Update

Did a lot of work on her Wednesday, 1/20/10, found the perfect donor car so that I could replace the hatch, glass, and spoiler. It was also red, so the body color matches, the donor car was a 1984 Trans AM, from it I also took the map pocket (glove box), and hood latch. I also found a donor Camaro to take a shifter knob from. All parts were replaced and are doing wonderfully. The hatch struts held for a while after the lighter hatch was put on, but failed later that night, so new struts all around, about $85 from Autozone.

On Friday she died on me shortly after start up after a very rough idle and threw a code, I started her right back up and she fired up and there were no more issues, so with full intent to tune up the car and fix the brakes, I got nothing done due to incorrect sized and broken tools. I did however, bleed the break fluid in the front and found out that the front brakes are new and looking good while the back driver's side needs new brake pads and rotor. I will try again to change the oil, spark plugs, wires, and distributor cap. Will seafoam too.

It feels good to get some stuff done, especially something as big as a new hatch, but at the same time so crappy to work on the car all afternoon just to get nothing done except a finger caught under the closing hood (beer and car repair, not always a good idea.)

I will most likely be going back to the junkyard on Monday to find some more parts, I'm about to order headlights, struts, a headlight motor, locks with keys, and spark plug wires (about $400.00 altogether).

Only 12 days until the temp tag is out of date... then I rip apart the interior, my focus right now is removing some of the years of neglect and getting her running smoothly.

Pictures to follow.