Old Mongrels

Page Two

1984 Nissan 4x4 pickup

I bought this truck for $400 after it had been abandoned at a body shop. The right front corner was hit, the driver's door dented and the tires were dry rotted. I also found out if a Nissan pickup sits around without a gas cap on the fuel tank will start to rust internally!  Though I spent more than I intended fixing it up, I sold it for a healthy profit after using it for several months. Too underpowered to suit me.

1984 Subaru GL 4x4

I've never been disappointed by a Subaru.  Purchased this one with well over 100,000 on it for $400.  Cleaned up with a new windshield and a $2 oil pump o-ring, this car gave reliable service through a really harsh winter as my 'company' car while I was self-

employed.  Sold with 145,000 on the clock for $800.

The 'Refridgerator'

1978 Ford Fiesta 'S'

You can have your Porsches, Ferraris and Corvettes. This is my favorite car of all time. If ever a car had a heart, it was this little German Ford (never, ever to be confused with the Festiva).

This particular Fiesta, the last of a string of four I owned, I found parked behind a repair shop/car dealer down the street from where I worked. It was originally tan, covered with filth after being parked under a tree for a year. I paid $65 for it, stuck a battery in it, and drove it home. It had just over 100,000 miles on it and was traded in because it smoked a little out the tailpipe.

    Having owned the preceding three Mk 1 Fiestas, I was hardly challenged in resurrecting this one. Cleaned up, I drove this car on a trip from Pennsylvania to Georgia to visit a friend shortly after purchase. The car performed perfectly, though it did use a little oil. Upon my return, I decided it had earned an engine rebuild. I pulled the engine, had the valves done, cleaned and painted it. Installed new rings and rod bearings but left the crank in place. I didn't even hone the cylinder walls!  Put back together, this engine was still running strong and silent after yet another 100k+ miles!

    In fact, the car seemed to realize it had just barely skirted the car crusher, as it ran better than any other Fiesta I ever encountered. I had installed the 13" ATS 'egg' wheels from a previous car to replace the lame 12" skinny wheels they all came with. I made an exhaust system with a Supertrapp muffler on the end, before they became popular on cars. An attractive wood console held the stereo system and the controls for the numerous lights I added for rallying. I also added a Momo steering wheel, Autometer gauges and painted the interior to match the freshly painted white exterior. After the above photo was taken, it also got a european RS front air dam. It was quite the boy racer car during the 'hot hatch' period.

    I nicknamed it 'The Refridgerator' because it wasn't the warmest car in the winter, and I thought the appliance white paint job made the name appropriate. It originally started life as the 'S' model with side stripes, factory tach, gaudy seats and rear sway bar. I stuck a couple Mustang GT decals on the front and back to confuse everyone.

    The car was autocrossed, TSD raillied and generally used hard and fast constantly. I learned to left foot brake and slide the tail out on gravel. To see the car in action, visit the racing page.

    After four Fiestas and four years with this one alone, I grew weary of being bounced by the stiff shocks and roasting without a/c in the summer. I sold the 'Fridge to a young autocrosser for $1400, which is what I had spent on it over that time. The car made it to just over 200,000 miles before it couldn't take any more. With the floor rusting out, the front spindle broke loose and did a fair amount of damage. The 'Fridge went to that autocross in the sky, but the engine is still running in yet another Fiesta.

    The 'Fridge has the distinctinction of being the only vehicle besides my father's 1957 Willys Jeep I have dreams about.

1986 Honda CRX Si

Oooops.  This is the car I bought to replace the 'Fridge. A very spunky, well built car, it was fun to drive but not a car you fell in love with.  Lulled into a false sense of invincibility with the 'Fridge (which would have crossed this stream easily), I attempted something stupid. The person hanging out the car window and laughing is not me.  I can assure you I didn't find this amusing. What happened, after I realized it was too deep to cross, was when I went into reverse the clutch filled up with water and did nothing, so I couldn't move the car. The airbox was out of the water except for the bottom, which is exactly where it pulls air (and in this case, water) in. I still have the bent connecting rod hanging on a peg in my garage. The car, suitably dried out and repaired, has two satisfied subsequent owners, apparently none the worse for having two inches of water and an odd connecting rod in it.

    This is just a sampling of the 54 vehicles I have owned since 1982.  For a complete list (well, minus the non-running parts cars) click here.