Daily driver?

I think Fiero’s are pretty cool little cars. Something GM could’ve done better on with a bigger engine, but most people put SC3800s in em anyway.

But...

That’s my next point. It seems I was in the right place at the right time...again lol. The day I went to the junkyard to pull some parts for the silver car was the same day they were sending cars to be crushed. Among them, the impala I wanted parts off of. Got 4 very new struts for 100 bucks! Another car they were gonna send..hehe

A 1999 Grand Prix GTP. That fellas has a series 2 supercharged 3800. Car came in with bad trans, good engine. Asked how much they wanted for the engine, and they said 200 bucks! Said they would hold it for me on account of the cold and they’d help me pull it once it warms up a bit. Also helps that the owner of the junkyard is my younger brothers bus driver and we talk a lot on the days I ride with him. Not sure about the mileage on it, I was so focused on getting my struts, but looks to be all there and not hacked up which is kinda surprising.

So plans have changed again. Instead of a built NA 3500 I guess I’m going with a blown 3.8. The thing fell in my lap for a good price so I just had to lol. Updates as soon as I have it in my possession

Alrighty guys, while the impala build gets under way, I figured I would get something to drive while she’s down. My friend had this stick shift ranger that I liked and so it was mine for 500 bucks

278k...broken odometer...three owners ago. My estimate is north of 300k. And it is the 3.0 5 speed, 4x4, and manual everything.

this looks like a great first truck, I like manual everything

I love it. Lil rough around the edges so I don’t have to worry so much, but solid overall. Forgot to mention it’s a 94

Ranger's are decent enough I think. Lot of them the rear spring shackles get rusted out but maybe not so much in indiana, don't know. Looks good to me though.

Here's probably the most normal car I ever had so far. 2000 Toyota Echo. Had to swap the transmission from a wrecked one because no one could find a used manual anywhere. Most are automatic's. 256,000 miles. Just started using it. So far it's been nice, about 37-39 mpg. And I have the wrecked car for a spare engine and parts. The other one got hit in the drivers door.


It's cleaned up better now, this was when I first got working on it. Had been sitting for almost 4 years and I never got around to swapping the transmissions around.

IDK what it is, but I like the look of a Ranger. Manual sounds like fun. Burnout coming soon?

Nah. I’m gonna try to take decent care of it. With over 300k on a 3.0, she doesn’t have much power. I really just need it to stay reliable. I’m about to put a lot of money into my other car

That’s also an interesting little car mr mod. My friend has a stick shift Saturn ion and it’s the only one either of us have ever seen, so I know what you mean about finding another transmission haha.

You said it was the “most normal car you’ve ever owned” ...what are some of the oddballs?

That's a nice Ranger CQ! I like the boxy look to it.

CraftsmanQuad19 wrote:

You said it was the “most normal car you’ve ever owned” ...what are some of the oddballs?

I was wondering this as well, haha.

CraftsmanQuad19 wrote:

Alrighty guys, while the impala build gets under way, I figured I would get something to drive while she’s down. My friend had this stick shift ranger that I liked and so it was mine for 500 bucks

278k...broken odometer...three owners ago. My estimate is north of 300k. And it is the 3.0 5 speed, 4x4, and manual everything.

Welcome to the ranger gang!.

damn a 3.0 4x4 is kinda rare ! with that 3.Slow itll last long but you wont win any races haha.. not that i would even win any with my 4.0.. except the one to an empty tank.. that it would probably out do a fullsize lol..

so my dailys projects went all over the place ! sold the fiero.. locked cool was cool but wayyy to slow and i needed something better.. so i never would have toight i would get anytthing like that but.. i got myself a mercedes... yea.. quite a weird jump.. going from a 1984 fiero to a 2002 mercedes e430..

here it is.. a 2002 Mercedes e430 AWD with a nice little 4.3L v8 thats actually pretty good on gas ! 27mpg ! got it for really cheap too 1400$..


i know.. its ugly.. but hey its pretty quick has a v8 is decent on gas and very comfortable.. i was really happy with it but then...

me and my friend found an even faster mercedes for cheaper.. A Mercedes e500 2004 AWD 5L v8 granted it looks even worse.. but hey its faster and has a bigger v8 ! lol
so we went and got it..

needs rear air suspension spring and alternator.. i planned to fix it and enjoy it for a while before selling it but..  now.. its just gonna be fixing it and selling it haha..

yes... a wagon.. yes its ugly..

but.... we found an even better one ! yes... i know.. its getting bad..

i have been wanting this model for quite a while and almost bought one for 5k$ all rusty and with way to many miles.. à
we found this one with a new paintjob from 2012 good maintenance and great tires and wheels for 900$. the car is worth well around 8000$
the reason it was so cheap is it needs work. the previous owner tought he blew the transmission but it only need a trans computer or conductor plate, as is typical for these models.. anyways.. this is the one im keeping for good..

a 1999 C43 AMG 4.3L v8 RWD



soo now i sold the e430 for 2k we are fixing the e500 and selling it and fixing the c43 and enjoying that one.. this.. is why i have not had any free time to work on tractors..
the Ranger\Mazda is still going.. but not so strong, i regret so much buying the automatic truck.. should have went manual.. the trucks transmission is crapping out and it needs a bunch of work too, shocks u joints tune up diff rebuild etc.. i have enough work to do on my cars for the next couple months haha, but.. its fun.. sometimes..

My daily driver is a 1995 ford f150, 4.9L inline six with a manual 5 speed. Had both fuel tanks go out and finally got the rear one replaced with a new pump and had it driving for a couple months and just today it started running on 4 or less cylinders . No idea why, pulled a plug , looked like it was getting got but not burnt, and the distributor, rotor, and wires like in September of last year. Might be injectors or a coil or something.

That’s like my best friends dream truck haha! 2wd or 4?

I didn’t know the 3.slow and 4wd were a rare combo. Either way I think the 3.slow sounds better than the 4.go

It's a 2wd. Wish it was 4wd, not sure if they are made in 4wd with an inline 6.

Can't beat an ol' Ford 4.9 inline. Torquey engines and durable as hell too. Strong bottom end, I wanna say they have seven crank bearings or something like that. Haha.

Well with 218000 miles on it it's kinda on its last leg. Most of the miles were put on it in Texas they were pretty rough miles.

CraftsmanQuad19 wrote:

That’s like my best friends dream truck haha! 2wd or 4?

I didn’t know the 3.slow and 4wd were a rare combo. Either way I think the 3.slow sounds better than the 4.go

Yep the 3.0 with 4wd was fairly rare and not offered every year in that config.. most ppl opted for the 4L when taking the 4wd option.. what's even more rare is the 4 cylinder with 4wd they only made those for.a couple years in the 90s..

biggasmowers wrote:

Well with 218000 miles on it it's kinda on its last leg. Most of the miles were put on it in Texas they were pretty rough miles.

Haha, well the good thing about Texas is without the rain, none of our cars rust! LOL.

Hay People,
Got me a new shiny truck the day after Christmas. It's my new daily driver till I get my Jeep going, then the wife will take over driving it when I'm driving my Jeep. It's a 2005 Chevy Avalanche with the 295 hp 5.3 LS, 4wd, and power everything. The wife wanted me to get a Silverado crew cab short bed 4wd but I talked her into me getting an Avalanche because it had all the same features as the Silverado  but I wanted a full bed and the Avalanche rear wall of the cab folds down for the full bed. This thing has the SUV suspension too with coil springs in the back with the 5 link rear suspension setup so it rides real smooth. Love the covers for the bed because you can do the bed with the rear cab wall in a number of configurations. I don't do much hauling but when I do I usually need the full bed and usually is not that much weight. Just hit 100,000 miles on it. My first vehicle I bought where I didn't have to drag or tow it home to get it running to drive it. Also came with a car note





So, the bad thing about the truck is, Part of the deal was I can't start modifying it till it starts looking like crap. Going to take a while since I'm actually taking good care of it by washing it. LOL.

The rear suspension sounds pretty neat. So is it pretty much the same setup that they put in the Tahoe's?

Yes, the same. A 4 link with a panhard bar, I think. Same as the Suburban of that year, since the Avalanche is a modified Suburban.

So quick update on the cars, if you follow the YouTube channel you may know most of this:

Maroon impala: bout to start the swap. Doing it at school

Silver impala: sold last week for $1000 bucks. Tripled my money by the time it was all said and done due to a down payment from a buyer that never finished paying. Counting that I got 1600.

Ranger: replaced the leaf springs with leafs from an 06, there are 4 leafs in these packs instead of 3 like I used to have, so my capacity is a little higher. Also replaced the shackles and rear bracket where it bolts to the frame. Shocks and cab mounts will be next. Since it’s my daily driver gotta get it more solid. I don’t have a backup at the moment

Aaaaand I picked up a Grand Prix. I missed out on the supercharged swap at the junkyard because I didn’t have the money and they couldn’t hold it forever. I don’t blame them at all, they gotta keep inventory moving. So I was scrolling through Craigslist and spotted a 2000 Grand Prix with a bad steering rack for 150 bucks. It’s a GT, so it’s the NA 3800, good trans, 152k miles, and the interior is trashed, rear strut towers trashed, perfect donor car. Funny thing is that it only turns to the left so it’s basically a nascar. 150 dollar nascar lmaooooo

Anyway the Grand Prix is donating the engine, trans, pcm, and engine wiring harness for my maroon impala. Just waiting for the engines class to start the swap. We have been working on electrical systems lately so what I want to do hasn’t applied to class so that’s why it’s on hold. With the engine out it’s getting a new set of plugs, wires, 180 thermostat, trans filter, shift kit, and fluids since everything will be easy to get to.

Anything new with your guy’s daily’s?

My cars seem to be multiplying, LOL. Still driving my Avalanche, since I had it, in this year alone, I have used every feature of the bed in every configuration. Even trailered a car that I bought 50 miles from my house to my house. You never know you really need a truck till you have one. As for the cars multiplying in my yard, LOL, well, I got 2 84 Jeep Grand Wagoneers now. Same years, same engine/trans options, same interior options. Only thing different is the paint. Then my wife's car, I bought another identical to hers. A 91 Cutlass Supreme that is white with red interior. So, same car, same color even, same engine/trans, almost same interior options. They both even have the same smell, LOL. Only difference between the two is my car I just got has a bench seat, and my wife's car has bucket seats with a center counsel with the shifter in it. Everything else is identical. I was planning to strip my car for parts but got it running so we are driving it while I am still rebuilding her car. Might get them both running for driving.

I didn’t realize how bad I needed a truck till I got the ranger. That truck works it’s butt off pretty regular, and I don’t baby it either. Just cuz it has 300k doesn’t mean I gotta be a grandma lol

CraftsmanQuad19 wrote:

I didn’t realize how bad I needed a truck till I got the ranger. That truck works it’s butt off pretty regular, and I don’t baby it either. Just cuz it has 300k doesn’t mean I gotta be a grandma lol

Can't beat an old Ford!

1999 saturn sl1. 310,336 miles, 5 speed.  Only things ever done to it besides regular maintenance i


shift cables and an alternator