Jason E

So, after a consistent internal debate between third gens, fourth gens, 350/automatics and 305/sticks, yesterday I brought home my latest (and last, as I had to promise the wife I was done buying cars ) ride...





Its an '88 Trans Am LB9 5 speed WS6 that just passed 26,000 miles. I have no idea how many owners its had. No documentation came with it...the lady I purchased it from owned it for 3 years. While it hasn't been owned by someone with OCD like my IROC has been for the past 23 years, I can tell the car has been extremely well taken care of. This car is TIGHT...not a single shimmy, shudder, squeak or rattle in the entire car.

The car received a repaint at some point in its life. It was a relatively decent quality...presentable and good looking. The interior looks nearly new...other than the typical console delamination and slight headliner looseness, all is great inside. Under the hood looks like brand new...gotta love those pretty TPI assemblies

The undercarriage also looks like new...every bit as clean as my IROC. Its clear the car has never seen salt. This car is definitely a keeper for me...the LB9 stick is a blast to drive. This, being my 4th 305, finally feels like a lot of fun to drive! I haven't run the car too hard yet, as I don't really know the condition of the fluids all that well (oil is fresh at least), but a brief run to 4,500 in first and second was surprisingly quick. I am DEFINITELY glad I was able to get a 5 speed LB9 for my other "keeper" third gen.

Short term, I will be putting new tires on it (245/50 G forces...it has 215/60/16 Eagle GAs on it right now!!!), changing all the fluids, re-charging the A/C and figuring out what's clunking when coasting along...sounds like a U joint to me. It also has an intermittent stalling problem when coasting to a stop. The car is so original, the original exhaust is still on it.

Being an LB9/stick/t-top/WS6 car that's 100% original and unmolested, I feel the investment would be warranted. For now, I'm going to have it buffed/wet-sanded out, add a nice black & silver pinstripe to it to take your eye away from the few paint blemishes, tint the windows, and just cruise

I don't care what anyone says...these cars are still fun as hell to drive, and driving a nice, tight, original one is like a revelation. I'll post some more pics tonight after some more detailing...

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

So I'm a bit confused as to why you chose this particular car--repainted, no documentation, has cosmetic blemishes, interior needs a little work, and it needs a little mechanical work. Don't get me wrong, it's a good car, but considering how unhappy you were with that other black one you were set on, what makes this one better? Just curious because I was under the impression you were looking for sheer flawless, original, show car quality.

Purely curious what made you pull the trigger on this particular one, given its issues. That aside, it's a beautiful car, and congrats on the purchase.

How do you feel about your other T/A now?

Drew

iTrader: (58)

It sounds like you need to pull the throttle body, and clean the IAC and the passages with carb cleaner. As far as the clunking, check the transmission mount first, but it could be almost anything. It seems that 9 bolts are almost always noisy.

It looks nicer in the pics then your description, but I don't see how it really stands out from the crowd? Maybe it's just the 1985 paint scheme, idk. Does this mean you're done looking at a different car (and telling us about it) everyday? It looks good, get it cleaned up, fix the tires and little issues then go enjoy it.

Jason E

1) Documentation doesn't really mean squat to me. GM Historical Services can provide a copy of the invoice, and Triple A Enterprises can reproduce a window sticker. While having a folder full of receipts from 20 years ago would be nice to have, it doesn't really add to my enjoyment of the car, and doesn't tell me what I need to do to it now. I don't have a single shred of paper on the IROC, and I still friggen love it like no car I've ever owned

2) The thing I didn't like about the black one was that it had bird splotches all over it, dings all over it, heavy surface rust under the car on the bare metal items, and the engine bay looked like it had been swamped. Some things on that car simply couldn't be cleaned up right, in my opinion. This one suffers from none of those issues.

4) In the end, with a little elbow grease, I will have a beautiful 5 speed TPI Trans Am. If it wasn't for this car being EXACTLY what it is (TPI/5 speed/t-top/WS6), I would not have purchased it. But, like the IROC, it was EXACTLY what I decided I wanted, equipment-wise. I am aware the condition is slightly below what I originally stated my goal was, but even a flawless original paint Trans Am still would've needed stuff, normally, to be a reliably safe, 1,000-mile-a-year cruiser, and most were far, far more than I paid for this one. Plus, it was the only stick I could find that was in good condition. After already owning a 350, I really felt I wanted a TPI 5 speed...

Jason E

1) Yes, Drew, I'm done looking for another car and boring you all with it. I hope that makes you happy

2) It probably is nicer than I'm describing. I'm a royally picky bastard when it comes to describing a car. The guy I sold my RS to posted in my ad on camaroz28.com once he received the car from the shipper (shipped it from MA to FL). His exact words to me? "You are the first person to sell me a car, that sold me a car that was BETTER than what he told me it was!" Maybe its because I appraise cars as part of my everyday job...I'm just really picky. Believe me, the car is nice, and to me, warrants holding onto.

3) In terms of standing out from the crowd? I guess I like the fact that its a fairly well equipped 5 speed car. Short of the digital dash, performance axle and upgraded stereo, I think it has pretty much everything else. No, it isn't a TTA, or a convertible, but like the IROC (which doesn't stand out that much either, I guess...), its equipped the way I would've wanted one if I could've bought one new. TAs, to me, look great in bright colors with the two tone.

4) Thanks for the tips...I can't wait to get some due diligence done (I thought of the tranny mount as well...will check that tonight), get it tuned up perfect, and take it for a nice long ride with the tops off.

puma,
The '86 is likely flying the coop. Part of me selling the RS and buying this was to go from 4 cars to 3. I have a 4 car garage, and hate leaving my Ram parked outside. Further, its honestly kinda hard to keep 4 cars in tip-top shape, clean, worked on etc. I figured if I got rid of 2 "project" third gens (granted, the RS was almost done, but still always needed something due to its mileage and use) and replace them with 1, "ideal" nice and clean third gen, it would save some hassle and give me some more room...not to mention some extra cash to play with the remaining 3.

I got a really good quote to paint the '86, which has made me re-consider keeping it, but I think the wife would appreciate me sticking to the original plan Further discussions are pending, however. As she pointed out to me this morning, "at least that one is an automatic and I could drive it"...

There is hope

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

Don't get me wrong, it's a nice ride...I was just curious...definitely looking forward to seeing more pics.

Jason E

Hey, I understand. It is indeed a little bit different than what I had set out for originally. I spent a lot of nights on the web looking at probably hundreds of Camaros and Firebirds, both third and fourth gen, before I narrowed it down to the ones I went to look at. I originally thought I would replace the two thirds with a fourth gen...but the more I thought about it, the more I realized I've owned 6 third gens and 1 fourth gen for a reason...I just like the thirds so much better.

After deciding I really didn't want a TTA because I hate the color combo, I moved on to GTAs...then this one, lone Trans Am showed up...and it just happened to be that magic stick/t-top/WS6/HO LB9 combo. If it was missing any of those, I would not have made the 11 hour round trip to bring it home. I was determined to be very picky about what options I had to have, because this and the IROC will be the only third gens I intend to keep for the long haul, and this is the last third gen I plan to buy. I've always wanted a mint IROC and Trans Am/GTA under one garage roof

Indeed, I wish it needed zero fiddling, but I don't think any of these cars are 100% perfect, at this age. Hell, even my IROC needs an intake gasket (leaking coolant onto the y pipe intermittently on cold start up). A stint with a detailer and a trim shop will make the car 90% of what I expected, condition-wise, for about 60% of what I original expected to spend.

I like those numbers Plus, its equipped perfectly. I will take some more pictures tonight. The hardest part now is figuring out what to do with the 86...I don't see keeping it, though, unfortunately.

flippermtc

iTrader: (1)

Jason E Good luck with your purchase. She looks like a nice T/A.

eseibel67

Nice car. My kid bought an 88 LB9 5 speed this past fall, and it's a good time.

But you said one of the options missing is the performance axle. But I think all 88 LB9 5 speeds will have the GM3 (3.45) and G80 (posi) 9 bolt rear end without any option.

navy02ws6

Not 100% sure about 3rd gen's, but 3.42s were the only available rear-end on all 6 speed 4th gen's. Apparently some L69 5 speed cars got 3.73s -- can't find any details about that in the Camaro White Book though.

I just find it strange that manual transmission 3rd gen's would get an optional axle ratio when there was no optional axle ratio for any manual transmission 4th gen's or any manual transmission 1984-present Corvettes.

Jason E

I have a pic of the RPO sheet saved on my computer...it does not have GM3. I don't remember which RPO it has, but I ran them all through the RPO decoder from TGO and it stated it has a 3.08...which would be a 10 bolt by default, I assume...

Also, interestingly mine has the 120 MPH speedo, which came with the TPI 5 speed when paired with a 3.08...only the 3.45 ratio got the 140 speedo. And yet, my sluggish 86 LB9 A4 has the 140 speedo

KMK454

Congrats! That's a beautiful car. Maybe you can let me check it out next time I'm visiting relatives in MA

I felt the same way about the LB9/T5 combo. My prior toy car was a 2008 Corvette Z06, so 505hp to 230hp is quite a change, but the LB9/T5 is an absolute blast to drive and surprisingly quick.

When you say no squeaks/rattles/groans, are you talking over smooth roads or over Massachusetts "roads"? When I drive mine over smooth roads, it's solid and fine, but if I go on a bumpy road the rattles start. And if I drive slowly through a very uneven parking lot, it will groan occassionaly. My dad's 91 RS (26k miles, sold in 2006) did the same thing and it was immaculate. Both cars are hardtops.

So, we can post about our cars in here? Cause I'd like to post about mine and to meet the "History" requirement, I actually have documentation and photos of it!

OUTATIME GTA

iTrader: (2)

Haha @ some of you guys givin' him a hard time.

Looks good to me and I'm a sucker for a low mile T/A. Always nice to see a serious 3rd gen fan too. I am curious on the final purchase price though!

For one that is going to be driven, I think the imperfections you mentioned are reasonable for it's age and not too costly for repair.

I bought my GTA with about 44,000 miles on it in 2003 and have tried to keep them down while still enjoying the car. Mine is definitely not nearly as clean as I'd like it to be though.

Jason E

1) Stop on by! Where do they live? I'm in Southampton MA, which is about 15 minutes north of Springfield, just off 91. Always good to meet fellow third genners...there aren't a lot of us around here, anymore.

2) I have never had the joy of 505hp under my foot, but I can tell you that I agree its amazing what an LB9 can feel like when set up right. With you having an extra 15hp and better gearing on me, I'm sure yours is even more fun. Even with the 3.08s, I'm really surprised how powerful the car feels. There is a big, BIG difference between an LB9 and an LO3, with comparable transmissions and gearing...more than I expected.

3) Yes, even our "roads." I will say this...I go WAY out of my way to avoid rutted and bad roads with the IROC, and now with this one as well. Structural integrity with these cars is so absolutely awful, I do what I can to preserve it. The last thing I want is to own these clean, low-mileage cars and contribute to them turning into rattle traps. There's a few trace rattles here and there in this car, but nothing objectionable at all.

4) I've always posted on here about when I bought something different, and posted what I was doing with it. I've kept the majority of mine close to stock, so it qualifies for history/restoration I guess It'd be nice to see some pictures of yours!

Jason E

I'm about as hardcore a third gen guy as anyone. Other than 3 years in the early 2000's, there has been a third gen around since 1989. I've daily driven an '89 RS for 4 years, aborted a restoration of an '89 Formula that's still floating around, restored a '91 RS I recently sold after 5 years with it, and currently own my 3. The pair of '88s will be kept permanently...no idea on the '86. I like the car, but when this '88 is so much nicer, its kinda like, how many old Trans Ams does one person need??

2) This isn't really going to be a driver...1,000 miles a year, roughly.

OUTATIME GTA

iTrader: (2)

Good stuff. I've found with 3rd gens, if you're willing to wait and you have something worth waiting for, a buyer will come eventually.

I sold my '88 V6! back in 2002 for $4700!! Granted it was a nice piece of work at the time with a rebuilt drivetrain and fresh paint, but still amazing.

Around the same time I bought my GTA for $5000 with 44K miles and have put 20K more miles on in 8 years. Too fun not to drive 1-2,000 miles a year.

I hope that $8,000 includes the paint in 5-7 years!!

JT

iTrader: (1)

Regarding the performance axle, here is a 1988 Pontiac Distribution Bulletin that appears to address that. Thank's to Frankie from GTASourcepage:

Jason E

Uhm, uh, no....

If I just paid $6,800 for it, the math clearly doesn't allow for that. I'll be in it, all-in, eventually for around $10,000...which I am more than happy with. I just changed the oil on it...it's virtually spotless underneath.

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

Can't wait to see more pics! Get some interior/underhood shots up here ASAP, you're slackin'--you've had it two days and only gave us two teaser pics.

Jason E

^^I'm workin' on it! I was messing around with the IROC tonight as well...by the time I thought of pics, it was dark out. As you can see, inside the garage doesn't yield the greatest results...

OUTATIME GTA

iTrader: (2)

That'll teach me to make replies at work. I read it as you were planning to make an additional $8,000 worth of resto in the next 5-7 years, LOL, my bad.

+1 on seeing some interior/engine pics.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Congrats Jason. Nice car! Good find!

I know you've got afew minor issues to sort through, but which one is more fun to drive, the LB9/T5 or the B2L/700R4?

Jason E

The verdict is still out on that. That's part of the reason I wanted an LB9/T5...to have the best of both third gen worlds (aside from a TTA or Hawk, obviously).

Right now, neither one is 100%. A good friend of mine is a GM mechanic, and he was just over checking out the Bird. We both agree both cars need injectors, and a full tune up. I think the IROC still has the original plugs, even. Both also need an intake gasket. We are going to tear into both, and make them both 100% tip top, in a couple weeks.

At the moment, I feel the axle-creaking torque of the IROC is more fun...but seeing as how I have not run the TA at WOT yet (afraid of the clunking tranny mount and/or u joint), its hard to say...

Jason E

As promised, more pics!!!

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

Definitely looks good

Duane's 91 Z/28

iTrader: (1)

Thats a beautiful car Jason. Enjoy your new pride and joy!!

KMK454

Beautiful ride, makes me want to add a bird to the driveway...

QUICKCHICKEN

iTrader: (12)

there is also a 9 bolt 3.08 along with the 10 bolt 3.08. i'v seen 2 borg 3.08 rears in my time.

Jason E

Interesting....wasn't aware of that. A good friend of mine is a GM Master tech, and stopped by to look at it last night. We both agree it needs a full tune up, and for good measure we're going to replace the injectors. We tried to read the code from the ECM (light came on once), but using both the paper clip method and my scan tool, it will not flash a code. We think it may need an ECM too...

Otherwise, the more I look at it and drive it, the more lucky I feel!

MNformula350

iTrader: (2)

Looks Nice man, Enjoy!

I agree with your 4th Gen Comment. I have owned 5 3rd Gens, and only 1 4th Gen (sold after a year) for a reason as well.

I would love a LB9, 5 Speed Formula myself.