Dealing with "Mechanic's Specials" (9 Viewers)

[nab856]

A mechanic's special is a vehicle whose repair expense is greater than the value of the vehicle. This turns them into yard art wives and mothers tend not to appreciate. The legendary status of the make and model becomes irrelevant. They fall into two categories: Trashed engines or extensive frame and body damage.

My solution to frame and body damage is large hammers, pipe wrenches, and hydraulic cylinders. That is self-explanatory so I will stick to the engine/mechanical category. Over the past decade we have purchased six of these beauties. All of the vehicles brought to club breakfasts started as mechanic's specials.

Factory original 1986 turbo pickup.

In 1987 this was Toyota's pinnacle of performance.

 

[NMBruce]

I had an 87 Turbo purchased new. I would love to find a 1st gen SR5 extra or double cab, finding replacement parts can be a problem. Had a beautiful 87 xtracab and a seat belt was broken, took 3 months to get a replacement and then sold it to a friend and he damage the bumper. he wanted to keep it stock, but said he couldn't find parts. I hope you are able to get everything you need and I like your idea.

 

[nab856]

I had an 87 Turbo purchased new. I would love to find a 1st gen SR5 extra or double cab, finding replacement parts can be a problem. Had a beautiful 87 xtracab and a seat belt was broken, took 3 months to get a replacement and then sold it to a friend and he damage the bumper. he wanted to keep it stock, but said he couldn't find parts. I hope you are able to get everything you need and I like your idea.

I have an extra 22rte engine with a fresh turbo. The truck has a fresh engine and turbo too. Decent 1980's Toyota plastic parts are tough to find.

 

[nab856]

@NMBruce brought up a very important point: Parts. Many 1980's polymer parts are brittle, sun-bleached, cracked, or just broken. New OEM mechanical parts for old or obscure models are tough to find. Finding parts takes time and patience. Extra running vehicles are a must.

UGLY! Once this dash is replaced, I don't think I could give it away. Sun-baked yard art!

 

[nab856]

How to avoid creating a "Mechanic's Special":
1 Check under the vehicle for leaks, regularly.
2 Check fluid levels, regularly.
3 Check for damage or vandalism: Loose lugnuts, castle nuts without cotter pins, loose engine mounts, sugar in the gas tank. Any guesses why I gave those examples?
4 Preventative maintenance and regular tune-ups. Parts wear out or break. Do not use chinesium junk. I've gone the cheap parts route and been burned.
5.?? If anyone has helpful suggestions, add them to the list!

 

[nab856]

In general, DIY "Mechanic's Specials" are a serious undertaking. You will need a factory service manual, lots of time, patience, good bit of disposable income, space, a tolerant significant other, tools, and experience using them while following procedures provided in the FSM. Handy tools: A TIG welder, chain hoist, gantry crane, an assortment of hand tools, jack stands, hydraulic floor jack, hydraulic press, air compressor, air tools, various specialty tools, milling machine, lathe, micrometers, and so on. This list implies a shop. Hence the name "Mechanic's Special"

I didn't like the cost and features of commercially available gantry cranes. So, I designed and fabricated my own.

 

[nab856]

The green pickup in the above picture was bought with a broken odometer reading 716,000 miles. Actual milage is unknown. The engine was opened up and .060" over pistons found. The engine cylinders were bored at least a couple of times if not four times. If you calculate total engine rotations based on mileage and gear ratios, you will get a very large number. This large number of engine rotations causes measurable wear from piston rings sliding up and down for every rotation. The number of rebuilds this truck underwent is understandable. What should someone do if they are concerned about engine condition or lackluster performance? A leak down test.

 

[nab856]

If the subassembly was assembled from parts at the factory, it can be disassembled, repaired, and reassembled. This can be said for engines and transmissions. The only catch is the skills and experience you have.

Every engine builder started with no skills or experience. I started with an engine head, pulled it, fixed it, and reinstalled it. I was a poor college student. Since then, repair endeavors have become more complicated, and I have acquired a very rewarding hobby.

 

[nab856]

If you can't do it yourself, you get to pay someone to fix it. Quality shops are in demand. They are easy to find. Just look around and see what's being repaired.