20 years late to the party here. I've been reading your forum for about a year and have learned a lot about these great cars. I appreciate the huge pool of experience here.
My son and I are buying an '86 ES this weekend as a father-son project. Two-owner (EDIT - NOT), bone stock, easy use (?), sport seats - just needs an alternator and a 5-speed swap. I think I've located a decent kit with 120k nearby.
We've looked off and on for a year. Looked at a lot of ratty cars, half-finished swaps, wrecks, mystery cars, garage queens. Kissed some toads. Spent some money researching far away cars.
I'm an uncured motorhead, and have been tinkering and reading about great cars most of my life. I have a '67 Alfa spider I bought in 1986. I always loved the 2002 (roundie tii!) and the E30 is a beautiful, modern evolution of that car. Just a classic shape, and so tough. We looked at 1.8T Golfs, but way out of our budget. Then it occured to me - an E30!
Almost bought the blue car in Denver - didn't work out. 130k. Color change. Expensive. Far away.
Last night a guy in my neighborhood called me after I left a note on his windshield. Yes, it's for sale he says - '86 ES, nice houndstooth sport seats, white, manual, $500(!).....with a broken rod. I'd have to ship an engine from CA or Seattle and what else is wrong with it if an E broke down with only 180k?
The red ES has 175k and was driven for 20 years by the wife of a body shop owner (EDIT - NOT), who put a timing belt in and painted it in 2010. A local family then bought it for their daughter. It doesn't start, it's in the way. Charging circuit problem - jumps and runs fine, new battery. From searching your forum, it's likely a positive cable, an engine ground strap, an exciter wire from the dash to the alt, the voltage regulator, or the whole alternator. I'm sure I'll be back with questions.
We'll get it running well, do the maintenance, change all the hoses and belts, look at the suspension bushings and driveline, then maybe some sport springs. Seats need help soon as well.
My son and I are buying an '86 ES this weekend as a father-son project. Two-owner (EDIT - NOT), bone stock, easy use (?), sport seats - just needs an alternator and a 5-speed swap. I think I've located a decent kit with 120k nearby.
We've looked off and on for a year. Looked at a lot of ratty cars, half-finished swaps, wrecks, mystery cars, garage queens. Kissed some toads. Spent some money researching far away cars.
I'm an uncured motorhead, and have been tinkering and reading about great cars most of my life. I have a '67 Alfa spider I bought in 1986. I always loved the 2002 (roundie tii!) and the E30 is a beautiful, modern evolution of that car. Just a classic shape, and so tough. We looked at 1.8T Golfs, but way out of our budget. Then it occured to me - an E30!
Almost bought the blue car in Denver - didn't work out. 130k. Color change. Expensive. Far away.
Last night a guy in my neighborhood called me after I left a note on his windshield. Yes, it's for sale he says - '86 ES, nice houndstooth sport seats, white, manual, $500(!).....with a broken rod. I'd have to ship an engine from CA or Seattle and what else is wrong with it if an E broke down with only 180k?
The red ES has 175k and was driven for 20 years by the wife of a body shop owner (EDIT - NOT), who put a timing belt in and painted it in 2010. A local family then bought it for their daughter. It doesn't start, it's in the way. Charging circuit problem - jumps and runs fine, new battery. From searching your forum, it's likely a positive cable, an engine ground strap, an exciter wire from the dash to the alt, the voltage regulator, or the whole alternator. I'm sure I'll be back with questions.
We'll get it running well, do the maintenance, change all the hoses and belts, look at the suspension bushings and driveline, then maybe some sport springs. Seats need help soon as well.
Comment