the process of installing a GM Ecotec in my 79" x1/9... What you don't know is I've been fighting serious issues with this build...
Nothing really in relation to the actual swap, more so to do with the car's overall condition.
Like the trusting soul I am, I purchased this vehicle out of Florida back in 12/2015 sight unseen... I know... What??? Well here's the story...
I found this car on Craigslist stated as a One owner, never wrecked and had been in storage for over 15 years... From all indications, these statements appeared to be true and correct... The vin check showed no damage... The last registration proved the age of storage... The "gentleman" (we shall use that term lightly) appeared agreeable and for the most part knowledgeable when questioned...
Well I sat on all the info I received from the seller while I looked at several other prospects... Not finding anything that appeared to be a better deal, I spoke with him again... Pressing issues such as body damage, rust damage, mechanical issues... etc..etc..
After then again sitting on it for another week or so, I decided that in lew of flying out to Florida to inspect the car personally I would take a leap of faith...
Bad move... Instead of a leap of faith, I jumped right off a cliff.....
After receiving the car the first thing I noticed was the grapefruit sized holes in the floorboards... after that came the mismatched paint... then the front trunk area that was heated with a blow torch to re stretch the metal trunk pan...
First thing I thought was... Wow, I just bought a wreck... Being the "Can Do" kinda guy and in keeping with my sense of pride, I figured with a little clean up and some metal massaging here and there it would all be better... Little did I know it would get worse from there.... A lot worse...
After doing a preliminary inspection from underneath on my belly, I saw more obvious damage and repairs from a pretty good smack to the left front quarter... Again, pride and "Can Do" took over and I pressed on with fabbing motor and trans mounts along with axle and shift box thinking I'd be able to address the body issues when I got to the point of body work and pan replacement...
Fast forward to today...
I finally put the car on the rotisserie I made this past weekend and was able to actually get a firm look at the undercarriage of my little gem... Whoa... Train wreck is nowhere near the carnage I found.... In addition to the gorilla snot welding up and down the left quarter and blue silicone seam seal covering up the SH*T welds and rust holes I found a 5/8" dia Frankenstein bolt holding the majority of the left front section to the main body... Man talk about devastation... I removed the bolt and the left front strut tower drooped almost one full inch!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pride and ego aside... This now has become a major structural concern along with a major safety issue... Putting almost four times the hp thru the cars chassis won't allow for this kind of sh**tery... One 2G right turn and I could be driving a three wheeler! Or worse someone I sold the car to could be seriously injured or killed... Not worth it in any way shape or form...
So... This leads me to my opening statement...
When I am able to source a new (new to me) chassis to replace this derelict of an automobile, I will be happy to try and give anyone out there the option of purchasing body parts from this car...
I will be willing to section select body parts but only for a short period of time as I don't have storage for a long part out... I will give 72hrs notice before the complete chopping up and subsequent disposal of this chassis to the junk metal man...
Word to the wise from one of my favorite writers...
"It is poison -- rank poison to knuckle down to care and hardships. They must come to us all, albeit in different shapes -- and we may not escape them -- it is not possible -- but we may swindle them out of half of their puissance with a stiff upper lip"
~Mark Twain- Letter to Will Bowen, 25 August 1866
No worries...
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