So today I got to work and I am beyond disbelief. I started with the tires to at least get it rolling, all 4 were completely flat with huge cracks in them, thinking no way in hell any of them would hold any air. Put air in all 4 and surprisingly all of them held air. Next I wanted to make sure the engine wasn't seized up so I cranked on the fan a bit and it rotated just fine. Checked the oil and trans fluid and both were still full. I then hooked up a good battery, turned the key and it started cranking just fine. Popped off the air cleaner and sprayed some starting juice down the carb. And I **** you not within 5 seconds this car fired right up and idled for a good minute before I turned it off. I have absolutely no idea how the engine ran on whatever gas was in the tank.
I put it in drive and pulled it out the shop it's been sitting in for 25+ years. I drove it up and down the gravel road doing 5MPH, threw it in reverse and that also works. I turned it on and off several times and it fires up first time right away. The brakes don't work at all, the master cylinder was bone dry. Threw some brake fluid in and starting pumping. The rear brakes were taking fluid, the fronts were not. As of now they still don't work, but the ebrake does.
I gave it a quick bath and the paint is in pretty decent shape, a few dings here and there, and its spider web cracked pretty good by the rear window, about softball sized. I searched forever for the front bumper, but I can't find it anywhere. Next weekend I'm gonna clean the interior. The engine bay is also very dirty but I didn't want to take a hose to that just yet. Does anyone have any tips on washing it without hurting anything?
Very happy today with the way things turned out. I'm not a religious guy at all, but I got to think Grandpa was looking down on me today and gave me some good luck. Here's some more pictures.
comin along for the ride
