Ran when parked

[Nile]

The three most dreaded words in the car collector universe.

 

For the last couple of years I've been trying without success to convince one of my friends to sell me his 90 triple black 16v Cali TC.  Recently it became necessary for him to sell the car.  He provided  what turned out to be a very honest description of the car and it's readiness to be loaded onto my trailer - one or more flat tires, stuck brakes, ran when parked last July.  All we needed to do was  move the car about 15' so it could be maneuvered onto my trailer. 

 

Plan A  - Put on a spare tire, but it somehow went flat between the time I put it in the truck the day before and got to the TC.  No problem, proceed to . . .

 

Plan B  -  I brought a couple of air tanks, but couldn't fill the tires because the TC valve stems are "inside" the wheel spokes and my air chuck was too large (yeah, I know I should have remembered that).

. 

Plan C - Start the car, hope the brakes will come free and the car will move on one flat and three close to flat tires.  Hey it's a TC, what could go wrong?  Actually,  nothing!  It fired right up; after a couple of rocks back and forth the one brake that was stuck came loose and I backed the car to the rear of my trailer, from which point the winch took over.

 

The drivetrain is fine and the brakes all work!  

[Moparite]

Congrats! Actually those three words are good if you are looking to buy. At least for me anyway. 🙂

[Kevinflys]

Bravo - I bought one like that too!  

[Reaper1]

Now, replace the fuel hoses ASAP!

[Nile]

Thanks for the reminder. They appeared ok so I didn't have their replacement on my immediate to-do list.  Needless to say, fuel hoses are one item where "appearing ok" is not good enough.  I'll get right on it.  

 

Hardtop had not been off the car in 14 years; turns out it is in very nice shape, dirty, but it cleaned up just fine.  For a car that sat a while, some of the usual problem areas like brakes, power antenna and odometer work great, altho the leather has pulled back from the top of the gauge cluster, the portholes are a mess and the wiper arm bushings are toast.