Want to talk about a rough car and would you think it would ever start again?

Anyway you want to look at it I didn’t think this 389 Convertible starts after years of storage. What would you think after looking at a ride like this that has been sitting for years upon years. 🙄

It would seem that this car was sold to the dealership by a mechanic that had done a 389 swap into the car replacing the 326 that powered it originally. They also got the original car that the 389 came out of that proved that the engine swap had been done.

Well anyway the car was put away in storage quite a few years ago. More like a decade or more ago by the looks of what is left if you ask me. Anyway things are being moved around on the lot and put up for sale so just for laughs almost it was decided to see if this car would start. That was after one of the valve covers was taken off and the mouse nest was removed from it as there was no breathers on the valve cover. Who would have thought an engine would start after vermin had lived in it 😯

Anyway, it did start up and actually idle for a couple of seconds as it was just on the gas dumped down the carb. However, the B&M floor shifter that was installed seems to have rusted and won’t shift out of drive. So when the car stated if moved forwards a bit making us not want to start it again in fear of the car lurching forwards. Of course, the brakes aren’t working wether it being from the fruit jar master being rusted or just the slave cylinders all being rusted solid?

Yes, it is a convertible so you would think it should be saved even though it is quite rough. It seems to have a complete quarter panel welded to the passenger side at one point in time. So at least it has that going for it right?