30 year old likr new Honda Barn find

[Drew7a]

I found a 3rd gen Honda Accord 2.2L that was west coast car with under 10k miles that was bought new by the owner, he drove it for a few months and sat in an enclosed attached garage for the last 30 years. Other than some dust and flat tires it is pristine.

I know I kneed to drain the gas and possibly clean the injectors before starting the thing.

Should I also replace the timing before attempting to start it? Any other things I should be concerned about before starting the thing?

I just need to get it started so I can get it on a truck to get shipped home where I can get it on the lift replace all the fluids etc.

 

[PontiacHO]

Drain and add fresh fuel and a battery and I’d bet the farm it will fire off and run fine.

 

[4WD]

I found a 3rd gen Honda Accord 2.2L that was west coast car with under 10k miles that was bought new by the owner, he drove it for a few months and sat in an enclosed attached garage for the last 30 years. Other than some dust and flat tires it is pristine.

I know I kneed to drain the gas and possibly clean the injectors before starting the thing.

Should I also replace the timing before attempting to start it? Any other things I should be concerned about before starting the thing?

I just need to get it started so I can get it on a truck to get shipped home where I can get it on the lift replace all the fluids etc.

Is it easy to put in N ? Air up the tires and winch it up on a flatbed …

 

[Drew7a]

Is it easy to put in N ? Air up the tires and winch it up on a flatbed …

It will be shipped cross country so flat bed is not an option.

 

[4WD]

It will be shipped cross country so flat bed is not an option.

?

 

[Drew7a]

?

View attachment 295777

Lots of $$$$, for just a single car to be shipped on a flat bed 2000 miles. Needs to go on a car carrier for reasonable cost.

 

[blufeb95]

Should I also replace the timing before attempting to start it? Any other things I should be concerned about before starting the thing?

It's probably fine, lots of Toyotas go 200k without anyone ever touching the belt, but if it's sat for 30 years, the real answer is, we don't know, it could be a good idea to change it, it may still be pliable, but there's also the possibility that sitting in tension for so long that it's deformed the belt where it sits on the pulleys.

 

[RhondaHonda]

Clean the thing up and put it on bringatrailer, thank me later.

 

[eljefino]

Don't touch the belt, don't change any fluids. Top off if necessary. Mice nests in intake tracts are the other concern.

The gas will be gelled garbage, not just the tank but the fuel rail and lines too.

I take it you'll have intermediate tow truck goobers starting and running the thing to transition from one car carrier to another, you have to idiot proof it for them.

I expect the guy who has it now probably (secretly) tried to start it recently, so the timing belt made it through that experience.

There are Youtube stars who bring dead cars to life who use five gallon buckets with electric fuel pumps fitted, but the transport people won't like those for fire safety reasons.

 

[Speedy3861]

If i remember correctly Honda reccomends either 100k or 10 years on the belt, I'd do the water pump and tensioner while I'm in there.
I'd also do ALL the fluids especially the brakes. As others have mentioned, checking for rodent damage is important, intake filter and if it has a cabin filter will be a good place to start checking.

 

[ecotourist]

We found out about a Triumph TR4 that hadn't been started in at least 20 years. It had been kept in a garage under a tarp. We pushed it out of the garage and started it. [The gas smelled terrible but it started, and ran.] We ran it long enough to check the compression. Gasoline started gushing from the fuel pump so we shut it off.

The brakes had also failed. We pushed it back in the garage and told the owner's wife that it was leaking fuel quite badly.

There was rust along every body seam. While it could have been repaired, the owner wanted a premium price because of its "pristine" condition - which it wasn't. You certainly couldn't drive it without quite a bit of work. It was a really ugly colour. And then there was the rust. I didn't buy it.

 

[Spring Break '92]

That's a 5th gen if it has a 2.2 in it. The 2.2 is VTEC and the 2.3 in non-VTEC. Great motors, will probably outlive the owner.

 

[Owen Lucas]

3rd gen Honda Accord 2.2L that was west coast car with under 10k miles that was bought new by the owner

STOP!

Don't worry about the fluids.

I will buy the car from you right now!

 

[Hall]

?

That's effectively a tow truck. A tow costs $100 to go 1 mile or 20 miles. How much you think they'll charge to tow it from California/Oregon/Washington to the Wisconsin/Michigan area ? Then that tow truck will drive home empty and charge accordingly. Transporters consolidate multiple vehicles to share or spread out the cost.

 

[Hall]

If i remember correctly Honda reccomends either 100k or 10 years on the belt

That's on modern ones (it's 7 years too, not 10) and I'm not sure if they've back-dated that to older models. I had a '99 Accord and the interval back then was 60k miles (I don't recall a 'year' number) but it would be 4 years (seems short) based on 15k/annually like Honda uses today.

Should I also replace the timing before attempting to start it?

Yes

 

[4WD]

That's effectively a tow truck. A tow costs $100 to go 1 mile or 20 miles. How much you think they'll charge to tow it from California/Oregon/Washington to the Wisconsin/Michigan area ? Then that tow truck will drive home empty and charge accordingly. Transporters consolidate multiple vehicles to share or spread out the cost.

I would not care if it rides UFO’s - point being trying to get it ready for a proper start (where it sits) will be a certain kind show and this gem becomes a rock …

 

[Hall]

I would not care if it rides UFO’s - point being trying to get it ready for a proper start (where it sits) will be a certain kind show and this gem becomes a rock …

Understand and yeah, the OP has two (at least) issues to resolve. The tow truck option like you show will winch it on so no risk of damage but for the cost, the OP might as well have a local (west coast local) shop replace the timing belt and related bits though. I'm 100% certain the transporters like new car manufacturers use don't have winches, but the medium-size ones that can transport 3-5 cars might.

 

[JimPghPA]

Buy a used flatbed. Winch it on, tie it down. Transport it. Sell the used flatbed.

 

[wsar10]

As they would say a 20 years ago... "Pics, or it didn't happen!"

 

[4WD]

Understand and yeah, the OP has two (at least) issues to resolve. The tow truck option like you show will winch it on so no risk of damage but for the cost, the OP might as well have a local (west coast local) shop replace the timing belt and related bits though. I'm 100% certain the transporters like new car manufacturers use don't have winches, but the medium-size ones that can transport 3-5 cars might.

The old fuel can be an adventure in and of itself (legally) … I have a boat with old fuel and the FD said they’d call when the backlog is burned …
(Have to pump and deliver in 5 gallon cans they hold until done) …