My tranny has been leaking for a bit now, so last weekend I decided to change the tranny gasket and fluid. After it was all said and done, it was *still* leaking, so I replaced the gasket *again*, and sealed around the seams w/RTV. Coupled with the drain plug that I can't get to stop leaking either, I decided to screw it all, I'm going to finish amassing the parts for a swap. So far, I have the tranny and flywheel, so I hopped on eBay to find the rest of the parts.
Ideally, I would like to find a 99 Trooper 5MT for parts so that I wouldn't have to source all the stuff individually, but I've been searching for about 8 months now, and that isn't happening. Chances of finding one locally? Slim and none. I checked the ATX craigslist yesterday, no dice, but I checked San Antonio's as I routinely do, and LO AND BEHOLD, there was a 99 TROOPER 5MT FOR PARTS! It was posted 3 hours prior to my looking!
I called the guy, his 18 year old kid hit another car on the passenger's side front, so the fender, bumper, light, and axle are gone. But he only wanted $500 for it! He was the original owner, has all the service records, pretty much new tires on it, and a new clutch last year! The interior is pretty much immaculate, and it only has 127k on the odo. Best part? It didn't have property damage ins, so I have a clear, blue title! I told him I would drive down and pick it up, but he and his wife were out, so I told him to call me in the morning. He said 20+ people called about it *lol*.
I called this morning, and the price had gone up, as there were higher offers. He told me if I would match his highest, he'd sell it to me. It was quite a bit more than the original $500 he listed it for, but the chances of a find like this again were slim and none, so I agreed, and my friend and I drove down there, met them @ Tom Benson's Collision Center, and the rest is history. AAA has free towing for the first 100 miles, and wouldn't you know it was only 92 miles from there to my friend's place, where it currently resides in the garage
I'm sooooo blessed right now, b/c what are the chances? When I get back from San Fran this weekend, the work will begin in earnest!
Reply With Quote