I saw this idea on another forum so I decided to go with it. Before anyone panics, no, our 98 Cobra isn't for sale or being quit on. This car was bought simply to fix/flip and enjoy for a trip to Mustang Week 2010 (I've done a couple dozen cars, this is the first I've made a journal of). Fixing/flipping has often funded vacations and Cobra parts in the past - I want bigger brakes, coilovers, and a LQ9, so this probably won't be the last either. I realize breaking down what I pay for stuff and what a POS I'm starting with will probably eliminate any possibility of selling the car to someone on this forum, but whatever, I've not sold many things on here anyhow. The Cobra is a big project that's located ~45 minutes away so I really only have 2 days a week I could work on it. The idea of this is to keep it smaller maintenance that I can keep under the radar at my apartment complex (I have about 3 hours of light after work, mind as well use them).
May 25
So...
I had the day off yesterday and was nursing a knee I hurt the previous day coaching track instead of working on the Cobra. We've been on the lookout for a Fox or SN95 that needed a little bit of work that we could fix up in time (at least mechanically) for Mustang Week and turn a profit on in the end (or at least not a loss). I tripped across a CraigsList ad for a 1994 Mustang GT stickshift (runs great, 140K, green with tan cloth, all stock, all it needs is paint). He's located two hours away.
I had found over the past week a couple other good leads but they either didn't list a phone number and didn't answer emails, or they listed a number and didn't pick up, or when I got them on the phone the stories were really sketchy (one guy all it needs is a battery but would not let me bring a jump box and drive it onto my trailer...). I called the guy and we talked around noon. I wanted to leave immediately to be back at a decent hour after getting more details, but then he breaks it that he has someone local coming for it at 4:15 that sold his car yesterday to get the money for it and yaddah yaddah yaddah... I told him I'm not coming 2 hours with a trailer if it's not 100% set in stone mine if I want it right then and there cash. We agreed 5PM was a fair time to wait on this guy to see if he shows or not.
5PM I get the call he's not there so do I still want it? I go to work, pick up a few tools in case I want to disconnect the driveshaft (two wheel dolly), go pick up my dolly, then pick up $2500 cash from my bank (I'm 25, and I get looks every time). The trip up is uneventful except for my dog's reaction to the unloaded dolly bouncing around back there. I've towed with the Escape before (midpipe, intake, 93 octane tow tune) and it hardly notices the trailer on the tow tune and pulls a Mustang pretty easy (stopping...not so much fun). When I hooked up the trailer I noticed the lights did not work, but figured out it was the 10A fuse on the trailer wiring harness on the Escape. No biggie, I'll stop at some auto parts store on the way up (still light out).
Little did I know the trip was going to be the PA turnpike to the northeast extension to I80. Not a rest stop or auto parts store in sight. Whatever, I figured I'd steal one out of the Mustang when I got there (the Escape uses minis, this was a regular AGM like the Mustang uses). I get there, and this car that just needs paint, is this pile of ****...
I was told not a spot of rust. On the exterior panels maybe. The underside is very clean, but not perfect, it's been driven.
Pioneer headunit, Mach460, "this system thumps." What a tool.
Now I can talk a hard bargain and sell a hard bargain from my experience buying/fixing/selling (sometimes just buying and selling lol), but I am not the kind of stick that shows up and offers less, nickels and dimes things wrong, or has excuses like I left some money at home, I only have this on me does that work, etc. I generally know what I am getting based on make, year, model, and asking price. I didn't expect some 30K mile garage kept showroom clean rocketship. But I'm pissed, real pissed. The drive ended up being $50 for the dolly, $30 in gas up, and still have to return, plus at least 5 hours of driving when I should really be icing this knee for work tomorrow. I finally get the truth out that he bought this thing after it was hit by a deer. The car does run though, no CELs, and the front damage, while needing work, isn't catastrophic. I took 10 bills out of the envelope and said this is what I think it's worth take it or leave it, but if we don't agree on a price, you owe me $150 for my time and expenses today, you flat out lied to me on the phone. You knew this needed a lot more (horrific squeaks and clunks on short test drive, low brake pedal, airbag light on, some lights not working, etc.). He wants $1500, I offer $1300 last chance. He bites.
I load this pile of **** on my trailer, totally forgetting about the lights. No biggie, I usually pull over after about 10 miles of driving or as soon as I hit the big roads to double check the trailer and towed car. Starting towing, this thing feels like a boat behind me. The rear wheels are go-kart skipping on take off, and it feels like the Escape has 10HP. There are 20mph zones on his street up big hills and I'm following fully loaded dump trucks in commanded 1st gear and it will absolutely not keep up with them, I'm losing speed going up hill. The downs are even more fun, roasted clutch smell from the brakes. There was very little traffic on the big roads so I figured if I could get through this crap, I'd be okay. I pull over at a truck stop just before I80 and put a new 10A fuse in, get some food and fuel, and let the Escape cool down. I'm genuinely worried about the trans it has never felt like this pulling anything (even my heavier Cobra).
I get going and within 100 feet the trailer lights are out again. I pull a stupid move and put a 30A in it instead (there were no 20s in the Mustang). They're dead within 100 feet, and I smell something that's either electrical fire or transmission exploding. I'm a very calm person, but I'm pretty anxious at this point thinking I am going to blow up my Escape 2 hours from home with my wife at work until 2AM. Then the Escape starts freaking out - tail lights go dim then out. I lose the d/s turn signal. Cruise no longer works. Dimmer switch turns everything super-low on the console. Right turn signal stays on constantly (as in not flashing). And it's getting dark, quick. Every truck is flashing me, due to no rear lights whatsoever and doing 45mph (full throttle no overdrive on flats is all she could go). I'm down to about 1/16 tank and seeing no rest stops on the way up I just bite the bullet and decide next exit I am paying to get off, getting fuel, and reassessing. I pull into a local gas station and think check Escape fuses, hopefully that's it, and then turn the Mustang on and put its 4 ways on instead of trailer lights.
When I get out to fuel, the front of the Mustang grille is covered in coolant and it's smoking out the hood. Fearing the worst for the Escape, I check the tailpipe and coolant level - nope, not blown up. So WTF, I'm TOWING the Mustang and by this point I haven't turned it on. I get in the Mustang...and realize the sloppy stock shifter is ever so slightly in third gear.
FAIL!
My only guess is that the rear wheels are turning the driveshaft, turning the gears inside the trans. If it was in neutral it would have been fine, but in third both shafts are turning, which is turning the clutch, crank, etc. The oil pump is turning in that situation so I'm not terribly worried. But the water pump should also be turning by the crank pulley, belt, etc. Maybe belt slip? Anyhow, it's overheating at this point so all you can really do is start it and let it idle and let it slowly warm down. It cranks hard and starts, the smoke becomes a billowing cloud, and I have white smoke out the exhaust. This lasts for 30 seconds or so and goes away. It stalled once and had a surging idle but stabilized around 700rpm. I blasted the heat and let it sit for a few minutes. It seemed the temperature had come back from 3/4 hot to right in the middle so I put on the headlights and 4 ways and got back on the road (I unplugged the headlights so I didn't have them shining in my mirrors but still would have tail lights on the Mustang). Not surprisingly, the skipping-on-starts stopped, and it felt like normal towing again. Jeez, the one good thing about this car was that it ran fine. I'm not worried about the trans or rear because they don't have pumps so they were really operating under normal conditions.
I arrive, uneventfully, at home at midnight. I get the look of disapproval from both the wife and my dog. This one, even in the dark, I can tell is going to need a LOT of work.
Costs:
car ($1300)
gas ($30)
toll 1 ($8.10)
toll 2 ($2.60)
gas ($41.22)
toll 3 ($9.10)
dolly ($49.95)
Total Invested to Date:
$1440.97
May 25
So...
I had the day off yesterday and was nursing a knee I hurt the previous day coaching track instead of working on the Cobra. We've been on the lookout for a Fox or SN95 that needed a little bit of work that we could fix up in time (at least mechanically) for Mustang Week and turn a profit on in the end (or at least not a loss). I tripped across a CraigsList ad for a 1994 Mustang GT stickshift (runs great, 140K, green with tan cloth, all stock, all it needs is paint). He's located two hours away.
I had found over the past week a couple other good leads but they either didn't list a phone number and didn't answer emails, or they listed a number and didn't pick up, or when I got them on the phone the stories were really sketchy (one guy all it needs is a battery but would not let me bring a jump box and drive it onto my trailer...). I called the guy and we talked around noon. I wanted to leave immediately to be back at a decent hour after getting more details, but then he breaks it that he has someone local coming for it at 4:15 that sold his car yesterday to get the money for it and yaddah yaddah yaddah... I told him I'm not coming 2 hours with a trailer if it's not 100% set in stone mine if I want it right then and there cash. We agreed 5PM was a fair time to wait on this guy to see if he shows or not.
5PM I get the call he's not there so do I still want it? I go to work, pick up a few tools in case I want to disconnect the driveshaft (two wheel dolly), go pick up my dolly, then pick up $2500 cash from my bank (I'm 25, and I get looks every time). The trip up is uneventful except for my dog's reaction to the unloaded dolly bouncing around back there. I've towed with the Escape before (midpipe, intake, 93 octane tow tune) and it hardly notices the trailer on the tow tune and pulls a Mustang pretty easy (stopping...not so much fun). When I hooked up the trailer I noticed the lights did not work, but figured out it was the 10A fuse on the trailer wiring harness on the Escape. No biggie, I'll stop at some auto parts store on the way up (still light out).
Little did I know the trip was going to be the PA turnpike to the northeast extension to I80. Not a rest stop or auto parts store in sight. Whatever, I figured I'd steal one out of the Mustang when I got there (the Escape uses minis, this was a regular AGM like the Mustang uses). I get there, and this car that just needs paint, is this pile of ****...
I was told not a spot of rust. On the exterior panels maybe. The underside is very clean, but not perfect, it's been driven.
Pioneer headunit, Mach460, "this system thumps." What a tool.
Now I can talk a hard bargain and sell a hard bargain from my experience buying/fixing/selling (sometimes just buying and selling lol), but I am not the kind of stick that shows up and offers less, nickels and dimes things wrong, or has excuses like I left some money at home, I only have this on me does that work, etc. I generally know what I am getting based on make, year, model, and asking price. I didn't expect some 30K mile garage kept showroom clean rocketship. But I'm pissed, real pissed. The drive ended up being $50 for the dolly, $30 in gas up, and still have to return, plus at least 5 hours of driving when I should really be icing this knee for work tomorrow. I finally get the truth out that he bought this thing after it was hit by a deer. The car does run though, no CELs, and the front damage, while needing work, isn't catastrophic. I took 10 bills out of the envelope and said this is what I think it's worth take it or leave it, but if we don't agree on a price, you owe me $150 for my time and expenses today, you flat out lied to me on the phone. You knew this needed a lot more (horrific squeaks and clunks on short test drive, low brake pedal, airbag light on, some lights not working, etc.). He wants $1500, I offer $1300 last chance. He bites.
I load this pile of **** on my trailer, totally forgetting about the lights. No biggie, I usually pull over after about 10 miles of driving or as soon as I hit the big roads to double check the trailer and towed car. Starting towing, this thing feels like a boat behind me. The rear wheels are go-kart skipping on take off, and it feels like the Escape has 10HP. There are 20mph zones on his street up big hills and I'm following fully loaded dump trucks in commanded 1st gear and it will absolutely not keep up with them, I'm losing speed going up hill. The downs are even more fun, roasted clutch smell from the brakes. There was very little traffic on the big roads so I figured if I could get through this crap, I'd be okay. I pull over at a truck stop just before I80 and put a new 10A fuse in, get some food and fuel, and let the Escape cool down. I'm genuinely worried about the trans it has never felt like this pulling anything (even my heavier Cobra).
I get going and within 100 feet the trailer lights are out again. I pull a stupid move and put a 30A in it instead (there were no 20s in the Mustang). They're dead within 100 feet, and I smell something that's either electrical fire or transmission exploding. I'm a very calm person, but I'm pretty anxious at this point thinking I am going to blow up my Escape 2 hours from home with my wife at work until 2AM. Then the Escape starts freaking out - tail lights go dim then out. I lose the d/s turn signal. Cruise no longer works. Dimmer switch turns everything super-low on the console. Right turn signal stays on constantly (as in not flashing). And it's getting dark, quick. Every truck is flashing me, due to no rear lights whatsoever and doing 45mph (full throttle no overdrive on flats is all she could go). I'm down to about 1/16 tank and seeing no rest stops on the way up I just bite the bullet and decide next exit I am paying to get off, getting fuel, and reassessing. I pull into a local gas station and think check Escape fuses, hopefully that's it, and then turn the Mustang on and put its 4 ways on instead of trailer lights.
When I get out to fuel, the front of the Mustang grille is covered in coolant and it's smoking out the hood. Fearing the worst for the Escape, I check the tailpipe and coolant level - nope, not blown up. So WTF, I'm TOWING the Mustang and by this point I haven't turned it on. I get in the Mustang...and realize the sloppy stock shifter is ever so slightly in third gear.
FAIL!
My only guess is that the rear wheels are turning the driveshaft, turning the gears inside the trans. If it was in neutral it would have been fine, but in third both shafts are turning, which is turning the clutch, crank, etc. The oil pump is turning in that situation so I'm not terribly worried. But the water pump should also be turning by the crank pulley, belt, etc. Maybe belt slip? Anyhow, it's overheating at this point so all you can really do is start it and let it idle and let it slowly warm down. It cranks hard and starts, the smoke becomes a billowing cloud, and I have white smoke out the exhaust. This lasts for 30 seconds or so and goes away. It stalled once and had a surging idle but stabilized around 700rpm. I blasted the heat and let it sit for a few minutes. It seemed the temperature had come back from 3/4 hot to right in the middle so I put on the headlights and 4 ways and got back on the road (I unplugged the headlights so I didn't have them shining in my mirrors but still would have tail lights on the Mustang). Not surprisingly, the skipping-on-starts stopped, and it felt like normal towing again. Jeez, the one good thing about this car was that it ran fine. I'm not worried about the trans or rear because they don't have pumps so they were really operating under normal conditions.
I arrive, uneventfully, at home at midnight. I get the look of disapproval from both the wife and my dog. This one, even in the dark, I can tell is going to need a LOT of work.
Costs:
car ($1300)
gas ($30)
toll 1 ($8.10)
toll 2 ($2.60)
gas ($41.22)
toll 3 ($9.10)
dolly ($49.95)
Total Invested to Date:
$1440.97
