Journal #5725

Posted 15 years ago2009-04-05 16:33:01 UTC
Just got my new project car yesterday, this 1988 Ford Escort GT that cost me $400 plus a $200 tow. My last project car was too ambitious/ridiculous (which reflects on all my previous mapping projects), and ended up having to be towed away for scrap.
User posted image
User posted image
User posted image
It's got a bad knocking noise (probably piston slap), which will probably require a total engine rebuild or just a new bottom end. Good thing I'm in auto shop.

12 Comments

Commented 15 years ago2009-04-05 16:52:37 UTC Comment #51772
I'd love to have the money and time to work on a car. Are you gonna post updates as you go?
Commented 15 years ago2009-04-05 19:32:07 UTC Comment #51771
Nice.

My bro and my mate bought a project car once, but they're pretty lousy at sticking to plans so it's been sitting in the backyard looking like shit for the last 3 years, hehe.
Commented 15 years ago2009-04-05 20:12:16 UTC Comment #51778
Body is clean, what I can see the interior looks decent, except for being dirty the engine compartment looks clean.
What all is wrong with the car out of curiosity?
Commented 15 years ago2009-04-05 23:47:32 UTC Comment #51773
Escorts are pretty decent for fuel economy too.
what exactly are you planning to do to it?
BTW. Nice buy for only $400
Commented 15 years ago2009-04-06 02:21:15 UTC Comment #51774
Urby: I'll post progress very rarely maybe, but I'd feel kinda stupid showing regular updates about a project car on a mapping site. I'm probably going to have info accompanying the images I post on my Flickr account.

saw: The interior's actually pretty trashed, if you could see it for real. not awful, but it at least needs a cleaning.

Tetsu0: I'm into modifying cars for performance and all, but I'm kind of thinking about keeping this close to stock. If I can get it running good, I'm just going to wait around until I have some place to start working on a REAL project car. Old school American built stuff is my real interest. I just can't afford that right now, and I'd rather be able to get to school/maintain a job in the meantime.
Commented 15 years ago2009-04-06 02:21:21 UTC Comment #51780
God i wish i had time to buy a car and work on it... i envy you. = )

If i were buying something today to rebuild it'd be an old Honda Civic CRX... Great on gas mileage and parts readily available. A.k.a. the poor-man's Porsche..

Someday...

)

Commented 15 years ago2009-04-06 02:29:50 UTC Comment #51775
Holy crap Captain Terror, that was my first project ever, an '85 Honda CRX. I was 13 at the time, and my dad ended up doing a lot of the work and then sold it, but that was what got me into all of this. That thing got like 40 MPG easy, but some parts were NOT cheap on the first gens. I made this detail model of it in Hammer after we were done. :P

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/1922/crxscreen.jpg

Oh and saw, like I said in my journal, it sounds to me like it's got some nasty piston slap, but I could be totally wrong. Other than that, the fuel filter and possibly the catalytic converter are clogged.
Commented 15 years ago2009-04-06 03:10:13 UTC Comment #51781
LOL how weird! = ) = ) = )

That's in hammer?! = 0 You should totally put that in the vault. looks amazing... (i might trade kidney for a peak at the .rmf, or even .bsp...)

Awesome hammer model is awesome. win.

And yeah it's crazy a car from 1985 gets better mileage than the most ultra-economy pieces-o-shit out today, and even beats out some of the expensive hybrids. I've herd some people boast they can get 70-80mpg with their CRXs(if that's true, they beat any hybrid i've ever read about)..

My friend had one for a junker to drive back/forth to work for years(he had a 30-mile commute to work everyday)... i soooo wanted to buy it when he got rid of it...

Why did you guys end up selling it if you don't mind me askin?
Commented 15 years ago2009-04-06 04:41:48 UTC Comment #51777
dont ya hate it when people try to customize lunch boxes?

why not save for something decent?
Commented 15 years ago2009-04-06 16:10:37 UTC Comment #51779
He said he's keeping it close to stock. And that car does look decent.
Commented 15 years ago2009-04-06 19:43:07 UTC Comment #51776
NineTnine, don't be a douche. I'm not trying to "customize" anything. I bet you figured I'd throw a body kit and some 20" chrome rims on it, huh? I buy old cars because I enjoy working on them, but you don't have to.

Captain T, He sold the CRX because we already had two other vehicles and there were many years between me and my license at the time. And yeah, I can get you a copy of that RMF.

Oh, and by the way, I found out today there's nothing serious wrong with the engine, just some basic maintenance that needs to be done and a new muffler.
Commented 15 years ago2009-04-07 00:09:24 UTC Comment #51782
And yeah, I can get you a copy of that RMF.
BLOODY AWESOME (i think i just had a moment ^_^)

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