What do you guys think?
 

Hey all, I have a pretty sad story.

3 years ago I bought a mint 1985 GSL and have driven it on nearly every summer day since. (great fun)


I joined the air force not a year ago and didnt pay the 450 bucks to have it shipped with me when I left.

It sat for 9 months..... or so I thought. I entrusted my dad with the keys in case he had to move it and left to serve my country, with the full intention of returning for my beloved first car.:nod:


When I did return for it, we had a problem. Nearly 7k miles had been added to the odometer while it "sat".

My exhaust had a couple of gay tips clamped to it, and there were leaves and filth all over its would-be perfect 23k mile interior. The rear tires were bald, the clutch is shot, reverse gear makes a loud thump, the fuel lines have had vice grips or something on them, the paint is scratched badly around the door handles, the hood has a nice dent in it, and doesnt fit right for some reason now. The front grill is missing, both tow hooks are bent beyond repair, and the part that the tow hooks are mounted to are bent badly too; you know, the front clip. The left front fender has a bad bend in it, and the paint has fallen off there. Upon removing said fender a pile of sand fell out of it, and the bolt holes to mount it dont line up right. I looked around under the car to spot a dent in the oil pan, and a piece of casting missing from the tranny case.

Then I checked the compression. The rear rotor is completely dead. With 31k miles on it. From mazda. Also, the entire trailing ignition no longer works. :(



I started buying parts for it at my local parts store when the clerk said that hed seen my perfect FB at the local drags a few times, driven by a guy named "shane"

My brothers name is shane.:mad:


What should I do?

This was my first ever car and it has been involved nearly every important thing in my life.

I really joined the airforce to save funds to pay for various projects related to the car, like a widebody, t-II swap, and all the cool stuff that goes with it.

Now I just want it to be able to cruise again, and be restored to its former imperfect ways.

So basically, the 12A is shot, the tranny is shot, God knows about the rear, the body is banged up pretty good, and now the paint is showing its age.

The interior after a thorough cleaning is still nearly perfect, save for a few faded spots on the rear wheel well covers. :)

The speakers have all been blown up, and some of the knobs on the radio are missing.

I want my car back. It was my first love:(.

I called atkins a few days a go and was quoted 2800 bucks to rebuild the tranny, and pineapple says it will cost more to do a 12A than a more modern 13B. The "budget" 6 port we talked about, (FI) is about 6.5k.:(

And then I worry about the body work. I will likely have to replace the hood, and the front L fender. I have no idea if that part of the "frame" (if you will) can be repaired, and I found a spot of rust in the storage bin area behind the seats.

What would you guys do if it was your first car? The single most important thing to you?

Beat the shit out of your brother

+1:icon_tup:

+2.
Well you can start all your modifications now! Maybe a little earlier than you wanted, but since the engine is blown why not go ahead and put the TII in there? It would save money in the long run.

Yeah, beating my brother would surely be frowned on by the AF, but I will have my revenge on him. Hes in the process of getting a "fast" 300zx. Guess my 12A didnt have the oomf he wanted.......:anger:

Im gonna drain the oil in that gay Z car before he gets up for school one morning. Hell never notice.


It also turns out my radiator is empty, havent figured out where the coolant went yet....... Course that may have been the moisture around the spark plug ports during my compression tests.

Anyone want to sell a donor car.....?:(

My rex needs all the help it can get.....

I suppose its nothing thousands of dollars and hours cant fix....

after beating the shit out of your brother, price out a rebuilt engine from mazdatrix, racing beat, atkins rotary, pineapple racing (etc). bill your brother for the engine. have a talk with your parents about what your brother did and see why they allowed him to trash your car. and don't hack a near mint 31K mile GSL by installing a TII engine. the car deserves to be brought back to life and restored as original as it was the day you left for the service.

Wow, that's horrible. Bill your parents for the damage seeing as how your brother sounds to be about 16. Rebuild the 12A and have fun with that.

Sounds like your brother owes you about $10k, two teeth, and a firm kick in the nuts.

And any money he's saving for that Z? That should be yours, now, or file charges on him for grand theft auto & sue for monetary loss. Doesn't matter that you got the car back - - he drove it without the registered owner's permission. That'd be theft ( "Taken Without Owner's Consent". That'd be a felony here in Cali, due to the cost of the damage caused). If your father gave your brother the keys without your permission, he's an accessory.

http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d04/vc10851.htm

If your father objects to you sending your brother to the hospital &/or prison, tell him that HE can make good on the losses you incurred through his not keeping the keys away from your idiot brother.

Well, turns out my brother found the where my dad hid the keys not long after I left. My dad was just as pissed as I was to see it messed up, and claims that if shane was taking it out and screwing with it, he didnt know about it.:(

Somehow he didnt notice the lock on the door of the shed missing for 8 months. (thats where I left it, and thats where it was when I got back.):scratch:

But, my brother has no job, and no money. The Z he's getting is one my dad agreed to buy him. Which he sees as fair, seeing as dad is the one that made buying the 7 possible. (the guy who had it told me it wasnt for sale)

That Z money is yours. And then some. If your dad is "Just as pissed as you," he'd already have seen it that way.

I guess I should also add that my little seven is not mint anymore. Its just a broken shell of a great car. My bother claims that he didnt do most of the driving, and that a friend of his did....

I dont know if I want to legally screw my brother just yet.

And as much as I truly enjoyed the 12A, 5.5k for 100-ish hp is pretty steep. That goes for the tranny too, as a brand new WC T5 goes for $1295. 2800 bucks could buy a hell of a tranny.

I drained the lube from the rear this morning and it appears to normal, but when the car rolls it pops and scrapes. Ive never heard that out of a non-damaged appearing rear.

So im pretty sure that the rear is also shot.

So i still have: 1)A nearly rust free body
2)an interior that would make many 1st gen owners jealous

thats not much.... well, chassis too, I think thats stuff is prolly ok.

Sounds like they dragged raced the sh$t out of it. Motor, tranny, rear end
are probably shot. Along with the exterior bumps and bruises. The fact that its till
a rust free, clean interior is a good start. You can rebuild it.

So this story doesn't sound right. You bought this car 3 years ago with your own
money right? Locked in a shed with the keys entrusted to your dad. Little brother
drives the piss out of it for 8 months and you dad doesn't notice. Give me a break!

I'd disown the family, move out, and sue the lot of em in small claims court or if
you can swing it, get it on Judge Judy show. She'd have a ball with this one.

Either way you should get about 5K for your losses minimum.

I'm amazed your motor/clutch/trans/diff would be gone. Mine regularly endures 7k clutch drops on an almost daily basis... Although I may have some of those diff noises you've alluded to.

Take the z-money, which, if your dad isn't a jackass he'll give you and start ordering used parts from the guys on this forum. You'll find a 12A or 13B pullout for cheap around here. I found a complete S5 NA motor+trans with ~100 000 miles for $400 up in Canada, and we don't have half the depression you do. Just be patient, order piece by piece and wait for deals. Be meticulous with cleaning/sanding/painting used parts and get it back to original.


It sounds like you don't have the cash for any form of custom build, and it costs big bucks to play even with these cheap cars. I'm into mine for 6-7 (minimum) although I suspect it's more than that) and it's not even half done yet...

Agree with this 100%.
At the very least, he owes you a fast 300ZX :egrin:

Don't necessarily agree with this. If you want a mint widebody TII powered first gen - then do it.

You need to replace alot of the broken parts/bodywork pieces with new parts, to make it new again - why not use TII parts instead?

With a widebody - all the dings and dents (minus the doors) would be fixed/hidden/replaced - so that's a way to go.

With a TII swap, all the current engine's problems become null and void, as you would need a new engine/tranny/clutch anyway.

See a pattern?

Good Luck - and make sure your brother
pays for it one way or another.

Well disowning the family is probably not an option, however helping your brother grow up a bit by holding him FULLY RESPONSIBLE for all damage (which he is) sounds like it would be good for everybody involved. He needs a serious reality check or he probably will end up in jail or the hospital even without your help - heck, people get sued or shot for that kind of behavior.

So yeah, sounds like Tim has about the right estimate - $5,000 cold hard cash, up front, no questions asked. Once that transaction is complete we can be all kinds of help bringing your baby back to her prime.

Shane will need to take out a bank loan of course, which shouldn't be a problem if your folks are already willing to put up the money for him to buy a Z car. In fact this episode should make it pretty clear to your folks that at this point Shane is not ready for a Z car or anything else with more than 20 hp.

Just have your dad be a good parent and cosign Shane's bank loan, by the time Shane has the loan paid off he may have grown up enough to deserve to own and safely operate an automobile.

It's all about the brotherly love, you need to help that kid grow up right. Another suggestion, have your parents read this thread.

I couldnt agree more. Its getting its widebody; and I make 65k a year with nothing to spend it on (no time really). As far as t-II, I think a 300 horse mild tII would be perfect.

Ill use DanSYoungs car as a template.... Sorry dude, but your car inspired me.

And it looks like im getting the Z. Ill drive it everyday while I fix the 7. He can have it back when im done.:egrin:

Sorry Ray but this has nothing to do with brotherly love. Reading all this i sure don't understand his relationship with his brother and also i don't understand his dad. If it was my brother (and believe me i fought the first 15 years with my brother on a daily basis, the moment we opened our eyes but now we are best friends:scratch:) he would pay no mather what!
His brother has no sence of responsiblity at all. If his dad had something to say about this then he should give him the nissan money, too bad for his brother. But reading his posts i think his dad is not the most responsible guy also.....difficult situation for him and i'm trying not to offend anyone.

If it was my 7 and had the money for it i would restore it to it's original basis (after kicking the living shit out of my brother first), change the locks and install a very good alarm!

just my 2cnts....and yes, my brother drives my 7 also sometimes and he is more carefull then me with it:nod:

allrighty then, foget my last post and give him the Z in the same way you found your 7:icon_tup:

I say you get the money for repairs, and you brother gets a 1984 Honda. Square deal all around. :)

Thinking about what he could've been driving instead should drive the lesson home, if anything will.

Sell the Z fix the 7

Im gonna start looking around the forum for some parts. Namely an engine/tranny combo. But Ive decided its stays rotary. My friend is trying to sell me a 302 for it.

Im also gonna see about trading the z for a reliable second gen!!! (FC)

Also, where in the hell could have all this sand come from?? Im finding it all over the place! Wheelwells, on top of the exhaust and heat shielding, around the gas tank area, and its stuck to many of the moist areas on the engine from an oil leak or something. Looks like its coming from the OMP.

+1 with Ray, he clearly needs a life lesson, and better you teach it than someone who doesn't love him. I might go ahead and file the lawsuit/press GTA charges anyway just so you have it on the books, so if he steps out of line in the future he'll be in deep doo doo with the law and not some dangerous people.

I would count on the sand comming from doughnuts in a sandy lot