First classic car-1978 Spider 124

[Ggirl]

Greetings from Canada,

My husband (BCbrad) and I just purchased a 1978 Spider 124 1800 for a hobby and a bit of fun. We've spent the last two days taking inventory of what needs to be done and trying to prioritze it.

The forum has been very helpful already!

[RRoller123]

Welcome aboard! Another member from up North! Must be the water? <{:^)

[narfire]

Hi there. I'm guessing with a husband named BCBrad,(not bud ) you are up here somewheres.
Welcome. If you hang your hat anywhere in the south Okanagan,stop in for a beer eh..
To get a couple of things sorted before going too far is to change out the timing belt and the rubber flex disk just after the tranny. If the car goes forward, make sure the brakes are sound and not leaking. If the lines are old and tired looking,perhaps original, it is a cheap fix to replace. (the inner linings of the brake hoses break down with time causing grief)
Chris

[courtenay]

And should you find yourself in the Comox Valley, please let me know...

[Ggirl]

Thanks for the welcome everyone. We're in the Central Interior so it doesn't take much to encourage us to get down the Okanagan or the Island!

[narfire]

We're in the Central Interior

Williams Lake? great fiat drive from 150 to Likely(love the pub at Big Lake) or Horsefly for that matter.

Cool. Let me know if you need any parts. I don't have much left, but I still bump into the odd bit at the shop.
There is a good source of parts in Edmonton at Ital Motors. Any parts from the states have them shipped by mail as " UPS" is in my opinion a rip off when crossing the line..
Chris

[steve8462]

it wouldn't hurt to give the ball joints a squeeze to make sure they are in good condition. i can only imagine what the wheel would do to the fender if a ball joint decided to let go on a twisty road. i had it happen in a Mercedes and it did a little (but very expensive damage) welcome aboard from the great southeast!

[4uall]

hello & welcome, post some photos

[Ggirl]

Thank you all for the welcome.
This is a bit of a laundry list of to-do's, some short term and some long term and a budgetary price of the items we know we have to fix. The main problems are 1. engine wear, the car is burning some oil. 2. transmission bearings (can hear a distinct whirring noise when in nuetral when the clutch is not pressed, when you press the clutch the whirring stops). 3. Body work. The body is really solid, floor pans have no rust and the shocks towers have no rust. There are a few small dents, some paint cracking/chipping and some minor rust on the rear pannels. Luckily, we know a autobody repair technician who will do it as a side job.


Engine: Budget
Solve stalling when hot (ICU Solenoid) $100
Test Fan and sensing unit
Inspect timing belt and replace if needed
Inspect coolant hoses and replace if needed
Install a heat shield on the manifold 75
Make aesthetic modifications, painting, cleaning, etc.
Assess burning oil, from piston rings, valve seals, etc 1500
Fix exhaust squeaking and install quieter muffler. 300
Transmission:
Change gear box oil 15
Change differential oil 15
Inspect flex disk, bearings and u-joints, replace if needed
Short Shifter Kit 150
Install new main shaft bearings 550
Electrical:
Find source for the ICU solenoid.
Fix side marker and front flood light 15
Find short in the instrument cluster lighting
Brakes:
Inspect brakes lines
Check brake fluid level
Inspect rotor and pad wear
Interior:
Install new floor carpet 250
Repair or replace visors 150
Repaint front center dash bezel
Replace Shifter knob 115
Refasten decorative panels on door
Repaint or replace steering wheel
Install two seatbelt in back seat.
Tighten up fasteners clips and isolate rattles
Update Stereo 300
Replace seats or seat covers. 600
Exterior:
Review body work with technician 1700
Replace soft top 350

Total: $6000 (approx)

Looking for some feedback on if the cost is reasonable, off the wall or totally not worth it (I know value's in the eye of the beholder).

Here is a couple of pictures.


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[pluktv]

As far as I know, the whirring noise from the tranny sounds like the clutch release bearing. Not a big job, once the transmission is out of the car of course. I think pretty much every manual car I have had does/did the same thing. Unless you are taking the transmission out of the car anyway, it could plod on like that for a while yet and not get any worse. I would`nt worry.

If I`m wrong then i`m sure some more knowledgeable members will correct me. Cheers!

[nothingbychance]

Hey, Ggirl, I am the original and sole owner of a '78 in Ontario. Mine is cream (well, ivory according to the paint sticker) with black top and red interior. Yours looks to be white. IMHO, "is it worth it" is a question only you can answer. I need body work and paint and am not going to blink if it costs me $10K to get it done right. But remember this is my baby, she is older than my son! Good luck with everything.