I'm basically down to two options for a new ride. One of them being an 89 S13, and the other being an 89 740 Turbo Wagon.

The S13 looks like hell, but drives absolutely awesome, has relatively low miles(150k) and everything works. A/C, Heads up display, windows, everything. And drives really, really well, and feels solid. It had been in a front end collision, but has been fixed, and everything drives straight and nothing is wrinkled up or anything. This is good. It needs some love cosmetically, needs an upper windshield moulding, there is some surfact rust, and basically just needs paint.

The Volvo is exactly like my old one, with the exception that the interior is black leather as apposed to the red. M46 4 speed with O/D, so like a 5 spd. Guy says it runs fine, but the ODO stopped at 175k, so probably has a lot more. A/C doens't work, says it needs a compressor(200$ or so). But says it runs/drives fine, and like most Volvos, will pretty much go forever. The car is however from Jersey, and while the seller says there is no undercarraige rust, I'm naturally skeptical, as my last sled was from CT, and it was a nightmare. Car's front seats are ripped up, and has minimal outside rust.

S13: 1500$, firm.
740: 1000$ OBO

S13: Coilovers, sways, lots of easy to get and easy to install aftermarket parts. Easy to make fast. Lots of people wrecking them, means lots of used parts if something breaks.
740: Black sheep, yeah it's a cool car, but there are no real popular suspension parts, and little things are not that easy to come by. Not many around, and no stupid kids putting them into walls means some parts are rare to get.

I could build the S13 relatively quickly(read: Before the Dragon Trip) and it would be a formidable contender, even with the SOHC mill. But I just don't think the machine is worth the 1500 he is asking. I mean yes, it drives fantastic(really it does), but it needs outside love. And the bee-otch of it is, is that I really like the car, I love the coupes, and this is a hardtop to boot. So is it worth the 1500? Not sure.

The 740 is like the choice mom wants you to pick. It's safe, big, and doesn't really promote hooliganism. It can be made fast, but it's heavy, and it steers..well..like something heavy. Has lots of space, and can tow. But very unique, which is a god send or a curse, you pick.

The big issue I have with this is. The cafe build is close, but not really close, to being done. And soon I will need to start farming out the work, powdercoaters, painters, wheel lacers, all of that, and it needs to be done sort of at once. And it's going to be a big bill.

Two scenarios:

I get the S13, which would be all of the money from the sale of the FZR, and drive it and do my thing, maybe even hold off on the Cafe for a bit while I get the S13 ready to go. So that delays the completion of the Cafe. Which I don't entirely mind, as it's hot as hell right now, and I don't feel like riding.

I get the Volvo, I fix the A/C(whole reason I'm buying another car), fix the seats, and then go to town on making the boat that it is, turn. Hope like hell the motor holds up. If I could get the Volvo for say, 850-900, and the guy goes for it. That leaves me 600 bucks to fix the air, and anything else that is wrong with it. So say, 200 for the compressor/dryer, charge it at work. Hope that fixes the problem. Seats? Who knows...say 100 total. So I'm at 1200, hoping there are no other problems along the way. That leaves me 300 to help the CB move along, or to help the Queen Mary make hairpins.

As I mentioned up there, the CB is getting there, but I can start to see why those shows on TV stress the deadlines when people build motorcycles. It takes a really, really long time. Just tedious work. So I don't forsee it being done before winter, which is ok, because winter is when I'll want to ride it, not now when it's hotter than Hades. I originally was going to opt for the cheaper car version of the two scenarios, thinking it would help me finish the CB sooner, but I'm not sure if that couple hundred bills that I'll save with the Swede mobile will make 'that' much of a difference. I know it's 300 bucks, but think of it like this, that's ONLY my carbs. And I still need to get my Wiseco's, and possibly my Cam...so it's a drop in the bucket. And I'd rather it take longer, and be done absolutely baller(as it will be) than to rush it and have it be mediocre.

So long post, I know, but help me out, what would you do? S13 I can drive right now, with icy air, and easily build up. Volvo is cool, but it would need work to be daily driveable, and even more work to be what I want.

Pictures of the S13:









Ad for the 740:
http://orlando.craigslist.org/car/379571730.html

Steve