[Steppes] OT: "Unique Fixer-Upper Opportunity" ('93 Dodge Shadow For Sale or ???)

[Mike C. Baker]

Folks, any of you interested in a push-pull-drag used vehicle?  1993
Dodge Shadow not-quite-hatchback now for sale.
$500 OB(R)O received by 11pm Sunday night; 
 
Features:  practically new tires (maybe 6000 miles on them), excellent
emissions compliance for as long as I've had it [beat the requirement by
better than 90%], less than 110k miles on odometer.  Hey, if you've got
projects for the wheels/tires and can sell or use the motor & etc. this
may be Just What You Need.  
 
I don't have the garage space and energy to make it work again, myself.
Know what I paid for it, know what the mechanic's estimate for current
repair is, and am pretty darn certain that it just ain't worth putting
that much valuta into what has been a decent vehicle that has done more
than I ever originally expected from it.
 
Known Issues:
*  It's a '93 Shadow -- acceleration is "not very peppy"
* Has a history of belt squealing (worse in hot weather)
* AC has not been converted to the newer coolant standard
* spent 12 of the last 14 winters in states where they salt the roads
*  due to said lifetime, there is corrosion
* due to prior owners application of some odd topcoating, portions of
the paint job have peeled off in an odd fashion.
*  took it in for inspection today.  Inspector pushed down parking
brake.  
   Smoke rose from area of parking brake pedal along with hot wiring
odor.  
   (In other words, a possibly small electrical short due to a wire
getting caught in the travelway of the pedal.  It happens, should be no
biggie, except....)
   Inspector immediately shut off, released brake, and  disconnected
battery.
* Inspector put vehicle in neutral, tried to push same back into a
better short-term parking spot.  
  The rear parking brake did not release.
 
This Is Not Good.
 
Vehicle will not pass inspection As-Is.  Absolute minimum need-to-repair
is the cableway to the rear parking brakes -- it *will* release with a
minimum of intervention, but not easily enough to meet inspection
criteria -- plus whatever was shorted by the pedal (under the dash
area).  Mechanic's recommendation is to also replace under-carriage
wiring and runs.
 
(P.S.  I'm vehicle shopping NOW -- any good/bad experiences with either
Saturn or Escort wagons anyone would care to share [private email,
please]?)
 
Adieu, Amra / ttfn - Mike / Pax ... Kihe

Mike C. Baker
SCA: al-Sayyid Amr ibn Majid al-Bakri al-Amra, F.O.B, OSCA
"Other": Reverend Kihe Blackeagle PULC (the DreamSinger Bard)
Opinions? I'm FULL of 'em
alt. e-mail:  <mailto:KiheBard at hotmail.com> KiheBard at hotmail.com  OR
<mailto:MCBaker216 at cs.com> MCBaker216 at cs.com
   Buy my writings!:    <http://www.lulu.com/WizardsDen>
http://www.lulu.com/WizardsDen
    <http://www.livejournal.com/users/kihebard/>
http://www.livejournal.com/users/kihebard/