Anthony,
Ray Gibbons had it right. Rust is the thing to watch out for. My 'pine was
"given" to me with seized engine, frozen brakes, leaking tires, crumbling
rims and rusting body. Still for me it was a good deal. I'm in no rush, do
my own work and generally enjoy the restoration process - its a rewarding
hobby.
Like you, my car resides in the rust belt - New York to be precise. You
need to check the sills very carefully - a pricey fix if the rust is
extensive. If they are really rotten and the car is starting to sag, the
doors might be tight in the top of their openings and out of alignment with
the body's contours. Open the door all the way then try lifting them up and
down to rule out wear in the hinges. Also, the trunk floor rots like
there's no tomorrow. Pick up the carpets if you can and have a good look
under and behind the seats. I've also heard some people have rust problems
near the bulkhead by the hood lock assembly. Trunk and floor panel patches
are readilly available. Also, make sure the frame rails and the rear spring
mounts are free from extensive/expensive/dangerous rust.
Cheesy paint jobs make me nervous. They could be covering up a multitude of
sins. Try running a magnet over the car body, especially the doors sills,
with a piece of paper between it and the car. If the magnet starts to loose
its grip in places, this means you are directly over the land of Bondo,
Fiberglass patch etc.. A refrigerator magnet will do or you can get a "Body
Work Detector" at the auto parts store. If the body is up to snuff, move
on.
Regarding the brakes, DOT 3&4 brake fluid absorb moisture from the air and
over time will corrode the bores of the master cylinder and the brake
calipers resulting in leaks. Pump them hard a couple of times and then have a
peek by the cylinders. A mirror and flashlight might help. Also if there is
a slimy residue on the floor under the brake pedal, the master cylinder (or
the heater core) is probable leaking. It's a good idea to at least replace
the brake fluid. If you want to rebuild them, Pep Boys has an inexpensive
brake cylinder hone to clean the bores, and new guts are alot cheaper than a
factory rebuilt unit. On the advice of some limey car magazine, I've been
running DOT 5 fluid in my 72 MGB-GT for a couple of years. It is silicone
based and does not absorb moisture from the air - no more corrosion problems.
However, it cannot be mixed with DOT 3 or 4, it is expensive, requires
careful bleeding, and some say it causes swelling of brake cylinder seals.
I've never had a problem with it though.
The engine. How was this car mothballed. Was a stabilizer additive put in
the twin gas tanks. After five years, gasoline turns very nasty, the stuff
in the bottoms of the carbs turns to slimy gunk and has now gummed them up.
You will probably need to disassemble the carbs, thoroughly clean them,
unclog the jets, check the floats for leaks and adjust them if necessary,
maybe replace the needle valve with a grouse jet (cheap & relatively easy),
and synchronize them once back on the car. A basic tune up is also in order.
Also pop off the distributor and see if the advance plate moves freely. Not
a big problem if it doesn't, just something to look for in a car thats been
laid up for a long time.
If by some miracle the engine is not seized and will actually start, check
the oil pressure reading. The owners manual specifies 40 - 50 lbs/sq. in. at
50 m.p.h. Rev it up to 3500 r.p.m. and take a look. Low readings usually
indicate wear in the main crankshaft bearings. Unless you are going to
rebuild the engine, this is a serious concern. Keep an eye out for leaks if
you actually get it started. Seals tend to dry out out and stop sealing in a
car that's been asleep for this long. Freeze plugs in the block might be
leaking - especially if the car has seen alot of freeze/ thaw cycles.
If, by some miracle rivaled only by the immaculate conception, the car
drives, listen for unusual noises comming from the rear end. I've seen alot
of mail lately about the rear end calling it quits.
Try all of the electric gizzmos. CRC contact cleaner is good for cleaning up
corosion in the various connectors and switches.
Its not a bad idea to price any needed parts before you buy - Sunbeam
Specialities and Victoria British have most of the stuff you will need and
they will send a free catalog with prices. They could be useful in haggling
over price if the car needs some expensive replacement parts.
The amount of money the curent owner has put in to the car is irrelevant.
Alot of old cars cost more to restore than they are actually worth,
especially for someone who doesn't do his/her own work. Unfortunately, if
they sunk alot of dough into it, they might have unreasonably high
expectations of the car's value.
For what it's worth here is my guesstimate price guide:
Lots of rust, extensive sill damage: $free - 250 ( big repair work/bill)
Trunk & Floor rust, but sills O.K: $400 -500
No big rust; frozen motor:$400 -700
Everything works; overall rough: $600 - 1500
Everything works; overall good shape; fresh engine: $1200 - 2500
Pristine: wake up, you are dreaming again.
Good luck,
Brian Corrigan
Flushing, New York
'72 MGB-GT; '67 Alpine MkV rust bucket
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