So, I don't really have the space or the budget to simply let the parts car sit around. As such, I can't simply pick at the 1979 240D parts car as needed. I'm low on parking, so I need to disassemble the car and junk the shell.
I spent last weekend (and the one before) pulling the engine and transmission. As the parts car has a new clutch (or so said the seller), the whole assembly will be going into the 1983 project.
Last weekend, I also got the driveshaft and differential out. I'm stripping as much as I can from the car, and will be getting rid of the excess on Craigslist and eBay. With any luck, I should be able to cover a good portion of the cost of the project this way.
This weekend, I started at the rear of the car and began gutting it. I got the fuel tank out, and flushed it with vinegar. I still need to power wash the inside, but it's basically ready for transplant into the 1983
After that, I cleaned up and painted the rusty airbox, then started de-trimming the car. That's almost done. I also removed the nearly spotless front fenders for use on the 1983 and removed all the exterior lights.
I have more to do, but there isn't too much car left. Once it's picked over, I'll junk the shell and start in on the 1983 project again.
There's nothing to report on the Mercedes at the moment. I've been unable to touch it for a few weeks, but hope to get a bit done today (Columbus Day). But, I made a quick stop at the junk yard on Saturday and ran into a familiar face...
It was my wife's old 1993 Subrau Impreza. You may be asking how I know this was the same exact car. After all, they made about a million of these in the same color. Well, I only sold the car to the junkyard (this junkyard, in fact) around a month ago, so it makes sense that it would still be there. I know every bump, scratch, and rust spot on the car, as well as identifying marks like stickers. Trust me, this was the self-same car I'd been working on for the past three years.
In the past few weeks, the car has taken a turn for the worse. The month-old alternator that was in the car when I sold it is long-gone, likely now under the hood of another Subaru. Other various engine parts were gone, but the block and intake were still there. Someone really should buy the engine. High miles or not, it's a really good runner with a fresh timing belt.
For whatever reason, the rear and rear right windows were smashed. My guess is some punk just wanted to break windows. The rear wheels were missing (the fronts were still there). Part of the dashboard and center console were gone. The rear seat had been disassembled for some reason. I'm not sure why.
I didn't find the part I originally wanted (a rear cargo cover shade for one of our Legacy wagons), but I actually did end up buying the rearview mirror out of the old Impreza to replace the more worn one in my wife's "new" Legacy. So, after a month in the junkyard, a part of this car followed me home again. The mirror is a direct fit, but the older mirror in this Impreza was, in my opinion, a better design, and less susceptible to wearing out. The later Legacy mirrors tend to get loose and flop around with age.
I imagine the Impreza will sit in the yard a while longer, but who knows for exactly how long. It may be there for another month or two, and then it'll likely be crushed and melted down. But, in the mean time, its parts are going to save other old Subarus.
