I think I'm about to buy a $300 240 to send to Valhalla.
Posted by McAdams Christopher
McAdams Christopher Senior Moderator Location: Upstate SC Join Date: 03/03/2014 Age: Settling Down Posts: 5 |
It was one of the first 240's I ever worked on when I first got a job at my local independent euro car shop. Black late 80's 240 sedan with like metal band stickers and such all over it, clearly subject to abuse both profane and profuse in ordinary circumstances as a daily driver and obviously well functioning in all the ways that mattered. At the time I was proud to change the oil and try to improve the condition of the ever failing taillights
It's been a while since I've seen that particular 240, but unbeknownst to me until just recently I'd also done a motor swap on another 240 2 or 3 years ago (which netted me a donor 5 speed for my 242 and was because of that an awesome moment in my life) where the owner had brought in their car with a "When I pour coolant in it comes right out on the ground what's going on?" Wasn't a hose or anything, just a hole in the side of the block. She brought that car in, a gold 1990 240 sedan just in case anybody cares, the other day for a tail light an such and turns out it's the same owner as that older black car and what do you know she wants to sell it for nothing and it runs and drives and all that good stuff. She said she'd been trying to sell it a year and figured it might make a good car for motorsports purposes. It was the first car she ever bought, my first car was a 240 so maybe it'll work out. The sale of the car I mean 
Anyway all of this is pretty meaningless to yall but I've got a cool serendipitous story for myself if nobody else to go along with my first race car, provided it works out... I know that perhaps it's bad luck to call something before it actually happens but I think it'll happen I just haven't been out to see the car yet but the point is my first car was a 240 that I sold to buy a different 240 which needed another newer 240 stripped of parts to start rolling...which was frustrating because the whole reason I sold my first 240 was because I wanted a manual transmission that I still didn't have because I really liked driving a 240 and I really liked driving a manual transmission but I hadn't really gotten to do that in one. Hopefully I'll be able to buy a 240 to make into a rally car from the same person who unknowingly gifted me with the manual transmission for my 240 project car. Having once already contributed to my pursuit of the love of driving, a second more directly motorsports oriented occurrence seems bound to happen and if it does well how could I possibly hope for a car more suited for the role. I think my odds of maintaining a 240 are higher than that of any other car, and given that I like and feel comfortable in the car it seems a natural leap to want that to be my first race car. It would be my first race car, I've never built a race car before...hell looking at my 242 you'd say I've never built a car either...so there is going to be a lot of learning involved here, but I'm not an apprentice at the shop any more and I'm confident in my ability to do a lot of what needs doing myself. I've got no motorsports experience to speak of, but my dad got to race for a year or two and spent a lot of time doing Porsche club events and according to his account doing pretty well and well he did his best to bring me up driving with good habits. All I'm really worried about is that I can't weld for shit on account of I haven't spent shit time welding. I don't even have an excuse there because I've got a cheap welder that I've hardly used..and I've got an uncle who works for the local giant turbine generator assembly plant and they're kinda picky about their welds and they're cool with his so I imagine he can show me a thing or two one day but for some reason I haven't gotten that happening yet. Anyway this is a great forum, really everything I need to be told right now has already been written out and I could probably get to my first race without ever saying a word to any of you but why do that when the alternative is so much more entertaining? Plus I'm banking on some free advice. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/11/2016 01:43AM by McAdams Christopher. |
John Vanlandingham Godlike Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
McAdams Christopher Senior Moderator Location: Upstate SC Join Date: 03/03/2014 Age: Settling Down Posts: 5 |
I did get the car, and consider it of special note that I bought it on the 240th 4th of July. Seems as good a day as any to buy a 240...nevermind it's not an American car, the vikings were here first anyway.
Drove it home though it was only running on 3, the #4 cylinder isn't making compression for some reason or another but there are motors and heads and all of that to be had. 
If you look close you can see a two door in the picture too... |
John Vanlandingham Godlike Moderator Location: Ford Asylum, Sleezattle, WA Join Date: 12/20/2005 Age: Fossilized Posts: 14,152 Rally Car: Saab 96 V4 |
What's the latest sNooze on this project? Summer is waning.. Any progress? John Vanlandingham Sleezattle, WA, USA Vive le Prole-le-ralliat www.rallyrace.net/jvab CALL +1 206 431-9696 Remember! Pacific Standard Time is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time. |
Infallible Moderator Join Date: 09/22/2010 Age: Midlife Crisis Posts: 336 Rally Car: No rally car yet |
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