7keys7seas

Hello, I am here to ask for some serious advice- I have the oppurtunity to get a 87 trans am ok body ok interior, clutch went out, and bad knock in the engine. For 250$. I do not plan on making it perfect condition, but replacing the engine, clutch, and maybe seat covers. Not a full redo or anything

I'm not a mechanic nor am i related closely to one, so what is your opinion on wether I should buy it, and replace the clutch myself (that I can do) and maybe ask a friend for help on putting in a new engine (that i have never done before)
A clutch i believe is around 200-300 for this car, engine i looked aorund craigslist and saw some z28 305 for 300-500 good condition.

Am I just totally underestimating this project or should I seriously consider this?

I am a junior in highschool if that makes a difference lol. The work will be done in summer break and senior (relaxing) year, as 2 AP courses ATM is just horrid.



And thank you so much for your advice, i would most graciously appreciate any opinions of those more experienced, even if all you do is shoot down my ideas LOL


I also have access to a forklift at my fathers shop (stone) 30miles away

Mike92Firebird

iTrader: (3)

All projects need to start somewhere! I say go for it! The thirdgen thing is a never ending addiction. Once you start you'll find yourself hard to stop. In worst case scenario, you waste 250 bucks. As long as the body isn't rotted out then I'd say go for it. These cars are very rust prone so that is something to watch for. But if the body is solid, get the car, fix the clutch, and throw a better motor in there. Yea I know, it's much easier said than done. lol

LilSki

iTrader: (1)

Where abouts are you located?

7keys7seas

Northern CA

torque_is_good

there is an old saying "biting off more than you can chew"

Sure, it sounds fun, neat and cool to go get a big bad muscle car and get it going. You'll get people here who will tell you to go for it. Others who have seen more than 18,19 and even 25 years on this planet and have been down the path you are considering will also weigh in.

I have the know-how, experience, tools, money and made the time

I bought an 89 RS Florida vehicle with zero rust or rot

brand new tires on all 4 wheels

brand new rotors, drums, pads and shoes

the vehicle ran but used oil and it shifted. It had its issues

I paid $500

I yanked the v8 and sent it to a shop for a stock rebuild including 3 angle valve job = $1300 plus tax and that included the parts

I yanked the auto tranny and brought it to a shop for a bench rebuild and new torque converter= $600 approximately

I redid the ENTIRE interior

I sanded, fixed dents and primed/painted the vehicle ( I am able to do that myself vs paying $1,000 for cheapo or $3,000 for good paint job

new shocks/struts

new A/C system

bushings, ALL hoses, belts, headers, exhaust system, stereo, window motors, and the list goes on


do you have the money?

do you have the tools?

do you have the space to have a vehicle there for 9 months to a year?

do you have the money?

do you have the money?

do you have the money?


oh, junk engines for sale for $500 are $500 junk engines

7keys7seas

Thanks for the quick reply!

7keys7seas

Thanks for being candid, I appreciate it.

I'm not getting the car to be super fast or for it to look really good. I'm getting it to be a fun car to drive around (not a commuter or anything of that sort.)

My budget- 300$ for car, 300$ for clutch, and 500$ for an okay engine. Plus 500$ for etc. And another 500$ that i know ill need to spend in some way shape or form

I have plenty of space thatll be free for years and all the tools you could possibly need. Including two forklifts (IE, I can lift the car and or engine 40 ft in the air if i so please) and a couple of f250s (if those come in handy)

I will be doing all the work myself with guidance from a friend who knows a lot more about such things than most people I know do. And also the internet!

If that isnt enough, could you please point out some errors in my calculations? I greatly respect your experience and obvoiusly your knowledge base on such matters is exponentially superior to mine.

7keys7seas

Any more opinions? Or any input wether a 87 TA somewhat clean bad clutch bad motor for 250$ is a good deal?

svrider76

As the others have touched on, $250 isn't much money these days. If the body interior/wiring ect is in good shape then it maybe within your budget and an enjoyable project. If the suspension is shot (possible) and you have to chase wires and replace other rusted out parts, it maybe more than your interested in doing. But it sounds like your interested in digging in and learning. I would say look the car over good and if your willing to spend the time, pull the trigger. But keep in mind it always cost more, always is more of a PITA then planned but you usually learn more than you thought and can not buy the experiences you'll gain.

7keys7seas

First of all, thanks for the reply

I didn't think too much of the wiring and supension, thank you for bringing that up to me

Would there be any way of seeing if a suspension is bad and needs to be replaced with the car inoperable?

torque_is_good

OI VAY
You are an anonymous poster. We don't know if any or part of what you post is 100% factual.

First, you aren't going to just slap in a motor for $500. It's not going to happen. yes, you may find a piece of crap in the boneyard or on craigslist or from a "friend of a friend of a friend" who knows about a "FRESH" 355 which they estimate to be be 400 HP and is only asking $500. By the way, that "fresh" 355 for $500 doesn't exist, the machine work (heads machined too), when done correctly and that is spelled c-o-r-r-e-c-t-l-y is closer to $1,000 and that's before you even own 1 part.

Only you know the correct answer. And good luck working with a car on a fork lift. You may think it sounds cool but good luck with that.

So, if you want to go spend $250 for a 25 year old junk then go for it. It's your money, it will be your money that gets spent trying to restore it. If you want a reliable vehicle which starts when you turn the key, looks ok, is ok on the outside and you would be confident driving it cross country, then be prepared to spend much more money than it will be worth when you are done.

THe $5,000- $10,000 you are going to spend would be best invested in a college education for you.

stealthroc89

If it's not going to be your main means of transportation, then yes. It's how I learned to work on cars, bought a 93 Eclipse gsx and started my education there. I would look at it real good, make sure the brakes work, the steering isn't super loose, there isn't a fuel pump access hole in the hatch area, see if the transmission is in good shape and check the tires for dry rot. Can't expect a lot from a $250 car, but it's best to start with a good base, as mentioned, it's cheaper to buy a more expensive car in the long run because all of those "little" parts add up very fast. As an education it's worth it and if you can't get it back on the road you can make some money back by parting it out

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

A few have commented that $500 will get you a crap motor. I disagree. $500 might get you a crap high performance motor, but it should get you a fine 305. There are a LOT of guys pulling good running 305s out of thirdgens for upgrades, and the motors are virtually worthless because everybody wants a 350. If you just want to replace the 305 with another stock 305, you should have no problems finding one cheap. Hell, I only got $100 for the 80k 305 that I yanked from my IROC.

torque_is_good

yesssss, you can buy a used 305 for almost nothing. The thread is about "restoring", it's not about tossing together junk to try to get it running.

So, a restoration means a rebuilt engine. That 305 that you yanked will cost a minimum of $1300 to get it rebuilt properly.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

There's no need to rebuild a good running 305 with modest miles. That's the point. Save the rebuilds for the motors that need it. The kid is in high school. His idea of a restoration is probably a little bit different than a collector would have. Tossing a good running stock 305 in to replace a blown up 305 is a perfectly acceptable thing when you're on such a strict budget that any high school kid would be on.

85 ZXX

iTrader: (1)

Why don't you post some pictures of the car. I think all of us would like to see it. 3rd Gen's can be money pits so be wise on your choice. My experience has been when one thing is fixed, something else needs replacing. Good luck!!!

7keys7seas

That exactly sums it up for me pretty much my goal isnt to put a 355 in it, but a good running 305, like i said itd be just for a 'fun; thing to do when i have free time. I think restoration was a bad word for me to pick, i meant more like 'get it running without it falling apart in the middle of the road'

I'm not getting a career as a mechanic, but this kind of stuff really gets me thinking and I like it,and with all the voluntary academic AP torture i have been put thru, it feels fun to work on stuff like this.

After all this discussion, i most definately feel much more enlightened as far as wether this would be a good choice. Thanks for all your info and opinions and experiences shared.

The bodt of the car had a fair amount of rust on the bottom, and seeing as how this appears to be a really big problem, I think I will pass on this TA but try to find one in better starting condition, even if it costs more. I want it to be able to run so I can see if other things are wrong, ie if ti even shifts gears etc

Once again thank you so much for all your advice and help, its really rare to see such altruistic behavior on the internet