Ok folks, the story and some pics. I'll probably make a small gallery on here, but for now they're hosted on my site.
Here's the story:
Julie has been bugging me to get rid of the BMW coupe for a while now. Ever since she got big enough during her pregnancy with Logan that getting in and out of it was difficult. And then while he was an infant and getting the car seat in and out was difficult. Now that she's pregnant again the push is on.
Only she doesn't want to spend money on it. Y'know, the perennial "can't you just change this car into a sedan?" question. I _did_ pay a premium for the coupe when I bought it, but things are never that simple now are they?
So my friend has been on the lookout for cheap wagons. He spends far too much time on Craig's list...
Anyway, he sends me a link last week... let's see if I can find it...
"1990 Silver Volvo 740GL Wagon. Power Windows. Braking system problem. For parts or repair... $150obo"
Now, I'd normally be tempted to just LAUGH at an ad like this. But y'know what? I figure I'll call the guy. Why? Three reasons. First, they're tanks - you all know that. Second, my friends have ripped down, and rebuilt from the ground up, several of them. They're a Volvo 7-series masters. And third? The parts are CHEAP.
So I call the guy. He says it "looks like a 15 year old car, but it runs". Rust? No. Frame? Solid. Body? One ding in the front passenger door. Engine? Pristine. So I figure what the hell, we'll go look at it.
Last Saturday was rainy and crappy. Cold. PERFECT day to go look at a car. So the first thing that happens when we get there is I realize it's missing the driver's window. I knock on the door of the house. The kid says "yeah the driver's window is just GONE, it happened yesterday". It's been raining in it all day though, JESUS you'd think he might have covered it up with a trash bag, huh?
So then I see the driver's seat is torn. Fudge. And it's FILTHY. But he wasn't lying - the frame is flawless, no rust to speak of (amazing for a vehicle that has spent 15 years in New England) and the engine is clean as a whistle. New front suspension, new front tires. Except for the driver's seat and window, all the glass and leather is in tip-top shape (but very VERY dirty). I tell him I'll think about it.
Next day, I go back - his DAD is there. Turns out the kid is a total screwup, didn't go to college, just sits around the house and never takes care of his cars. Works part-time at Radio Shack to pay for gas/beer. He's got three junkers for sale. His DAD restores old cars for fun. Tells me how much of a screw up his kid is, over and over. Starts by asking if I'm sure I want that damn heap, but when I tell him what I'm gonna do he agrees that a couple weekends and $500 ought to get it safe and inspectable. So I call up AAA, weasel a tow out of them, give the kid his $150, and a couple hours later it's delivered to my yard.
Pics of phase 0 (acquisition) available here:
http://www.gurm.net
Soon I'll get the best of them into a gallery here.
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