general troubleshooting question

[CB30]

As best I can tell, this is the worst of the rust.

[Mr Camouflage]

Aside form body rust, a car that has been standing for a long period of time can have other problems like:

perished rubber hoses that split open when you finally get the engine running.

siezed brakes, corroded brake lines, rusty drums and/or rotors, an perished flexible hoses.

rusty fuel tank (on the inside that gets into the gas, then the carbs)

flat spotted wheel bearings

sometimes the bores can corrode.

[CB30]

Thank goodness I'm divorced. If I were still married and the unit read these posts she'd castrate me for even considering it.

[Mr Camouflage]

I wouldn't waste my time on a 2+2 if id hadn't run for years.

[dozer171]

that roof worries me. it looks caved signifigantly. also, the roof is a key structural member on these cars. the only way i have seen for straightening roofs that works well is to use a sort of rivet gun that leaves a large wire extending from it, and using a slide hammer to pull the dents. VERY hard to get it to look right.

[CB30]

What if I've got him talked down to $500 - $600? Should I or shouldn't I ? I've checked the floor pans from underneath the car and they seem solid. Haven't pulled the carpet up, but will do that before I lay down the cash. There's only one minor crease in the roof, the rest looks nice and rounded and should pop right out. Rust behind the wheels, though.

Any more ideas on the engine enigma?

[beandip]

that rust on the back of the front fender is from the cowl drain being plugged with debris , and holding moisture against the fender and the front end of the frame rail. I would be VARY supprised if you dident have a frame rail rusted . This can be major trouble , take a screw driver and poke at the frame rail just in back of the rusted area of the fender poke it and thump it with the handel end as well. If you find the frame rail has any rust or is in any way soft . I am afraid that you are looking at a parts car. Sorry ! If it wasent a 2+2 and was running good I mite concider it and drive her untill she gave up . You see the void behind the fender where the rust is , is only primered metal and is a vital structureal part of the "frame" and is only sheetmetal. I just pulled my front fenders on my 240 , the fenders showed zero rust but the inner area was rusted and in one spot almost through the skin. I dodged the bullet there . With the ammount of damage showing I think you are looking at possably 1000. to $1500. to repair if you cannot do the work your self . my 2c sorry

[Tourniqet]

Make sure you scour the bottom of the car. I found a four inch tare in the floor pans of my car and then decided that it was repairable. But after finding the tares I neglected to keep looking, and found a nice 6 inch patch of rust on the frame rail connecting the end of the floor pan... the rear decklid, battery tray, every piece of the bottom of that car are likely suspects