Hiya and welcomw to club4AG
Milton.ae86 wrote:Any "need-to-know" facts that i need to know?
Here are a couple for you....
1. Your car is nearly 30 years old.
2. It has done a lot of miles (unless you got lucky).
3. Most of the moving parts will be well worn.
4. You don't know what previous owners may have done to the car.
So a good starting point is to make a thorough examination of the car.
Look to see if there is any hidden corrosion... under the carpet, around
the spare tire, in the pockets at either side of the trunk, around the
wheel arches and under the car.
While you are under the car (get it up off the ground) look for structural
damage, corrosion, oil spray on the floor from leaking seals, worn out
rubber bushes on suspension arms and links, exhaust rusted out, loose
bolts or wires/hoses not properly secured. Rotate the wheels and check
for strange noises or bad bearings. Check the steering for play. Check
the brake pads/linings for wear. Make sure the tires are up to standard.
Look in the engine bay and if you can't see the engine for a thick layer
of oily crud over everything, consider getting the engine steam cleaned
so that you can locate/fix any oil leaks. Look for anything obviously
loose or missing. If the engine does not look like it has been serviced
for a while, consider changing the oil and filter, drain and re-fill the
radiator with fresh coolant.
By the time you have done all that you will have a good idea of what
needs to be done to put the car in good basic condition. It is important
to have a sound foundation, ready for any upgrades that you might have
in mind. If the car is already in great condition, then you could look at
improving the suspension, tires and brakes first, followed by engine
work, or maybe even an engine swap
Cheers... jondee86