Subject: Re: [Spridgets] Need some estimates of Spridget parts values

From: "Bud Osbourne" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2013 21:55:46 -0500

Larry,
I think a working set of gauges might be worth a bit more, when you look at
what it would cost to just repair (not restore) a set of non-working gauges.
I paid West Valley Instruments $700 to rebuild a complete set of instruments
for a '77 B a couple of years ago.  You can bet Nisonger would be higher
than that.  Figure $100-$125 each to redo the speedo and tach.  Probably
that much to redo the combination gauge and maybe $50 to do the gas gauge.
Windshields, on the other hand, always seem to show up at Import Carlisle
priced around $200, but then get "reduced" over the course of the weekend to
$150, then $100 before someone buys them.  Of course, I guess if someone
NEEDS a windshield, they'd pay $200 for one, locally.
Steel Bugeye bonnets, in decent (non-rusted) shape are getting really
scarce, so I wouldn't knock a dime off that $1000 price just for a few
dents.  If it's solid, most guys who need one would be glad to find it.

There's a big difference in value between parts being purchased just to have
on the shelf and parts purchased because they are NEEDED.

Best of luck to you, Larry.  Hope you nail the bastard!

Bud Osbourne

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked]
[mailto:[email-masked]] On Behalf Of Larry Daniels
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2013 8:29 PM
To: Bugeye Sprites; Bugeye Yahoo Group; Spridgets List
Subject: [Spridgets] Need some estimates of Spridget parts values

I was forced recently to file multiple theft complaints against someone who
has stolen several Spridget parts from me.  The detective handling the case
has asked for values of parts that were stolen.  I would appreciate some
input from you on the values of:  #1 a complete set of working gauges from a
1972 Midget  #2 a windshield and frame from a 1972 Midget and #3 a metal
bonnet from a Bugeye.  I have a pretty good handle on the values of the rest
of the parts and the Bugeye car that he stole.

I gave the detective an initial guess at $200 for the gauges, another $200
for the windshield and frame and about $1000 for a steel bonnet (minus a
couple hundred for a dented front right corner).

At least one of these parts went to another lister a few years ago.  I know
who it was, it will be interesting to see if he speaks up.  I know where
another went, too.  If anybody else has bought or was given parts from the
1972 Midget known as bMickeyb that David Lieb and Biff took on the Babe
Rally a few years back or from a Bugeye in WI that was being held waiting
for repair work by another WI lister, please let me know.  I am not
interested in causing you any trouble, but I need to know where the parts
went and the circumstances involved.  You will not be in any trouble
whatsoever if you speak up.  You did nothing wrong.

David Lieb, I know you had a nearly brand new clutch set-up that went
missing from that car, too.  If you or I find out where it went and who sent
it there, I will give you the name of the detective who is handling the case
in the event you want to take action, as well.

Anybody with information is welcome to contact me privately off list.
Again, anybody who received parts is in no trouble at all as long as they
are not in collusion with the person that stole them from me and they
cooperate in the investigation.

Thanks,

Larry Daniels
------------------------

[email-masked]

Archive: http://www.team.net/archive

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From: "Richard Ball" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2013 10:19:25 -0800

Well since the list is too quite for some I'll ask a question.

My son and his wife always get a fairly large tax refund and this year they 
have decided to be smart about things and look into buying a good (for them) 
family car.  Out here in the wilds of the Great Northwest you can't swing a 
dead cat by the tail without hitting a Subaru Outback so they are looking at 
those or alternatively some sort of minivan.  They probably can afford an 
Outback in the 1995 to 1997 range, but are noticing that many of those are 
listing that the timing belt, water pump, and head gasket have been changed. 
I can understand the timing belt and water pump, but is the head gasket a 
maintenance item on these or a design problem.  If it is a problem how much 
time dose replacing it buy you?

Thanks
Rich Ball
'76 Midget
Everett, WA 
------------------------

[email-masked]

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From: Peter Caldwell <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:23:47 -0600

Design problem that the new head gaskets have solved.  No worries. be 
more concerned if they haven't been changed yet.  The 2.5 was the 
bigger concern.
         Peter C

At 12:19 PM 2/7/2013, Richard Ball wrote:
>My son and his wife always get a fairly large tax refund and this 
>year they have decided to be smart about things and look into buying 
>a good (for them) family car.  Out here in the wilds of the Great 
>Northwest you can't swing a dead cat by the tail without hitting a 
>Subaru Outback so they are looking at those or alternatively some 
>sort of minivan.  They probably can afford an Outback in the 1995 to 
>1997 range, but are noticing that many of those are listing that the 
>timing belt, water pump, and head gasket have been changed. I can 
>understand the timing belt and water pump, but is the head gasket a 
>maintenance item on these or a design problem.  If it is a problem 
>how much time dose replacing it buy you?
>
>Thanks
>Rich Ball
>'76 Midget
>Everett, WA ------------------------
>
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---

From: David Booker <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2013 11:31:40 -0800 (PST)

Rich,
My wife(ex now) and I bought a brand new '95 Legacy wagon a few weeks
before Kyle was born. The 2.2L engine is bullet-proof, the car is great, the
seats were firm, we could get dog and kid and camping stuff galore in it, the
hill-holder clutch was appreciated by my wife in the rolling hills of Northern
Virginia. I liked the British Racing Green paint too. Probably the best family
car I've ever bought. The only thing I would ever do is hang a turbo or two on
it because they are painfully slow. My wife told me in no uncertain terms that
if I did any hot-rodding to "her" car, she would never set foot in it again.
You see, she had some experience with a car or two of mine where the engine
was tuned just shy of hand-grenade...
 
Anyway - to your questions. The belt
is critical as it is an interferance engine. It is also one big giant belt.
This is the only car with a belt where I actually paid somebody to do the
change for me. I read the instructions and got a little scared for some
reason. The waterpump you do because you have to pull it off to get to the
belt and it would just not be smart to put the old one back on. Can't remember
exactly, but seems like the schedule says 60k miles for the belt change. I had
it done twice. 
 
Drove the car for maybe 130k miles and never had any trouble
with either head gasket so can't really speak to that. I think mine was DOHC,
but Subaru went back to SOHC a year or two later. Maybe there was an issue
with some of them, but never with ours. After many happy years, I sold it to a
guy who worked for me. His wife drove it for many years after that with zero
troubles. The one thing that went wrong with the car during my ownership was
my own fault. After maybe 6 years, the battery started getting weak. For
whatever reason, I just kept charging it and putting off buying a new one. Of
course, the constant state of charge killed the alternator. Crap. Like I said,
my own fault entirely. I will say that the alternator on that car is the
world's simplest and quickest to change. It is on top and front of the engine
and held on with a few easily reached bolts. You don't even need to loosen a
tensioner.
 
Hope that helps. Ours was not an outback, but in '95 - Outback
was just paint and trim options - plus maybe a little more ground clearance.
Otherwise the same car. Excellent choice.
 
David Booker

From: Richard Ball
<[email-masked]>
To: 'Spridgets List' <[email-masked]>
Sent: Thursday, February 7, 2013 1:19 PM
Subject: [Spridgets] non LBC Subaru
Outback Info

listing that the timing belt, water pump, and head gasket have been changed. I
can understand the timing belt and water pump, but is the head gasket a

Thanks
Rich Ball
'76 Midget
Everett, WA
------------------------

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From: HealeyRick <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2013 11:51:32 -0800 (PST)

Rich,

Head gasket problems with certain Subaru years are a known problem and
can be an expensive fix if you don't do it yourself.  26 pages of Subie HG
issues here: 
http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/88-head-gasket-issues/index2.html  

Rick

"Madman in a death machine"
Follow My Nasty Boy Build:
http://tinyurl.com/yj52fwo

________________________________
 From: Richard
Ball <[email-masked]>
To: 'Spridgets List'
<[email-masked]> 
Sent: Thursday, February 7, 2013 1:19 PM
Subject:
[Spridgets] non LBC Subaru Outback Info
 
Well since the list is too quite for
some I'll ask a question.

My son and his wife always get a fairly large tax
refund and this year they have decided to be smart about things and look into
buying a good (for them) family car.  Out here in the wilds of the Great
Northwest you can't swing a dead cat by the tail without hitting a Subaru
Outback so they are looking at those or alternatively some sort of minivan. 
They probably can afford an Outback in the 1995 to 1997 range, but are
noticing that many of those are listing that the timing belt, water pump, and
head gasket have been changed. I can understand the timing belt and water
pump, but is the head gasket a maintenance item on these or a design problem. 
If it is a problem how much time dose replacing it buy you?

Thanks
Rich Ball
'76 Midget

[email-masked]
Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/[email-masked]
------------------------

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---

From: Tim Collins <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:22:02 -0500

It pains me to hear of anyone getting a "fairly large tax refund."

I'll make the same offer the government makes. Send me a bundle of 
your money and a year later I'll return it. I talked to a tax 
preparer who said one of his clients gets a large return because he 
likes to waive it around at work and "brag" about the tax return. Ok 
with me if that's his thing, I guess. Anyhow, anyone can contact me 
anytime if you want me to hold your money for a year. I'll even sign 
legal documents stating the guaranteed return in 1 year. (same 
interest rate as the government, you understand!)

At 01:19 PM 2/7/2013, Richard Ball wrote:
>http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/spridgets/[email-masked]

Tim Collins
------------------------

[email-masked]

---

From: "Richard Ball" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2013 12:40:10 -0800

Tim,

While I can understand you point of view and as a side note my wife and I
try to have our taxes come out as close to zero as possible, that's not the
case for my son Adam and his family.  In my sons case they qualify for the
earned income tax credit for their two kids and his annual income.  I'm not
one to defend the US tax code; I'm just saying that they aren't using Uncle
Sam as a savings account.

  _____  

From: Tim Collins [mailto:[email-masked]] 
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2013 12:22 PM
To: Richard Ball; 'Spridgets List'
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] non LBC Subaru Outback Info

I'll make the same offer the government makes. Send me a bundle of your
money and a year later I'll return it. I talked to a tax preparer who said
one of his clients gets a large return because he likes to waive it around
at work and "brag" about the tax return. Ok with me if that's his thing, I
guess. Anyhow, anyone can contact me anytime if you want me to hold your
money for a year. I'll even sign legal documents stating the guaranteed
return in 1 year. (same interest rate as the government, you understand!)

Thanks
Rich Ball
'76 Midget

[email-masked]

Tim Collins
------------------------

[email-masked]

---

From: Lester Ewing <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2013 14:58:49 -0600

Richard,

you do understand that the Earned Income Credit is actually cash given to
poorly paid parents.  In other words anyone earning money and paying in is
giving anyone with the EIC cash.  A pure handout.  When it's needed it's great
for the folks receiving it but to say that they are getting a tax refund is
misleading.  The US Government is giving them money.  Period.  More power to
them, I would rather that my taxes go to some good purpose than many others
but please fully understand what's happening.

Lester

On Feb 7, 2013, at 2:40 10PM, Richard Ball wrote:

> ____
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[email-masked]

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From: "Richard Ball" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2013 13:46:27 -0800

Thanks Lester,

Yeah, I was playing a little loose with the term refund but I hear what your
saying.

Rich Ball
'76 Midget
Everett, WA

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked]
[mailto:[email-masked]] On Behalf Of Lester Ewing
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2013 12:59 PM
To: spridgets list
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] non LBC Subaru Outback Info

Richard,

giving anyone with the EIC cash.  A pure handout.  When it's needed it's
great

Lester

------------------------

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Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
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From: "Richard Ball" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2013 13:54:58 -0800

Thanks Peter,

So it sounds like cars that have had the HG replaced have a few years left
in them.

It also sounds like with any car we have those that had good luck and bad,
I'll have my son Adam look through the Outback forum so he can get an idea
of what to expect.  I'll go through it also since I end up doing all their
car work.  I make him help and teach him what I can, but it just has never
been something that interested him.

There is one maintenance thing he likes to do on cars that I have never
understood.  He likes to R & R the brakes.  A dirty messy job, but for some
reason he likes to do it so I encourage him and try to have the brake job
lead to other things.  He is good at his job as a building maintenance tech
though.

Thanks Everyone

Rich Ball
'76 Midget
Everett, WA

-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Caldwell [mailto:[email-masked]] 
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2013 10:24 AM
To: Richard Ball; 'Spridgets List'
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] non LBC Subaru Outback Info

------------------------

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