Looking at a 348

My 91 with 53k miles has exactly what you describe going on with first gear. I figure it's syncros. Kind of embarrassing rolling toward a stop sign and forgetting which cer you're in and trying to put it into first and grinding the gets on a Ferrari. You get some odd looks sometimes.

I don't believe there is anyone doing any premade upholstery kits out there. You'll likely need to just have a custom shop stitch some up for you.

 

1. Windshield, it is very common, if it does not bother you, don't replace it. Very expensive.

2. Not normal, syncro. Expensive to do because you don't go in and back out for 1 syncro

3. custom job, or a used seat.

 

Matt...I think I'd keep looking, unless the price of the car is way below average.

 

Funny, I was thinking the exact same thing. Sounds like the car wasn't treated very well so more problems may be hiding. That said, it would be great if someone with the time & skills would rehabilitate the car, but you'd need to buy it really right to have a chance of not taking a total bath.

 

I never go into 1st unless I'm at a dead stop. I never downshift into it. I'm guessing it would do it though. Second has plenty of pull in my opinion.

 

+348.

 

I was taught from the beginning that you never downshift into first gear until the vehicle is fully stopped. Been doing it that way for every manual trans car/truck ever since.

 

Never downshift into 1st while moving. First is only for starting out. Wade is absolutely right

 

yep me too, only go into first when at a stop.

Makes a refreshing change from someone *****in about it being tough getting into 2nd on a 348 (something most seem to suffer from when cold, 'to greater or lesser extent').

 

Sure, maybe, but some times I don't like to come to a complete stop.
I don't know, I've owned dozens of standard trans cars and put hundreds of thousands of miles on them. (doesn't make me an expert, I just sayin) And when I'm coasting to a stop sign with the clutch in I usually slip it into 1st at around 10mph and none of them have ever complained exept the 348. After the first grind or two it reminds me to wait a bit.

 

Wheels are on in different directions. Doesn't effect anything, but cosmetic.

The rear window, mine is in similar shape, but not as bad. Affect visibility? Probably not. If it isn't an eye sore wouldn't be bothered by it.

Need more pics of engine bay and anything even slightly underneath front/rear of car.

Front of car pics? Unable to tell if black pieces are missing next to the fog lights.

With that kind of wear, it might be a bit too much but you could use for wiggle room on price.

 

Seats would be worth a shot to try and re dye first. Its amazing how they can be brought back.

IMO $44.5 is pretty high for the several isssues the car has, top, seats, wheels look like they might need a respray...

It's sometimes easy to fall for a car just because it's physically close

 

Agree 100%. This car deserves to be brought back to its former glory, but in today's market that's a very steep entry fee considering the odometer reading and the investment required to bring the car up to standard.

 

What he means is that the wheel on the drivers side of the car should really be on the passengers side, and visa-versa.

(The front wheel pattern should match the rear wheels which are on the correct sides of the car).

As stated, it's a cosmetic thing only, but if you decided to swap them onto the correct sides of the car, make sure the tyres are not directional first!

 

Priced too high. Sit on it and wait until the middle of the winter and make a good offer. I went through the same process. I looked for 1.5 years before pulling the trigger this past February. My car needed a full engine out sorting as well as many cosmetic issues fixed. The leather can be "refinished" but will never look brand new. If you truly want a driver car, then don't sweat the cosmetic stuff. I'm having the front bumper repaired and repainted over the winter as well as pulling the seats to refinish them and redye the carpet. I knew it going in and got the car for a price that I feel was fair.

Also, did you try giving it a rev when going into first gear?

 

Downshifting into first is certainly rarely needed and awkward anyway with the dogleg, but the tranny is designed for it and it can be useful in traffic, or just for occasional fun when putzing around. What are you folks doing when you just about completely stop and the light turns green, lugging the motor in second?

My car can have a hard time engaging first, but usually that's at a dead stop and it never grinds. I suspect it's the shift cables. Anyway I'd be very wary of a bad synchro, weird that it would be first though.

 

You don't have to lug the motor or burn up the clutch to start off in second as long as you're careful. But that's not really an issue if you're used to never, ever putting the car in first while moving-- you just pay a lot of attention to traffic and your surroundings so that you almost never have to bring the car to a full stop unless you have time to engage first. All but one of my cars are manuals, yet I doubt I put a car into first when moving any more often than once every few years.

 

I only downshift into first while coming to a stop sign at very slow speed and I double clutch, revving to 4k for the match.

The windshield is a personal decision, but note that when they fail they fail from the edges. The rear glass can be replaced with a Lexan type product for a lot less. Removing the glass one generally cracks it so its an "all or nothing" proposition to replace. I think Bruce (Plugzit) did his tree car this way.

You can have the T-Top done by a decent body shop. It might be easier to have the thing sanded, glazed and painted body color for a GTB effect.

 

What's the issue with that delamination? It can't be weather or sunlight, my car has lived it's days in a climate controlled garage and has only 1950 miles on it and the windshield is "delaminating" down at the bottom as shown in the photograph above.