----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2001 =
9:05
PM
Subject: Decision Time
I have been and avid reader/seldom =
contributor to
the list since 1998 and now need an objective opinion....
It's decision time. My =
westy has
101,000 miles, an exhaust system that resembles swiss cheese, a dead =
front
defroster fan, surface seam rust below the water/electrical =
connections,
bad ball joints, bad front shocks, dry rotted tires, stained pushrod =
tubes (ie
leaking is around the next corner) and I need belts =
and a tune
up. Did I mention the scratches down the driver side and the =
flattened
fender flair? That is another story but needless to say the =
parking
garage pillar won......
My question is this, I =
estimate the costs
to get back into great shape at: (with my mechanic's =
help and
he is very good)
ball
=
joints &=
nbsp;$200
front
shocks $300
Tune Up =
=
$100 &nb=
sp; All
OEM
Exhaust &nb=
sp; $1200/1500
OEM
Tires =
; $500
Mich
MX4'S
Belts =
; $100
defroster =
$600
pull out replace with OEM =
AC
conversion $130
This ends up being $3000 =
to $3500, I
figure a decent paint job/rust clean up to be $3000 and now I have a =
"new"
westy with an engine that has over a hundo on it. Do I do =
it? It
might mean selling my 1965 fire engine red Mercury Monterey =
convertible.
We are talking about a convertible as big as a Suburban (with 2 =
count'em 2
doors.) This thing has more chrome than I know what to do =
with.
Seats six ( good for a guy with 4 kids) and is the perfect summer =
toy.
Any and all help is =
appreciated...
Mike