Dan Sarandrea (Phila)
Waitin' On Parts...
Isn't JJ in Tustin? He's always up for a parts car, right?
No kidding ... she's still driving the C30 at 83 years old and it's a stick.
That's harsh, but I can't say my own sentiment is close to the same. What's cool (in a sense, I'm guessing NOT so much for Steve) is it's still there & hasn't been hauled off to a pull-a-part of whatever. Oh, that's just for the rust free cars with a bad plug wire in California, right? (just kidding... )
The thing about used AC parts is there's very little you can reuse. Assuming you want to install AC in a non-AC car. The compressor mounting bracket, but not the compressor. The evap/heater box; if you properly flush the evap core it might be reused but only if a new replacement isn't available. The alternator mounting brackets, but the alt itself isn't likely worth reusing. And the controls, if they still work. But everything else must be replaced or else you will be doing it again soon. That includes the expansion valve, reciever/dryer, all hoses, the condenser, compressor with clutch, and even the pressure switches. And you will still need to replace the water pump and housing, and most likely the alternator with new parts. So if you aren't installing AC into a non-AC car, then there really isn't anything worth using. I suppose a similar argument could be made for old used interior parts that have been sitting out in the NJ weather for many years. Naturally the engine/trans, fuel system, electrical system, hydraulics, etc will all need to be redone before they can be safely put into service after sitting as well. Old cars are a mess to deal with, especially when they have sat out in harsh environments for ages. As I've said, that does not mean this isn't worth something as core parts though. Just understand what you are buying.
You did note it has Konis, right?
Going OT.....
Nice! My mum is a young 78 & also drives a C30 - but not a stick. She wanted one after riding around in mine Mine is the black one, manual, lowered, bigger turbo, etc., hers is stock T5
Not to step on the seller's toes hopefully. But you guys in the other parts of the country seem to have a very different take on what is considered a reasonable project car than we do in the west. In the last couple of years I've purchased two X's out here that were complete and driving for considerably less than $500 each. One is a virtually rust free and very solid '79. The other is a low mile Bertone with a decent amount of rust, but it also had coil-overs, alum rad, SS and alum overflow tanks (one a spare), new battery, good interior, performance cam, new tires, lots of new mechanical parts, plus quite a lot of spares. Both had titles (although it took awhile to get the duplicate for one of them), which is a bigger issue than in some parts of the country. And I've passed up on a few other such offerings since then (really no need to stockpile them). My point? I guess it is a completely different market here so selling cars like this isn't always easy (I can sympathise with this seller). Which might also help to explain the reactions we have to some of the outlandish asking prices for other X's at times. I still can't understand why someone will spend $30+ K on restoring a X and expect to get it back, but that's another issue.
That being said, the one offered here is certainly worth $500 as a parts car. Remove the drive train, interior, perhaps a body panel or two(??), a handful of other bits and scrap the cancered hulk (absolutely no point in trying to revive a ton of rust). Especially if it still has the NJ title - that won't fair well with Calif's SMOG laws (but anything is possible for a price). So as I said this isn't intended to hinder the sale of this vehicle. Quite the opposite; now that the asking price has been brought down to a reasonable number for a parts car it should sell.
On the other hand, if the seller wishes to part it out I think he can get more for individual parts. But then he will have to contend with the tear down, clean up, packaging and shipping, flakey buyers, and scrapping the hulk - which also isn't always easy to do in Calif (the state has WAY too many regulations preventing normal car enthusiast activity). Hopefully the new buyer will be willing to offer some of the unneeded items here soon.
By the way, I still admire your mom's past choices in vehicles. And respect that she is still driving a stick in her 80's.
That certainly helps a lot. Also the added info about other components. As I said, it is worth it for the parts. And you have been honest in describing the chassis as not worth rebuilding, which is well appreciated.Yes and no. The car was sitting in NJ under a tarp for a while but it's been stored indoors in CA since 2010.
Cool ... my Mom's is a silver 2010 R-design. It was a left-over after they did the front end update and she got a killer deal on it. It's a fun car and I'm sure it'll end up being mine sometime soon as she's starting to get a little sketchy behind the wheel. Have you seen the Polestar AWD C30? It was out here a few years back at a Cars and Coffee. Totally insane and mostly all parts bin Volvo stuff.
That certainly helps a lot. Also the added info about other components. As I said, it is worth it for the parts. And you have been honest in describing the chassis as not worth rebuilding, which is well appreciated.
Even a title from NJ is better than no title. Without a title of some sort, the scrap yards are not supposed to take a car chassis. So it would have been a freebie to the local 'scrap hounds'. This way at least the remaining hulk has a little worth.
My earlier comments were intended to help those with less experience at buying old cars; to understand they are not going to pay a couple hundred dollars and be driving around town in a week's time in a reliable, safe sports car. I've encountered a few people with that notion recently, so perhaps my guard was up. I hate to see bad things happen to good people.
Very cool work on the race car. Your 'day job' sounds like great fun. Perhaps make a CF monocoque chassis/body for the X? That would eliminate all the rust issues, allowing you to bolt in the rest.
I have
Took pics of it back in Oct 2012 at the Volvo Family Day. It was quite impressive - they let us drive everything but this - had to be chauffeured in that by a Polestar rep.