So I mentioned the fleet of assorted 90s beaters I somehow ended up owning (it's a long story... I didn't actually want any of them but the Ranger) in the Craigslist thread.
In my driveway currently sits:
2008 Kia Rondo: It's the ex-girlfriend's car. We broke up over the weekend. I bought her that car about a month ago. She loves it, I have promises to fulfill regarding minor cosmetic work and a timing belt and then I'm done with her and the car.
1996 Toyota Avalon: Also the ex-girlfriend's car, it's been mentioned in this thread before, it's the one I put a used engine in. It was her mother's, who passed away right before we met, and it's status is currently in limbo due to there apparently being two titles for the car, and the original, in her possesion not being the valid one due to the existence of a certified copy (Texas can be weird), that nobody can figure out or admit who acquired. I'm going to have to get a bonded title on this hunk of junk just to sell it. Too bad really, it runs and drives perfect and has ice cold A/C and a host of new parts.
1999 Ford Ranger: Mentioned and pictured previously in this thread, it was bought by my ex-girlfriend for a daily almost two years ago, and gifted to me this Valentine's day. It was to be my daily until she screwed up and bought...
1996 GMC Sonoma: This longbed with a camper grampa truck is not something I wanted. She realized shortly after buying it that she didn't actually want it either, and promptly jacked the Ranger's keys and left me driving this damned thing. I grew to hate it, hell, I LOATHED it. But... this old, worn-out, leaky, noisy, ugly beater... just won't quit. It's got a 4.3V6, 4L60E trans, and
Flowmaster exhaust (had it when she bought it). It's uncomfortable, and the steering is sloppier than the local drunk on karaoke night, but... it won't quit. Three weeks ago, the Ranger's timing belt broke 40 miles from home, and I had it towed back to work since my insurance only covered 15 miles of towing and I didn't have the cash to pay the difference... The Sonoma flat-towed it home the 57 miles from work with a Harbor Freight tow bar. The A/C blows ice cold when the blower motor isn't randomly shutting off and making funny noises (usually fixed by turning it off and back on), and while it's fuel economy isn't great (17-19mpg), it gets it so consistently that it's almost mind boggling. It doesn't care if I leave for work early and maintain a steady 70mph, or run late and do 90+ the whole way, or even if it's towing the Ranger (18.03mpg with the Ranger behind it is... well... spectacular). I've been neglecting the hell out of this thing, but at this point I might just keep IT and sell the Ranger after it's reassembled. I started liking this thing when it pulled the Ranger like it wasn't there, and a co-worker REALLY wants to buy the Ranger.
I've even started a shopping list to drop a 5.7 Vortec into the damned thing since it's practically a bolt-in and only requires four wires being added to the existing engine harness for the stock computer to run it. I've also picked out wheels and tires, and have a cart on RockAuto full of it's actual needs, and I picked out a tonneau cover, and a paint color, and a roll pan, and a lowering kit, and... ... it's a project car... isn't it?