Decide My Future
Images are sometimes not shown due to bandwidth/network limitations. Refreshing the page usually helps.
You are currently reading a thread in /o/ - Auto
You are currently reading a thread in /o/ - Auto
Alright b/o/ys. How dumb is it to buy a car from 1979-1983 to use as a daily driver? Im talking like Datsun 280zx levels of daily driver. I need to know everything I can before jumping into this within the next few months.
Example A: http://frederick.craigslist.org/cto/5510932742.html
That would be absolute max price range and it looks incredibly good.
This would be my daily driver, and my project. Start by refreshing everything possible, like vacuum hoses and fuel lines, and start with suspension/brakes and work my way up.
Dont, buy daily if you want a daily.
I daily a 77 280z. If you have enough money, go for it. however at that price, every fucking thing better work and be brand new, or you're an idiot. Also s130's are shit.
>>14814707
That money could find you a nice s30
Check for rust before you buy
l28 is insanely reliable and won't really let you down
this car can work fine as a DD
>>14814744
Please tell me why s130 is shit.
>>14814746
Car would definitely be inspected with a comb before buying. Also I kind of swerved away from s30's because I havn't even found one that isn't a drift missile, or find one at all.
>>14814707
>project/daily driver
have you looked at porsche 924/944's?
>>14814830
I don't believe my wallet would go that deep.
>>14814823
Shit suspension in rear, shit chassis, heavier, uglier, slower. If it has PS than shit steering rack recirculating-ball.
i DD a 79 valiant
Its only good if you have money or committed to spend all your money as little as you make to fix things as they break. I highly recommend buying a parts car for the sole purpose of robbing parts off of to have parts ready to go and to keep the cost down
Shit will break randomly only due to the age of the car. Anything you fix however should last the next 10-15 years easy. My transmission blew up after 40 years of reliable service, had it rebuilt and it will probably give me another 40 years of reliable use
>>14814830
Not the guy you're replying to but 924s especially can be dirt cheap and a LOT of parts are VW/Audi and not very expensive - like $50 for a water pump compared to 3-500 for a 944 one. If you can turn a wrench 924 would not be horribly expensive
>>14814872
Suspension is fixable, its on the list of things anyways. Not interested in making this a race car so the fact that it's heavier and slower is not that much of a concern. Although the power steering thing is a concern.
>>14814876
How much did your trans rebuild run you? I planned on slowly replacing things even before it broke like aluminum rad etc. If that would help at all.
I just bought a 1977 Mustang II as a project/DD. Be prepared for shit to break. That's just how it is with cars around that old. Mine is about to push 40 years and while the previous owner did a TON of work like a new clutch assembly and shit like that, I still paid an extra $1000 for all the parts in his garage which ended up saving me near $3000 in shop costs. You had better be prepared to spend a lot on fixing the little things. For example, I've been working on and driving my Mustang for the past month and only a week ago the transmission started giving me issues. Best bet is that the blocking rings for 1st are shot to shit. My EGR needs replacing and I spent about 4 hours changing fuses because the horn broke and the instrument lights still aren't working. They couldn't have picked a worse spot for the fuse panel.
If you have the money, the patience and the willingness to learn how to tinker if you don't already, then yeah, go for it. Just remember the costs. Older cars can be a lot of fun.
>>14814928
Than you will be fine, since its manual its most likely a wide ratio 5speed, so depending on where u shop u can easily rebuild it yourself (synchros, seals, bearings.) for about 100-200$ depending where you shop. the L28 is a good engine and most can be rebuilt by simple rering and honing. Don't be afraid to do "major jobs" on this car. Also get a FSM for it on xenonzcar
>>14814963
My current daily, a 91 dodge dynasty, gives me problems once a week so I am already VERY patient with stuff breaking. I would have no problem spending most of my money on this since the project in total would be 70% fun and 30% showing off to friends.
>>14814993
Good attitude. I was basically upside down, face under the steering column for a good hour today trying to get one fuse out and it wasn't even the problem in the end. Half the breakers and fuses I pulled out were factory originals from '77. Parts are cheap for my car at least, but there's something really satisfying about being able to work on something and calling it your own. Glad I'm not the only one
>>14815009
time to get the DMM out.
>>14814928
I had a Borg Warner 35 transmission which is one of the more common types of transmissions used at the time. They were considered shit but reliable for some strange reason. Since they were commonly used on Fords from the period also, the complete rebuild cost me $950 from a local transmission shop. If it was the less common Torqueflite 727 which were only used on period Chryslers, parts and rebuild kits are harder to find and rebuilding that would have costed me between 1000-1500 dollars iirc
As for replacing shit as it breaks, thats what ive been doing since its a DD and im too poor to completely restore it/fix it at once i just wait until something breaks, determine if it needs to be fixed by a professional or by myself and have it fixed that way and so far its worked out OK. Just hope that not too many things shit itself at once
>>14815020
You're telling me. Lost mine a long time ago, so my buddy is coming over next Sunday and bringing his DMM. Ripping the dash out, too. It's cracked and I need to take a look at the instrument panel bulbs. They flicker a lot so I'm assuming it's a voltage issue, but the bulbs are probably factory installed, too and need replacing regardless. There's also a giant ball of wiring hanging under the steering column. Surprised I haven't been fried yet.
>>14814963
>mustang II
styling wise, easily my favourite mustang for some reason. nice car anon
>tfw my car is not a 2 door
>>14815044
I like it. Kinda oddball, but nice. Mine has a sunroof in it and I don't think that's original. My first project car and its been a lot of fun so far.
Any idea how much a total reupholstering job will cost me? The interior is gone to hell.
>>14815032
Oh man, I feel for you, do yourself a favor and find the wiring schematics to study before going in balls deep. My problems always are grounds hidden deep. Just add more grounds
I have a 4 eyed fox. I could DD it I'd say it's fairly reliable, much more so than a 90s European car would be at over 200k miles. When shopping for one go ahead and check the VIN for how many miles it's had put on it recently. Chances are an older car that has been driven 10,000 miles this year is going to be more reliable than one that's been sitting and for sure the current owner will know what's up with it. Ask him what's been done to it recently you may get a laundry list of shit that's been falling apart. Get a feel for where it's at in its natural lifespan and what's been done when to extend it and know exactly where the killer rust appears on the models you're looking at.
>>14815066
I've got the original Haynes manual for it. It's got all the wiring laid out in diagrams, but fucking Christ. Electrical issues are the Great Satan.
>>14815009
When I got my dynasty fired up after 4 days of working I almost punched a hole in the roof upholstery flinging my arms around.
>>14815026
Thanks for the info. I'm not sure about any of the shops in my area but im in central pa so I think I could find a shop if something major broke like a trans.
>>14815075
At least you have roof upholstering. Mine was ripped and hung so low you couldn't see out the back mirror. It's duct taped and has those super strong aquarium magnets holding it.
>>14815068
I would have a much brighter guy with me that restored a 68 Camaro from the frame pretty much himself that looks over the car for me. I also can't drive manual so he would drive it home for me.
>>14814963
The problem with DDing is that you don't have the time to learn how to tinker and tou can't be patient when you need your 40 year old shitheap to run so you can be at work in 2 hours, not to mention tracking down parts that have been out of production for decades. Sounds like an awesome project, but he should still by something more recent to DD.
>>14815096
>At least you have roof upholstering
Yeah, its there, with giant rips, solidified glue, and almost a hundred staples. If you press your nail into it falls apart and covers you in some kind of insulation.
>>14815057
if you're on a budget i recommend scavenging an interior from another mustang in better condition, otherwise re upholsterers charge i think 2-300 dollars a seat but your best bet would be to ring up someone for a quote.
>>14815075
the most expensive shit is going to be speciality stuff. For example, an engine model used only on one year 280zx models is going to be way more expensive than something more common from the era. Again, i would recommend buying something you know is common in your area, buy what you want AND a complete parts only car with it to keep the long term costs down
>>14815102
I do have backups in place, I will be working 4 days on and 3 days off. If I can't make it to work I can carpool with someone.
>>14815111
I have seen quite a few completely shit 280zxs that would be perfect for parts so that could work really well. I have the room for it also.
>>14815102
On the contrary, I'd say you'd HAVE to learn how to tinker to keep it going. Regardless, yeah you need plans and contingencies for when the 40 year old shit box breaks down again.
>>14815107
Are you me?
>>14815148
Im just a kid with a shitbox. Looking for a slightly cooler shitbox.
Good question, where can I learn about suspensions. I have a pretty good concept of a bunch of other stuff but I have NO idea how suspensions work. Mainly looking at what is on the 280zx but anything would work. Struts/springs/coilovers/fuckingslammed I have no idea how any of it works.
But the first thing I want to overhaul is the brakes and I should probably do suspension while i'm in there.
>>14815237
suspension is dead simple. spring goes down and up. Its a typical McPherson strut which was WAY better than most of the contemporary shit used
When rebuilding suspension, most often its replacing rubbers and ball joints rather than replacing the entire unit. Typically if the suspension doesn't make a sound when its used or when you push down on it you should be fine. Brakes are important so definitely do that first
>>14815286
Yeah suspension and brakes are top prio after vacuum/coolant/fuel lines. I feel like if I would do all that off the start I would be in a good position. Also plugs/wires. Basically trying to form a giant list of stuff to do.
OP most love cock cause the only people you're going to impress with a car older than 88(that isn't murican muscle) are dudes (car enthusiasts)
>>14815595
It's not about impressing anyone. It's about wrenching and enjoying a hobby you faggot.
>>14814707
Hello Maryland br/o/!
>>14817089
Sadly i'm from PA that was the only 280zx that showed up on my craigslist. Will have to see what shows up in 2-3 months when I am actually looking for one.
Anymore wise words anyone? Because at this point I think I got it nailed down.
>>14814963
You get rid of all the smog stuff and make it fast yet? Mustang IIs are underrated in my opinion.
>>14818472
Nope. EGR needs to be switched and the seals are factory issue from '77. Emissions are my next big hurdle on this project. I've got a buddy I'll be working on it with over the summer, but yeah, emissions need to be fixed soon. Tranny needs some love and the electrical is looking more and more luke Medusa's hair everytime I look at it.
People give the Mustang II shit because
>LOL FUCKING PINTO
They're really not bad cars.
>>14814744
the 79 280zx 5 speed was lighter and faster than the 77 280z.
>>14814872
turbo's, and maybe even n/a got a rack and peanut in 82.
OP i would really consider holding out for a 82 or 83 turbo, especially for that price. The car will never be that desirable, as it was more a 2 seat maxima than a s30. That being said I found it to be very comfortable and a fine performer for the street. I also had a 240z for comparison. If would much rather dd a 280zx than a 240z.
I used to live in maryland, so be weary of the initial safety inspection.. used cars can be very hard to get through it.
>>14820688
I don't plan on spending that much. It was the only one I could find right now on my local craigslist. I'm from PA not from MD. I would love to find a turbo model but I have hardly seen any of them floating around and I was checking most of the east coast.
