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Deja Vu

126K views 303 replies 38 participants last post by  RapidRabbit 
#1 · (Edited)
Alright, as most of you know, back in March a lady ran a red light and junked my very precious to me C70, a car in which I have probably a hundred hours of labor and several grand in mods. This was my first wreck in 25 years of driving, and I was very annoyed to have my streak ruined by something so banal.



Insurance paid out very nicely, they gave me full book and consideration for mods, and I bought the car back after settling. The adjusters commented both on how nice the car was and how low the miles were. So I spent the summer very depressed, shopping craigslist, autotrader, and of course the insurance auction where I get all my cars. All the while I put my 122 in storage with a friend and started stripping parts.

In July, a car popped up in the salvage auction that seemed like it might fit the bill. An 03 C70 LPT with 89k, no visible body damage in the crappy pics the auction likes to post, and a clean title. Listed as "donated with mechanical problems, does not start". So I bid. Why not, right? It comes down to me and one other bidder, and I win the auction at $3400, more than I want to spend but it's substantially cheaper than full retail. Well, this auction was listed as "on approval" meaning if it doesn't get enough money the seller can reject the winning bid. They counter offered with $5700. Yeah, right I tell myself, this is a wholesale auction. With fees and transport I'd be paying full retail at that price.

So no agreement is reached, and they re-list it. I win again for $1200 this time. The auction does not take kindly to rejections of bids, so whoever else wanted it has backed out. They reject it and re-list. I win for $1050 this time, and they counter down to $4900 this time. I say no, and they re-list. At this point I'm just playing, thinking I'll never get it. I win again at $2000, and to my surprise this time they just let me have it.

So after 5 weeks of idiotic back and forth, I take delivery of my new car. I couldn't believe these guys drove into my cul-de-sac, the driver was pretty good.



I washed it up tonight. The good: The body is very nice, with no evidence of previous repairs or paint. Minimal rock chips in the hood, headlights, or windshield. It was a Texas car, so none of that winter nonsense we get here in CO.





The top is brand new. Obviously replaced, and I think the blue is cool.



It's got more scratches and dings than the other one but so far nothing that won't polish out fairly well. Here's an example.



The front bumper has seen better days. It'll polish out I think but at some point I'll replace it, I like not running a front plate.



The tonneau cover doesn't fit right, but that's just bump stop adjustments.



Whoever owned it liked to just drag their cargo over the rear bumper, but I have the bumper off my last car, which only had one scratch. The funny part is that I didn't really want another silver car, but I'm going to benefit from it in this case.



So the bad news: The interior is shot. Very dirty, lots of little nicks out of the vinyl in both door panels and dash, front and rear. I could tell from the auction pictures that it was rough but it's even worse than I could see. I didn't want the light gray anyway, and I have the complete interior out of my old car, but at the same time it would have been nice to have something passable while I do the rest of the work. Now it just means the interior swap happens earlier rather than later, and I can't sell much of the light gray one.



So the rest of the bad: I pop the hood and there's no coolant in it. So it looks like that's the source of the problem. I get a gallon of water and pour it in - and it pours right out from what I guess is probably the turbo coolant line. I get in and crank it over and it lopes fast and slow, and after about 5 cranks I see puffs of vapor coming out of the coolant filler hole. I go sniff it and it's fuel/air mixture. I don't need a compression check to figure out that's a blown head gasket. Which explains why it was donated and wouldn't start.

I would have been pissed if I paid more for this car.

So, the project begins. First, I finish stripping the old car of its good parts:



Then I clean them up so I can get this new car in the garage. My HOA does not take kindly to non-running cars parked outside.



My plans are to just get my convertible back. I loved that thing. My other motor goes in, along with the manual tranny, suspension, wheels, and the graphite interior. I needed tires and brakes, so those will come along as added expenses, and I swore that if I ever needed to pull the tranny I'd install an LSD in it. I helped Brett put one in his car earlier this year, and it's so easy that it's really stupid not to. Except they cost around $1100, so that's one more added expense but it'll really improve the car. I used to one-wheel-peel if I did anything more than 3/4 throttle in 1st gear, and with the flexible convertible chassis it translated into horrible wheel hop.

So here's another project thread from me. The 122 has not gone away, but I have to take care of this crap before I can get back on it.
 
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#2 ·
Glad to see you found another C. Very cool. I miss mine. I keep thinking about getting another one.

I like the blue top. I had the blue top on mine, but it was a blue car so it was hard to tell.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I am happy you are back in a C. I take delivery on mine next weekend. Get with me on the map pocket and possibly the shifter knob and maybe the floor mats. :)
 
#4 ·
Congrats on the new C. I hope you opt to post your progress for us to enjoy. Where can I find some more info on the LSD tranny you mentioned? Rabbit, I have the blue body with a tan top. Did you like blue on blue or would any of you opt for the black top with blue?
 
#6 · (Edited)
Where can I find some more info on the LSD tranny you mentioned?
Talk to the guys on the MWC forum - Gripper or Quaife are your two options. I understand Lee (SnabbT5) has a Quaife for the 98-00 model S/C/V70s sitting in his basement that he will never install. Not sure what the application is beyond those model years.
 
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#7 ·
So the rest of the bad: I pop the hood and there's no coolant in it. So it looks like that's the source of the problem. I get a gallon of water and pour it in - and it pours right out from what I guess is probably the turbo coolant line. I get in and crank it over and it lopes fast and slow, and after about 5 cranks I see puffs of vapor coming out of the coolant filler hole. I go sniff it and it's fuel/air mixture. I don't need a compression check to figure out that's a blown head gasket. Which explains why it was donated and wouldn't start.
 
#14 ·
If you get it i'll sell you my 03 tranny cheap (I think they should be compatible), since I have no info and can only assume it works.
 
#15 ·
She's not going for it right now. Says I can have it if I sell my mustang. That's not going to happen. I just bought an infiniti to replace my C last week. I've been without a car for quite a while. Once the toddler gets a little older I'll go back to a vert.
 
#16 ·
Since you have a little one like me, just so you know it is possible to install a passenger airbag switch in the P80 C70s all the way up to 04. So if your kid hates how windy the back seat is like mine did, they can ride up front without being punched in the face in the event of a crash.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Just google airbag switch, there are a couple reputable outfits. I can't seem to find the place I got mine, I'll look when I get home. Although I'd think your 13 year old already meets the guidelines for being able to take an airbag hit. Everything I've read says the federal recommendation for when a child can sit up front (not a law) is age 13 OR 4'8" inches tall OR 100 lb body weight. My teeny daughter is still only 4'1 and 53 lb at age 10. I joke that she'll be in a booster seat when I send her off to college.

Oh, there's also a form you're supposed to file with the government explaining that you sometimes are forced to have your child ride up front so you need the switch. I guess if you put one in without the form you can be exposed to liability when it doesn't go off for an adult.
 
#20 ·
Sir!!!! Congratulations on your new Vert! It is nice to see you getting back into the C70 game with this one! Please make another great post with all of your work and take loads of pictures! I love reviewing your threads!
 
#21 ·
I'm really happy for you man! After all you've been through, this new car is a blessing.

Best of luck!
 
#23 · (Edited)
Progress!



Much easier to strip the clutch cylinder and shifter cables without the engine in.



Getting closer to completely stripped



This is interesting, some time shortly before the wreck my passenger inner CV boot started to fling the grease out. I'll have to find out if I can have the boot replaced or if I'll have to pay for a whole rebuild on the shaft. Either way this will be fixed before the car goes back together.



So now there's just a few things left to pull from the old body. Rear bumper, springs, shocks, steering column, pedals, and I borrowed a windsheld removal saw that my dad says allows you to remove the windshield without breaking it. We'll see. I've heard that these windshields cost a fortune and this one, while not new, is very nice and worth saving if possible. Once I have the body stripped I can pull the other car in and begin the whole process over again. It's sad but it's clear to me now that I won't have this done before winter hits, I just don't have the motivation. If I'm lucky there will be a warm day in November for me to test drive it.
 
#24 ·
I borrowed a windsheld removal saw that my dad says allows you to remove the windshield without breaking it. We'll see. I've heard that these windshields cost a fortune and this one, while not new, is very nice and worth saving if possible.
Good luck! The local Volvo dealer had to replace mine after they ruined it. The windshield guy told me he was going to try to remove the original one without breaking it and then proceeded to crack it in several places. I don't know what type of saw you have; this guy used a cable saw.
 
#25 ·
Nah, cable saws always break the glass, as do those pull type cutters with the right angle blade. This is a power saw with a super thin blade and a really high speed stroke. I still might break it but it's definitely better than any of the traditional hand tools. Similar to this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF4hpR3SLME#t=6m
 
#28 ·
That's exactly what the tool turned out to look like. More like a hacksaw blade than a putty knife though, and it's air powered so my compressor has to refill several times. I got about 1/6 of the way around it before I ran out of air tonight.

Also I'm super pissed, I didn't look closely enough at how the door hinges come apart, I thought I'd have to grind the top part off, which I did, only then I saw the little setscrew holding it in to the car. So I destroyed a perfectly good door hinge, which I really need for the new car, the passenger door is sagging.
 
#30 ·
I'm going to shop locally for a silver one but if I can't find one I know where to go.

Also, broke the windshield tonight, I was halfway around when I got careless and hooked it with the tool, right on the edge. Pulled a chip and 4 cracks shot across it like lightning.
 
#31 ·
Bummer, If I Knew You Were Pulling The Glass, I Could Have Helped, I Bought A Special Tool From a Glass Shop Years Ago and Have Done A Couple Without Breaking Them......
 
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