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Well, another project. This 400 lived its whole life in Arizona until 2011, when it was driven to CT and sold to the former owner. He never drove it in any winters. I bought it for the undercarriage alone... it honestly might be cleaner than my 430’s which lived in Florida until last year.
It currently has 201k on it and does not start. The gentleman who owned the car was moving to Tennessee and had no time or desire to fix it, although you could tell he was going to really miss it (he put 100k miles on it over the 7 years he had it). He’s insisting the engine jumped time — here’s the weird part: he said it happened to him before his last tbelt change 50k miles ago. I just don’t see how an engine would keep jumping time for no reason, but I’m going to check that first. Anyone heard of this? I sure haven’t.
Heres some pics of her. Real happy that the dash works and the leather is in good condition. Also absolutely no leaks from power steering. Car is bone dry underneath. Seriously cannot wait to detail it!! Gonna be a new car.
Typo sorry I paid $500 which I was still comfortable with. Once I get it started she shouldn’t need much. Just have to address that off colored rear door. The PO got backed into at a local parking lot. He gave me the original door as well but it’s pretty dented in.
Typo sorry I paid $500 which I was still comfortable with. Once I get it started she shouldn’t need much. Just have to address that off colored rear door. The PO got backed into at a local parking lot. He gave me the original door as well but it’s pretty dented in.
Very nice price regardless even if the fix is pricey. My 99 was 400 but I replaced quite a few things. I'm jealous....jealousy sucks haha
Nice car. Looks pretty clean for the mileage, and the GS rims look good on it.
In your second to last photo, the bumper retainer for the fender liner has come off. It is held onto the inside of the bumper skin by a metal clip. If the clip is still there, you can slide it back on. Otherwise, you can use 3M tape or epoxy to mount the retainer bracket. There should be a tab for it on the inside of the bumper skin (which the bracket and metal clip would slide over to lock it in place).
Please post the results of your detail. I would really like to see if you can get the yellowing out of the rear driver's side door.
Nice car. Looks pretty clean for the mileage, and the GS rims look good on it.
In your second to last photo, the bumper retainer for the fender liner has come off. It is held onto the inside of the bumper skin by a metal clip. If the clip is still there, you can slide it back on. Otherwise, you can use 3M tape or epoxy to mount the retainer bracket. There should be a tab for it on the inside of the bumper skin (which the bracket and metal clip would slide over to lock it in place).
Please post the results of your detail. I would really like to see if you can get the yellowing out of the rear driver's side door.
Thanks for the tip will do! And you think it’s just yellowing? Or that door came from a 400 with a different shade of white?
Thanks for the tip will do! And you think it’s just yellowing? Or that door came from a 400 with a different shade of white?
I am pretty certain that the clearcoat on the rear door has just yellowed more, yes.
There is a slight chance that the door is a different shade of white, but it is unlikely. The only other time a different shade of white other than 051 Diamond White Pearl was offered was in 1994 for the Anniversary Edition, which was made in fewer numbers than the standard models.
There should still be a vin sticker at the bottom of your rear door, indicating what car it came from. Based off of that vin, you can determine the year of that car if you want to. If it was a 1990-1993, then there's no doubt it's the same color.
I am pretty certain that the clearcoat on the rear door has just yellowed more, yes.
There is a slight chance that the door is a different shade of white, but it is unlikely. The only other time a different shade of white other than 051 Diamond White Pearl was offered was in 1994 for the Anniversary Edition, which was made in fewer numbers than the standard models.
There should still be a vin sticker at the bottom of your rear door, indicating what car it came from. Based off of that vin, you can determine the year of that car if you want to. If it was a 1990-1993, then there's no doubt it's the same color.
Well, another project. This 400 lived its whole life in Arizona until 2011, when it was driven to CT and sold to the former owner. He never drove it in any winters. I bought it for the undercarriage alone... it honestly might be cleaner than my 430’s which lived in Florida until last year.
It currently has 201k on it and does not start. The gentleman who owned the car was moving to Tennessee and had no time or desire to fix it, although you could tell he was going to really miss it (he put 100k miles on it over the 7 years he had it). He’s insisting the engine jumped time — here’s the weird part: he said it happened to him before his last tbelt change 50k miles ago. I just don’t see how an engine would keep jumping time for no reason, but I’m going to check that first. Anyone heard of this? I sure haven’t.
Heres some pics of her. Real happy that the dash works and the leather is in good condition. Also absolutely no leaks from power steering. Car is bone dry underneath. Seriously cannot wait to detail it!! Gonna be a new car.
Where the hell did you find one in Ct.? I've been looking for a little while. Not too serious though, just looking. If I saw that undercarriage I would have jumped on it also. But, mine was close to that 2 years ago and now it's so rotted I don't want to change the bushings in the back. I'm afraid if I remove one of the lower arms everything will just disintegrate.
But with the timing belt jumping; On my 93 I change the T-belt 3 times, once as soon as I bought it and twice cuz it jumped. I'm almost positive that it jumped the first time cuz the cam seal was leaking and got oil on the belt and the second was coolant on the belt and it slipped.
Where the hell did you find one in Ct.? I've been looking for a little while. Not too serious though, just looking. If I saw that undercarriage I would have jumped on it also. But, mine was close to that 2 years ago and now it's so rotted I don't want to change the bushings in the back. I'm afraid if I remove one of the lower arms everything will just disintegrate.
But with the timing belt jumping; On my 93 I change the T-belt 3 times, once as soon as I bought it and twice cuz it jumped. I'm almost positive that it jumped the first time cuz the cam seal was leaking and got oil on the belt and the second was coolant on the belt and it slipped.
No exaggeration I search CL and Facebook marketplace daily for ls400s and ls430s. This was one of the few that I immediately jumped on. I mean there’s a lot of cheap **** around but at the end of the day rust will make any car’s restoration not worthwhile. At least if I’m repairing something without rust I know the bolts won’t be seized, I’m not smelling like PB blaster, and I’m not watching the fruits of my labor rot away over time.
Ive lived in CT all my life, been working on cars all my life and owned some beautiful cars that fell victim to that red cancer! It’s honestly painful to see and now that I can afford to buy cars and fix them as a hobby I’ll never willingly buy a car that’s lived up here its whole life.
That being said that’s an interesting hypothesis about the leaky cam seal! And coolant.. worst case since this bad boy lacks VVTi the cam seals are nice and easy to change! Good call
Ive lived in CT all my life, been working on cars all my life and owned some beautiful cars that fell victim to that red cancer! It’s honestly painful to see and now that I can afford to buy cars and fix them as a hobby I’ll never willingly buy a car that’s lived up here its whole life.
This sentence is my twin. Except for the hobby part. Maybe it would be different if I still had a garage but I lost that in the divorce. But it was well worth it. Now I only fix my kids' cars when they need something. Although, the other day I was at Chuck & Eddie's for a rear sway bar bracket and I felt alive, like 30 years younger. Right now mine is just fix as little as possible so I can get around for about 6 months. That's cuz of the red cancer you mentioned. I never had a car with this much rusted undercarriage. Wasn't like that when I bought it. Gotta do back brakes including the E- brake next week cuz that keeps seizing up. Looking to get into an LS460 soon and hope it's my last vehicle. Whereabouts are you in Ct.?
This sentence is my twin. Except for the hobby part. Maybe it would be different if I still had a garage but I lost that in the divorce. But it was well worth it. Now I only fix my kids' cars when they need something. Although, the other day I was at Chuck & Eddie's for a rear sway bar bracket and I felt alive, like 30 years younger. Right now mine is just fix as little as possible so I can get around for about 6 months. That's cuz of the red cancer you mentioned. I never had a car with this much rusted undercarriage. Wasn't like that when I bought it. Gotta do back brakes including the E- brake next week cuz that keeps seizing up. Looking to get into an LS460 soon and hope it's my last vehicle. Whereabouts are you in Ct.?
I’m in Rocky Hill. And next car you buy that you drive in the winter use
. Fluid Film works wonders! It prevents rust unlike anything I ever worked with. Never again will I undercoat a vehicle — in my experience that just accelerates the rust.
06-06-19, 12:11 PM
Couldn’t turn down the deal on this 92
Maybe it would be different if I still had a garage but I lost that in the divorce. But it was well worth it. Now I only fix my kids' cars when they need something. Although, the other day I was at Chuck & Eddie's for a rear sway bar bracket and I felt alive, like 30 years younger. 
Right now mine is just fix as little as possible so I can get around for about 6 months. That's cuz of the red cancer you mentioned. I never had a car with this much rusted undercarriage. Wasn't like that when I bought it. Gotta do back brakes including the E- brake next week cuz that keeps seizing up. Looking to get into an LS460 soon and hope it's my last vehicle. Whereabouts are you in Ct.?
