A Montero Was My First Car: A Love Affair

[jeep-N-montero]

Those are nice looking but I'm looking for one under a grand to play with and build up. Got the guy down to $550 on the 1997 I'm looking at, going to check it out tomorrow.

Almost picked up a 96 LS a while back that the guy got halfway through the timing belt and said screw it, and was selling for $500 with 120k on it. Still kicking myself for that, even if I had just finished the timing belt and flipped it for 2k.

So you expect to find one under a grand that isn't a project?

 

[EyeInTheSky]

So you expect to find one under a grand that isn't a project?

Nope. Even the nicer and well-kept ones will end up being projects, given their age and my intended use (camping, mild offroad).

I just need to figure out the ROI on some of the work (locker swap for example) and determine if it's something I want to tackle.

Hopefully picking up my new (to me) Montero in the morning.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Nope. Even the nicer and well-kept ones will end up being projects, given their age and my intended use (camping, mild offroad).

I just need to figure out the ROI on some of the work (locker swap for example) and determine if it's something I want to tackle.

Hopefully picking up my new (to me) Montero in the morning.

You can swap in a complete rear axle for under $200 if you look hard enough, matching front ratio about $140.

 

[EyeInTheSky]

So my hopes were dashed this morning. The Monty I was looking at (97 LS) wasn't in limp mode... it was a blown head gasket that the owner had been driving with for the last three weeks (white smoke, bubbling radiator overflow, the whole nine yards). With the many possibile things she could have damaged in the engine, it just wasn't worth it.

So there's five hours of my life I can't get back. I'm still on the hunt though. Hopefully soon I'll be starting my own build thread on here when I find the right vehicle.