Re: needed advice from those in the know

[D & L Walters <"Waltee "@prodigy.net>]

> On Tue, 16 Jun 1998 14:11:09 PDT "Christopher Fox" <cjf3@hotmail.com>
> writes:
> >Hello,
> >     I recently acquired a '69 squareback with 27,000 original miles
> >in
> >practically mint condition.  The original owner passed away at the
> >ripe
> >old age of 95.  The inspection ran out in '96 thus it must not have
> >been
> >driven for two years.
> >     Currently it is in his garage collecting dust.  I need to get to
> >a
> >garage for inspection and a once over.
> >
> >     Question #1:  Is there anything I should know about driving a car
> >
> >that has not moved in 2 years so as not to                    cause
> >undue damage?(i.e. breaking it in)
Chris, First and foremost-get rid of any gas that may be in the gas
tank, gas loses (help me here, group) ~10% of its octane rating for
every month it sits and it also thickens into a nice shellac that gums
up everything throughout the top end of your engine. Drain the gas and
use it in a lawn mower or something, as a newbie, I pulled bad gas
through my '63 to get it home, and believe me, it was nothing but
trouble from there. Next, check your oil for H2O, or sludge, or any
other contaminents, dump it if there is any question (When in doubt,
toss it out!). It's cheap insurance at a buck a qt. Make sure all the
hoses are tight and not rotted, at least this can help you make it home
to the safety of the garage where you can check closer. A new fresh
battery is a good thing, helps to push those little electrons through
those old wires til you get to look at those also. A can of starter
spray (not WD 40) helps also, don't forget that if she's sat for two
years then it probably needs to be up and running (with adequate oil
pressure), not turning over and over and over with no pressure at all.
You will definitely want to take a Bentley manual with you, you may have
to fall back on this if things don't fire up the first time. Good luck,
take your time and let us know how it goes.
David Walters
'73 1600 L Notchback
S. FL, USA