Getting 96 back on the road
07-02-2018, 12:20 AM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Getting 96 back on the road
Just bought a 96 CE, picking it up in 10 days or so. 40k miles.
Its got full MX history, but hasnt been driven but 2000 miles in the last 10 years. Has 18 year old coolant, I think 10 year old brake fluid, etc... Has newer battery from 2015, has had a rear brake pad change, but no front pad change. Has almost 20 year old tires on it. Has had oil changes done almost yearly, had rear end fluid changed at least 3 times, dont see that a transmission fluid change has ever been done. I have not seen the car in person yet, only pictures. The car itself is immaculate, but it needs a little work to make it reliable and have a baseline for fluids mainly.
My thoughts were this:
tires(Toyo R888R)
brake rotors, pads, fluid, lines all the way around
coolant, thermostat, upper and lower radiator hoses
serpentine belt(Continental Elite)
spark plugs(TR55's)
full lubricant change in engine, trans and rear end(all Amsoil)
fuel filter
That was my plan, however I am re-thinking the brakes. I will still do a fluid flush and most likely lines(stainless), but not sure the pads and rotors NEED to be changed, plus that would save me nearly 300 bucks I could put into other things.
Anybody got any other thoughts on bringing this car back to full road worthy status beside what I have outlined above?
Its got full MX history, but hasnt been driven but 2000 miles in the last 10 years. Has 18 year old coolant, I think 10 year old brake fluid, etc... Has newer battery from 2015, has had a rear brake pad change, but no front pad change. Has almost 20 year old tires on it. Has had oil changes done almost yearly, had rear end fluid changed at least 3 times, dont see that a transmission fluid change has ever been done. I have not seen the car in person yet, only pictures. The car itself is immaculate, but it needs a little work to make it reliable and have a baseline for fluids mainly.
My thoughts were this:
tires(Toyo R888R)
brake rotors, pads, fluid, lines all the way around
coolant, thermostat, upper and lower radiator hoses
serpentine belt(Continental Elite)
spark plugs(TR55's)
full lubricant change in engine, trans and rear end(all Amsoil)
fuel filter
That was my plan, however I am re-thinking the brakes. I will still do a fluid flush and most likely lines(stainless), but not sure the pads and rotors NEED to be changed, plus that would save me nearly 300 bucks I could put into other things.
Anybody got any other thoughts on bringing this car back to full road worthy status beside what I have outlined above?
07-02-2018, 05:52 AM
#2
Le Mans Master
Unless pads/rotors need changing you're probably fine with pads/rotors, even brake fluid is probably fine. Same with plugs too. I would concentrate on routine fluids first...oil, coolant, transmission, difs, etc. Basically hard to know for sure until you see the car in person.
07-02-2018, 08:01 AM
#3
Safety Car
I would bleed the brakes. Brake fluid is hygroscopic (it absorbs water). Getting fresh clean fluid through the system will help you evaluate the condition of the rest of the components and how the car stops, ABS works correctly, etc.
https://ebcbrakes.com/articles/brake-fluid/
https://ebcbrakes.com/articles/brake-fluid/
07-02-2018, 08:56 AM
#4
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Oh I'm doing brake fluid for sure. I change it every 2 years in everything I own.
I guess I will evaluate the rest of the brake system once I see it.
I guess I will evaluate the rest of the brake system once I see it.
07-02-2018, 10:04 AM
#5
Drifting
Just bought a 96 CE, picking it up in 10 days or so. 40k miles.
Its got full MX history, but hasnt been driven but 2000 miles in the last 10 years. Has 18 year old coolant, I think 10 year old brake fluid, etc... Has newer battery from 2015, has had a rear brake pad change, but no front pad change. Has almost 20 year old tires on it. Has had oil changes done almost yearly, had rear end fluid changed at least 3 times, dont see that a transmission fluid change has ever been done. I have not seen the car in person yet, only pictures. The car itself is immaculate, but it needs a little work to make it reliable and have a baseline for fluids mainly.
My thoughts were this:
tires(Toyo R888R)
brake rotors, pads, fluid, lines all the way around
coolant, thermostat, upper and lower radiator hoses
serpentine belt(Continental Elite)
spark plugs(TR55's)
full lubricant change in engine, trans and rear end(all Amsoil)
fuel filter
That was my plan, however I am re-thinking the brakes. I will still do a fluid flush and most likely lines(stainless), but not sure the pads and rotors NEED to be changed, plus that would save me nearly 300 bucks I could put into other things.
Anybody got any other thoughts on bringing this car back to full road worthy status beside what I have outlined above?
Its got full MX history, but hasnt been driven but 2000 miles in the last 10 years. Has 18 year old coolant, I think 10 year old brake fluid, etc... Has newer battery from 2015, has had a rear brake pad change, but no front pad change. Has almost 20 year old tires on it. Has had oil changes done almost yearly, had rear end fluid changed at least 3 times, dont see that a transmission fluid change has ever been done. I have not seen the car in person yet, only pictures. The car itself is immaculate, but it needs a little work to make it reliable and have a baseline for fluids mainly.
My thoughts were this:
tires(Toyo R888R)
brake rotors, pads, fluid, lines all the way around
coolant, thermostat, upper and lower radiator hoses
serpentine belt(Continental Elite)
spark plugs(TR55's)
full lubricant change in engine, trans and rear end(all Amsoil)
fuel filter
That was my plan, however I am re-thinking the brakes. I will still do a fluid flush and most likely lines(stainless), but not sure the pads and rotors NEED to be changed, plus that would save me nearly 300 bucks I could put into other things.
Anybody got any other thoughts on bringing this car back to full road worthy status beside what I have outlined above?
07-02-2018, 01:41 PM
#7
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
07-03-2018, 09:44 AM
#9
Team Owner
Member Since: Oct 2004
Location: altered state
Posts: 81,242
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St. Jude Donor '05
Let the owner know even though it looks great its going to need a fair amount of money thrown at it.
18 yr old coolant, freeze plugs and heater cores dont mix well. Bought right the cars worth it, most are really worn out looking these days.
18 yr old coolant, freeze plugs and heater cores dont mix well. Bought right the cars worth it, most are really worn out looking these days.
07-03-2018, 10:13 AM
#11
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
07-03-2018, 10:16 AM
#12
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
I paid what I felt was a good price knowing going in I was going to put some money into it.
07-05-2018, 09:54 PM
#14
Racer
Just bought a 96 CE, picking it up in 10 days or so. 40k miles.
Its got full MX history, but hasnt been driven but 2000 miles in the last 10 years. Has 18 year old coolant, I think 10 year old brake fluid, etc... Has newer battery from 2015, has had a rear brake pad change, but no front pad change. Has almost 20 year old tires on it. Has had oil changes done almost yearly, had rear end fluid changed at least 3 times, dont see that a transmission fluid change has ever been done. I have not seen the car in person yet, only pictures. The car itself is immaculate, but it needs a little work to make it reliable and have a baseline for fluids mainly.
My thoughts were this:
tires(Toyo R888R)
brake rotors, pads, fluid, lines all the way around
coolant, thermostat, upper and lower radiator hoses
serpentine belt(Continental Elite)
spark plugs(TR55's)
full lubricant change in engine, trans and rear end(all Amsoil)
fuel filter
That was my plan, however I am re-thinking the brakes. I will still do a fluid flush and most likely lines(stainless), but not sure the pads and rotors NEED to be changed, plus that would save me nearly 300 bucks I could put into other things.
Anybody got any other thoughts on bringing this car back to full road worthy status beside what I have outlined above?
Its got full MX history, but hasnt been driven but 2000 miles in the last 10 years. Has 18 year old coolant, I think 10 year old brake fluid, etc... Has newer battery from 2015, has had a rear brake pad change, but no front pad change. Has almost 20 year old tires on it. Has had oil changes done almost yearly, had rear end fluid changed at least 3 times, dont see that a transmission fluid change has ever been done. I have not seen the car in person yet, only pictures. The car itself is immaculate, but it needs a little work to make it reliable and have a baseline for fluids mainly.
My thoughts were this:
tires(Toyo R888R)
brake rotors, pads, fluid, lines all the way around
coolant, thermostat, upper and lower radiator hoses
serpentine belt(Continental Elite)
spark plugs(TR55's)
full lubricant change in engine, trans and rear end(all Amsoil)
fuel filter
That was my plan, however I am re-thinking the brakes. I will still do a fluid flush and most likely lines(stainless), but not sure the pads and rotors NEED to be changed, plus that would save me nearly 300 bucks I could put into other things.
Anybody got any other thoughts on bringing this car back to full road worthy status beside what I have outlined above?
07-05-2018, 11:52 PM
#15
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
I do 100% of all of my labor. I cant say I have paid for labor on anything in the last 15 years outside of somebody to do the tuning since I am not good with computers.
I dont plan to spend a ton on this car, thats why I am buying a cherry example of a car.
07-06-2018, 01:29 AM
#16
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Oct 2004
Location: Everett WA
Posts: 7,690
Received 477 Likes
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353 Posts
C4 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Buying a cherry example is the way to do it and yours looks like a really nice example!
I like those sill covers. I don't think that I've seen those before. Are they padded?
I like those sill covers. I don't think that I've seen those before. Are they padded?
07-06-2018, 09:39 AM
#17
If you can do your own labor, then I feel theses cars are actually pretty cheap to maintain. I picked up a 94 a few months back and even though it was already in good shape, I wanted to be sure it was daily driver reliable so I’ve put a lot of work into fixing anything I felt was questionable from a reliability standpoint. Even though I’ve done a laundry list of work to it, I really don’t have much money invested in it at all. And I’ve been pleasantly surprised how easy it is to work on (in my opinion).
07-06-2018, 11:28 AM
#18
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
If you can do your own labor, then I feel theses cars are actually pretty cheap to maintain. I picked up a 94 a few months back and even though it was already in good shape, I wanted to be sure it was daily driver reliable so I’ve put a lot of work into fixing anything I felt was questionable from a reliability standpoint. Even though I’ve done a laundry list of work to it, I really don’t have much money invested in it at all. And I’ve been pleasantly surprised how easy it is to work on (in my opinion).
LT4 motor=bullet proof
ZF6 transmission=bullet proof
D44HD rear end=bullet proof
One big reason I have owned 3 Corvettes(this is my 4th) is the community. If there is an issue with the car, the community figures out the best fix, has VERY detailed DIY's and TONS of people on here to guide and give advice.
07-06-2018, 04:56 PM
#19
Racer
no offense, but reading your thread you are paying for labor and it seems you are getting taken for a ride on the repairs...
I do 100% of all of my labor. I cant say I have paid for labor on anything in the last 15 years outside of somebody to do the tuning since I am not good with computers.
I dont plan to spend a ton on this car, thats why I am buying a cherry example of a car.
I do 100% of all of my labor. I cant say I have paid for labor on anything in the last 15 years outside of somebody to do the tuning since I am not good with computers.
I dont plan to spend a ton on this car, thats why I am buying a cherry example of a car.
07-06-2018, 05:34 PM
#20
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter