Hi!
A couple weeks ago I wrote asking about a 1989 mercury tracer, which we did end up buying.
By "we" I mean my sister and I, as a fuel efficient car for long travels, and a fun stick shift.
We negotiated $600, it has 64,000 miles, and really it's in pretty good shape. It needs tires off the bat (thinking michelin weatherwiseII's, for $250?)
It also seems to have some brake fade, so I'll bleed the fluid.
Now, my sister was my proxy for this purchase, and I have not seen it myself yet... turns out after the fact, she had not noticed, that there is no a/c option on this car!
Well, $600, what are you going to do...
I'd like an idea of what cars are built the same? Does a mazda 323 have the same dash and climate controls as a tracer, too, so if I can just hunt down any 86-89 323 or tracer, or even some other models (protege? escort?), maybe --labor intensive of course-- I can swap the climate box, accessory brackets, and all that is required to install air conditioning on this car?
Second question... what stronger engines are available? Someone said there may have been a 1.8L turbo that would drop right into this car? That would be fun.
These projects will go down in the winter when work is slower and I have more time: but, I can start searching junkyards and craigslist for a donor car once I know a compatible donor to harvest engines and climate boxes from!
Or if anyone wants to PM me with an engine or a/c-equipped parts car that they have, I'd be interested.
As our new fuel-economy car in the family for the long trips, when we visit our friend in california, and cross the desert, I want us to have a/c in this thing!
Right now we both drive 1989 and 1990 mercury colony park wagons, and they get 22mpg highway and that's at the very best, so I'm looking forward to 30-35.
thanks!
-Bernard
A couple weeks ago I wrote asking about a 1989 mercury tracer, which we did end up buying.
By "we" I mean my sister and I, as a fuel efficient car for long travels, and a fun stick shift.
We negotiated $600, it has 64,000 miles, and really it's in pretty good shape. It needs tires off the bat (thinking michelin weatherwiseII's, for $250?)
It also seems to have some brake fade, so I'll bleed the fluid.
Now, my sister was my proxy for this purchase, and I have not seen it myself yet... turns out after the fact, she had not noticed, that there is no a/c option on this car!
Well, $600, what are you going to do...
I'd like an idea of what cars are built the same? Does a mazda 323 have the same dash and climate controls as a tracer, too, so if I can just hunt down any 86-89 323 or tracer, or even some other models (protege? escort?), maybe --labor intensive of course-- I can swap the climate box, accessory brackets, and all that is required to install air conditioning on this car?
Second question... what stronger engines are available? Someone said there may have been a 1.8L turbo that would drop right into this car? That would be fun.
These projects will go down in the winter when work is slower and I have more time: but, I can start searching junkyards and craigslist for a donor car once I know a compatible donor to harvest engines and climate boxes from!
Or if anyone wants to PM me with an engine or a/c-equipped parts car that they have, I'd be interested.
As our new fuel-economy car in the family for the long trips, when we visit our friend in california, and cross the desert, I want us to have a/c in this thing!
Right now we both drive 1989 and 1990 mercury colony park wagons, and they get 22mpg highway and that's at the very best, so I'm looking forward to 30-35.
thanks!
-Bernard
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