Hey guys - I am a new owner, not having yet taken possession. I'm new to antique / classic cars, but not new to vehicle ownership. And I'm experienced on forums.
I hope I can learn plenty from you guys and keep my new ride more pure than anything else. I hope to be able to contribute as well. Let me give you guys some background. 20 years or so ago, an older buddy (he must have been at least 60 at the time), asked me to come to his home and help him install an engine. I was ~25 at the time. It was my first engineering job, and luckily for me, I made a couple close buddies with some older engineers. And even more importantly, I LISTENED to what they had to say about life and finances, etc.
I got to my buddy's house and there was a 1972 Plymouth Scamp, sans the engine. And then there was an engine on a cherry picker. My first thought was ... no way we're getting that engine in there. In my mind, we just weren't capable of such a feat.
But in short order, the engine was in there. I just did whatever my pal told me to do. He did then, and always has had a "Can Do" attitude. That was a good lesson for a 25 year old. I had fun helping him.
Fast forward to a few years ago. My buddy wanted to sell this car because he was selling his home and knew he wouldn't have room. I think his plan then was to NOT buy another house and just gallivant around the country in his truck and camper. He called me and asked if I wanted to buy the Scamp. I had to turn him down because I had 5 cars at the time and didn't have room.
Fast forward to a couple weeks ago. It took him a few years to sell his house, and then it happened QUICKLY. So, he's bunked in with one of his sons, and there are cars all over the place and the old Scamp is sitting outside. He called me again and asked if I wanted to buy it. And while the answer is YES, I told them I had to turn him down because I still have 5 cars and now a HELOC that bugs me to have hanging over my head. He said I could take it, and pay for it later, to get it out of the weather. I told him I have to respectfully decline because those kind of car deals have a way of going south.
So, this week he called and said I could have it for free! Because it's killing him (and kills me too) that it is just sitting out in the weather now, quickly deteriorating. His son has a few project cars of his own and can't do anything with the Scamp. So, I'm going to make room for it. And I'll get to the car in the next couple weeks to pick it up in my enclosed trailer.
But I'm going to need help from you guys in the know. The brakes are not functioning but parking brakes work well enough that I should be able to load it up. One side of the master cylinder is dry. And it has an exhaust leak under the car. It fires right up, and runs well. And is in very good shape, no rust. It's not that I don't know how to add brake fluid and bleed brakes. It's more like, which pieces, parts, fluids, processes is best for this old beauty. I don't want to make repairs or improvements to the car and learn later that what I did was not ideal.
I'll post up a picture when I take possession of it!
7milesout
