Mecum auction experience, not a Corvette

[Thomas H.]

Re: Mecum auction experience, not a Corvette

Sorry to hear. I don't know why the PO would run water in it. Maybe his last outing was to the drag strip, drained the antifreeze and just ran h2o. Track crews are never very happy when a car starts puking antifreeze down the track.

We used to run a 9 second big block Camaro. I had just built up a new engine (454, with new 4 bolt block) and we took it out in the late fall one year just to ring it out and have some fun. I installed petcocks in the block so we could drain the water out, usually opened them once we loaded it on the trailer and it would drain out before we hit the road. I suppose I forgot to do it this time. Sometime in the winter after a fairly cold week, I went out into the garage and something gold under the car caught my eye. I looked under only to see two freeze plugs on the ground and icicles coming down from the block. Not a good feeling............ For once luck was on my side as the freeze plugs did their job and the block was spared, but I had to tear the whole engine back down to have it checked for cracks.

Hopefully you can get a good engine put together and start enjoying the car soon.

Tom

[Michael J.]

Re: Mecum auction experience, not a Corvette

Sorry to hear. I don't know why the PO would run water in it. Maybe his last outing was to the drag strip, drained the antifreeze and just ran h2o. Track crews are never very happy when a car starts puking antifreeze down the track.

We used to run a 9 second big block Camaro. I had just built up a new engine (454, with new 4 bolt block) and we took it out in the late fall one year just to ring it out and have some fun. I installed petcocks in the block so we could drain the water out, usually opened them once we loaded it on the trailer and it would drain out before we hit the road. I suppose I forgot to do it this time. Sometime in the winter after a fairly cold week, I went out into the garage and something gold under the car caught my eye. I looked under only to see two freeze plugs on the ground and icicles coming down from the block. Not a good feeling............ For once luck was on my side as the freeze plugs did their job and the block was spared, but I had to tear the whole engine back down to have it checked for cracks.

Hopefully you can get a good engine put together and start enjoying the car soon.

Tom

Thanks Tom, I had thought about the track, but this car looks so pristine and clean, hard to believe it did anything but sit in a garage. It will get fix, I guess maybe a good opportunity to build the engine up correctly and right, and I will at least know what is in it. Cheers!

[Roger W.]

Re: Mecum auction experience, not a Corvette

We Had an early freeze here in late October. My mechanic had left his short track race car outside on the trailer and discovered icicles hanging off of the side of the block. He had to order a new race crate engine.

[Michael J.]

Re: Mecum auction experience, not a Corvette

I was hoping that was the one. As I recall it was an XR7 with a 428CJ. That is very unusual and interesting car.

It was the XR7, such a great color combo of black exterior and medium saddle leather interior. All original and in fantastic shape. And since Fords of this vintage have the famous Marti reports (thanks to Lois), you can get the numbers accurately broken down as to rarity. Oh well, maybe a more correct engine will be the good news.

[Kenneth B.]

Re: Mecum auction experience, not a Corvette

Every car I bought when I lived in Indiana I checked the radiator coolant. Rusty water & no antifreeze would throw up a red flag for me.

[Michael J.]

Re: Mecum auction experience, not a Corvette

True, I did open the radiator cap and look with my flashlight. It didn't look too rusty, and was pretty clear. But I was used to seeing my Corvettes filled with Zerex G-05, which is also clear. I should have stuck my finger in, since I had no hydrometer (never thought of it of course), but I had nice clothes on and no rags to wipe anything off. So, live and learn.

[Terry M.]

Re: Mecum auction experience, not a Corvette

Mike,
Thanks for sharing your experience. While I can't imagine the circumstances that would cause me to buy anything at auction, one never knows; and your warning should stand all of us in good stead. One can never be too careful.

[Michael J.]