When, and how, do you give up on a car?

"UserNotFound" (jalopnik2)
09/19/2020 at 23:45 • Filed to: None

It started with a white 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited (with the 5.2L V8). It was my college ride some time around 2010-2013, I’d guess. I don’t really remember and anyway the exact dates don’t matter. It was my brother’s originally. He sold it to me for $450 after having more or less driven it in to the ground over the last several years. I picked it up on a rainy afternoon and spent the drive home watching the temperature gauge bounce off the high stop. When I got home I waited for it to cool and then popped the hood.

Something was amiss. The overflow reservoir was empty. I opened the radiator cap. Nothing. I squeezed big coolant hose to make the coolant level rise up. The coolant level completely failed to rise up.

I filled it up with coolant and started daily driving it. After realizing I was filling it with a bottle of coolant every week or two, I took it to the mechanic up the road to have a look at it. It turned out to be a leaky water pump housing. It was fixed along with a few other items and I went on my merry way.

The following year with my first ZJ was more or less uneventful, and most of the memories are positive. Or, at least, the ones I can remember. Coming from a PT Cruiser (it was a 5-speed manual, thank you very much) and a ‘99 Mercury Cougar (with the V6 and 5-speed manual, of course), the Grand Cherokee redefined the concepts of comfort and utility for me. It had torque, it had luxury, it had space, it had an automatic.

Cruising down a back road with the windows down and my arm out the window was fantastic. It could carry as much gear, or as many people, or both, as I could ever need to carry. It took me to Baja SAE races. It drove me through fields at inadvisable speeds. It took me on dates and met my future wife. It was the greatest. It was the grandest.

The best I could find of the few existing photos of the First One. Seen flexing on a gravel pile in a driveway.

When the transmission started slipping, I knew I was in for another big repair. When it wouldn’t stop slipping, I pushed it up the street to my mechanic and prepared for the bad news.

It was at the point where, with over 240,000 miles and a rapidly developing case of urban camouflage, any attempts to correct the issues would far exceed the value of the vehicle. Worse yet, I just didn’t have the money. It was time to move on. I removed all the valve stem caps just in case I needed one down the road and sold the rest to a junkyard for $600 cash.

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The next ZJ would stumble into my life a few years later. I was driving my 2012 Focus by then (5-speed manual, naturally) and my wife was driving a Honda Civic that she affectionately hated. A slightly newer-model ZJ appeared for sale in a little parking lot up the street from us. I, of course, was still pining for my old ZJ. She wouldn’t mind having a utility vehicle that could also be my project car. We decided to take a look and got in touch with the seller.

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It was a 1997 Laredo (the base model) with the legendary 4.0L inline-6. It had 182,397 miles. It had the desirable NP242 transfer case. It had a hole in the muffler so large that it invited the question - “Is the muffler half-present, or half-missing?”

Most importantly, it was $700. Money exchanged hands, titles were signed over, and I was off to the MVA to learn an important distinction in Maryland state vehicle codes. It turns out “historic” tags are for vehicles that are 20 calendar years or older from the model year, not from the date of manufacture. My 1997 Grand Cherokee, built, as it was, in 1996, could nonetheless not be registered as historic in 2016. Rats.

This technicality inspired a shift in focus for the Jeep. Since it would now have to pass a state inspection to be registered, we would work on fixing it up to be a stout workhorse. Its status would go from trash-hauler to family-hauler. After, of course, it passed inspection. That first run-through was a doozy.

Not EVERYTHING failed, so there’s that ...

It was clear, from the inspection, that it needed some parts. Sure, it was a project vehicle, but not a money-no-object restoration! As luck would have it, an acquaintance was selling a similar Jeep. How similar? A 1996 Laredo, with 4.0L I6, painted white. How much? $400!? Sold!

Copy, meet Paste.

In true David-Tracy-wannabe style, the temporary registration had already expired, so I filed for a 30-day extension. I had about a month to pass inspection or ... else? I’m actually not sure what the alternative would have been.

A close look at the nearly-twin ZJs revealed that, serendipitously, the bad parts of the ‘97 and the bad parts of the ‘96 only barely overlapped. I might actually be able to build one good Jeep from these two basket cases. Where suitable donor parts weren’t available, new parts would be used.

This. Could. Work.

Cue a 4-week worth montage, complete with the theme from The A-Team.

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Jeep A needs an exhaust tip? Jeep B has an exhaust tip, and we have a sawz-all, a section of tubing, and a MIG welder. Not shown was a new muffler going in which also needed some “modifications” to fit.

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Driver’s window won’t roll down? Swap all the doors! Jeep B had nice Infinity speakers, Jeep A had the Infinity Gold amp. We also swapped the tailgate lock and ignition cylinder to keep one key. The side mirrors, on the other hand, stayed since Jeep B’s were a little floppy.

We also swapped the taillight lenses, wiper blades, and intake manifold (minus throttle body and intake air temp sensor) from Jeep B. Jeep A got new front halfshafts, a new steering damper, plugs and wires, a rotor cap and distributor, and a coolant flush. Most of that last list was done by the garage up the street due to the rapidly dwindling time available. Sure it costs a bit more, but sometimes professional work is worth it for a vehicle you plan on handing down to your son.

Happy days!

All of this hard work was paid off with a satisfactory inspection. It could now be fully registered! And it ran beautifully! We were so proud of our new Jeep! We even had a little fun comparing it to massively more expensive cars - it was like we had gamed the system. We took a $700 Jeep, gave it a little TLC, and had a real jack-of-all-trades.

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( If you’re wondering what happened to Jeep B - I gave it to my friend Nick. I said, “Nick, you can have this Jeep if you can get it home.” Jeep B was in pieces so I was pretty sure he’d have to trailer it. All the pieces were in the back, and they were the worse of the two, so I figured it wouldn’t be worth charging him for the trouble of getting rid of it for me ...

... Nick showed up with another friend of his, they put Jeep B back together in an afternoon or two, and he drove it back to his family’s farm. Nick named it “Tina, because she’s an old fat lard.” Tina’s adventures were far and fatal but I will leave those stories for Nick to tell.

In a totally-not-a-sitcom-premise coincidence, my wife had informed me that around that time she had named Jeep A ,“Terri,” after the Oregon-born naturalist, conservationist, and author Terri Irwin. So there we have it - Two Jeeps, Tina and Terri. )

Now that Terri was nice and mechanically sorted, it was time to start addressing cosmetic flaws. Saggy headliners, a lack of MOAR SPEAKERS, intermittent dimmer switches, randomly detaching rear-view mirrors - all of these details would be sorted.

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2017 was the year of the glamour shots. New tires? Time to take some pictures down by what’s left of the old paper mill. Kid get a cool new jacket? Drive around in the woods!

( An aside - this was my son’s first off-roading trip. He was 2 years old then. He is turning 5 soon. He still talks about this trip. He thought it was the funniest thing to do, driving a car not-on-the-road. He was spotting trees to make sure we avoided them, and he decided to call the trunks laying on their sides in the leaves “gators”. )

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Towards the end of 2017, the Jeep needed a little more service. A tire puncture meant a trip to the mechanic anyway, so we had them replace the shocks, since they were getting a little tired. The transmission rear seal had been leaking and the trans had been shifting a little funny (not unusual for 186,000 miles, I was sure!) so that got a new seal, filter and refill.

A little after that, a regular commute home from work was spiced up by an almost complete lack of response from the brakes. Well that was certainly odd. I nursed it to the mechanic and they quickly determined that the front brake lines had rusted through and blown out. Well hey, my grandfather’s Cadillac SRX had the same problem at 60,000 miles so this isn’t so bad. They also noticed that the rear swaybar links were nearly perished so hey, let’s do those while it’s in the shop.

2017 came to an end with the warm feeling of knowing that your treasured automobile is nice and mechanically sorted. The following year would see more improvements. The again-leaking exhaust was tightened-up, an OEM cargo cover was obtained, factory skid plates were acquired, and assorted niggling issues were made non-issues.

A few visits to the “Jeep Farm” in 2018 (a term coined by my son, and a place he still regularly demands to visit) prompted more heavy sessions of parts swapping with Tina. Tina was dead, having given the mighty 4.0L heart to a Wrangler (traitor) and was being prepped to go to the junkyard shortly. Terri had the “tow prep” package, but Tina had the full towing package. A quick swap of trailer hitch and wiring harness corrected that discrepancy. Doors were swapped. Whining lock mechanisms were adjusted. Skid plates were finally installed. As many spare parts as possible were grabbed and squirreled away to be saved for the many years of service Terri had left. Later, E-code glass-lens headlights with higher wattage bulbs went one. A crisper beam pattern and much-improved lighting at night was welcomed by all. To add icing to the cake, it turned out the AC system simply needed a refill - what a champ this Jeep had turned out to be.

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I still have the section of c-clip that I found in the transmission pan in October of 2018. The transmission had been behaving oddly, holding on to gears, shifting harshly. I decided it need a fluid change and a new filter. Everything was going fine until I noticed an odd piece of metal in the valve body. I tapped it ... and it moved. I pulled it out - it was about 3" long and slightly arched. I’ve seen c-clips and this was a piece of one.

Call it fate or call it good advertising but I had been hearing commercials for the same transmission shop nearly morning for the last year . After checking for any more loose objects, I bolted everything together, filled up the trans, and made my way there.

What started out as a trip to get a preventative inspection ended stuck in a low gear, fluid boiling and smoking, and what felt like the end of the line. I walked in to the main office and one of the employees looked up and asked, “What did you do to that poor Jeep, son?”

I held up the broken c-clip. “Ahhhhh, the overdrive shaft snap ring,” said four voices, in eerie unison.

The prognosis was poor. It needed a new transmission. I had a decision to make. At almost 200,000 miles, any attempts to correct the issues would far exceed the value of the vehicle. But wait - if the first transmission lasted 194,500 miles, won’t the next one last just as long? Well, the next one after they replaced the first one they put in which turned out to be a dud. And some new cooler lines and fittings on the 3rd visit because those turned out to be leaky too. Another cherished steed, saved from the crusher.

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After that episode was behind us, the Jeep helped us move in to a new house. Finally we had a garage! And Jeep friends! We flew in to 2019 better than ever. Only a brief episode of replacing the alternator, belts, and battery, replacing a cracked glass headlight, and putting in a new ignition switch, hampered our otherwise golden Jeep Grand Cherokee.

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At some point the VIC (Vehicle Information Center - a very clever digital data display offered in many 1st gen Grand Cherokees), which I had previously fixed to keep it from constantly telling me that my coolant level was low, experienced a thermal event. That component was quickly deleted and now we had a cubby space to store sunglasses. I dug in to the pile of parts from Tina and swapped some door springs to make the opening & closing a little less creaky. I then ordered a new catback exhaust to replace the rusted out patch job from two years prior and got some hardware install the factory skid plates I had acquired a few months back.

It was time to go to Rausch Creek.

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September 2019 through March 2020 was golden age for our beloved 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It hauled a few thousand pounds of gravel. It pulled out a tree stump. It moved around a hilariously large pop-up camper. This great experiment was going even better than expected.

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In March 2020 we decided that we would keep Terri for the foreseeable future. My plan was 6 more years or 250,000 miles on the odometer- whichever came first. I would do some work and upgrades that I had been putting off, mostly focused on comfort and convenience.

I replaced the rear wheel bearings and changed the rear diff fluid. I got a new cup-holder insert to replaced the random strips of foam and napkins in there. I glued the rubber strip back on the roof that had fallen off 2 years ago. I fixed the rear latch (again). I replaced all the lug nuts so they’d finally match each other. I put new bumpers on the lift gate so it wouldn’t rattle when it shut. I installed a 3/4" spacer lift and new rear springs and new bump stops front and rear. I put in an old Sony head unit so we’d finally have a radio with a functioning display and, luxury of luxuries, Bluetooth. Then I really splurged and put sound deadening and new vapor barrier on all four doors and in the hatch. Everything closed with a solid “thump” now, the highway noise was a little better, and the speakers were a little clearer.

I took it back to the transmission shop in June to get the oil cooler lines and the neutral switch replaced (under warranty) because they were leaking again. Then I replaced the header panel to finally fix the droopy headlights. I even bought new fender liner push-pins to get everything buttoned up just so . This Jeep was going to make it to 250,000 miles in style.

Riding high from a successful spring-refresh, I even started a Phase 3 list for the Jeep. Maybe I’ll finally get the air conditioning working again. Maybe a supercharger, who knows? The sky’s the limit.

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A mile from home, returning from a 24-hour shift at the firehouse, my wife saw the temperature gauge peg. Shortly after that, steam from the hood. By the time she got it in the driveway, steam was billowing. She shut it down and coolant started pouring on the ground. We waited for it to cool and then popped the hood.

Something, somewhere, had let loose. Presumably all over the spinning fan, since every single inch of the engine bay was soaked with coolant. I turned it over to move it to a better spot to sit and realized that there was a new, tambourine-like sound from the engine. I lifted the hood again and saw the cooling fan at a sickening angle. It was flopping around like a dead fish.

I still don’t know what happened. I haven’t had the time, or the heart, to pull it in to the garage and start diagnosing. I have spent a better part of the last four years of my life on this vehicle, and enough money that I could have been driving something far more reliable all along. What is the point? Why am I even doing this?

I fell in love with a sinking ship, and I’ve done all I can to try and save her.

DISCUSSION (47)

UserNotFound > UserNotFound
09/19/2020 at 23:47

Yes, this is dreadfully long. Yes, I have regrets.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 00:10

I read the whole thing, holy crap, I don’t have the stones a labor of love like this.

jminer > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 00:12

This very much reads like a loveletter to a vehicle. I enjoyed reading it, and appreciate where you’re coming from.

We had a 2003 Explorer that we loved, used and repaired like this. We owned it for 12 years and 200k miles. She was an awesome truck, and well loved. Eventually the timing chain went and while thinking seriously about replacing the engine saw too too bad rust under her so it got scrapped.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 00:16

This is excellent Oppo. Though I can not, in all honesty, answer your original question...

Beefchips > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 00:37

It’s long but it’s a love song for a beautiful friend! It’s not crazy to fix it, if you love it.

PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120 > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 00:43

This is an impressively comprehensive write-up by an owner wh o is clearly enamored by their v ehicle.

Thanks for sharing and for the record I say, get it running but not as a DD, if you can swing that with out financial hardship.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 00:43

I can’t fathom doing this much work for any car, let alone a cheap car. The amount of thought, time, effort, and money that went into it is kind of insane. What else is there to replace/fix after this? You’ve fixed/replaced just about everything...

Shoop > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 00:49

Beautiful write up

Nom De Plume > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 00:50

Mods, hide this before JJ sees it. He needs a soft landing and not deep neurosis that is impossible to part with.

CB > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 02:52

I think this is a “maybe the real treasure was the friends we made along the way”. You knew it was going to be your project car, and no project car is ever done. If you replace the engine, something else will go.

I think the questions are: is this still viable for me to keep doing, and what are the odds I’d end up doing the same things with a different project car?

In any case, it’s one heck of a story. Good write up!

Maxima Speed > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 08:27

Thank you for this top notch Oppo content. Great read. My first car ( a ford aerostar cargo) had a headgasket blow in it and i was done because of money. My second vehicle ( the 4th gen Maxima) was my true love. I was determined not to get rid of it and was willing to do anything to fix it. However when i reached the point that i was making monthly repairs of components it was hurting me mire to hang on to it than keep it. Still, i was determined. Then every bolt on the carother than the oil coated engine bay started rusting so bad that every repair i was shearing off bolts. I recognized that at i couldnt zip tie everyt hing and i was comforted in knowing i hadnt as much given up as drive it until i couldn’t repair it. Sold it to my dad while he needed a car for a few months, he sold it to my brother who used it for a few months, brother ended up selling it to a local neighbor where it was driven daily for a while, i drive by that house everyday and haven’t seen my car in about 2 months. Starting to think that she finally was layed to rest. I know the engine is still running though lol, that engine will be running after the heat death of the universe. Frickin unkillable and still ran perfect.

Textured Soy Protein > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 08:52

Maryland loves Jeeps and Jeeps love Maryland.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 08:57

My ‘97 Safari has 236k miles. 100k of those miles are mine. I’ve maintained it lovingly all those miles. Not ready to give up on it yet, though parts are getting more difficult to find.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 11:00

This is good Oppo!

Taylor Martin > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 11:54

You have a real commitment to this car, and sharp mechanical skills. I think everyone on this site can admire that. As for the Jeep, it’s ultimately your choice. You’ve clearly demonstrated how much you love it, nobody would deny you that whether you keep it or get rid of it.

That being said, i f it’s a problem you can fix I’d say fix it, especially if you committed to keeping it for years to come. Y ou’ve already repaired the car for far more than you bought it, this may just be another drop in an overflowing bucket.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 12:02

Wonderfully and beautifully said. You are clearly hopelessly in live with this vehicle so I say keep it. Just perhaps make it a semi-daily so you don't have to worry about absolutely having to depend on it.

GoodIdeaAtTheTime > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 12:43

My “ project” Celica is going for scrap sometime in the next week. Got it to build for autox and rallyx, and occasional fun on the weekends . However 2 things happened that have me resenting the car, and thing that has me getting rid of it completely . 1, the “good running, needs nothing, excellent low mileage ” replacement engine is in worse shape than the one in the car, sans the hole in the block, the seller took my money and blocked me and disappeared, this is the 3rd time, I hate people . And 2, I had an overnight trip and when I returned quite a few parts were no longer on the car. Someone ran off with the headlights, front bumper, tail lights, spoiler (GT4 high rise spoiler) and quite a bit of the interior, I really hate people . After that I was quite put off from the car. Got the title yesterday, and it is a mess, can’t transfer, p.o. blocked me as well. I despise people, just going to lock myself in the house from now and not talk to anyone :)

So now the car no longer worth saving. So away she goes, along with the Volvo. No more project cars for me. Every again. Never ever ever. Looking forward to boring beige mobiles, with warranties.

Jayvincent > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 12:48

I f you can keep it as a spare/adventure vehicle until your son is old enough to learn to drive, he will possibly forgive you all the early bedtimes and “do your homework” reprimands and agree to support you in your old age.

For me, it’s electrical gremlins that ultimately make me give up on a car. Mechanical bits I can manage, new or used parts can be purc hased and fitted , but when electrical gremlins crop up and I’m on round 3 or 6 of the parts cannon with no idea what I’m doing, yeah that’s when I give up.

Here’s to hoping you get many happy miles out this Jeep and the next one, too!

AdamB > UserNotFound
09/20/2020 at 18:57

Amazing read. To answer your question I think it’s a hard one. You seem to really love this car. You’ve put so much effort into it. However it seems like it’s draining your wallet and you’ve had a ton of fun with it. You’ve made memories with it and your family. Maybe it’s time to move on to something new and less stressful?

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
09/20/2020 at 21:34

That's quitter talk! The best cars are meant to be driven every damn day. Just need a short enough commute to make it feasible for some vehicles lol.

UserNotFound > GoodIdeaAtTheTime
09/21/2020 at 14:43

Oh wow that’s rough. That’s more than enough to discourage anybody for a while. I don’t blame you for swearing off project cars for a long time , but I do wonder how permanent it will be :)

UserNotFound > Shoop
09/21/2020 at 14:43

Thank you!

UserNotFound > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
09/21/2020 at 14:43

Thanks!

UserNotFound > Textured Soy Protein
09/21/2020 at 14:44

It’s so true.

UserNotFound > AdamB
09/21/2020 at 14:45

Thanks for the kind words. I agree, I think it is time to move on. I am still considering fixing it, but mostly so a new owner can drive it away.

UserNotFound > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/21/2020 at 14:46

Thank you. I see what you’re saying, but with limited parking space and two nicer, more interesting 4x4s ... I don’t see much of a future left with this one.

UserNotFound > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
09/21/2020 at 14:47

Ah that explains your username, haha. I’m sure I’ve seen it before but do you have links to a write-up and/or pictures of it?

UserNotFound > Jayvincent
09/21/2020 at 14:48

That was definitely the plan, to give him something to learn to drive in. Now, not so much. Maybe I’ll feel differently after I see what it would take to fix it this time.

UserNotFound > Beefchips
09/21/2020 at 14:49

Yes, very much so. And yes, there is little to do with these Jeeps that HASN’T involved a crazy state of mind, haha.

UserNotFound > Taylor Martin
09/21/2020 at 14:50

True, it will be comparatively inexpensive and likely a simple, doable repair. But right now I’m not sure what it would take to repair the loss of confidence.

UserNotFound > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
09/21/2020 at 14:51

Well ... I’m sure there’s plenty left to repair or replace, especially if we start talking about sheet metal. And let’s not forget, new parts can break too. Oh the joy!

UserNotFound > CB
09/21/2020 at 14:51

Thanks! Yeah, you’ve captured the key question well.

UserNotFound > Maxima Speed
09/21/2020 at 14:53

Thanks! I’ve been thinking of writing this story for a while - long before the final section happened.

I know that determination very, very well.

UserNotFound > Nom De Plume
09/21/2020 at 14:53

So what you’re saying is you have a lead on a buyer for me?

UserNotFound > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/21/2020 at 14:54

The only stones are the rocks bouncing around in my skull, methinks.

UserNotFound > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
09/21/2020 at 14:54

Thank you! And no problem, it’s a hard question haha.

UserNotFound > jminer
09/21/2020 at 14:55

Yeah, it’s interesting, stories of cherished vehicles lasting decades and hundred s of thousands of miles were what motivated this endeavor . I suppose I just didn’t pick the right starting point.

UserNotFound > PyroHoltz f@h Oppo 261120
09/21/2020 at 14:57

It is my pleasure. This is one of two long essays I’ve been planning on writing for a while and it felt good to finally put the words down.

While I don’t think it will be monetarily expensive to get it running, it will likely just be to make it easier to move on.

UserNotFound > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
09/21/2020 at 14:58

I mean ... if my commute were, “D riving a little farther downhill from where I’m parked, ” then I could probably keep this as a daily for many years to come ...

Nom De Plume > UserNotFound
09/21/2020 at 15:09

Torn if you were a bit slow on the uptake or are just sneaking the comment in a few days late to avoid him seeing it.

No comment.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > UserNotFound
09/21/2020 at 15:11

Shame, but only you can say when it is time to move on.

But first off, you need to know exactly what is wrong with it and how much investment it really needs. Just assuming it is hopelessly broken does both you and the Jeep a disservice.

UserNotFound > Nom De Plume
09/21/2020 at 15:12

Never assume malice when simple ignorance will do.

I legitimately have no idea what’s going on haha

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > UserNotFound
09/21/2020 at 15:14

How would you get back home then?

UserNotFound > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
09/21/2020 at 15:15

I would walk. I need the exercise anyway. I’d be like that stone pushing uphill man.

Taylor Martin > UserNotFound
09/21/2020 at 15:42

Ah, so it’s less of a car problem and more of a feels problem. I see. I’m no therapist, but I would say if you’re lacking confidence in your ability to keep this car running, don’t. You’ve given this jeep far more years than it should’ve ever had, you’ve loved the thing to death, and then brought it back to life. You’ve done more to this car than I could ever fathom doing with mine, and you’ve earned every Oppos respect with your shark skills under the hood and undying love for the car.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > UserNotFound
09/21/2020 at 17:56

Actually, the Safari is my new van. I also have an old van, a ‘71 GMC Vandura that I call Rusty :

Kinja'd!!!

Rusty is currently languishing in my friend’s equipment yard.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > UserNotFound
09/22/2020 at 01:10

True. Many parts you’ve already swapped were either worn or simply old. I’ve done a lot of work on one of these for my GFIL owns and he spends ridiculous amounts on mechanics keeping his junker running... I’m usually helping him MacGuyver some garbage he can’t readily replace with an OEM or aftermarket part.

So, yeah , I couldn’t fathom.