[IAfarmer]

It's funny how quickly old vehicles drain the wallet. I bought my 86 D-100 as a runner with a very good body.

It left me with a dead battery, so I dug in. Alternator OK, so a new voltage regulartor was installed. Problem solved, I thought. Now I have a bad battery.

Changed the front pads due to a very bad pull and vibration from the brakes. That was amazingly expensive compared to the minivan. Now the brakes are causing the truck to hop.

The wiring is a mess, it needs a full exhaust system to replace the glasspack, the radio doesn't work, the heat, kind of works, and it needs rear brakes, along with many cosmetics, which really should wait until all the safety and operational repairs are made.

Yet, I still love to drive it. Don't know if it will get me there and back, but I love to drive it.

 

[yakdude01]

Yep, they can get you quick!

I picked up a 1989 Dodge Daytona off Ebay back in Dec 2002. It was to be parked at my sisters place in Boston, and I would use it when I visited, which was 6-10 times a year then. Rental cars in Boston aren't cheap!

The first year, it was flawless over 5k mi! But by 2004, the age and mileage (120k mi when I got it) started showing. I replaced in order:

Gas tank, straps.
Fuel lines
Brake lines
Emergency brake cable
Struts/Shocks all around

I also replaced the rims and tires with a set from a 93 Daytona...so new 16 in rims, and new 16 in tires.

In all, I dropped over $2k on it.

The good news was....it was again flawless until 2006 (and another 15k mi), when I donated it (replaced with a 95 Lincoln Mark VIII). The car was promptly dismantled for parts after donation.

No regrets though. I feel I got my money's worth out of it.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I've put quite a bit of maintenance repair work into my Dodge Dakota. Fixing to do an outer tie rod end this week, and home-align it once again (I've got too much toe-in right now). I've done ball joints, brakes, now a tie rod end, rear shocks, full exhaust system, new tires, etc.

 

[Benny]

Ah yes the one thing I don't miss about that old escort seemed every week there was something to be done on it, nothing really ever important, or expensive, like a sway bar bolt (because on those one's the sway bar bolted right down to the lower control arm) which had actually rusted away due to age lol. but that car was stone dead reliable some how lol

 

[andyg]

Weekly repairs is what my van is good at needing.

 

[Billoftt]

I used to have a 1983 Dodge Ramcharger. A friend blew the motor (Timing chain busted, tore stuff up inside) and i bought it form him for 140 bucks. I then found a totaled 1987 ram 1500 and bought the engine, transmission and transfer case for 150 bucks and slapped it all in at once. it ran for many years, a few trips from Camp Lejeune, NC to Nebraska and back. (55 mph on interstate angers lots of people, but I was not going to push it.) And believe me, after a 300 dollar investment on a 4x4, i was not gentle. A few years later, I sold it back to the guy I bought it from in the first place.

 

[dun4now]

I have an 82 dodge 1/2 ton with a 318 engine. I have put about 300.00 into it over 12 years. My 2000 Caravan has cost me 4,000 in 4 years. The truck sits at the ready to replace cara if she dies on me, and the tranny in the truck is original too at about 147,000 miles. to hades with the junk car program.

 

[Christ]

I have an 82 dodge 1/2 ton with a 318 engine. I have put about 300.00 into it over 12 years. My 2000 Caravan has cost me 4,000 in 4 years. The truck sits at the ready to replace cara if she dies on me, and the tranny in the truck is original too at about 147,000 miles. to hades with the junk car program.

ORLY?!

"Cara" is what I named my mini.:angry: Get your own name!

 

[IAfarmer]

Finally bought a muffler for the old truck. It was $80 for it and a partial tailpipe for a turndown.

But, I bought an old house, so now my old truck has to wait while I fix up the old house, along with my old tractor to plow up my new garden.

Too many toys, not enough time.

Here's a pick of all my toys. The truck, tractor in the back, and the barn....

 

[dun4now]

ORLY?!

"Cara" is what I named my mini.:angry: Get your own name!

JMHO: So did a lot of other folks. What a grouch:lol::lol: I said cara not "Cara":jpshakehe:lol::lol: I'm soorry if I stepped on your toes.:crying:
Just curious, about ORLY?!

 

[Christ]

ORLY = "Oh, really?!"

I was joking, by the way.

 

[andyg]

Finally bought a muffler for the old truck. It was $80 for it and a partial tailpipe for a turndown.

But, I bought an old house, so now my old truck has to wait while I fix up the old house, along with my old tractor to plow up my new garden.

Too many toys, not enough time.

Here's a pick of all my toys. The truck, tractor in the back, and the barn....

I wish I had a barn for my toys...

 

[Christ]

I have a barn... it's getting rebuilt over the next year or so, because the land that the house/barn sits on has shifted a great deal, and the foundation has unsettled.

I'm going to fix it with tires, since I have about 3,000 of them.

 

[IAfarmer]

Took me 10 years to finally move to this place.

But, after only one week...the water main for the rural water broke, flooding my basement, taking out the washer, dryer, furnace, 2 deep freezers, and many things we had not yet put away from the move. It's winter here in Iowa, and too cold for a lack of a furnace. New one goes in on Thursday.

So, to make myself feel better, I bought a Cub Cadet 1450 with a rototiller.

 

[dun4now]

I have a barn... it's getting rebuilt over the next year or so, because the land that the house/barn sits on has shifted a great deal, and the foundation has unsettled.

I'm going to fix it with tires, since I have about 3,000 of them.

Not to get off topic here, I have seen old tires filled with dirt or some composite and stacked up to create a wall. Is this what you mean.
#2 I have brought my 82 150 Dodge Royal out of retirement. It was running a bit rough not wanting to idle well in gear and a little back fire out the exhaust when kicking it down. I rechecked the timing and wire placement on the distributor cap only to find that #1-2-4-6 were in the wrong place. :nut:I think some one was messing with it but now its running like new. I took the carb apart and was surprised at how clean the float bowl was. :Wow1:I ran my tip cleaner through the jets and now she seems even better than new. No blue out the tail pipe, just the normal color of white until it warms up. I am going to put it on the road for three months starting 1st. of December because last year I got stuck with the Caravan in 12" of snow and that was with chains on. That sucked, seems our little street of 2 houses at the end just after the curve in front of the SUV on the is not worthy of city snow removal.:jpshakehe You can see my truck snowed in in the lane way.

 

[Christ]

Not to get off topic here, I have seen old tires filled with dirt or some composite and stacked up to create a wall. Is this what you mean.
#2 I have brought my 82 150 Dodge Royal out of retirement. It was running a bit rough not wanting to idle well in gear and a little back fire out the exhaust when kicking it down. I rechecked the timing and wire placement on the distributor cap only to find that #1-2-4-6 were in the wrong place. :nut:I think some one was messing with it but now its running like new. I took the carb apart and was surprised at how clean the float bowl was. :Wow1:I ran my tip cleaner through the jets and now she seems even better than new. No blue out the tail pipe, just the normal color of white until it warms up. I am going to put it on the road for three months starting 1st. of December because last year I got stuck with the Caravan in 12" of snow and that was with chains on. That sucked, seems our little street of 2 houses at the end just after the curve in front of the SUV on the is not worthy of city snow removal.:jpshakehe You can see my truck snowed in in the lane way.

Yes, it's basic dirt or sand, PM me if you want more information about it, I'll do my best to explain.

That offer applies to anyone.

 

[ram440]

That's a nice lookin truck. My 89 is a Arkansas truck so it is rust free but has a number of dents. I don't want to think how much money I got in my truck, but the thing sure is fast and it drives great! Having a little traction problem though. Gonna ditch the 8 3/8 rear end and put in a 8 3/4 with 3.91 gears and a locker. There goes another grand....

 

[dun4now]

ORLY?!

"Cara" is what I named my mini.:angry: Get your own name!

Okay Avan hows that.
Anyway I took the old truck out while having work done on Avan and the right front caliper sized up. Took it apart and honed it out. Had to put a new seal kit in it for 5 bucks and it's good again.

 

[cheezit53]

Oh man, this Jeep Cherokee I just bought.

I bought it thinking it just needed a leaky freeze plug replaced. That quickly turned into valve seats, head milled, steering knuckles, hub assemblys, ball joints, brakes, u-joints, sway bar, radiator, radiator fan, drivers seat, wheels, tires, lug nuts, fuel tank drop, and the cigarette lighter was missing. Lol.

My 85 Pontiac needed a fraction of that and it sat outside for 10 years.