So it turns out that the old house has
a mechanics pit in the big room. When Lisa first took possession it
was filled to the top with dirt, trash and rubble. She has dug most
of it out. We lifted the boards covering the pit disturbing the
relaxation of a few thousand mosquitoes and put the car into
position. The oil pan (aluminum) was indeed a loss, and me with just
a few days before my flight home. E-Bay to the rescue for a
replacement oil pan and we became car mechanics.
While waiting for the replacement oil
pan we cleaned out the remainder of the junk from the pit, about 10
to 15 wheelbarrows full, restoring it to its full original function. (Yeah, more heavy crap) We discovered built in ladder rungs at both ends.That trash may have been there for quite a while. In one of the rooms (the one with the
graffiti) there is a calendar stuck on the wall featuring photos of
Soviet Union soccer players in 1988 (this is former East Germany).
That's the last we know for sure the place was occupied.
It turns out it's not a simple task to
remove this oil pan. You have to undo motor mounts and hoist the
engine partially out of the car to gain the room you need. I did not
actually stay for the entire operation. Lisa finished the job
(successfully) after I left.
