I need to know if i'm being unreasonable about my car. I've done so much work to this thing, but it keeps breaks stuff, and i'm getting sick of it. Just today, I was trying to change the water pump, and broke a bolt. Now I have to pull the timing chain cover just to be able to try to pull the bolt. Just last week a power steering hose popped, and dumped fluid all over. This car was pulled from a junkyard and rebuilt, but not well. So it's as though it's been **** on most of it's life. But it's like it's suddenly self-destructing. Anyone else had a car like that? Something that just kept eating parts and breaking down? This thing is a 67 mustang, it's not like it's 50 years old and original. It's just a old beater ford. I'm damned near ready to sell this thing, it's a damned money pit. I'm I being unrealistic here, or if this is fairly common?
Seems that way, some just cost more than others. for example carb rebuild kit for a 71 beetle 19.99, carb rebuild kit for a 50 dodge 50 bucks. That seems to be my experience anyway.
your car is almost 40 years old now, parts wear out. you may not have to change the water pump again for 10 years now that a new one is going in. the same goes for the PS hose. it all depends on how much you like the car, my chevy was like that but slowly its becoming more dependable and is slowing down on parts eating. BUT its cool, I dig my car , so it is worth it. ****gy, said it!
Parts is parts, a few of the only things that actually make them junk are rusting away in the rockers, drip rails and wheel wells all at the same time or using a tree for an emergency brake. Your "average" person will sell a "transportation car" when his "my mechanic" tells him it's going to cost ove $1000 to fix it, this time. The person who belongs on this board will ****** up that "possible cool car" at that point thinking "Wow, it only needs $1000 worth of work and I can do it for a third of that because I AM "MY MECHANIC"! Buy a 1/4" wide chisel to tap those broken studs loose, tap on them in the "tighten" direction till the rust lets go then tap them back out, Only time this hasn't worked for me is when they were broken off deeper than they were wide. (righty tighty, lefty loosy) The '67-'68 Mustang fastbacks are my favorite all time Pony car.
I think some cars have personalities. We had a '68 Sattelite for a couple years, I pretty much don't like mopars and it was my wifes daily. That car hated me! It knew I did'nt like it. She would drive it for months running great, everytime I drove it, it ran ****ty or broke down. Finally talked her into getting rid of it.
I drive a 72 Ford Capri 350 miles a week round trip. People where I work all drive nice new cars. Expensive ones. They are stunned that I drive mine every day. They look at it as a ticking bomb as if I take my life into my own hands everytime I drive it. They are amazed that an old car can be driven everyday. People are so soft these days. I replaced my 30 year old alternator last year. When it went out I was stranded, but you know, the same thing could have happened in a newer car. When something goes wrong, I usually know what it is quickly by sight, sound, or smell. They have to take theirs to a dealer, or trade it in sometimes on an upside down loan.
Well......sometimes it is just best to do a frame up - or in your case - a unibody shell up. Then you a have a rebuilt vehicle instead of a part at a time being replaced at each new surprise that pops up at the worst time - just my two cents worth - and yes I know, easier said than done - but.... Gary 4T950 Chevy Guy
I resemble that remark too. Lets just face it, some cars eat more parts then others. I had a car once that I think I replaced everything I can think of in about 2 years time. When I started replacing the same parts that replaced just a year or two earlier, I got rid of the hunk of junk. Had other cars that I seemed to have to replace everything on, but once it got all the new parts, I never had to replace anything for the next 80,000 miles. I had one car that seemed like it never needed anything, 7 years and 130,000 miles and all I replaced was tires, did oil changes and a couple tuneups. Had the same water pump, fuel pump, and I think I only had to change the brake shoes once. Those kind of cars make believers out of a guy. Gene
Yes I had the infamous Moterhome from HELL. paid $4000for it spent another $10000 to keep it running, sold it two years ago for $3000 just to get it out of my site. Talked to the new owner year latter and he LOVES it. I must have replaced everything and just got tired of looking at it too soon.
Hell yes! Some cars are just plain cursed! Talk to anybody that has building cars for a long while and they will all have a story about that one car (or maybe more) that just flat fought them all the way. My 47 Merc was like that, everything that could go wrong just did... I never got so many bumps, cuts, and bruizes on any car in my life. And never had to re-do and re-do things that should have been easy. Then just I was finishing up it hit me full force and I went down. I won't go into all the details but it's been 2 1/2 years and I'm still recovering. The cat that bought it from me 2 weeks later cracked both heads front to back on a brand new set of World Products heads??? While fixing it the hood came down and gave him 15 stiches in the head. He sold it to a guy in Midland that pulled it out of the garage and couldn't get the radio on. So he sunk down into the floorboard and was looking under the dash when the car jumped into gear and drove back into the garage, breaking both his legs in the process. He sold it to a guy in New Orleans... and well we know what happened there!!! LOL!!!! So do some cars just bite you in the ****? YES!
'Dang Terry - where did you get the Merc from? Any prior history known about it before you got it? One of my parts cars is a 49 Chevy 4 dr sedan that still has a 1956 license plate on it & this car looks like had been in a severe rollover (of course no seat belts back then) I would be amazed if anyone lived through that wreck. I bought it last year for 20.00 - so far nothing spooky with it - maybe that person went off to heaven. Gary 4T950 Chevy Guy
Nothing strange about where I got it..... except the cat was wearing a back brace and Said "Nothing smells better than a new car, except for maybe *****." =)
Cars are like women some are Sweethearts some are total *****es, and what may be a ***** to some guy is a sweetheart to the next guy. But of course there are some that nobody can please. Dawg
Boy do I know that feeling. Had a 67 Elcamino that I finally gave a charge card to. Couldn't keep up with the cash draw. Had the parts house on speed dial. Same year had a 69 Mark, paid 900, stuck 400 into it and sold it for 300 (kissed the guy on the forehead for taking it away). Also had a 60 Elcamino, paid 500 for it and pulled it in the shop to change the mags. My buddy and I were using the old air powered walker bumper jack. We had the rear off the ground about 2ft, when I start shouting for him to let it down. He's looking at me with that 'what the hell' look, just as the frame snaps in half. Rebuilt the frame, straightened the sheet metal, and drove the hell out of it. It had a 348, 4speed. Finally sold it because I couldn't shift, turn a corner, and eat my chicken with fries at the same time. Kept spilling the soda. There are no bad cars... just sometimes not enough money to make them good cars.
I have been pretty lucky with my cars. I seem to be able to manuver around the stinkers and get the jewels. Last 5 cars went like this... 1995 Plymouth Voyager - bought it last year with 325,000 on it, original engine and trans! Now has 385,000 on it and I have only replaced wear items. 1987 Plymouth Voyager - bough *** with 239,000 on it and drove it until the engine threw a rod at 289,000 - did nothing at all to it but change the oil and air filter. 1987 Dodge Aries Wagon - got it with 304,000 on it, drive it until it rusted too bad to be safe at 389,000. Only non wear item that died was the hall effect sensor in the distributor - would make it cut out. 1987 Dodge 300 - Got it as a low milage 50,000mile creampuff with no floors...drove it until there was no frame rails left. Just changed the oil and wear items like tires and hoses. Got rid of it at 189,000 1973 PLymouth Valiant - nicknamed Clunker. Looked like hell, and had zero options on it. Slant six auto, with manual brakes, steering, etc. Best car I ever owned. Got it at 289,000 and sold it at 406,000 and I beat the tar out of that car. The rear end started makeing noise because it just plain wore out. I only did wear items and the exhaust on it. Best damn car ever made. I think a lot of it has to do with the driver. My car hauler is a big ugly ford F350. I have never had a problem with it and have driven it all over the place. I loaned it to my friend and so far I the trans lines have gone, the carb had gone screwy, the ignition cut out, the exhaust manifold broke, and now the brake master cyliner has gone bad. I drove this thing several thousand miles with cars on it back and never had a problem. He is driving it unloaded and breaking everything on the damn thing!
My big problem is that all the easy jobs turn hard on this car. Every one of them. I've had cars apart before, I had a chevy that I did a lot of work to, it was never this stupid to work on. Last weekend, I tried to change a power steering hose, and I spend a hour trying to get it threaded. I tried to get a new pulley on the power steering pump, I broke a bolt and stripped a nut trying to get it on. I think i'm just going to get a beater to drive, so I can work on this thing as I need to. I was thinking of those new mustangs, but i'm having a hard time justifing $25k, that's two restored 61 T-Birds right there. Tomorrow, unless I can get the timing chain cover off, and get that stud out, then i'm going to have to rent a car to get to work. I like the car, it's fast, and easy to drive when it's not trying to catch on fire.
Fixed Or Repaired Daily! Just kiddin' I am a Ford man, but someone had to say it. But like it was stated earlier, that mutha's almost 40.
First car I ever built was a 67 Mustang............give it to me, I miss mine and will appreciate it's quirks more then you obviously do. I've got more money invested into my Pontiac then what I actually paid for it. She sends me thru ALL sorts of emotions. But the way I figure it, if I'm going to CLAIM to be ANY sort of car person...........then I best ****on my lip and deal with it. Brandy
WE have all been there.Some of us tough it out and stay with old cars some leave.The one that stay and respect what it takes to keep old iron on the road.
I have always said you make payments on what ever you drive. Either payments to the finance company monthly or payments on repair. The only differance is you can repair it when you want to and set your payment . And you have to have full coverage insurance for the finance co.
67 Mustang fastback is currently one of the fastest appreciating cars. First or second on almost everybody's list. I'm not a fan myself but I wouldn't say they were a piece of junk. At least not any more than a Falcon or any other ford of those years. Mechanically speaking.
I had a 69 Chrysler Newport that I bought for $100.00 from a buddy who dropped 1500.00 into trying to get it to run. After I bought it I but in a new coil and the car ran great. It had its woes here and there, but I drove the snott out of that car for over 6 years and 300,000 miles on the original 383 until finally the idiot light burned out and the radiator sprung a leak and I blew the motor up. Other than that the only real problem I had with that car was the volatge regulator would go out all of a sudden, and those could be fixed on the side of the road unlike these new cars you can barley change the tire on them without sending them to the dealership. My point is some old cars dont take much work and some do, but in my opinion thats what makes them nice to drive. You can pretty much reapir the whole car on the side of the road and get it going again. Jonney
The Jalopy Journal
