Buying a non-running car is always a gamble, but I felt ok about this one. It ‘ran when parked’ and I believed it. The body has zero but zero rust, and aside from some sun damage the interior is good. It came with a ton of extra parts, which is nice in general but does tend to fill otherwise usable space in the garage. (Anyone need all 4 doors for a 410 or 411? How about a perfect gas tank? Steering column? Let me know.)

I love the Coño sticker

I spent a weekend getting this car to run again. It took a lot of carb cleaner but SU carbs are so simple, I can’t complain. Once it was running, I took a very cautious drive down my (cul de sac) street and got a feel for the rest of the drivetrain and brakes. The Borg-Warner automatic is shot (more on this later), but the brakes actually worked enough to lock up the wheels. But when I pulled the car back into the driveway and stopped a weird noise and lurch told me something wasn’t quite right. Pulling the drums off the rear wheels revealed a brake lining that had come completely off its shoe. Nice.

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