Restoring a 1989 Geo Metro

So I bought this Geo right? A friend found it on craigslist for me, and I paid $500 for it, sight unseen. Not a good idea, I know, but it "felt right." Also a bad idea.

Anyway, I went and bought it, hauled it to my folks house on a U-Haul car dolly trailer ($48) and spent a few tanks of gas for it ($26+$31+$27+$20=$104). Now it is sitting in their driveway, out of the way mostly. Lucky them.

So when I went and bought it, looking at it for the first time, I was amazed at how little rust there was on it. I mean, I didn't get underneath until later, but it was real clean! The interior is trashed, but no rust yet. The engine turns over, sparks, low compression, gets fuel, just won't start. Lots of oil leaking around the head and block, so I figured I should look closer.

So now, I pulled the engine out and am rebuilding it (133K miles, it's about time to redo the head), and in the process I decided to paint it! Pictures to come, but here it is sitting on my Harbor Freight engine stand ($51), all cleaned up, casting imperfections have been ground down, wire wheel ground the oxidation and oil burns, and tomorrow or Wednesday I will paint it up!

I am using "Rustoleum" brand paint, on recommendation of several other internet peoples, and my color scheme is shown (roughly) in the pictures. I should have it painted this week, and the parts are already here ($273) for a full rebuild of the engine. I am contemplating getting the cam shaft re-milled to the XFi specs, which would give a significant mpg increase, but I can do that later as time allows. School is calling, and failing grades are not enjoyable no matter how high the mpg!

This is a usually up to date cost sheet of the car.
$500 Cost of car
$104 Cost of gas to get car
$48 Dolly trailer to get the car
$273 Engine rebuild kit (full, specs to come later)
$50 All the different paint (for engine, body, interior, etc)
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$975 Running Total Cost
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This is nearly as much as I spent for my first Geo, for it's initial cost!