Am I too sentimental

[Mash]

As some of you know I have an '85 Nissan Sunny which has been U/S for some months now due to cylinder head problems and whilst it would be relatively easy to whip the engine out and put another unit in, I have unfortunately not had time to do anything with the car this year and it's way down the list of projects. To that end I've offered it for sale as a resto project for what I thought was a fairly reasonable price of 250 squids considering it's in pretty nice nick overall.

 

I've had no takers and the latest enquiry is from someone who needs it for parts for a mint low mileage car that has had a bit of a prang. He's at the other end of the country and doesn't want to part with a much more than scrap value by the sounds of it but I think the car has more life in it than this.

 

In some respects I'd rather squirrel it away until I have a bit of spare cash to find a viable engine and travel wherever necessary to pick it up and get the car running again. On the other hand it is taking up a bit of space as I want to get my Mazda back home and get cracking on that.

 

Am I being too optimistic and sentimental about it? Should I just say bugger it and let the damn thing go? These cars are getting more scarce but it isn't anything special after all.

 

Thoughts please

 

[Mr Lobster]

Personally I'd leave it sat in storage until you can find the time for it whether thats in twelve months or twelve years. You might regret it if you do sell and finding another won't be easy.

 

I had a R5 Le Car2. I'd owned it probably ten years and it was only viable as a serious project or as parts. Ended up selling as it was in the way and I didn't have time to do anything with it. Wish I'd kept it (and the huge amount of parts with it) now.

[dieselnutjob]

if his has a good engine and has had a prang is he going to put the engine from his crashed one onto your shell, which is what you were going to do anyway?

 

if so then yours will get a new life which is probably what you want so it's just down to the price.

 

or maybe he wants to take some of the panel off yours and scrap the rest which I can understand you wouldn't be so keen on

[The Moog]

I would say yes.

 

Cars dont like being sat somewhere and surely it is better being used to make a nice mint one.

 

(Obviously I dont follow the above advice )

[Mash]

if his has a good engine and has had a prang is he going to put the engine from his crashed one onto your shell, which is what you were going to do anyway?

 

if so then yours will get a new life which is probably what you want so it's just down to the price.

 

or maybe he wants to take some of the panel off yours and scrap the rest which I can understand you wouldn't be so keen on

The latter - he needs front end bits, steering column etc.

[Rod/b]

My two pen'arth: You're being too sentimental. It's only a car when all's said and done, and a broken one that isn't going to be fixed any time soon.

 

We can't save them all.

[MK5 Escort]

Your Sunny looks in great condition itself. Selling it to someone who simply wants to break it up for parts (and paying you effectively scrap value) doesn't even bear thinking about. If it was dog rough, I'd be more inclined it to be put to use that way if it meant another goes on, but certainly not with a car in the condition yours is in.

 

Personally, I'd keep it stored away safely for another few years (on a hard standing of course, not grass) and if still nothing has happened with it, then I'd then reassess the situation.

 

But hey, that's just my own opinion!

 

I know someone who has an early(ish) Nova needing various bits and pieces doing to it. I think that's sat in his garage for the best part of two and a half years. I don't think it’s seen daylight more than half a dozen times since then.

[pompei]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^

 

WHS

 

 

it is a toughie - I've put cars away in the past and ended up selling them on years later having done nothing to them. If you are absolutely certain you'll never get the job done then it probably is best to let it go. But I don't think I'd let such a nice example go just to be ripped apart.

[dollywobbler]

Keep it. If it wasn't for the sentimentality, half of us wouldn't even bother with older cars!

[MrRegieRitmo]

Keep it. If it wasn't for the sentimentality, half of us wouldn't even bother with older cars!

+1

[trigger]

How hard is it to get it fixed and sorted again?, Is it just a case of spending a weekend on it and then selling it on?, It might be a pain but you'd feel better about yourself.

[AXrescuer]

I would hang on to it and sort out an affordable repair regime. As for too sentimental? No way, we're all like that on here, that's why we go for the older shite!

[brammy777]

If you can keep it for the long run without it proving a problem to anything else, then yes, go for it. Its a great looking B11, despite the obvious engine issues. If it starts to get in the way of other things, perhaps you should let it go, but if you have doubts already I woud keep it.

You can choose now to keep it, but when its gone, its gone.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

It looks supa tidy. Maybe it could be repaired with a 1.3 injected engine from a 1.3 Micra? must be able to get one of those pretty cheap.

[Guest]

Not that this is any help, but if my numbers come up I will buy a series of massive sheds all over the country for shiters to store their rammle in.

 

I'd cut and run, take the money and enjoy the extra space. I can be cold like that sometimes.

[Lord Sterling]

Nice house. I'd hang on to it if I were you. I'm looking at similar problems at the moment. I've got 3 Rover Sterlings in all states of disrepair, 2 of them in storage which is costing me quite a bit as I'm in and out of work.

 

They all need probably a couple of hundred spending on them to get them on the road (Apart from my current which will need a couple of thousand to get it mint) its just getting the money and time which is the difficult part.

 

I could just sell them all off and save the money I'm spending on storage but I'd rather try to eventually get them on the road than sell and end up with nothing.

[Spottedlaurel]

I think you’ll regret letting it go for a small amount of money. What if his plans don’t come to fruition, but he’s already taken yours to bits? Than that’s two wasted cars.

 

I think a plan is that you or him buys that 1.5 auto that is (was?) near me. That was OK, but nothing special. You have the engine, he has the bits, everyone’s happy. That’s assuming it’s still there of course...

[Guest]

Why don't you get someone round to do it for you? I know a chap on here who probably would.

[cms206]

DON'T DO IT!!! If it comes down to it I'll come and get it!!!!! Your's is a wee sweetie looking at the pictures, far, far to good to break for another one.

[AnthonyG]

When I read the text, I thought, just let it go, expecting the usual rough old dog.

 

Then I scrolled down to the picture and instantly changed my mind, if the bodyworks as good as it looks in the pictures, you definitely want to keep it!

 

Will a 87-93 Sunny engine fit? - as you still see a few of them in breakers yards.

[red5]

What is wrong with the engine/cylinder head? I take it she is partially stripped at the moment ?

[eddyramrod]

If nobody looks after the 20-year-old cars now, in 20 years there won't be any 40-year-old cars to admire. So hang on to it! That looks lovely, and in a few years when it's the only one left, it'll get the same reaction my 1971 Capri gets now: "My dad had one of those!" The Capri has been worth every penny on those terms, as it's started so many conversations for me and made me so many new friends. It's the only one of that model on the road in Paphos district.

[Albert Ross]

Fuck me. It's a head gasket. Get a cam belt, a full head set, and a decent crate of real ale. I will come to yours, for a tank of fuel and a pocket half full of cash, and do the job. I might need a bed for the night, (Not with your eldest adult daughter) but a corner with the dog would do. Blimey. It's survived all these years in one piece, why spoil it now. Grr. I would well roll in that. But I'm a fat Land Rover bloke.

 

As Hirst sez. I would.

 

I used to lob these motors together in a factory 8 at a time on a bench. £325 a go anyone, for a set of rings, and mains, big ends supplied by KING bearings, and cheepo gaskets. Then we sting you for a clutch, a water pump, and a starter. Or no warranty. Ner.

[Mash]

Probably not as simple as that as I've already done the head gasket - cracked head more likely.

 

Anyway it's provisionally sold now and looks like having a Bluebird Turbo engine in it Hope he's uprating a few other things too!

 

Call me cynical and I hope it's not a half-hearted project but I predict coming to an oval near you soon....