Cars... money pits

Like any used car, this Nitro RC car is a bit of a money pit. 

Don't take me for being ungrateful - that would be incorrect. I'm actually quite enjoying it, and I'm still yet to drive it. It's just that it's simply adding up. 

So far I've ordered:

• New engine
• New fuel tank + line
• Fuel filter
• Spare glow plugs
  
• Fuel 
• Air filter
• NIMH Batteries

I started going at it a bit deeper last night and come up with an additional list of things that I need, but can wait (the air filter above was discovered but really can't wait as the existing on disintegrated). 

• Front shocks (boots gone and seem to be too soft)
  
• Rear shocks (boots gone and seem to be too soft)
• 4 new wheels/tyres (1 tyre has a flat spot and has full depth cracks, another has a sidewall torn and the other two are splitting). The wheels themselves are OK but marked up. Just as easy to buy a complete set. Existing will survive long enough to get this working at least. Unfortunate reality of old rubber I guess.
• Chassis sides. These are plastic. They're cheap. One has burn marks from the exhaust silencer. These are just order padding.
  

There's at least another $130 just in the "can wait" list. And they will need to wait a bit longer. I've at least managed to find a single website that as garage feature that lists the guts of this car and has an interactive map that matches my exploded view, complete with links to all of those parts. That will save my sanity no end. 

I went through earlier and removed the rust from the spur gear and the clutch bell with a wire brush on my dremel clone. Then a nice coating of WD-40 to help avoid that coming back quickly. 

I think I'm at a point where I can't progress further until the parts that have been ordered all arrive, and I can start to put it all back together. The only things that really aren't clean are the wheels and I'm not too sure if I'll get far with those. The rubber was given a coating of Armorall which promptly vanished.  I may soak them in dishwater and see if I can't get some dirt out of them and maybe hit them with tyre shine just to give them the illusion of cleanliness.