Breaking my Trabant for spares ?
Discussion
It is with a heavy heart I am considering this. I bought a 1985 Trabbie about 3 years ago for £450 on a (red wine fuelled EBay whim)
It needed the floors welding, no problem I can do that. Not pretty, but solid !
I then discovered that it had a knackered engine, my own fault.....on inspection the vendor ran it for about 30 secs, said it was low on fuel and switched it off. I think it had previously been run on straight petrol (it's 2 stroke and needs oil adding).
Anyway fast forward, I bought new engine parts and have partially rebuilt the engine, the rest of the car sits outside looking sorry for itself, and a bit of an eyesore.
Realistically I'll never have the enthusiasm or time/skill to get it done this summer. I reckon it stands me at £700 all in with the price of new parts, the recon engines sell (from dealers for this price alone) I'm wondering if I should cut my loss, get a reasonable amount for the effectively new engine (new crank/barrels/pistons etc etc, and break the rest for bits, hopefully get close to my £700. I"ve never broken a car, not sure which bits are valuable. I'd much prefer to save it....but it won't happen.
I did put it on Ebay last year, got a load of time wasters, but a genuine offer for £600.....which I really should have taken.
I'm not sure what I would do with the remains of a duraplast shell.....do you think the scrap man would pick it up ?
Any thoughts ?
It needed the floors welding, no problem I can do that. Not pretty, but solid !
I then discovered that it had a knackered engine, my own fault.....on inspection the vendor ran it for about 30 secs, said it was low on fuel and switched it off. I think it had previously been run on straight petrol (it's 2 stroke and needs oil adding).
Anyway fast forward, I bought new engine parts and have partially rebuilt the engine, the rest of the car sits outside looking sorry for itself, and a bit of an eyesore.
Realistically I'll never have the enthusiasm or time/skill to get it done this summer. I reckon it stands me at £700 all in with the price of new parts, the recon engines sell (from dealers for this price alone) I'm wondering if I should cut my loss, get a reasonable amount for the effectively new engine (new crank/barrels/pistons etc etc, and break the rest for bits, hopefully get close to my £700. I"ve never broken a car, not sure which bits are valuable. I'd much prefer to save it....but it won't happen.
I did put it on Ebay last year, got a load of time wasters, but a genuine offer for £600.....which I really should have taken.
I'm not sure what I would do with the remains of a duraplast shell.....do you think the scrap man would pick it up ?
Any thoughts ?
I have one running on Car and classic for ages, advertised it for £750 or offers, not a single enquiry (Ive had success with that site in the past).
I checked last nice, 900 views....so certainly been looked at.
I'm reluctant to go back to Ebay due to the cost, and timewasters, but maybe I should invest another £10 !
I checked last nice, 900 views....so certainly been looked at.
I'm reluctant to go back to Ebay due to the cost, and timewasters, but maybe I should invest another £10 !
I'm the blue one in Beds (it's on http://carandclassic.co.uk) search under Trabant, I know the mods don't like links.
Just been out "fiddling" with it, does seem a shame to break it....
Just been out "fiddling" with it, does seem a shame to break it....
In reply....
The brakes are quite sticky now, but as someone said...the bits are cheap. Fitting looks a pain, but I think a decent puller (and a big hammer) might help .
Its Hungarian registered, but if your local feel free to pop round for a cup of tea and a giggle at my expense !...always nice to meet another PH'er !
Aside from the Trabant, I've got an old Jeep, a Suzuki Cappuccino, a Matra Murena, to fettle, and an everyday Jag. I'm a busy freelancer/self employed, as is my wife....and we have a two year old daughter...oddly the Trabant has slipped down the list of priorities !.
The only reason to contemplate breaking it was the only valuable bit (the rebuilt engine) is already out, and all of the ancillaries are in the boot !
I would much rather sell it as a whole, in reality it probably sit there for another age, and I'll be putting the same post up next year !
The brakes are quite sticky now, but as someone said...the bits are cheap. Fitting looks a pain, but I think a decent puller (and a big hammer) might help .
Its Hungarian registered, but if your local feel free to pop round for a cup of tea and a giggle at my expense !...always nice to meet another PH'er !
Aside from the Trabant, I've got an old Jeep, a Suzuki Cappuccino, a Matra Murena, to fettle, and an everyday Jag. I'm a busy freelancer/self employed, as is my wife....and we have a two year old daughter...oddly the Trabant has slipped down the list of priorities !.
The only reason to contemplate breaking it was the only valuable bit (the rebuilt engine) is already out, and all of the ancillaries are in the boot !
I would much rather sell it as a whole, in reality it probably sit there for another age, and I'll be putting the same post up next year !
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