was just wondering what is a ' a-frame pillar' noobish i know but was looking to buy a car that i can easily put together an this one seems like it would take me a day or 2



http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/930593041.html



said it needs brakes, water pump, gas lines, brake lines, and the rest of the sha bang... this looks like a still !by it for 400buks an put 400 more an looks like i have a nice car?

 

The owner says it will take quite a bit of money to get running. I am not sure what he means about being rusted out in the "A pillar." Usually cars rust out around the back glass between the rear fenders and trunk. I guess this car has rust around the front glass. Perhaps this is a common problem area for cars with T-tops. He never gets into why it doesn't run though. A water pump would be a 15 minute fix for a good mechanic.

 

Check the rear frame rails. From what I've seen they tend to rust out on those.

 

The A pillar is the roof support on either side of the windshield

 

i have talked to him an he told me the car runs fine an the only thing needed to make the car drivable was brakes an gas lines.The water pump is a 15min job for me hehehe.But this looks like a good buy.AN yes i will check the rear rails.thank you

 

he said.'rewelding of the a-frame pillar at a minimum'
how much would this run me?

 

Not sure what the law is in Indiana, but here in Canada, you have to get a safety check before a car can be plated by a new owner. Now it can pass such a check without a drivetrain, but not with rust holes, cracked frame rails, bad exhaust, bad brakes, etc. Typically, if I'm interested in buying a used car, I'll pay the one hour labor cost of a safety check out of my own pocket before I buy it. If it's a complete junker, you're only out an hour's labor at a garage. As for the drivetrain, you can determine much of what you need to know by looking, and of course, a test drive. If it's being sold as-is, and he doesn't want to let you test drive, or won't let you get it checked by a 3rd party, stay away. And don't listen to any of his personal assurances, unless you know him personally.

 

ty.In Indiana they let you plate the car.The only thing they check out here is the vin an thats it.I know the car needs some work but for the price an money an hours I'm going to put in it seem to me that it would be ok.but when i check the car i am bringing some one along with me.If the trans an frame an engine sound an run an look fine then this is a good deal.All i am really worried about is the trans an ' rotted A-pillar'.This looks like i would take me a week to get an install all the parts.

 

*Not all of Canada requires a safety check between owners. Not in B.C. or Sask at least. I don't know about the other provinces.

 

Be wary of a faulty or weak A pillar, the seller is probably understating the condition and what would be required to repair it. A weak A pillar can be unsafe, the A pillars, roof, and B pillars (or C pillars in sedans) lend much structural rigidity to the car as a whole and prevent it from twisting laterally. What does this mean? a weak A pillar may not ever catastrophically fail with the roof caving in on you but if you are ever in an accident and roll you could be crushed because of it's weakness and even if not in an accident you may have body problems in the future with cracks elsewhere on the body. Maybe paying a body man to look at it would be worth it.

 

thank you for the info.