Kevin:
When I purchased Rags, she'd been in a metal storage shed for over 3 years,
with the engine turned over every so often, just as yours was. Here's what I
found had perished in the interval:
1) Very nearly every piece of rubber on the car was dry-rotted. This included
window seals, hoses, belts, and even the bumpers and tyres. The bumpers were
salvageable.
2) Antifreeze had turned to dishwater. Replace immediately.
3) Oil wasn't oil anymore. I had a third of an inch of something vaguely
resembling tar in the bottom of the sump. Before driving her far, I'd change
the oil. Then, pull the sump when you get home.
4) Carburettor needed an immediate rebuild kit. It didn't even last the ride
home before the diaphragm perished.
5) Clutch and brake master cylinders needed rebuild kits. See the dryrotted
rubber comment above, and double it ... the DPO had used DOT-3 brake fluid in
the car.
6) Condensation in the petrol tank was a problem. I pulled the tank and
drained it, cleared of rust, and reinstalled. I'd suggest this strongly.
7) Tappets needed adjusting. All of the cork gaskets were shot. Front and
rear main seals were unserviceable, but lasted long enough to get it into the
shop. Brakes were locked in front. Brake lines all had to be renewed.
8) And as if all this weren't enough, the hood (canvas) had rotted terribly,
and needed to be renewed in the first six months.
All of these things, though, are things I'd look at when purchasing ANY used
car; though it sounds a mess, it actually took me (weekends only) no more
than 3 months to get it all acceptably fixed and roadworthy. Overall, it cost
me about $1000 to take care of these things, parts only. A lot of that was
in renewing the hood.
Luck.
Corey
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