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Just a request for a video or some advice on this topic: Vehicles that have been sitting… what to look for and how to get them roadworthy again. We all as mechanics know that just letting a vehicle sit for years unused can often be the kiss of death to an otherwise awesome car. But as a car guy we all dream of that barn find original untouched vehicle from years gone by that was forgotten in the back corner of a barn and sealed away from meddling fingers and weather, and all the bad stuff in the world. But as things sit seals dry out, fuel goes bad, mice and other animals make nests in it, leaves and dirt get into every crevice, things rust and things go downhill from there. I recently purchased a vehicle that has sat for 6-10 years outdoors in the woods so I am slowly going through systems one by one replacing parts and reconditioning what I can along the way but I was going to ask ETCG to do a detailed walk-through of something like this. So far I have found my brake lines are shot, there is a little rust that needs addressed, mouse nest and eaten wires under the hood, 1/4 tank of gas that smells like varnish, some smells associated with mouse urine (cleaning it out of coarse), and other problems of the sort. I know a fluid flush is in order for things like engine oil and coolant but what else should I do? Thanks in advance and as always stay dirty.
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Uncracked dashboard on a 1985!
Just under 62k miles on the odometer
Collector’s Edition
And my other ride
A couple of things. First, I can’t just grab a car that’s been sitting to make videos. I have a ton of stuff going on right now, adding more work won’t help get any of that done. Second, right now I’m working on the Fairmont and will be for the next few months. After that, I intend to take a short break.
Lastly, no, I did not cover the repairs in that video, but I’ve done several videos with that Acura and many have dealt with the issues I’ve run into because it sat for so long. Here’s a couple.
I hope you understand.
Of coarse, just an idea for a future video. I will be doing a video blog on my build but it will be a long process as I get maybe one or two days a month off work and taking it to a shop and throwing a large wad of cash at them is not an option, just me and a friend working on each other’s vehicles and helping each other. I’m just trying to sort out the good / bad advice from all the people I know that each say something different, one says flush ALL the fluids, one says don’t flush the transmission fluid, and the next says scrap it which is NOT gonna happen. Thanks for all the advice, I plan on changing the oil and coolant, going through the carb, new tires, patch up the floors, and peel the vinyl top and use bed liner on the roof to seal it and then just enjoy it as a Rat Rod till I get time and money to fix the vinyl top properly and do paint and body then I’ll try to get deeper into it.
The really frustrating thing is the best mechanic I know is very superstitious and refuses to go within 20 feet of it.
OOOOh it’s beautiful!
PLEASE please post lots of photos documenting everything you do with the restoration of this grand old lady.
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