deltathunder

Yesterday I wanted to give another go at getting my 84 delta 88 started since last time I found that my battery had finally bit it for good. I took the battery from my cadillac eldorado(blown head gasket) and tried a while to get it started with no luck getting any good connections on those worn terminals. while spending that less than quality time with my favorite car I had ever owned I saw that my she had gotten a little rustier in these salty pa winters than I had originally thought. Giving it a good lookover I saw that not much was salvagable. The leak in the windshield has also gotten worse resulting in an unpleasant odor in the interior. It was 600 a few years ago then after I could not find anyone to inspect it with all the emissions issues( bought it from someone in a less populated county...no emmissions stickers) So I bought my truck and haven't had much cash to put into the 88 since. After I get said truck inspected I will be shooting at getting the head gaskets on the cadillac (olds 350) and if it looks like it is too bad then I am ready to take the 350 from the delta to get the cadillac to run since it cost twice what the delta did and ran for less than a month. So where am I going with this? I have not been ready to give up on that car for a long time. I was willing to put 5 grand into it to clean it up rather than buying a nice one for half that. I think it is time to throw in the towel. Maybe my delta can play the noble part of donating parts for the greater good. Just a sad day that I thought I would share. If anyone plans on selling a nice delta 88 let me know I would like to spend between 1 and 3k I suppose and I want a very nice delta so I can start on everything else I wanted to do before the body goes south. Also don't fear sellers! If I had a nice delta I could now afford to have two cars so I would not let her rot in the winter. Ideally I would like one exactly like mine. '84 delta 88 royal brougham 2 door with no vinyl and burgandy int/ext. That whole generation is fine although I would MUCH prefer the straight back window and the half amber lights and all that. Sorry to ramble but I am sure at least one of you had to have experienced their baby dissintegrating while they try to get the money to fix it.

FATRATMATT

I watched my first car (67 Pontiac LeMans) rot into the ground. I blew the motor doing things only a 17 year old would do. After sitting for 3 years I let it go to a friend of mine who had a 67 GTO that he wanted to restore. that was 26 years ago. At least he still has the Goat and I can visit my fenders, doors and bumpers from time to time.

deltathunder

well finding some parts worth keeping would be my best case scenario now I think. I blew the engine in my vehicle also. 87 astro 4.3 over 200k first something broke inside and I could hear/feel/smeel that I drove it 20 miles home and still drove it for another month before I thought it left me stuck but I started it up later and it still ran but spewed oil now. didn't want to let that one go either I jsut wanted a new engine in that puppy. Eventually my mom made me get it from in front of the house and my brother in law scrapped it. That too was a sad day

FATRATMATT

The only good thing that came out of my 67 was that I bought it from my older sister for 50 bucks, it didn't have a front grill or bumper (she ran into a tree) and her husband was tired of fixing it back up. I ended up selling it for 500 bucks. Dana the man who restored his GTO says it's worth about 45,000 now. So in the long run he's the one who made out on it. I'm glad that some of it is still on the road. I loved that car.

csstrux

If you get the gut out of the car, and give everything a good scrub you should be able to get the odor out. You are talking about using it as a parts car right? I would hunt down a clean shell and use what you have. Sorry to hear about her deteriorated condition, but at least you can save some of her. Jay might know of a solid body in the bone yard he frequents, you may want to P M him.

J-(Chicago)

The 2 door without a landau top is hard to come by around here these days. I had the same one (84') a long time ago that I wish I would have saved. I derby'd it a long time ago. Now the landau tops on my 2 85's are cracked and in lousy shape, and I would kill for that spotless shell nowadays. I want to remove them and find the hard roofed trim and filler pieces. I'd hate to see one of these die off. Let me know what you decide to do.
I'd have 30 of those things If I had the money to fix em all lol. The fact of the matter is I can only afford to fix 1 into decent shape every 2-3 years.

J-(Chicago)

Whatever you do, don't scrap it.
Especially since I have another running Olds motor sitting here rotting.
I could at least bracket race it a few times and see if it wants to pay to fix itself up again.

deltathunder

ha ya jay I figured if someone was going to feel my pain it would be you. if I have to do body work and get rid of the landau I will but then I think hmm why even buy an expensive nicely painted delta that I would quickly ruin but that just really made the car 100 times better.

csstrux

Can you get the old girl out of the weather? Post pics if you can. Where in Pa are you?

wolfman98

I have a 90 asrto LT - AWD with the 4.3 and have spent 5-6 grand keeping it on the road the past few years. The biggest expense was a complete engine rebuild around $3,500. The 4.3 seems to be prone to bad valves , at least the older ones and that leads to more problems. I drove it for quite a while with it burning oil until it went into the mosquito killer class then had the rebuild done.Luckily we have one of the best motor builders on the east coast about 5 miles from my house so it was done well and have put 140,000 km on it since with no more smoking problems.The bonus was that she is a little bigger than the 4.3 and diferent crank , cam , valves , lifters , pistons , oil pump etc. etc. My favorite thing is the AWD which works great. I have pulled out 4x4 half tons out of deep snow and can push snow when it's flying over the windshield. the 235 all terrain tires help a lot and I run them all year.It has the 4 captain chairs and they are the most comfortable seats I have ever had. The reason I like them is cause you can adjust the back 1/16 of an inch to all the way down flat. I am debating on if I should sell it or part it out. It has a lot of new parts but it's hard to keep up with the rusting parts cause of the salt here. Being single the back seats are never used and the rear bench has been in my basement for years. The problem is I can't afford 3 vehicles anymore. The van as well as 2007 Colorado 4x4 plus of course my favorite car right now 1969 Olds 98 two door convertible. One of them has got to go , insurance is too high.

J-(Chicago)

I'm glad someone likes those 1/2 amber lights. Those are the first thing to go on my cars lol. I like the red ones. Things like this are how good parts trades are born.

deltathunder

Chad: you had better believe I have wanted to since the day I stopped driving it but I just could not afford another vehicle plus upkeep plus storage for a vehicle. Not at 19 working at a grocery store (minimum wage is up since then!) I am in western pa just outside the northside of pittsburgh. If i can a decently warm day and maybe a camera(I will use the phone if need be and hopefully you don't hate it as much as me) I will show you how she's looking but i was told it wasn't worth the work when I thought she was in pretty good shape. Wolfman: I am a die hard astro fan. I have a million olds projects in my mind that I would like to do but deep down I still yearn for the 2wd lt1 astro 4 speed. I just read yesterday that most of the awd parts are the same as the ones in the typhoon and cyclone so even with a turbo on that 4.3 those parts would hold up so you know they are pretty tough. Jay: that seems to be what all the 80's delta guys say (as if that group wasn't rare enough already now you have the red light vs 1/2 factions) but who knows maybe I'll get one down the road with the red lights and i'll find someone like you who has a barrel of them.

wolfman98

You guys in the states are a lot better off when it comes to parts andcost of cars in general. For example the price tag for the 2007 Colorado was a little over 32,000 canadian. It is an extended cab with the little rear suicide doors and pull down jump seats. It has air , cruise, tilt power windows door locks heavier suspension and tow package. But still probably up to 10,000 cheaper in the U.S. There is a similar cost increase with new parts for newer cars and trucks. Unless it is under warrenty the dealer is the last place to look. The wheel bearing went in the front right of my 90 Astro and the dealer cost was over $1,100. They make it so you have to replace the whole hub. I could not find a good used one anywhere and you may run into the same problem down the road. I did find a new aftermarket one for a little under $700.

deltathunder

Huh that is really interesting. last year I had to do front rotars for my 1979 dodge powerwagon (all time 4wd) and as soon as I tried to put them on I realized it is leaps away from the 2wd I was used to. the rotars and the hubs were one piece and needed taken off with a puller. Then you have to replace the berrings at the same time (plus seals) and which all need pressed on to the hub/rotar. By the time I had saved up for that and did all the work I needed calipers. All because of rotars in a 500 truck. Is the cold/rain/salt bad in your part of canada? it has been getting below 0 lately and with the snow comes salt and with the salt comes rust. That is my least favorite part of western pa.

wolfman98

Yep the salt here is one of the worst places in North America. Anywhere in Nova Scotia you are no further than 35 miles from the ocean. I live about 10 miles from the Bay of Fundy which is a huge body of salt water and at it's highest point the tide rises 50 feet. if you walked out to the edge of the water when the tide is out and put your toes in the water (say you are 6 feet tall) when the tide was all the way in it would be 42 feet over your head. Nova Scotia is a penninsula and surrounded by salt water kind of like Florida. When we get lots of snow (like this year) they plow and salt the roads at the same time. The salt melts the snow and they have always used it. When I lived in Saskatchewan they used sand on the roads because salt does not work if it is too cold and on the prairies it is usually too cold so they use sand for better traction. My 69 Olds came from saskatoon , Saskatchewan and besides using sand in the winter it is very dry on the prairies , so the frame and body is in excellent condition and I plan on keeping it that way. It stays in a heated garage until winter is over and the salt on the roads has been washed away by the spring rains. If you check out Google earth you will find Nova Scotia and see The Bay of Fundy. I live close to Greenwood ( military base) Kingston Or Middleton. Where in eastern PA do you live , close to New Jersy?

csstrux

I can understand the money thing. You would not believe the cars I had to let go of just because of money, I thing the 67 lemans was the most painful. The value of a car is completely subjective though. If she is valuable to you, then it is valuable. Just don't let it own you. if you can work on the car, it might be worth the effort forth if for no other reason than to learn, but the car would have to be saveable for me to want to do that any more. I am running into a similar situation with my car. The effort and cost of parts to make it right would far outstrip any returns I might gain in sale. I am not over fond of the 68, so it is more of a fix er up to sell/trade for something I DO want type deal. The car seemed to be in much better shape when I bought it than it really was. Back on point if you can store it, where it won't deteriorate any farther, you have all the time in the world to either repair what you have, or find a suitable doner. Take your time, and do things smart, you will save tons of money that way.

deltathunder

Actually Chad I am looking into a large garage right now to be split between me and a few others. The quote I was givien seemed way low so hopefully it is true. Whether I was getting a new delta or not I would keep mine in there then I could tear into it and see what's good and what's bad because if i can save the shell it could really make things easier with finding a new one. I would rather the frame be in three peices than and having a saveable body than vice versa, like I said those hard tops are not common. Wolfman: I bet it is hard to find a decent car cheap in an environment like nova scotia. I never even thought of going to a place way colder than where I am to look for a car like Saskatchewan everyone here goes to the dessert looking for cheap muscle. They need paint and usually the interior is dry rotted but there is hardly a speck of rust. I actually live in western pa, pittsburgh specifically, closer to ohio and west virginia.

Wilson05

Hey Chad,
You not too fond or your '68? Would you be willing to part with some or your extra parts. I am working on mine which was bought brand new off the lot by my uncle back in the day. Went my father, left the family for 15 years and now I got her back. Not quite in the same shape as when it left the family obviously. Anyway I am in need of parts if you are interested.

csstrux

Right now I am sitting on it, The hood is sort of promised to someone if I could find the note if I part it. I am thinking an early 60's full size, and I would like to find an 86 or there about 442/cutlass. Problem is I have quite a bit stuffed in this puppy already, and am concerned about losing too much on it. I have kicked around the idea of using it as a drag car, where the body would not need to be perfect also. but money is tight to the point of grim with little sign of loosening up at least until the next election.

toro68

Salt is super bad in Maine too It put an end (road worthy - legally) to my 1995 Ford F-150 4x4 (300 six, still runs awesome after 321,400 plus miles). But my 1992 Crown VIc - God I have gone through brakes/brake line every 6-8 months(had the car since May '06).
Salt is very nasty to brake and gas lines

J-(Chicago)

I always liked 68's. If I had any money, I'd make you an offer.

deltathunder

Don't want to get too far into it but, I am with you there. I would hold onto it and keep it in the conditions it is in and in four years, it will be four more years a classic and possibly more worth it to save the body... and if not DRAG CAR IT IS

csstrux

Just need to hang on right?

deltathunder

Well if I had one even in terrible shape and it was already paid for i would probably keep it in the garage just to look at. I'm a bit of a pack rat though so maybe less looking and more working would be best. If I had the money I would fix up all my heaps, I just love them I guess.