Postby Scaramoche » Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:58 pm
Well I just finished doing the interior, paint and rebuilt the motor on my 89 pathy, so Ill give you my 2cents.
Carpet....In all honosty I would probably just recarpet. You can either by the carpet kit online(i think they run around 200) or do what i did, and hit homedepot, grab some carpet(i got grey, ran about 50 or so) and recarpet yourself. When you pull out the old carpet try to do it in 1 piece, then use it for a patern for new carpet, make sure you add at least a couple inches all the way around though, it's easy to trim, but impossible to uncut carpet.
Tires- yes the tread will be different on all the tires, you need to get a matched set, if money is an issue try the used tire places(get new though)
I have 31' tires on my pathy, and they will rub, i cut a little of the plastic fenders to minimize, but those tires are a little big for pathy unless you have a body, or suspension lift(200-1k for lifts)
preventative maintances, well like yours i picked mine up for $600, and no sooner than driving it home did the engine go. Now hopefully you wont have to deal with this, though im greatful it did happen, cause now my pathy is AWESOME. I would also do the timing belt(can be a pain, and tricky to do and Assume it need to be replaced, they are cheap, but if it goes it will destroy your motor), as well as the distributor cap. Other than those, the only other thing you can do is slowely start replacing items, like starters, alternators because if they are the originall equipment, they are comming to there end of life.
Body parts.
We have a alot of junk yards here in albuquerque, specifically a U-pullit yard that is dirt cheap. I have never had any problems getting parts for mine. I have replaced the whole front end, suspensioon, hatchback, and tons of odd's and ends, that whole time spending maybe 600. I would call your local yards and find out what they have.
best regards
Scara