[T3] Old Type IIIs

[James Lingenfelter]

    I will be ridiculed, as always, for saying this, but I still  
stand by it; my type III has been a daily driver for 7 years; if it's  
not running, my family is minus a car. It is used to ferry the kids  
around, has had to go on long trips, etc. Since I have owned it, I  
have known a FEW other people that used them as REAL daily drivers,  
with one friend basically using his as a work truck on unpaved  
mountain backroads, logging 1,000 miles a week or more. Everybody  
I've known that REALLY depended on a type III for serious dependable  
transportation would tell you what I'm about to tell you, and it's  
very simple: Throw the fuel injection system in the trash and put  
carburetors on it.

So, before the angry replies come pouring in, and I am burned at the  
stake, take one weekend and convert the car to carbs; it could save  
you YEARS of frustration trying to get the FI working like you think  
it should. Even if you manage to get it working like brand new, I  
invite you to come drive mine with carbs, and you will be so  
depressed you will probably send your type III to the crusher.  
(Actually, at one point, somebody locally that had spent years and $$ 
$ getting their original FI up to snuff drove my car about 1/2 mile  
and immediately ordered a carb kit). Now, I must go, as I can hear  
the angry mob beating on my door already; but I hope you'll have the  
courage to take the plunge before the purists change your mind and  
relegate your car to "weekend driver" status forever.
   -Jimmy

On Feb 22, 2011, at 11:45 PM, J. Jonik wrote:

> Isn't it the case that all Manuals on how to take care of a Type  
> III are assuming that New Parts are available, and assuming a  
> certain age for existing parts?
>
> None that I've seen talk about "Are your wires and connections 40  
> years old?"...and what to do about that.   What IS the life of a  
> wire or connector or Control Box or the rest?
>
> How to know which parts, incl wires, connectors, other components,  
> MUST be replaced after X number of years to be reliable?
>
> Bottom Line:    How to make a 70's T-3 a "New Car"...good for the  
> next 40 years....or next trip to Mexico or the boondocks  
> elsewhere....body problems aside for now?
>
> Fear is that T-3's will become just Show Cars, trucked to Car  
> Shows, unreliable for actual use.   That would be a tragedy for one  
> of the most practical cars ever made.
>
>
>
>
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