My luck ...

[A Horse With No Name]

Find one of those loose Kentucky whores you were talking about, buy a 5th of Jack Daniels, and get drunk and get laid.

When you wake up after that...go take a really long walk. Relax.

You can't buy a 30 year old car and expect it to run 100% until you sort it out.

Your best bet is to actually skip the first advice I gave you (medical bills for the clap will wipe out the car budget), take the long walk and...

Drive the Cutty until you can save up $1500. Buy a targetmaster 350 NEW from GM.

Make some very mild performance mods, such as an Edelbrock dual plane manifold, an Edelbrock 650 CFM carb, et al.

Put a TH350 with a shift kit in it. Drive it for a year and get it dailed in. When you get all of the little mechanical issues taken care of, electrical etc.

Then do cosmetics and interior work.

Think of this as a long term project rather than a short term deal.

Chris

[Intrepidation]

Find one of those loose Kentucky whores you were talking about, buy a 5th of Jack Daniels, and get drunk and get laid.

Chris

What the hells ort of advice is that? Oh yes, STDs are exactly what I want to brighten my day!

[A Horse With No Name]

What the hells ort of advice is that? Oh yes, STDs are exactly what I want to brighten my day!

I guess I didn't peg the sarcasm meter hard enough....

Chris

[Intrepidation]

Sarcasm is a bitch to detect with text.

[Robert Hall]

66 Stang's post is the best thing I've read today. I'd avoid 20 or 30yr old cars like I'd avoid STDs.. Old money pit cars are the car equivalent of STDs..a gift that keeps on giving. (old cars are ok as an occasional use toy, but I wouldn't trust one as a daily driver).

Edited November 10, 2009 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Intrepidation]

[FAPTurbo]

My face has officially hit my palm.

[Robert Hall]

Yep. That's the solution to the problem for so many people I've known over the years. It may be dull, but it won't empty your bank account.

[Intrepidation]

My frined's family has one as a spare car. Nice little cars. Today's compacts are as big as midsizers in the 90's. God we're such fatasses.

[Justin Bimmer]

YJ, I know this may be hard for you to do, but may I suggest trying to purchase a car outside of Kentucky/Tennessee. You may have better luck?

[vonVeezelsnider]

[Intrepidation]

I've driven both. i prefer the Accord. Way nicer interior as well.

[Blake Noble]

Is it possible to pull a Bud Dwyer on a forum board?

[Blake Noble]

Anyway, taking up Mr. Bond's advice, I might just pursue this: http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/1454654259.html

It's a four hour drive away, but the color is right and the price is too. I'll give 'em a call tomorrow and find out the complete story on it.

I'll probably keep the Buick and just make it a long-term project, emphasis on long-term. It's a bit up in the air, though.

Edited November 10, 2009 by whiteknight

[A Horse With No Name]

There ya go...long term.

I like the idea of you having three collector cars.

Drive the Cutty and enjoy it now.

The Buick is your current longterm project...plan on having it done and driveable when you get out of school.

The second gen T/A is your magnum opus. You buy the basc car in a year or two, store it until you have a good job. Plan on spending $30,000 to build it...and yes I said $30,000. Put all the good Hotchkiss Suspension goodies on it, Ford 9 inch, build a wicked Pontiac 455 with a custom fuel injection set up, a cage in it so it looks badass and you can run a few hot laps in it when your done...

But plan on finishing the T/A when your 32 or 35.

When I was with the vintage Mustang guys, we had a memeber that had all kinds of cool cars, including a real Shelby that had been owned by the Vice President of Ford, a Bently, a Ferrari, a big block Chevelle, et al-

But he drove a ratty Ford Maverick for 8 years while he went through his education...and then slowly built his collection. Took the guy until he was in his 50's to get where he wanted to go from a collection standpoint.

Then he got tired of having so many cars and downsized.

Keep us posted dude!

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

Anyway, taking up Mr. Bond's advice, I might just pursue this: http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/1454654259.html

It's a four hour drive away, but the color is right and the price is too. I'll give 'em a call tomorrow and find out the complete story on it.

I'll probably keep the Buick and just make it a long-term project, emphasis on long-term. It's a bit up in the air, though.

I could possibly look at this for you on my way home from work Thursday, if you wish and if it is still available.

I work in Chillicothe and could Detour home possibly through Lancaster if you wish.

Let me know! Better to spend your money buying a whole 'bird than my money to buy a wrecked 'bird.

Chris

[Intrepidation]

At least that Firebird looks like its in reasonable shape, if a bit dirty.

[Justin Bimmer]

I think your newest discovery in Ohio looks good. I think you need to get out of your rut of bad luck in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Edited November 10, 2009 by JamesBond
Ohio not Penn.

[Blake Noble]

I called about the cheap '99 T/A and it has 180,000 miles on it. It's also in about the same shape my '98 Firebird was, meaning it isn't in perfect shape (the guy did say that there was a big dent in the rocker panel, as if someone had driven it over a curb and it's missing the T/A rocker panel effects). It's under the KBB private party value, though, for a car in its condition.

Edited November 10, 2009 by whiteknight

[A Horse With No Name]

You would be better off fixing the Buick.

However...to each his own.

Chris

[Blake Noble]

Yeah, right now it's looking like I'm going to pass on that particular T/A.

Right now I'm trying to get a general idea about what an engine rebuild would cost. I also have a lead on a 307 for the Regal, but it's looking like I'm going to pass on it too.

[A Horse With No Name]

Dude...pardon me for saying this...but your thinking short term.

GM is done building the kind of RWD cars you and most of the people here want to buy for the most part. Think about getting a new style Camaro when you get out of school and get a good paying job.

In the mean time...drive the cutty.

Save your money. Buy a "targetmaster" or whatever the current name is new GM 350 Chevrolet from Jegs or Summit or GM or whomever.

Add a TH 350 and stir gently.

Work on getting the Regal right. Another junk motor will just set you back more Cash. Better to do this in September and get it right than do it next week and watch it blow up in your face.

The Regal will be a great car when your done...trust me. But look at how long Dodgefan has been working on the Intrepid and how long Camino has been working on the wagon and the camino. Expect getting the Regal right to take time...it's not like one of those model cars you shake the box and watch come together.

But good luck...I am happy to think of how the Regal will be when it's done.

Chris

[Blake Noble]

I'd make the Cutlass a DD, but I almost have a nasty phobia of doing that. I didn't intend for it to be a garage queen (it's about three rungs on the ladder away from becoming one sadly; I only drive to work in it on a have-to basis and it only really gets out on certain long-distance trips and weekends) and I probably wouldn't care to drive it around 24/7 if I didn't dump a bunch of money and savings in it. I can't afford to have something happen to it. (I know it's a big, red bullseye for a theif

As for the 307, it has been rebuilt and just about everything replaced, but I just don't want a 307. They weren't exactly the best Olds engine ever built (they burned oil new from the factory and have a nasty problem with leaking coolant) and I would actually trust the Regal less than I do now with it under the hood. I'm going to check it out tomorrow evening (that cheap Firebird too) just to kill some time, but I really don't have any intentions of buying it (same for the Firebird; I'm just putting all of the options on the table and seeing where they go without any serious intentions).

Gathering a few thoughts ...

• The Cutlass's door panels, rear bumper, upholstery repair, and eventual new paintjob are going to have to wait until whenever. I do have the headliner and new seals waiting to go in it, so I'll do that job soon. At this point, the Cutty isn't a top priority.
• The Regal will be the new long-term project and I'll finish it over the course of the next few years. I'll have it repainted, the rest of the interior trim installed, and a new engine in it. I'll either keep the Rocket 350 as a rebuild project and put it in another Cutlass sometime in the distant future. If I can locate one cheap enough, I might just follow through on a LT1 (or a 305TPI) for the Regal like I originally planned. As soon as I find another daily driver, I'll remove it from my insurance policy. I do have one bridge I'll have to eventually cross, though (how to move it if I move out of Berea if the engine is out of the car by that time).
• Pick up a decent Trans Am. ... Maybe.

[Camino LS6]

Have you diagnosed the current engine yet?

Done the screwdriver trick?

Tried the motor flush?

Just asking.

[Intrepidation]

[Justin Bimmer]

I bet somebody 800 bucks you would buy the firebird. I think I'm going to win.

[Justin Bimmer]

YJ I found this car. It's a Monte Carlo. I think it's in your price range!

[A Horse With No Name]

JB, it runs and it's not RWD, so it's down on two counts.

Chris

[daves87rs]

*sigh*

[A Horse With No Name]

Have you diagnosed the current engine yet?

Done the screwdriver trick?

Tried the motor flush?

Just asking.

Would be what I would want to do.

Or take it to a good mechanic and find out the real problems with it.

The $3000 for a tired bird would make the Buick good enough for another 100k miles or so.

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

*sigh*

+1

Chris

[daves87rs]

+1

Chris

[Intrepidation]

The $3000 for a tired bird would make the Buick good enough for another 100k miles or so.

[daves87rs]

I can't read it.....

[2005 EquinoxLS]

Dont cut the 307 so fast. Yes they arent performance engines but I have had 2 of them and neither one burned a drop of oil. And the one had 260,000 miles on it. The Bonneville leaks SLIGHTLY around the left valve cover. The Park Avenue didnt leak a drop.

[Blake Noble]

Seriously, in this situation I need the quickest, most affordable solution, even if it might not make the best sense.

Okay, so if I have an engine swap performed on the Regal instead of buying another daily driver, the car will be out of commission for a while; the guys I know who would do it reasonably (since I don't have a cherry picker nor do I know someone who would let me borrow one) around here could have it done after about two months at the earliest, judging by what I know. I'm taking a chance too on another engine since there's a chance I might not know how many miles are on it and if it has been properly maintained. I could have the Rocket 350 rebuilt, but that isn't looking too affordable either. Some shops around here have actually told me that they don't rebuild engines that old or that it would cost upwards of a grand in a rough estimate. I'm not sure if any of my "affordable alternatives" could have it done as soon as I'd like either. In reality I'd like to buy a manual and tackle the rebuild myself if at all possible, just take my time, do everything right, and know everything that I've done to it.

I'm simply not going to subject the Cutlass to real-world abuse for x-amount of months while the Regal is out of commission (parking lots and asshole drivers, just to name some reasons why I won't do it, this car is my baby and I do stay paranoid about it, even if it isn't 100 percent finished and the paint job could be a bit better; someone else might see it differently, but that's just how I feel about it). I could hitch rides to work a few days out of the week, but I'd really hate to do that. I've relied on myself for quite a lot so far and I'd rather not start relying on someone else now, even for a brief period of time. That's just how I am.

The cost of another daily driver would cost as much as swapping the engine ASAP in the Regal or the price of a rebuild but I wouldn't be subjecting the Cutlass to any possible damage, which I can't really afford to have happen. Then again, having the Regal fixed would be worth it, but I'm not sure being without a daily driver for so long would be something I could deal with.

That's just how I'm thinking right now. I'm trying to weigh out all of the options and their outcomes. Regardless, I'm getting screwed somewhere. That's just the reality of the situation. I'm going to be out money that I was hoping that could be used elsewhere for something I really wanted to buy and start the process of getting it back in order before I head off to college and now it has to be appropriated elsewhere to correct a situation I was confident that I wouldn't be in again for the third fucking time this year.

Have you diagnosed the current engine yet?

Done the screwdriver trick?

Tried the motor flush?

Just asking.

I've done the screwdriver trick and it seems to be coming in the direction of the front of the engine, so I know it's definitely in the engine itself and only serves to reinforce my conclusion that it's a rod/bearing.

Haven't tried flushing the motor. I've pretty much come to the conclusion it's a rod/bearing since I've eliminated all other suspect areas, so it probably wouldn't help. I might give the flush a shot when I get my paycheck this Friday, just to see what happens.

Edited November 11, 2009 by whiteknight

[ocnblu]

TWO MONTHS to swap out a motor? It can be done in part of a DAY, for lord's sake.

[z28luvr01]

Exactly - you're not dealing wth disconnecting several wiring harnesses and assorted connections to the PCM and various sensors, doodads, and gizmos. Even working slowly and deliberately, on a carbureted engine you should have it out one day, and back in the next. If you want, throw in an extra day to rebuild whatever engine you decide to put back.

You can probably rent an engine hoist from a local equipment store. Heck, I've seen people do it with tow trucks (just be sure to pull the hood of the car off first).

[Intrepidation]

TWO MONTHS to swap out a motor? It can be done in part of a DAY, for lord's sake.

Exactly. Hell the more complex newer engine conversion in my car took only 2 days.

[Blake Noble]

TWO MONTHS to swap out a motor? It can be done in part of a DAY, for lord's sake.

Yes, about that much time. The guys that I know that will do it cheaper than a shop have day jobs and work on cars on the side (they're ex-mechanics too, just in case someone was wondering) so they can't exactly do it ASAP.

I'm sure you guys know that how soon it's done all depends on who you take it to. It took a whole year for a friend of mine to get a 302 stuffed in his Mustang. The guy who performed that swap was a full-time mechanic, but he always had other work he had to do while he was working on the Mustang.

Edited November 12, 2009 by whiteknight

[Intrepidation]

If you pay a real shop, they'll do it for about a grand. If you buy an engine for about a grand you've spent 2 grand. If you were planning to throw 3 grand on another car, like a T/A, you're in the black $1,000 still.

T3H LOGIC IT KILLS MEH

[Blake Noble]

I'll figure something out.

[Blake Noble]

The 307 I found was solid and I'm dropping in it next weekend for $500 bucks total. The guy I found who will do the swap (he's a friend of my dad and knew the guys who had the 307) should have it done over next weekend and he's going to paint it and install the new front coil springs for me as well.

After that, I might sell the Regal or keep it. All depending.

Edited November 12, 2009 by whiteknight

[z28luvr01]

I think that's a pretty good approach. If nothing else, at least you are back on the road quickly for not much cash, and you can probably just unload the Rocket to help pay for it. If the 307 was rebuilt, it's likely that the components/gaskets/etc used in the rebuild correct the flaws that were in the factory design, though i'm not sure what the rebuild entailed. You might want to ask that just for your own benefit, but all in all I think you'll be OK for a while.

[Blake Noble]

The 307 actually surprised me. It was out of a low-mileage 1984 Delta 88 which belonged to the father of the guy who has it now. The block and heads remain untouched; the only parts replaced or removed include all of the smog equipment, the carburetor (which was a dreadful e-Quadrajet to a normal Q-jet), the breather and valve covers (which are Edelbrock brand). The valve pan gaskets are new as well. Thankfully, it hasn't been rebuilt.

I'm going to have the block repainted GM Corporate Blue.

I have the Rocket for sale on Craigslist. Tonight there were was one other Olds motor posted which was a 455 that sat in a shop for three years and the guy doesn't even know if it runs and the asking price is $250. I also managed to dig up another posting for yet another 455 but the seller doesn't know if the transmission is operational and the asking price is $650; so I think my $500OBO asking price is pretty reasonable I think because my engine does run and the transmission is good. Consider the fact that people buy Olds engines from eBay seized up for well over my asking price, and it's obvious I'm giving it away at such a price.

Edited November 13, 2009 by whiteknight

[z28luvr01]

Sounds like a good find. IIRC, the myriad of problems with the 307 in BVs Cutlass mostly stemmed from the carb. With that out of the way, you should be in good shape. And once the Rocket's sold, you got yourself a working, low mileage engine for nothing. I hope this is the end of your string of bad car-ma. That Regal is an otherwise fantastic car that should be a good driver for you.

[Intrepidation]

Alright, nice to hear some logical thinking!

[Blake Noble]

My listing: http://lexington.craigslist.org/pts/1463520345.html

Olds 455: http://lexington.craigslist.org/pts/1463457144.html

The other 455: http://lexington.craigslist.org/pts/1429590182.html

Rebuilt, doesn't come with a trans, isn't as well-kept: http://tricities.craigslist.org/pts/1426127328.html

[Blake Noble]

Sounds like a good find. IIRC, the myriad of problems with the 307 in BVs Cutlass mostly stemmed from the carb. With that out of the way, you should be in good shape. And once the Rocket's sold, you got yourself a working, low mileage engine for nothing. I hope this is the end of your string of bad car-ma. That Regal is an otherwise fantastic car that should be a good driver for you.

The e-Quadrajet would be better used as a paperweight. Hands down one of the worst carburetors ever. The issues with the 305 in the Monte I had also stemmed from the carb. In order to replace it and actually correct those issues, you have to remove the ECU, all of the smog equipment, replace the intake manifold, replace the TV cable ... it's a hefty parts list that tallied up to over a grand. The fact that the guy who had it before me appeared to start the job but didn't finish it only made things worse.

Chances are, I'm going to keep the Regal.

I do wonder how much horsepower I'm losing, though. I know that, at best, a 307 made 180 horsepower stock with all of the smog equipment and primitive '80s electronic junk bogging it down. Does a gain of 50 horses with all of that stuff removed seem to optimistic?

And at the same time, I still can't let go of buying a T/A: http://lexington.craigslist.org/cto/1455983855.html

If I sell the Rocket, I'll have some of the money to buy it without giving up the Buick ... like I said earlier, I'll figure something out.

[Blake Noble]

Now isn't the time to have cold feet, I know ... but going from a 350 to a 307 just seems so backwards.

Ah, it's my DD so gas mileage counts too, I guess. I just hope this particular 307 isn't as loose and dry down there as its reputation suggests and the fact that it isn't saddled down with a bunch of useless emissions junk helps it a bit.

I do understand the head design on the 307 wasn't the best either ...

Edited November 13, 2009 by whiteknight