Thanks craby, gorn. You guys are best people I've never met. I flushed coolant and visual check, was loosing a little bit of fluid. Gasket on thermostat was torn. Now it smokes at start up and goes away after heats up. Coolant leaking into motor now that its flowing good? Anyways, need tranny and motor. Or junk. I have to really look this over to see if its worth it. I've had it for two yrs and it Nickle and dimes me. Bought it in a hurry for a thousand and guaranteed sticker, it ran and I needed a ride to work. This car is easiest and cleanest I've had. I've done nothing major on any car but have 30years experience driving fords and crap. I can fab and basic electric. I don't know crap about auto mechanics but i know of this site lol. If I keep it its purly hobby. So far what I see is just brackets rusted. Wires look good. Of course I have to look and look again. Such a rookie. Will pull carpet some, floor needs some metal, top left down i guess. Also stearing wheel and seat from people climbing in and out wearing. I dont have much money but i have tools and a garage, with time on my hands. No question I like the car. Its been kicked and keyed since ive had it. Been thru a lot together. The more i drive it the more it falls apart, I love it. Anyways I will spend the time and check it out best i can and make a decision. I just may swap them with same, low mileage for experience. If it runs after then dam straight buying a v8. This stuff is addicting!?

 

Car addictive? Ha that could be the understatement of the month. Well if you work on modern machines then a car is just another new machine. Although you may say its more like a Maho and less like a Haas.

Working and learning about cars can be very fun but I have seen a lot of people make huge mistakes and they end up with way to much time and money in their cars. If you are smart about your project you gain from your labor and the option of trading up and gain even more value is the way to go.

Once a car reached a certain point it need a compete restoration or it will be a constaint rolling project. The best way to increase the value of a car is to find a lower miles well kept car with one major flaw. 89K garage kept rag top and needs a transmission or an engine is worth about the same as your car is right now. Why dump all that labor and parts into something that is so worn out.

If you read my Project 96 thread list below in my sig you will find just what I am talking about. I looked at a lot of cars that where just completely shot and they where asking the same money as the one owner garage kept car.

Parts cars will be your friend either way
https://allentown.craigslist.org/cto...248128394.html

 

Great thread! I read it thru Gorn, as awesome as it was I am not left with a warm fuzzy feeling about my car. Two years at two thousand, not bad for the experience knowledge and fun. Time to move forward not backwards. Waiting for something i want instead of settling sounds like a lot more value. Been blinded by the power of a camaro. I'm going to sleep on it and decide what I'm gonna do with it. If anything the magnaflo is staying, I'll hang it on the wall for motivation on a project that will give back something more than a good feeling. I'll be looking forward to asking questions in this forum just as soon as i have one!