In 1999 I purchased a pink (Mexicanized) 1958 Goggomobil T400 sunroof sedan at a used helicopter auction that was held outside of a private hanger where the car had been stored for so long that not only were there whiskers sticking out the sides of all 4 flat tires, but they had actually entombed themselves in hard pack earth.
The sunroof was gone, but there were rows of golden dingle balls hanging from the open perimeter of the sunroof, and the interior had been redone in pink pin striped material.
It obviously hadn't been running in decades.
I fit spare tires on it and had it transported to the garage of a house that I was trying to sell, as I had no where else to put it.
Had the gas tank professionally boiled out, coated and painted. Cleaned up the carb and got it running!
However I couldn't get it stopping. Every puller I used on a rear brake drum would just twist up and off, and I now had the house sold.
One of my friends who lives in the desert said he wouldn't mind if I stored it in his spacious sandy back yard - so I called Triple A, and off it went....for 17 years!
He had an air compressor, and I gave him the key after I installed a new battery, and gave him money to cover the open sunroof with a new tarp about twice a year whenever he asked for it.
Obviously the intent was to keep the tires aired up, the engine started once a month, and the sunroof opening covered. I was more than a bit surprised to find that none of the above had indeed occurred, with the exception of a few tarp replacements in the first couple of years.
I plead guilty to partial negligence, as in 17 years I never made the 100 Mike trek to check on it, for fear be would ask me to take it back with me, and my property was already overloaded.
Well a couple months ago I finally got the dreaded call to take it away or loose it.
So I hooked up my trailer drove out on a typical 100 degree (F) day, and found the Goggo once again resting on 4 whiskered flat tires sunk this time in sand. No sign of a tarp, key, or the carburetor for that matter, but other than the pink upolstery and rows of golden dingle balls' evaporation from direct sun exposure, the rest of the car looked about the way I had left it.
However some of the wiring, including the largest wires going directly into the crankcase mounted Dynastarter had been completely severed by the teeth of large rats. Pretty impressive, as this was the thickness of a battery cable. Couldn't solder this big a wire that close to the Dynastarter without burning up expensive innards, so I instead made do with a large hollow ferule, and a professional ferule compressor, plus a good dose of heat shrink tubing, cleaned up a spare carb, a few hours cleaning out the cobwebs (literally) grime and sand that had blown into the unprotected Dynastarter's brushes and points, new unchewed spark plug wires, a battery, fresh gas and the thirty year old oil still in the oil tank, hot wired the ignition... and she started up like it had been driven the day before!
There is a lot more to tell, but I fear I will be censored for extreme length of blurb.
So I'll give you a chance to breath or throw in what ever comments you like.
