the '87 Sedan - what to do?

[JonOfScio]

Weeeeeelp, here's the situation.

 

'87 ('86MY) 4dr

Carbed, 3AT, S/R 4wd

A/C, no cruise, pretty good condition. all straight, small amount of rust spots in one area. no biggy. paint isn't faded, a couple small scratches, but nothing too bad.

 

Bought the car for $300 (it had a rebuilt motor with 3,000 miles on it. but it sat for four years.)

paid for title transfer, new tags, insurance.

 

Both front axles, transmission service (tranny dropped, seals replaced, and flush) total of $250. That's $55 per axle, $65 in labor on that, and $75 for the trans service. NOT BAD!

 

New tires too. New stereo, a little JVC with a remote.

 

Some carb cleaner went down the carb...

 

Today, new spark plug wires, disty cap, rotor, and plugs. While I'm at it, going to get a carb gasket, and intake manifold gaskets too... pull the carb off, clean it out and inspect it (it sat for FOUR years and dumped fuel into the oil somehow... you could smell it.) it runs fine but seems like there's some of that "oh this carb sucks" hesitation.

 

Not to mention increasing the timing just a little. On my EA81 hatch it liked 12 degrees more than 8, which is what it was at when I got it.

 

Overall, we sold a $2100 truck that if restored could have been worth $5000 or more just to drive an older reliable less expensive to maintain suby. The fiance now loves subys. She likes mazdas and assorted crap too... but it's all on for the sube world now. I converted her to this wonderful church.

 

SO... while I'm replacing the gaskets, gonne pull out the dremel and do a little work on the manifold and carb. A little better flow never hurt anybody. And everybody knows I have a knack for never leaving anything alone. I might do the mechanical secondary fix too.