There have been a few comments lately about the cost of driving a roadster.
All the talk has been big money and I'm afraid it might be scaring off some new
owners or somebody thinking of buying one. My story is a bit different.
I bought my 1969 1600 for $2000 on May 30, 1997. I drove it home with the top
up, but flapping in the breeze. I played with it for a week before starting to
tear it down for repairs. My wife, son and I took the car down to a bare body,
all chrome and lights removed, and tore out the interior before sending it off
for a paint job. Minor body work turned into two new used front fenders to
replace the well rusted ones on the car and one new door hinge was needed. -$325
+ freight. The body work and paint was done by a friend of the family so he
took his time getting to it and used it as a fill in project, I got the car
back, just in time for the first November snow! Paint & body work - $1400, tow
home -$50. That winter I had the seats and center console recovered and spent
too much having it done but he did a great job. I also bought a couple yards of
vinyl so I could finish off the interior myself. -$500. Spring of '98 saw
another family gathering to start putting everything back together. Some new
parking lights, distributor cap, rotor and points, plug wires and a couple dozen
trips to various hardware stores and it started looking like a car again. The
headlight bezels, grill and front bumper needed to be re-chromed but it wasn't
in the budget so a few cans of "Chrome" paint at least made them tolerable.
Got the car running and started some short trips to work out the bugs.
Starter quit, fuel pump quit, had to blow out the fuel lines and installed all
new fuel hoses and filter and an electric pump. Then I had to reroute the hoses
and relocated the filter to stop vapor lock. Another $100.
Drove to my first big OROC event in June of '98. Great weekend, great people,
great drive. Round trip, no problems. Tried to push the car out of the garage
the next week to wash it only to find both rear brakes locked. Lucked out and
traded a spare windshield for new brake cylinders and new shoes, had to buy two
new adjusters. That plus misc. stuff $75.
For Christmas '98, I got my front bow fixed and 4 new shocks, $250
Picking up the pace, driving lights, one wire alternator, hardtop - another
$200. I now have $1000 worth of ball joints and front suspension parts waiting
to be installed along with $25 of new floats, gaskets and screens for the SUs.
Add it all up and round off for everything I've forgotten, $6000. More than I
would have guessed when I started writing this but not bad when you consider
that a used Miata with less that 100,000 miles still cost $10,000. And I could
have done without the $500 seats and the hardtop. My car runs great, I drive it
when ever I have the chance and I have no hesitation on going the long way for a
weekend. While I love the looks of powder coated frames and perfect chrome
(like Mike Baker's 2000 ( January on your roadster 2000 calendar), I didn't have
the money, so I didn't go that route. I have enjoyed two wonderful summers of
driving and met dozens of new friends and look forward to the biggest year yet
with OROC. All that for a few skinned knuckles and $6000! And I'd do it again
tomorrow, .... if I had to.
So if you have the money and the time, go for it. If you don't, well get one
like mine; a 50/50 car. It looks good from 50 feet, driving buy at 50 mph!
Paul
SPL311-25812
OROC
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