20tmls T3 Report

[Martin Peitz <peitz@HiWAAY.net>]

About 2 weeks ago there was a 1970 Square advertised on the list with
20k original miles.
I followed up on it and it turned out to be in Nashville, about a 2 hour
drive from my place.
Eventough the price was 5000$ ("firm") I had to check it out, because
for the absolutely perfect car I can immagine that kind of money,
altough it is the wrong model year for my taste.
Anyway, today I checked it out.

It turns out the car had been sitting for 18.5 years in a shed that
leaked and finally collapsed over it. The consequences of this are a
dent in the front hood and that the water found its way through the
terrible seals into the car turning it into a swampy terrarium.
The new owner bought the car like that and with all four wheels locked
up.
Then he had the car "fixed" in a shop that did a brake job and replaced
some seals with the worst kind you can get, non fitting and without
chrome strips (windshield and rear side seals) also replaced was the
rear hatch deal (non original seal) and the engine cover seal (dito).
The interior was also completely redone, even fairly well but not quite
good enough. The carpet is a cheap reproduction and the driver seat is
saggy. 
Because it it now parked in a narrow garage it is sraped on the side and
two trim pieces got chipped off.
All tar sound deadening pieces are out of the car and are partly
replaced by styrofoam(!).
The front bumper is dented and rusty.
The left rear cargo area is rusty and partly rusted through.
There is a rusthole under the battery.
The car needs a paint job and some dent fixing to go with it.

Other than that the car is almost rustfree and very original. The inside
wheelarches are the cleanest I've ever seen and the mechanics are
probably like new and look like it too.
The car is dark blue (cobaltblue) which would go well with nice chrome.

The car needs the following:
paint job
all new seal all over
welding under battery and possibly in cargo area
new front bumper
better carpet
redone upholstry
reassembly of dashboard (cover taken off)

and a new more knowledgeable owner.

As the car is $5000 it will be for sale for a long time, probably
forever. For like $2500 to 3000 it would be an ok deal if you like a
1970 Square manual without any extras.

Martin Peitz (weekend car tester, and still looking for that perfect
Square)