My friend Phil drove his mom's '89 camry from NH to VA back in '09. Supposedly it had a problem where coolant was being lost which was fixed. He found that it was not fixed and had to drive it 20 miles, stop, cool, fill and continue for many hundreds of miles. His diagnoses is blown head gasket.
It sat since then, untouched and he offered it to me for $1. The plan was for me to go VA and we'd redo the head(s). Unfortunately for me I fell down a riverbank while gold panning in Bohol, Philippines in February and tore my supraspinatus muscle off the long arm bone. So I'm a one-armed (though I can type a bit) fellow for several months.
I had the car towed up to NH from VA (uship @$450).
It has 105k miles. V-6 engine. The interior is impeccable short of a bit of mice smell. Phil's mom always took care of it and there is a log of oil change/maintenance. I'm told that it has wiring damage in the engine compartment from mice but I can't get the hood open (yet--remember one arm sort of crimps 'ya). I'll be light use, two armed in about 7 weeks.
It has some typical small ~6x6" rust on the rear wheel well (I had a '89 camry long ago and it succumbed to rust) and a bit on the front driver's fender. I think I'd buy a front fender and I wonder is there a "corner kit for the '89 camry rear wheel well?
I was surprised that it's an all-trac as I did not even know that they existed. Are all-tracs good in longevity?
So here's the question. Is this car worth resurrecting?
Questions: What's the best book for a guy to learn how to do a head gasket change or this engine? Chilton's, the Toyo manual? Haynes? I've never done a head gasket job but I'm up for it.
I gotta start someplace and this seems to be a good place.
Any suggestions?
Former toyos: 72 Long Body Land Cruiser Sta Wagon--succumbed to rust, even though it had over 14lbs of brazing rod on it. (most fun vehicle I ever owned). 1979 Supra, bought it for $1200 in 1980 with 170 miles (multiple roll-over crushing the top and all corners) got 260k and blew the head gasket while working in Boston, sold it for $200 (in 1987) (nicest vehicle I owned). '89 Camry 4 cylinder--succumbed to rust.
It sat since then, untouched and he offered it to me for $1. The plan was for me to go VA and we'd redo the head(s). Unfortunately for me I fell down a riverbank while gold panning in Bohol, Philippines in February and tore my supraspinatus muscle off the long arm bone. So I'm a one-armed (though I can type a bit) fellow for several months.
I had the car towed up to NH from VA (uship @$450).
It has 105k miles. V-6 engine. The interior is impeccable short of a bit of mice smell. Phil's mom always took care of it and there is a log of oil change/maintenance. I'm told that it has wiring damage in the engine compartment from mice but I can't get the hood open (yet--remember one arm sort of crimps 'ya). I'll be light use, two armed in about 7 weeks.
It has some typical small ~6x6" rust on the rear wheel well (I had a '89 camry long ago and it succumbed to rust) and a bit on the front driver's fender. I think I'd buy a front fender and I wonder is there a "corner kit for the '89 camry rear wheel well?
I was surprised that it's an all-trac as I did not even know that they existed. Are all-tracs good in longevity?
So here's the question. Is this car worth resurrecting?
Questions: What's the best book for a guy to learn how to do a head gasket change or this engine? Chilton's, the Toyo manual? Haynes? I've never done a head gasket job but I'm up for it.
I gotta start someplace and this seems to be a good place.
Any suggestions?
Former toyos: 72 Long Body Land Cruiser Sta Wagon--succumbed to rust, even though it had over 14lbs of brazing rod on it. (most fun vehicle I ever owned). 1979 Supra, bought it for $1200 in 1980 with 170 miles (multiple roll-over crushing the top and all corners) got 260k and blew the head gasket while working in Boston, sold it for $200 (in 1987) (nicest vehicle I owned). '89 Camry 4 cylinder--succumbed to rust.
