american cars suk!!

[Raven]

sometimes you just have to know when to walk away from a project car....you know...the fix or repair daily's vehicles you've owned...
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(expanding on FF's request to look for rust)
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one day at the junk yard where i had my 20 year old
"escape california van"
parked for maybe the last time... i walked around it several times thinking time to let her go....there's NO friggan way,,,,
as i stared at LONG gaping rust holes and rot.... EVERYWHERE
24" to 48" and 2 inches wide had rotted away....
and it was on all doors and side panels....ok ---
so much work it was mind boggling and way beyond repair
.....or SO it seemed......

then.....i started to formulate a plan involving a secret organization called HOME DEPOT.... 25 years of fabrication , a lust for tools,
FIXING anything and a sense of nostalgia began to emerge....
i can do this.... just .....imagine it... no dont....i need to do it...

suddenly the theme song to mission impossible started dancing
in my head
and i was off like a shot .....goin'
Dant DANT -dant dant dant dant, dant dant dant....dant.
badda DAHHH Badda Dahhh BADAH.... ZOOOOOOOOOM

at the domed heapo....
i bought several sheets of pre -bent galvanized duct work( sheet metal ) and several tubes of liguid nails, sand paper, fiberglass resin, fiberglass cloth, bondo and several boxes of self tapping hex head screws.
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i sand back the rust with coarse paper ,prime and slap on a bead of glue and then attach the pre fitted dry sheet metal with the self tapping screws til the next day.... then i back out the screws that show on the body...the ones underneath i leave in... and i grind
down the edge where the sheet metal overlaps the body....and apply a thin coat of hot pink (dry fast) bondo ...which is resin based...
and let that almost dry....where i criss cross score it with a blade.
after thats dry ...i mix up some fiber glass resin and paint it on top
of that seam and add a layer of cloth to cover it all....sometimes
two.... and soon - i had no more gaping rust holes anymore...!!!

i drove that sucka for a few more years....i love no car payments.

[mikecc]

Guys dont for get to figure the Insurance into the cost of ownership.
I looked at a Honda for the wife a year ago. Screw that we could not afford to insure the dam thing. Highest in theft rating & highest insurance rate for $$amount.

[Skitterpop]

Also to consider in cost of ownership:

Had four different models over the years
all over 130K miles (some more) and not one breakdown.


change the oil at 4K, tranny fluid at 30K, timing belts around 100K,
plus the usual wear and tear