What would GRMers do?

I about to return from deployment and I have been able to save up some money over the past 6 months. At home I have 3 vehicles waiting for me. A 2011 Ram 1500 Express, a 1995 Mustang GT and a 1988 Chevy S10 Blazer. I'm thinking about selling the Mustang. I could use the money and I've completely lost interest in it. The truck I bought before I deployed and its getting a few goodies when I get home. So that leaves the Blazer...

I bought it from a buddy for $350. Its a 2wd, 4.3L (non-Vortec), 700R4 with about 160k miles. It needed a fuel pump to run which is why he sold it to me. It had been sitting almost a year when I bought it. I bought a quality (Delco) pump and changed it out. It fired right up. It runs pretty rough and by my estimation it needs a full tuneup and a new radiator (cracked end tank).

Overall its in OK shape. The paint is pretty faded and there is a bit of surface rust but no body damage. The frame is solid with some surface rust. The interior is almost completely shot. It's dirty and disassembled but all there. It has some weird electrical problems (tach inop among other things). The trans seems OK in the short distance I drove it but I will do a fluid and filter change.

My original plan was to get it running and then swap in a carb'd 350. For $350, I have (had hehe) grand visions of V8 powered shenanigans for pretty cheap. I'm now thinking I don't really want to mess with it anymore. What do you guys think? I could get a cheap junkyard 350, swap in it and then sell it? I dunno.... I really want a 1.8 Miata though... I look at Craigslist everyday for Miatas. I blame that on you guys .

Thoughts?

do the tuneup and junkyard radiator and sell the blazer as a good runner. it'd bring the same or more $ than if you put a v8 in it, based on the ones i have seen sell around me anyway.

What do you really want to do? That answer really drives any other answer.

Personally, I would get rid of the Blazer and Mustang. The Blazer just needs to be fixed before it gets modded any. The Mustang is a bastard child, it has all the goodness of a pushrod V8, but it is saddled with the "limited & more expensive parts available" SN chassis. After getting rid of those, you have money. Find and drive everything you can afford and would want.

Yeah, the Blazer was kind of an impulse buy. The guy I bought it from doesn't have a lick of mechanical ability and is not really a "car person". I saw some potential in it. It came with a used Belltech lowering kit in the cargo area.

I've had the Mustang for 2 years now. I (once again) had grand plans on swapping a 5.8L into it. I used to drive it everyday. I have a bunch of brand new parts still in the boxes. It is my 4th Mustang. I'm just losing interest in it.

First stay safe. This place keeps me sane during deployments and fills my head with bad bad ideas.

If you are looking to get rid if it, just get rid of it. It is demoralizing to work a project you know you don't want. Somewhere is a guy who would love a S-10 Blazer for $350. If it runs, it is worth $500.

Then you can spend the remainder of your time looking for a fun sports car.

I saw that you were considering selling the Mustang and the first thing I did was check your location. An SN-95 with pushrods?... Yes please!!! Sadly or luckily (depending on who you ask, me or my wife) you're too far away.

If you have the money I'd suggest getting rid of the vehicles that no longer tickle your fancy and picking up a "project" with a more favorable wrench time to seat time ratio; something that won't require an engine swap or extensive repairs to be a fun toy.

Whatever you do post pics!

Cheers,

Jed

that mustang will fetch some good money from a certain kind of person. When my buddy and I were both dream shopping for 5.0's he would only look at SN's, whereas I wanted 89 and later foxes. imo the fact it was the only year SN before the 4.6 took over is a pretty big selling point.

Oh, yes...I loves me some 89-92 Fox...

Mass air and forged pistons...

They're not exactly "fast" and they don't handle very well stock but man are they a blast to drive!

Mental wrote: First stay safe. This place keeps me sane during deployments and fills my head with bad bad ideas. If you are looking to get rid if it, just get rid of it. It is demoralizing to work a project you know you don't want. Somewhere is a guy who would love a S-10 Blazer for $350. If it runs, it is worth $500. Then you can spend the remainder of your time looking for a fun sports car.

Thanks Yeah, I visit this forum everyday for a few hours. The Blazer does run but is barely drivable. I think I'm going to see if it runs better after a tune up and new radiator. I don't plan on putting a lot of time/effort into it. I'm thinking about asking $700 for it after I tune it up.

The_Jed wrote: I saw that you were considering selling the Mustang and the first thing I did was check your location. An SN-95 with pushrods?... Yes please!!! Sadly or luckily (depending on who you ask, me or my wife) you're too far away. If you have the money I'd suggest getting rid of the vehicles that no longer tickle your fancy and picking up a "project" with a more favorable wrench time to seat time ratio; something that won't require an engine swap or extensive repairs to be a fun toy. Whatever you do post pics! Cheers, Jed

That's why I bought it - an SN95 with pushrods LOL. The previous owner put some money into it. He was assembling a DIY turbo kit but had another kid so he had to sell it. As far as mods it has:

• replica Saleen body kit (previous owner put it on)
• QA1 Tubular K-member
• Used Lakewood 70/30 front, 50/50 rear shocks/struts
• 99-04 Mustang GT dual piston PBR front calipers
• drilled and slotted f/r rotors w/ EBC Greenstuff pads
• cheap rear coilovers
• Steeda Superlite lowering springs
• 1988 T-bird Turbocoupe 8.8 rear w/3.73s, carbon fiber Trak-Loc, 31 spline axles
• UPR upper/lower non-adjustable rear control arms (poly)
• MAC chrome shorty headers, unknown offroad x-pipe, Flowmaster American Racing catback
• Pro 5.0 shifter, Kona racing titanium shifter handle, white Fatknob shifter knob

That's all I can think of off the top of my head. The previous owner was extremely cheap so I have been methodically replacing junkyard/used parts with new stuff. I had the rearend completely rebuilt because every bearing was shot (came out of a 200k mile T-bird) and the axles were worn. I have a brand new iron Ford flywheel, SPEC Stage 1 clutch kit, Ford clutch cable, Fiore quadrant and firewall adjuster. Ford throwout bearing and pilot bearing. I have no idea how old the clutch is but it drives fine. Oh and PICS!

How far is too far away?

I think you already made the decision and ate looking for confirmation. Get it running good and sell both of them. The 350 has cool factor, but Joe the Plumber won't want it because it doesn't take the regular maintenance as the original vehicle.

and I was thinking this in Sarah Palin's voice, so...

The_Jed wrote: Oh, yes...I loves me some 89-92 Fox... Mass air and forged pistons... They're not exactly "fast" and they don't handle very well stock but man are they a blast to drive!

I agree! My last car was a 1993 Mustang GT hatch. Calypso green and Opal grey interior. I converted it from AOD to T5. I sold it back to the guy I bought it from. He was happy to have it back LOL.

patgizz wrote: do the tuneup and junkyard radiator and sell the blazer as a good runner. it'd bring the same or more $ than if you put a v8 in it, based on the ones i have seen sell around me anyway.

This.

Envy, I has it.

If I had that SN95 I'd put either a Steeda 5 link or a Maximum Motorsports torque arm/panhard bar combo on it. I have no personal experience with either but, every review I've read says they will transform the car into a corner carving beast.

That's one good looking Fox you had too!

In reply to The_Jed:

I always wanted to buy MM's Maximum Grip package for my SN95 but I never had the money. The car does have subframe connectors on it but they look like this:

That's what happens when your car lives in the midwest for 15 years. I need to cut those off and weld new ones on.

I drove that Fox through everything. It had Falken Ziex 512s that were M&S rated. M&S=Miss my turn and Slide LOL. Here it is in Siberia, I mean Nebraska:

I would trade the S10 for a trailer plus cash, sell the mustang for cash and get something to tow behind the RAM that is reliable, light and wouldn't suck on track days.

stanger_missle wrote: I'm now thinking I don't really want to mess with it anymore.

^^You already know what to do.^^

Don't screw with it. Your time is worth more than messing with a car you've lost interest in.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: I would trade the S10 for a trailer plus cash, sell the mustang for cash and get something to tow behind the RAM that is reliable, light and wouldn't suck on track days.

I like that idea... I never thought of getting a trailer. Hmmm, reliable, light and wouldn't suck on track days. So, you mean a Miata?

How bad of an idea is this?

Project Car Hell

What could possibly go wrong

stanger_missle wrote: How bad of an idea is this? Project Car Hell What could possibly go wrong

Besides being run over and crushed by a teenager on a skateboard? Its a project. They aren't problems, their puzzle pieces!

Hahaha no doubt.... I feel I might buy something out of curiosity and then quickly be in over my head. I think I need an intervention

I still want a Miata though... I keep seeing interesting ones popup on CL. Like a Jackson Racing supercharged 1990 or a 1993 Turbo 1.8.... I can't get home soon enough hahahaha...

Why do I have to be deployed right now? I found this today. I have such a fascination with Sonnetts. Anybody in the Tampa area wanna look at this for me? LOL This is killing me being over here...