[haggie283]

Ok heres the deal. I'm looking at buying a 63 convert that has been sitting stored inside for the last 30 years or so. When it went into storage they drained the oil I think the tranny fluid and maybe the rear end. Whats the chances that I can just add fluid, oil and gear lube and go?
I know there is a good chance that there is some rust on the cyl. walls, I figure I can spray some WD-40 in the cyl. and work the engine over by hand a little till everything turns free. But what about the tranny? Not sure about the brake fluid though, I'm guessing they drained that too.

How about some opinions on the situation.

Thanks,

Paul

 

[big dog ss]

if the car is all original i wouldnt take the chance and just plan on tearing it down.. the longest i have let a car sit is 6yrs and i just added fresh fluids and fired it up. had no problems.. 30yrs is a long time for seals and gaskets to dry out..

 

[Paul Wright]

I agree.
Three decades of sitting isn't good for any machine. You are in the realm of an archeological find and it will need careful restoration to prevent damage..like if you just attempt to fire it up.

 

[74 hatchback]

You got nothing to lose, if you put fluids in you might need to rebuild or if dont youll have to rebuild, since its been indoors id take the change and fill it and fire it.

 

[Paul Wright]

Actually he has potentially more too lose by attempting to start it than if he take it's apart and checks it out.

Rust is oxidized iron and highly abrasive. By spinning the engine with rusted bores you remove essential metal from the bores and the rings. Basically you are guaranteeing the need for overboring to the next size.

Say the wrist pins gall and seize in the pistons, then the rods snap and punch a hole in the block. Ooops.

What if the bearings spin and require more expensive block machining than if you did proper and prudent due diligence in the first place?

It's easy to tell someone to take chances if you aren't paying for the consequences.

 

[tsimpson]

Paul, If your buying the car I'm thinking of, don't even take the chance of trying to just fire it. If you get the car take the time to tear it down and do it right.

 

[novaBRO]

if there is rust pitting in the cylinders you are going to have to bore it anyways. put some fresh oil in it, pull the distributor, prime the oil pump/ motor, pull the plugs and squirt some marvel mystery oil in each cylinder and first crank it with no plugs in it at first. then put it back together and fire it up with fresh gas. you might want to run a line from a gas can straight to the fuel pump if you don't want to flush the gas tank for the first start up.

 

[novaBRO]

about 8 years ago my friend was given a 1950 bel air 4 door for free. the motor was seized from siting for so long. we flushed everything put the car in 3rd gear and drug it with a tow truck until the motor broke free and she fired right up. and it still runs on the same motor

 

[haggie283]

Ok here is what I think I will do. Spray the cyl., fill the oil and priime it like a new engine, crank it over by hand with no plugs. IF I get it to run great, will change the oil shortly after starting, I'll drive it the rest of the summer and either put in a newer 250 inplace of the 194 or do the V-8 swap over the winter........the 194 won't be staying in the car anyway. I am a little more concerned over the tranny. As was mentioned sitting for a lng time is no good for the seals and such, I don't kow if they drained it when it went into the museum. I will find out this week.

Thanks guys

Paul

Hey Tim do you know anyone that has a trailer I could use? That lives closer then Jeff that is.

 

[BillsNogo]

Paul, If your buying the car I'm thinking of, don't even take the chance of trying to just fire it. If you get the car take the time to tear it down and do it right.

Is this car possibly currently owned by a guy who sells parts for the Impalas? I think I have heard of this car :yes:

 

[haggie283]

It could be the guy, he is a friend of Tim G's
I'll post pics as soon as I can

 

[LIL NOVE]

my car/motor was built around 89, even spoke to builder & he remembers the guy & car. i just fired the car about 3 yrs ago, so it sat around 15yrs indoors. i was able to see a lil into the cylinders, didnt notice any rust or pittin, i sprayed WD in each cylinder , spun it by hand first & it spun. so i started it, fired fine & so far its ran best 11.66 @ 110. hope this helps, good luck with it....

LIL JOHN

 

[haggie283]

Thanks for all of the replies. I don't know if the deal is going to happen due to the seller not having his act together as far as the title and a few other things. I did however look at it tonight, it is in pretty nice shape not what I would expect for having been in a museum. It has some dentsa and dings, the top is shot, the wiring in the engine bay has been cut up at the wiper motor removed, there is some thing that may have been oil at oone time in the bottom of the oil pan. The body is nice except for some rust around the rear wheel openings. Oh and it has a home brew exhaust with a single glasspac. I would still like to buy it but now it soulds like the price may change once he gets the title for it.
I'll let everyone know if I get it.

Thanks again!!

Paul

 

[haggie283]

http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a241/65longroof/convert pics/
Pics of the car, see what ya think.