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Whatever you've got! I'm not a mechanic by trade, but am not shy in the garage either. I've never started one up after so long, so I'm literally googling "how to start a car after 20 years". She's been in a garage the entire time and the engine moves with a breaker bar. Everything is left as-is from when I put it away..."ran when parked". I very likely will, thank you, Rob. Very familiar with Carlisle and would love to get out there again. How's this for before? My ve ry first day with her, almost 30 years ago. I'll have to get some more uploaded. I'm intending on taking lots of photos and probably some video too. If nothing else, so I can go back and see how things came apart.

New guy checking in. I hope I don't make anyone here feel old, but I used to kick around these boards about 20+ years ago (unofficially, I think)...so, happy to see it's still going strong. I just got my baby back after 20 years. My very first car that I bought for five bucks. She sat for years waiting for time and money, both of which I've seemed to lose more of than gain in that time, but we're reunited either way. I'm in the Southeastern PA area. While I have awhile before she makes it to any meets, I'm excited to meet you all and glean from your knowledge. First order of business is reviving a 20 year old motor...

LOL, that's how so many people got transported to the desert years ago...to fill a hole.

You'll have to remove the 3 bolts that hold the latch to the trunk lid, then it should let you open the trunk. It won't turn from the inside because the lock cylinder is still doing its job to prevent opening without a key.

Ha...true story! Short version: Car didn't run, had half a motor and was sitting for around a decade. Long version: Picture a cul-de-sac. I'm in the middle. Neighbor #1--two doors down on the left--bought the car new in 70/71. Drove it for awhile until Neighbor #2--two doors down on the right--got a hold of it about 10-15 years later as a teenager. Not sure how long he drove it, but he did put the Crager SS 5-spokes on it, jacked the rear end up with air-shocks (with the valve in the trunk), removed the heads and intake (no idea where they went), radio and the A/C. Also painted it the color you see above...body tag says it was Cortez Silver originally. Car sits again for about another decade. In that time, my old man and I talked daily about building a car, and I was a few short years away from getting my license and was getting itchy. Approached Neighbor #2's father and asked him about it. "If you can push it out of the driveway and into yours, you can have it for five bucks." were his exact words. Ran home, told the old man and we got to pushing. Mom comes home an hour later...super upset at first. Get a hold of a 327 with the camel-hump heads for cheap, mated it to the TH350 and drove her throughout high school. Went away to college in a seedy part of town, so she stayed home and in my folks garage. She left that garage less than 2 weeks ago and hitched a ride to where I live now after 20 years. Last time she ran was in 01/02.

I have a fear of that too, I have an extra set of keys for mine and a couple extra trunk keys. I keep one in the car at all times just in case I'm not at the car and my brother or buddy's need to get to the cooler in the trunk.

Take out the back seat and open it from the inside.