For about 8 months now I've been collecting lots of information from this
site, with my ultimate goal being to become a roadster owner. (As you can
gather, I'm not one to dive in head first without having tested the water! I
have also not been dissuaded from joining your ranks, hopefully soon.)...
Just want to say two things so far: 1. Thanks for all the invaluable
input...especially CDM for turning me on to this site, and 2. Collectively,
in one man's opinion, you are in the upper-most echelon of intelligent,
insightful, and witty groups to be found on the internet!
All modesty aside, I look forward to your camaraderie as a roadster owner in
the near future.
Chasard
(SoCal)
near-future 2000(preferably) or 1600 owner
>From: Paul.Kort@marconimed.com
>Reply-To: Paul.Kort@marconimed.com
>To: datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
>Subject: Cost of driving a roadster
>Date: Fri, 4 Feb 2000 14:19:58 -0500
>
> There have been a few comments lately about the cost of driving a
>roadster.
>All the talk has been big money and I'm afraid it might be scaring off some
>new
>owners or somebody thinking of buying one. My story is a bit different.
> I bought my 1969 1600 for $2000 on May 30, 1997. I drove it home with
>the top
>up, but flapping in the breeze. I played with it for a week before
>starting to
>tear it down for repairs. My wife, son and I took the car down to a bare
>body,
>all chrome and lights removed, and tore out the interior before sending it
>off
>for a paint job. Minor body work turned into two new used front fenders to
>replace the well rusted ones on the car and one new door hinge was needed.
>-$325
>+ freight. The body work and paint was done by a friend of the family so
>he
>took his time getting to it and used it as a fill in project, I got the
>car
>back, just in time for the first November snow! Paint & body work - $1400,
>tow
>home -$50. That winter I had the seats and center console recovered and
>spent
>too much having it done but he did a great job. I also bought a couple
>yards of
>vinyl so I could finish off the interior myself. -$500. Spring of '98 saw
>another family gathering to start putting everything back together. Some
>new
>parking lights, distributor cap, rotor and points, plug wires and a couple
>dozen
>trips to various hardware stores and it started looking like a car again.
>The
>headlight bezels, grill and front bumper needed to be re-chromed but it
>wasn't
>in the budget so a few cans of "Chrome" paint at least made them tolerable.
> Got the car running and started some short trips to work out the bugs.
>Starter quit, fuel pump quit, had to blow out the fuel lines and installed
>all
>new fuel hoses and filter and an electric pump. Then I had to reroute the
>hoses
>and relocated the filter to stop vapor lock. Another $100.
> Drove to my first big OROC event in June of '98. Great weekend, great
>people,
>great drive. Round trip, no problems. Tried to push the car out of the
>garage
>the next week to wash it only to find both rear brakes locked. Lucked out
>and
>traded a spare windshield for new brake cylinders and new shoes, had to buy
>two
>new adjusters. That plus misc. stuff $75.
> For Christmas '98, I got my front bow fixed and 4 new shocks, $250
> Picking up the pace, driving lights, one wire alternator, hardtop -
>another
>$200. I now have $1000 worth of ball joints and front suspension parts
>waiting
>to be installed along with $25 of new floats, gaskets and screens for the
>SUs.
>
>Add it all up and round off for everything I've forgotten, $6000. More
>than I
>would have guessed when I started writing this but not bad when you
>consider
>that a used Miata with less that 100,000 miles still cost $10,000. And I
>could
>have done without the $500 seats and the hardtop. My car runs great, I
>drive it
>when ever I have the chance and I have no hesitation on going the long way
>for a
>weekend. While I love the looks of powder coated frames and perfect chrome
>(like Mike Baker's 2000 ( January on your roadster 2000 calendar), I didn't
>have
>the money, so I didn't go that route. I have enjoyed two wonderful summers
>of
>driving and met dozens of new friends and look forward to the biggest year
>yet
>with OROC. All that for a few skinned knuckles and $6000! And I'd do it
>again
>tomorrow, .... if I had to.
>
> So if you have the money and the time, go for it. If you don't, well
>get one
>like mine; a 50/50 car. It looks good from 50 feet, driving buy at 50 mph!
>
>Paul
>SPL311-25812
>OROC
>
>
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