ZaneGrey04 Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 (edited) Every person has a story of how they got their car. Maybe it was a dream car or they stumbled upon it and just had to have it or something else. Mine is alittle different. Its the story of the curse. In high school my best friend found this yellow car sitting in someones yard. It soon became his dream car. He talked about it non stop. Everyday the same stories of how he was going to buy it. Of course no one believed him. Till one day I got a call from him asking him to help him pick it up. Thinking I would be able to call his bluff I went to help. Well he was buying it a 1988 Conquest tsi. His dream car was finally his. When we went to get the car guy led us into the garage where we found boxes of parts all over the place. But my friend was still excited. He didnt care what he had to do he would drive that car one day. The rest of his high school days were spent working on the car and telling us his plans for it. He would go on and on all day about how it would blow the doors off any car once he was done. Well time passed and we all grew up. Things werent going good for me and I went off and joined the navy. The night before I left for boot camp my friend stayed at my house with me and my mom to keep me company before I left. When he finally had to go my mom thanked him for keeping me company. He looked at her and said "Thats what friends are for". I didnt know it was the last time I would ever see him or hear from him. I went off to the navy and on then day I passed basic submarine school I called my mom to tell her the good news. When I called my mom didnt answer my sister did. She told me I needed to sit down. I was so excited I couldnt understand why I needed to sit. Then she told me. My friend had died. He was killed in a car accident. My other best friend was also killed. In one night I had lost my "brothers". The navy gave me leave to go to the funerals. When I got home I went to see my friends mom. I didnt know what to do. When I was walking in the yard I saw a yellow front end sticking out around the garage. I went around to look and there it was. The conquest, my friends dream car. When his mom came out I told her that I was buying it. I didnt care what it cost. She then told me that my firend had finally got it running but it the engine messed up right before he died. And that it didnt run I told her it didnt matter I would fix it up cuz thats what friends are for. I bought the car and payed for it to get rebuilt. But had to leave. When I came back I was going to take it with me. But the gas tank had rusted and clogged the fuel line so I couldnt take it. After another year had passed I once again I returned home and to my surprise it ran!!! I drove the car around and it drove like a dream. I didnt have insurance so I couldnt take it to town. When I finally got insurance the engine started messing up again and I was forced to leave it behind. Years passed and my step dad worked on it for me. It was running great then made a noise and died. After five years I got out of the navy and came home. My conquest waiting for me in the garage. With plans to rebuild the engine I started to get ready to pull it. And found a rod poking through the block. The curse of the quest had struck again. Now I am fighting the curse and going to fix it so once again my friends car will return to the road. Well thats my story of how I got my car I know its kinda long but I feel like it needs to be told. R.I.P Joshua Andrew Wirth and Travis Martin Hendrickson This is a picture of his head stone. It shows how much he loved the car. http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1/ZaneGrey04/josh.jpg Edited May 10, 2008 by ZaneGrey04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vbrad511 Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 Great story. Great way to pay tribute to good friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mech Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 (edited) wow man, thats sad. Thats some true love for these cars right there. this should be a sticky... Edited May 2, 2008 by Mech Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOTTY Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 No better place than here to pay tribute to your friend and his beloved quest, good job bud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 great story! that really is a fantastic thing you did. I know you will not, but dont ever get rid of that car. You freind lives on through that car. Keep it going. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WickedTSI Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 wow man, thanks for sharing that. good luck and dont hesitate to ask us any questions along the way. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FijiPhil Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 (edited) Wow, thats really sad but a good story, im glad your fixing it in his memory. Edited May 2, 2008 by FijiPhil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acidbath Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 Perhaps it's a blessing in disguise and not a curse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starwolf Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 Wow that was really touching... Honestly it makes me want to donate and make it the fastest quest out there Would be awesome if he could ever know that it turned out to be an amazing hotrod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natzeng Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 sorry for the loss zane, things in life happen for a reason... although losing a loved one doesn't seem like it you can always find something from it. the starquest is one of the most unique cars on this planet. cherish the gift your friend left for you and continue his dream for him, he deserves it. when i think of people dying at such a young age i think of this quote "Die young live long". as long as he lives in your heart and others' hearts he'll always still be alive. now, Welcome to the community! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 speachless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natedog_37 Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 Wow .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sully Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 speachless Wow .... ^Sums it up^ Your a good friend and I hope that someone would do the same for me if anything were to happen. Best first post ever BTW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWDAddict Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 Amazing story, best of luck to you on your quest of questing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntercooledFlatty Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 dood, that's sad and cool all at the same time. good luck with the quest :sunglasses: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie_Rich Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 This is a sad, but great story. If you happen to be in the St. Louis area I have a block you could have. I don't have a good crank though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narrow87 Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 I have a good block you can have free if you come get it. 18630. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdmZ33 Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 I have a good block you can have free if you come get it. 18630. What a touching story. You sir are truly a good friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZaneGrey04 Posted May 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 (edited) Thanks for all the support. The car means so much to me and I will need help fixing it because I dont really know much about the Conquests. I will post updates on what is going on with the car. Also I noticed that my location was wrong and updated it. I still had it set for where I was stationed when I was in the Navy. Its correct now. Update: Engine is finally out of the car. I am now working on getting an engine for it. Hopefully I will have one soon. I am going to purchase one from kreal I am just waiting on a shipping quote. Im going to strip the engine this weekend so that I will have all the parts ready to go on the new engine when I get it. http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1/ZaneGrey04/DSC_0068.jpg The Conquest after we moved it out of the garage. I wish I could have left it in the garage but I dont have my own place and my step dad wanted his garage back. http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1/ZaneGrey04/DSC_0069.jpg So Empty http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1/ZaneGrey04/DSC_0074.jpg The Engine Damage Edited May 2, 2008 by ZaneGrey04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeless2BNY Posted May 2, 2008 Report Share Posted May 2, 2008 anything you need, we will help. no prob. hope to see this car killin tires soon. good luck. sad circumstances to make a dream car. but that what friends are for i guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack_Morris Posted May 3, 2008 Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 That is the best story I have read. You are a great friend, and we here on SQC will do what we can to help you on your journey. Your friends live on in that yellow beast that we call StarQuest. Welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZaneGrey04 Posted May 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2008 Update: Woke up this morning determined to get the engine striped down. With the help of my brother we finally got it done. It felt good to get out and work on the car. Everything I get done brings the car one step closer to getting back on the road. We found out why the piston came loose. It seems as though the mechanics that rebuilt the engine so long ago didnt torque down the nuts. One of the bolts and both nuts were intact in the oil pan. The other bolt was wedged between the con rod and the crank. http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1/ZaneGrey04/DSC_0038.jpg Parts http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1/ZaneGrey04/DSC_0037.jpg What a hole!! http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1/ZaneGrey04/DSC_0036.jpg Piston damage http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1/ZaneGrey04/DSC_0034.jpg Crank damage after the piston came loose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyW Posted May 8, 2008 Report Share Posted May 8, 2008 ehhh, a lil JB Weld will fix that hole right up. WOW! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWDAddict Posted May 8, 2008 Report Share Posted May 8, 2008 (edited) That is one nice hole. I don't have many bottom end items to dontate but i'd be willing to donate to a fund. Maybe you can host a Paypal address so that a member can make a contribution :idea: :party0035: Edited May 8, 2008 by RWDAddict Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZaneGrey04 Posted May 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2008 (edited) Update: I received a shipping quote for the engine I wanted to buy but it was alittle to much for my income. I went out to Josh's (my friend that died) parents house to visit. His dad reminded me that they had another conquest sitting in their yard. I went and looked at it and where the passenger seat should be there was an engine block. Looks to be in good condition. His dad says he will sell me the whole car. Should be able to get it for cheap since he was just going to scrap it. It had alot of other parts that I could use or sell to help fund my project. Hopefully going to make it out tomorrow with money and make them an offer on the car. Im hoping the crankshaft is still good in it cuz mine is shot. If anyone would like to donate my paypal account is joshsconquestfund@hotmail.com . If you do donate please send me a message with your starquestclub.com user ID. When I get the car done I want to put the the site name and all the people's user IDs that helped me get the car running somewhere on the car. I was thinking rear window. Anybody have any better idea's where I could put them? ****I had the paypal account listed as viper0299@hotmail.com. If you donated any funds to that account I will still get them I just wanted one that was just for the car.**** Edited May 9, 2008 by ZaneGrey04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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