My Diamond in the Rough

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My Diamond in the Rough


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[Kizzed]

Well let's see, where to start. I have wanted a Eclipse since high school when they were the in thing. I have always loved the way the 2g looked. The curves and setup were far ahead of the times.

Anyways a little about my skills and abilitys. I am a DIYer I always like to think I can do something even when I know I shouldn't. I have basic mechanical skills, ability to rebuild, somewhat. Always willing to try though! Some body work, some welding not professional at any of it.... I think however.

So I purchased my first eclipse about two years ago. I got it for a very good deal, $700 for a rusted manual GS. The more I dug into the rust the more I realized I wasn't able to do the repairs the way I wanted. So I sold it to my neighbor after I found a "rust free" GSX that was stored in a barn for the last 4 years! Lucky me right?! Nope. Long story short after I got at home I found rust hidden everywhere. It was under the ground effects, painted under the underbody, bond-o and hidden at the strut towers. So after discovering all this roast I decided to part it out to try to generate enough income to purchase yet another eclipse that might fill my needs. Needless to say my wife at this point was about ready to divorce me....

So finally I found a rust free car that only needed a timing belt put on. Or so I thought and was told. So I drove from North Dakota down to California to pick up this sweet sweet rust free car. I was told by the seller that the bottom half the engine had been rebuilt and that he was unsure if the valves had been damaged at all when the timing belt started fraying. The belt was still intact and the timing marks still lined up. So I bought it for very cheap and brought it back to North Dakota. After six months, losing three mechanic friends (not really but they didn't like me much) and countless hours on these forums digging for information I caved. I wasn't able to get it running for more than a minute at a time. I posted it for sale for mechanics to give a crack at it. Finally had a taker, sold the car as well as any extra parts that I had to him. And decided that maybe I wasn't meant to have an eclipse after all.

After thinking about it for a long time I decided that DSM is in my blood and kept my eye out for the perfect one. My Diamond in the Rough. Everyday I would search craigslist for all 50 states for "gsx eclipse" and kept my eye on the classifieds here. I found one in SD and went for it. A complete stock 97 rust free clips. And a GSX on top of that. Needless to say after trying to buy it for a month, and the seller never being available, No communication, and keeps blowing me off. I was very .... upset . I was literally having the car dangled in my face with the inability to buy it.

I kept my search up, check my websites every day religiously..... finally I found it. Searching craigslist in Arizona turned up a five speed GSX with zero rust that ran and had only two problems the ground effects missing on the passenger side as well as the handle missing on the passenger side door!!! So freaking excited! Now the only problem is the car is in Arizona and I am in North Dakota. Problem solved. I flew down to Phoenix Arizona and was picked up by a member of this board and what was to be my new GSX. A wiseman on here made me the happiest boy in the world. (Yes I know I am 32.... I stand by the happiest boy in the world) I drove it home with only one issue along the way. The dipstick kept getting pushed out. Finally I closed the hole a little more to make more friction to hold it in. I literally climbed mountains, drove through a blizzard's, and raced a Honda Civic that thought he was better than me.... I won. I don't plan on doing much to the beautiful GSX that now sits in my driveway. I am a fond believer of there being beauty in stock.

You may find yourself wondering why I am posting a journal then if I do not plan on building a supercharge DSM. I do plan on protected from the elements, looking for advice for modest upgrades that would not hamper the look of stock DSM, as well as a little advice on the way.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to person could prevent rust from before it starts in North Dakota winter. As well as upgrades that would be modest and not push the car too far. The engine was replaced at 80k by a Miztu shop in Cali, and now there are 240k on the total car. Looking for suggestions on where I could possibly find a stock ground effects on passenger side in Barcelona red.

As well as opinions on whether not I should attempt the timing belt change as well as belts bearings and water pump. I did stumble through it once on one of the previous eclipses, but I'm not sure if I did a good job because it still didn't run Due to other issues that are unknown.

 

[Kizzed]

Pictures of my baby.

 

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More pictures

 

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Kizzed updated My Diamond in the Rough


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