Wasted the old 186 when driving it up to Auckland after buying it from Christchurch, but it had been sitting motionless for better than 3 years with its 2nd owner so to be expected. Moral: strip and clean an old motor if it's sat too long as the old oil decomposes into sand-like crystals (found out the hard way ;-)
Since then I also discovered steel timing gears are a better idea than fiber ones.
I've not so much had to fix things as wanted to, as I fully hope to hand this old beast on to my son in another ten years when he's old enough to drive.
Have replaced basically all the running gear including fully reconditioning the original 186 but to XU1 standards, fitted a reco'd 4 speed M21 floor change, Commodore electronic ignition, done all steering joints, brake system, new suspension stiffened and lowered etc...
Easy to work on myself and it's fun tricking it up.
Revs to 7,000 rpm easily and blows away new XR8 Falcons to 140mph no problem.
Never misses a beat either.
Paid $500 for it initially and have spent somewhere from $5,000 to $10,000 on it since, and it costs me maybe $60 to $80 a week gas, but if it were a 3 year old Commodore V8 it'd offer no more performance or style (just cost me more in repayments).
I am asked if I'll sell it at least once a week - at the lights, in rush-hour traffic on the motorway, in gas stations... NO WAY! ;-)
Sounds like me I paid 200 and it broke on its maiden voyage from chch to timaru. Have also replaced timing gears to alloy ones. It had been sitting for two years in my friends dads garage.
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