Now that I have sold my JZX100, I was in need of a reliable daily. I had been trolling gumtree and ebay for a while in search of something appropriate. I was really after an ae92 with a smallport in it.
I cam across this gem in the rough in the South of Adelaide. Starting bid on ebay was 99c.......I couldnt refuse. After some furious bidding whilst i was in the middle of a coal mine trying to get 3G reception on my phone, i was the succesful bidder, a touch under $600. I arranged with the seller to hold the vehicle until I got home from my 2 week swing.
Only going by the pictures on ebay, a picture DOESNT tell 1000 words. I arrived to collect the car, the paint was bad, the body was average, the interior was messy, the battery was flat and there was many oil leaks.
Anyways, lucky im a mechanic i thought.........So with no current rego i organised my tow truck friend to collect and leave at my place whilst I went back to work for another few weeks.
Fast forward 2 weeks.........Coming home from work I was excited to screw some number plates on and go go go........this wasnt to be. Getting 20kms into my 300km drive home, the engine almost literally fell out of the car, 2 engine mounts were completely stuffed......not much actually holding the engine in the car. Limped home, left the car at the local garage and went back to work........again.
Another 2 weeks passes.......I collect the car and load it up with many AE86 parts to bring home so i could get some work done. Its always nervous driving an unfamiliar car that far at night, knowing it has let you down in the past.......I wasnt bonding well with this new gem. That 3 hour drive, I learnt many things about the vehicle, and no radio or cd player didnt help.
Things I discovered needed attention:
CD player install
heater controls inop (cable not secured under dash)
Needs wheel alignment......badly.
hatch doesnt close properly, so door ajar light always on.....and leaves interior light on to drain battery.
oil pressure gauge doesnt operate, jammed in max position.
water leaks in through hatch, carpet stinky and dirty.
But i did get 7.5lt per 100km on the drive home, and the smallport pulls like a freight train. Not bad for a 325thou engine.
Here is the gem in all its glory: