My dad finally sold me his 79 Berlinetta. Now it has been sitting in a garage since 89 and has never been started since then. It was put in the garage because it needed a little body work, no mechanical work, that he never got around to and had a daily driver he just used and the Berlinetta got kind of forgotten about. But my question is can anyone give me a quick rundown of all the things i should do to get it to start again/ direct me to a good compelete list. Thanks in advance

 

to get it running?

usually some starter fluid.

now this is just my way. there is a few more steps you could take like priming the engine. pull the dist and get an oil pump priming tool for a drill and get it nice and lubed up before you start it.

some will say to flush all the liquids and start from scratch. and thats not a bad idea. especially with a carb


my experience is that if the car has been sitting it will usually start right up on the old gas. especially if its been sitting for more than 10 years.

old gas usually doesn't cause as many problems as newer gas, as it doesn't have ethanol. now if its been sitting a long long time out in a field then yeah flush the system.

but i have started cars that were sitting for 20 years on just some starter fluid. filled it up with good new gas and run it.


long term it needs new fluids and rubber. all rubber, coolant lines, brake lines, bushings the lot.

hope that helps.

 

I would change the oil. It can get turn corrosive after sitting for years. Check the rubber pieces and a battery. It may fire right up with just a battery but I wouldn't try. It would pull all the plugs and see if the rings have sealed to the cylinder walls by grabbing the crank pulley and moving it back and forth. A touch of brake fluid in each cylinder for a few days to ensure you don't break them free with the starter and score the cylinder walls with rust. Then change the oil and prime the motor. New plugs and wires. Replace the belts because they will be stuck in the position they were left in.

You want to be able to use the engine not just start it. So fresh fluids and a tune up are good insurance. Just winging it over and hoping it starts is good on TV but care should be taken to not shorten its life because it has ripped the rings from where the rusted. Good luck!

 

Do not start it up with the old gas, or for that matter without draining the tank, and flushing the tank, fuel lines, and carb! I speak from experience as my '71 sat for 11 yrs from 1989 to '99. I started it up after rebuilding the carb, and the engine, and the gas in the lines had dried and turned to varnish. The varnish flaked off when new gas came in contact and plugged up the rebuilt carb and fuel system. Even with a new filter, the short 18" of line after had enough varnish to fill the bowls with tube shaped varnish pieces that had formed in the line.
I would also pull the plugs and give each cylinder a small shot of Marvel Mystery Oil. Maybe a teaspoon in each cylinder. Then just let it sit for a couple hours, and then bump the starter with the plugs out. f it turns easily, then crank it over for a few seconds, and put in new plugs when done. Then new cap, rotor, and check the plug wires and replace if needed.
I'd drain all the fluid in the brake system, and put in new. New engine oil and filter. Drop the tank and flush it out. Break the lines loose at the carb and tank, then spray Sea Foam through from the carb to the tank to clean all the line. Put a new carb kit in the carburetor, as the dried gas will mean all the gaskets are junk, and needles and jets will be plugged. Don't forget the trans and rearend too! Change the trans fluid, and put in a new filter. Drain the rearend grease and replace it, plus a new gasket.
Once you're done you can drive the car and feel confident it wont leave you stranded with stuff breaking loose. You might squirt some starter fluid into the carb and put gas in the tank to get it running. And it might even run OK for awhile. But in a few hours or maybe minutes the old junk will break loose and then you'll be in deep trouble fixing all the plugged up systems. Or if your brakes fail because you had bad fluid, or corrosion it might be something worse.