I’ve made a few isolated posts already, but I figured I’d give you guys an overall update on the car’s (and my) status.
A lot has happened in my life over the course of three years, but unfortunately not much has been done to the car. I got a set of new rims and tires in 2022 to replace the old mismatched and discontinued tires the car came with. Same Saleen black basket style, just a little more modern in terms of size and a little beefier in the rear.
Since then, my family has moved to South Carolina (I’ve been here a year now), so I no longer have to worry about salt on the roads and I can drive and work on my car year round if I want to, which is great. Cost of living is generally a little cheaper down here as well, which means I’ll be able to get out on my own a little bit sooner.
On that front, I’ve been making some slow progress. My savings were wiped out due to an unexpected hospital visit last year, but I’m in school and trying to find a job preferably in car sales or service writing. I’ve already had an interview with a Honda dealership down here that I think went pretty well.
As for the car, due to some personal struggles following the move it has mostly sat in the garage until a couple weeks ago. After a new battery and starter solenoid, it fired right up and I’ve been driving it.
That being said, it still has some issues that I’ll need to address in the future which I’ll list below:
The engine needs to be rebuilt. There’s a moderate lifter tick once the oil heats up and a shop up north told me my crankshaft bearings are probably shot. I’m running a thicker oil which has helped for now. It still runs really well. I’ve put together a couple of parts lists that I’ll share in another thread, but I can say that it’s likely going to be tremendously expensive, so I’m putting it off for as long as I can for right now.
I never got around to diagnosing the loose steering, but I’m almost certain that it’s due to some broken part in the column and I’m keeping an eye on it. 86 tilt columns are somewhat rare, but there is one close by that I’ve been looking at.
Also in the category of things I never got to is making sure the frame is straight. I did end up taking it to another shop up north for a second opinion, and the guy immediately pointed out, rather worryingly, that my left front wheel is further back than my right. The car still tracks straight, and an alignment confirmed that everything is green
suspension-wise, so I’m not sure what’s going on there but I’m definitely planning on taking it to a shop down here to make sure everything is square. Maybe something to do with the caster/
camber plates?
Finally, after some help from you guys in a recent post, I’m pretty certain that I have the wrong transmission bolted to my engine. Everything points to it being a 4cyl gearbox. It’s lasted this long without issue and I don’t typically drive the car hard, so I’m planning on replacing it when I get the engine rebuilt.
And that pretty much wraps everything up. The car and myself still have issues, but they’re getting worked on. The car definitely still turns a lot more heads than I do, that’s for sure.
If anybody knows any good shops in the Charleston, SC area let me know!