New C2 Owner - Cheers!

[Digigo]

And I've got an Eric Freeman Teak Wheel that's being delivered on Thursday as well... I'm finding it hard to concentrate on much of anything these days because of this car!

 

[Digigo]

So the car arrived at 7:30 this morning... the driver pulled the car out and put it in the driveway and we ran it a few minutes before he left and I did the walk around...

Looked fine enough and then I went in the house to get the kids, come out and it's stalled. I pop the hood because I can smell coolant (I hate that smell) and what do I see but a little puddle at the intake manifold... and it's got no oil in it (who does that?)

Bought a fresh gas can and some lead substitute and filled it and started it up again - took it to the gas station to fill it up and on gear change I look in the rearview and I can see a puff of white smoke....

Did I buy a lemonade stand perhaps?

 

[Black 03 Z06]

Hope you can get it sorted. Man what a bummer.

I would be on the phone to the seller.

 

[Digigo]

I called him and left a voicemail as soon as I noticed... got an email back saying "had no issues on this end" (of course)

 

[Paul C7 to C8]

Well that really sucks! At least you noticed all the symptoms right at the start. Could be a blown head gasket and no damage done yet, and yes the timing of the occurrence is a downer. Hope it will be an easy fix/solution for you!! and I'm sure you will find a lot of knowledge available to you from the C2 guys on this forum.... keep us posted on your progress.

 

[nascar03]

The car looks great.
No oil in it,?! Oh my.
I’m hoping it’s as simple as a head gasket ..
I’m saddened to hear the seller won’t respond in a manly way!
Maybe get a local shop to spend an hour going then the car to document any deficiencies.
Might be the best $100 you ever spent.
Keep us posted.

Graham

 

[Digigo]

The car pulls great and it sounds awesome - I just hope it's not too serious...

 

[Digigo]

The car looks great.
No oil in it,?! Oh my.
I’m hoping it’s as simple as a head gasket ..
I’m saddened to hear the seller won’t respond in a manly way!
Maybe get a local shop to spend an hour going then the car to document any deficiencies.
Might be the best $100 you ever spent.
Keep us posted.

Graham

I don't disagree in the least - now to find a shop nearby me...

 

[MikeysZ06]

Hope you can get it sorted. Man what a bummer.

I would be on the phone to the seller.

Or,showing up on his front doorstep,with friends. I’m guessing Head gasket.

 

[Rick9456]

Nice car Digigo, I like C2's. and welcome to the forum.

 

[Digigo]

Got a call back last evening from the dealership I bought it from and he described that the car has been sitting for a year or so and has had fewer than 100 miles put on it in the last couple of years... and that the rad was filled before it left and there could have been some overflow issue (fair enough) but most of all... he said "drive it and see how it goes, it's been a reliable car and if there is anything wrong, I will make it right and you can choose the shop you want the work done at"

I took that as a solid response...

 

[Paul C7 to C8]

Well that bit of news must have brought on a sigh of relief for you. Looks like it will all work out .... nice.

 

[Digigo]

P.S. Wife loves the car....

 

[Digigo]

Nice car Digigo, I like C2's. and welcome to the forum.

Thanks very much and already finding this site very useful...

 

[Black 03 Z06]

Really pleased to hear that the seller had a positive conversation with you about the car. Hope it turns out to be all the car you hoped it would be. If not there is nothing on them that cannot be fixed after all it is just a GM half ton with less space inside!!

Enjoy your car.

 

[Rruuff Day]

P.S. Wife loves the car....

And that my friends is always a bonus! ........ Well... Unless you're in the middle of a nasty divorce... then that could be problematic....

 

[Digigo]

I guess I should properly continue my earlier story then...

So the car was supposed to arrive the day before at dinner time (but the driver got held up at customs and couldn't finish the drive here in one shot due to his logging more hours than legal) and I had planned on jumping up from the dinner table when he pulled in front of the house saying "what the hell is this guy doing parked in front of the house?"

Well that didn't work out and he came the next morning when the kids were getting ready for school - and my youngest says "what's this truck doing at our house" from the kitchen table... and I head out and he unloads the car - and I look back at the house to see my kids (2 boys aged 13 and 11) with their mouths hanging open in disbelief.

Later in the day I send me wife a photo of the car and she says "what's that?" and I tell her "it's the car sitting in your driveway" - the response was "great looking car" and then when she got home and sat in it there was a "this is a way nicer car than the TR6"

So it all worked out...

 

[Digigo]

Soooo....

It turns out the car isn't quite as presented after all. It's in getting work done now - couple of bent valves, busted harmonic balancer, I was right about the coolant smell right off of the trailer (the first mechanic told me I was imagining things) rebuilding the carb (leaking gas) and putting new fuel and water pumps (they were looking tired)

So the sage continues...

 

[ddgermann]

Great that you have the problems identified and solved. It is not cool to find out you paid for a good engine but got one that is far from ok. Did the mechanics give you any feedback on the cause of the damage to the engine. First thought for me would be RPM a bit over the redline.... but it would be very interesting to know what the cause was.
On the bright side... the rest of the car is apparently really good so dropping money into the engine is a very finite and controllable venture.
Sounds like you will be in the road with this beauty real soon.
Thanks for the update and please send us some photos of that engine all back together.
D

 

[Digigo]

Good Point ^ (cup half full for sure) and the buys at this shop say that the frame, interior and electrical all all above average and to get the car fixed up and back better than it's been in a long time (only assuming after seeing the top end apart) for a few thousand dollars is a "lucky break"

Photos (and car) should be up and back on the road within the next couple of weeks....Cheers.