Jason E

As an extension of my post in another thread, I'm kinda at a crossroads with one of my cars, so I figured I'd ask for people's thoughts on here...

My 88 TA is a 100% bone stock car with 27k miles on it. It has been fully repainted at one point. Overall, while the paint was not done with the same precision as my 86, its damn nice, and shows very well. No significant dust, no fisheyes, no orange peel, etc. At this point, the front bumper has darkened significantly versus the rest of the car, the rear spoiler is cracked and spiderwebbed, and the hood has some mild pits and a few water spots in it. It needs some light freshening to make me 100% happy.

I'm getting the mod bug again, and I'm thinking that if I have to spray the hood anyway, why not go with a Hawks LT1-style WS6 hood, and buy the functional air box? That should make for a nice little bump in power. I have a spare 4th gen SLP dual dual exhaust...with a couple hanger modifications, I can throw that on too. I've always loved Firehawk wheels, and now that Classic Industires will be reproducing them with red accents, why not throw a set on with fresh 275 rubber? A good friend of mine is a GM tech. I'd bet for a reasonable fee, I could convince him to help me throw a Crane 2030 cam in it, and freshen my spare 3.73 L69 10 bolt and install that, too. I would stop there...this should get me into the high 13s, I think, which would be awesome for a streetable 305. Headers are a no-no...too loud...

My biggest question is, have I just scarred a 27k mile original for life?? I would never dream of doing this to my IROC, so I wonder if I'm barking up the wrong tree? At the same point, the vision I have of this car in my head is awesome.

Thoughts are appreciated...and what the hell, lets throw in a pic of the subject

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

I would not touch that car personally. When you say all of this, I see your former RS as the kind of car to do this stuff to.....and you did. So, you already kinda did this, sold that car, then went on a low-mile/stock Third Gen buying spree LOL. You're getting the SS and have the Z28, drive them for speed!

IROCThe5.7L

I say do what makes you happy. No sense in owning a car you're not 100% enjoying because you don't want to mod it. Some people are all about 100% stock cars, and they enjoy them like that. Nothing wrong with that. But if you think you'll find the car more enjoyable by modding it, go for it. I certainly do.

When it comes down to it, you already have a really nice low mileage stock IROC. And if you kept you're TA stock, it's not going to be worth life changing money down the road anyway. IMO, the mods you want to do are tasteful, and won't hurt the value of your car.

Also, headers never made my car that much louder. And the look and performance gain is awesome.

eseibel67

That's a nice car, don't waste it. You could improve the looks of that car for free by removing those hideous mudflaps.

Jason444

iTrader: (6)

Jason E,

I'm with IROCZTWENTYGR8 on this. I don't care much for mods, especially on original cars. But if the bug is really bad, if you keep the original parts (and I'm sure you will), all the things you have mentioned could be taken off or out when the fever passes with some mild effort and the car returned to stock. With that being said, if you just want to run high 13's in something, according to your sig you can do that in your '97 SS for nothing!

Jason

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

I say it depends on what you are looking to do. That WS6 hood with the 2 bulges in it looks awful on these cars IMHO. Leave it totally stock looking and swap in an LSX drivetrain. I wouldn't do a thing to change the look of it though.

scottmoyer

But since this is the History/Originalty forum, you're asking in the wrong place!

chazman

iTrader: (4)

I wouldn't mod it, Jason. Take off those mud flaps though.

lt1zr28

Body parts,wheels and tires,exhaust can be changed pretty much at will anytime. Why chance damaging an original motor.I had a 2001 SS Camaro my self and they are mean.So I say drivetrane wise keep it the same. Put the SS thru the paces it was build more for what your after right out of the box.IMO..............and you could always look for a 4th gen slp bird

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

I wouldn't mod it.
If you live in a smaller town like I do I understand the mudflaps. I have them, hate the look of em but mine are just held on with spring metal office paper clips and can b removed (no holes in the body). I don't have ground FX on any of my cars If I take the flaps off, my car will be sandblasted to bare metal within one summer and I'm not painting it every winter..
I wish I could just "stay away" from rock roads but my whole town is rocked roads...

I'm not a fan of the RAI-II hood. I think the RAI waaay to peaky down the middle. The body line and height needs to fade away within a foot or so of the front scoops. The back of the hood along the windshield shouldnt be at most, maybe 1" higher all the way across the cowl area. Its just not quite right. Once you break the paint on the bolts of body panels to me the car doesnt have the same look.. Im weird about that!
Id leave the stocker.. maaybe a SLP cold air kit if you can find one..

KMK454

I would only do things that are reversible. That means no cutting original metal and no discarding of replaced parts. I put a catback on my Camaro because the factory muffler with N10 dual cats and manifolds sounded quieter than a minivan. The original muffler is in the attic along with the Good Year Gatorbacks. I took the aftermarket stereo out and put the original radio delete panel in, but hid behind it a mini-amp to run an ipod so I can still play music over the factory speakers. The cord tucks away in the ashtray and nobody would know it's there unless I showed them. I have a set of Lloyd's floormats because my car didn't come with factory floormats. There are some other things I want to do but it's all plug and play stuff...

As for your car, I say do it if you want to. But don't hack the original hood; get a new hood for the mods and store the old one. I wouldn't mess with the engine internals, either. But again it all comes down to what you want from the car. If you know you're going to sell it soon, leave it original. If you plan on keeping it but aren't 100% satisfied, tinker with it.

Here's what I'd do on your car: lower it 1.2 to 1.5 inches (not slammed, just close the gap), put some 18" Fikse FM10s on (or HRE 501 Vintage which look like 18" crosslaces), get it sounding nice with a decent catback (hidden tips), remove those stickers in the rear panel, remove the pinstripe, and start putting miles on it. I wouldn't worry about speed; it'll take some serious work to take that 14 second car and make it a 13 second car, and I'm not sure it's worth it when you already have a 4th gen.

Or just leave it as is and pocket the cash... either way you have a sweet ride!

Linson

First and foremost, those 98+ style ram air hoods look ASSININE on a third gen. they're actually kind of over the top on a 98+.

as i've said before, the body lines on a third gen IROC, TA, or Formula speak for themselves.

now. looking at your sig, i see three Third Gens and soon to be two Fourth Gen Camaros. as far as whether to mod, or not to mod, i think i have been clear in the past. make your car the car of your dreams. it is hard not to have a certain amount of contempt for the so-called car enthusiasts or whatever who treat sports cars, third gen F-bodies of all things like an investment. that tells me that their primary interest isnt in enjoying their Third Gen, but in what kind of profit they can get from keeping it tucked away, and bone stock. and how much fun are you really going to have driving a fully restored, mint condition 6 cylinder 86 Camaro? having several 3rd Gens though, maybe you can afford to keep a couple of them stock, if for no other reason, to save on spending associated with costly modifications.

but my question to you is "How much redundancy do you really want in your garage?" and, assuming that you and your wife each have at least one commuter type daily driver, "At what point does the hassle of ownership of so many vehicles begin to out-weigh the pride of having a different car for every day of the week." i mean, you got insurance, registration, maintenance, and the big one: parking. my new theory: if you cant keep your hot rod parked indoors, get rid of it. one, you dont want your front or back yard to look like a used car lot, or worse, a wrecking yard. and two, the elements get at your baby when she lives outside. and if owning a vehicle is giving you nothing in return other than monthly storage fees, get rid of it.

not too long ago, i had as many as 8 vehicles. Eight vehicles and a 3-car garage. now i have 5. my truck and my wife's SUV stay outside, and my 5.0, Formula 350, and 67 Firebird are in the garage. i feel no regrets and dont miss having too many vehicles. and as an added bonus, modding the vehicles that i have to the specifications that i want seems more withing reach than ever.

if i were you, i would:

keep, and in fact, lightly modify (for performance, not looks) the '88 IROC.

keep, and modify (for performance, not looks) the '88 TA. (actually, i'd sell it and replace it with a Formula 350, but thats just a matter of preference.)

sell the 86 TA which is redundant and inferior to the '88 in looks and performance.

sell the '97 Z28 which is redundant and inferior to the 2000 SS in looks and performance.







"saved"

NowhereFast

Looks a lot like mine.

If it was up to me, I would leave the car alone on the outside. However, I see no problem with doing minor performance mods. Although, I would keep the stock parts for the sake of originality.

This is just my opinion though. Do whatever makes you happy.

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

I echo the mudflaps. Ditch them, it was the best thing I ever did on mine. They really look horrible IMO. And FYI, don't be scared of paint chips if you baby the car as an occasional cruiser. Mine's been mudflap free for 13 years without issue--I just stay off roads that are known to have lots of pebbles/rocks, and stay away from shoulders.

I also agree on Lloyd's mats; I bought a set for my Stang (and a matching Lloyd's trunkmat) and it was the best $200 I could've spent to REALLY set off the interior. They look absolutely fantastic and are an excellent addition, being that the logos are licensed and correct.

I also go with KMK on the reversible stuff. I would keep it light--lower it 2", throw on a nice exhaust, and call it a day. Wheels if you want, but to me wheels are kind of a waste of money (don't ask me why, it's just a lot of coin to part with once you factor in good tires too) unless you're doing a real build and want something like Bonspeed Huntingtons to outlast the car. I think EVERY car, no matter how original, benefits from a slight drop and an exhaust. Makes the car look 100% better and sound 100% better, and is easily reversible, tasteful, and won't affect drivability if quality parts are used.

I also agree with Linson about redundancy, when you factor in all the costs to own/maintain.

FormerL69

iTrader: (2)

I say don't touch it, but I'm a stock kind of guy.

In the end -- it's your car, and I second KMK454 and say that if you do decide to do anything, please make sure it can be reversed without damaging the car.

IMHO -- even though these cars may not be worth much now, at some point an all original, and especially low mileage car, is going to be worth having.

Randy

Linson

tisk, tisk. a third gen that goes fast and is fun to drive will ALWAYS be worth having.

to hell with keeping it stock for somebody else...for some future prospective buyer...when you'd rather have a few thousand dollars than your third gen. simply put, a car is not an investment - especially a third gen. thats the beauty of it.

backgammon7

That would be a car I would keep original. However, in my dream garage I would have an all out performance custom, and a factory original/ restored. If you want to customize, get a car that will be improved by customization. A Sport Coupe/ RS/ Base Z28 or their Firebird equivalents that are higher mileage would be great candidates for customization seeing as they are still fairly common and less desirable than their rarer/ lower mile counterparts. If it were mine, I would leave that TA alone and find a base bird to do whatever you want to. If you do decide to toy with it, keep all the original parts so if you change your mind you can put it back.

EDIT: You've got 4 cars in your sig, why not add another.... or give one to me...

combatdoc

I feel your pain bro, i just bought a 50,000 mile 91 z28 car is almost perfect but........ I have an rs that i put a tpi355 with t5 in, car is fast but could be faster, so i bought a wrecked 2001 T/A and am getting ready to do the swap into the 91, gotta go with your heart dude. besides you only live once.

ZZ3 Z28

Keep it stock looking but add the performance upgrades. Have fun with it while you still can. It's not like that car is going to be worth ten times as much with a stock hood versus an aftermarket one. Unless Wayne Carini is knocking at your door, not every car was meant to stay original.

puma1552

iTrader: (1)

I noticed you tend to knock everyone who doesn't mod the **** out of their car; who says people keeping the cars stock are keeping them stock for someone else? Jason has already mentioned that the '88 IROC is with him until he dies--in stock form.

Some people appreciate the cars for what they are, what they were, and how they were designed. A true enthusiast can understand that.

cerberus

I hate the fact mine has a very nice magnaflow system on it, Hard to find the correct items to put it back to stock.



Just say no.

Jason E

Thanks for all the posts, guys. Nice to see so many opinions on the matter. Personally, I have not made up my mind either way, but I like seeing both sides. For the record...

1) I am not planning on the Ram Air II hood!!! I'm not sure where that came from. I want the lower profile LT1, Ram Air I style hood...not the big-*** flaring LS1-style RA II hood. I agree, that one is horrid. My own wife even likes the lower profile hood. Still not sold on the idea, though...

2) The hating on my mudflaps made me pretty hard! I admit...I added them. I bought the last 2 sets I could find locally at a dying GM dealer. I did it because my old '91 RS chipped the hell out of the back 2 fenders, and I didn't wanna do that to this car. I didn't think they looked that bad!!!! I live on a gravel driveway...I just dont want to chance it.

3) The 86 TA is being sold...that's already a given. That was the plan when I bought this one 10 months ago...then an impromptu resto on the 86 got in the way I agree, it is redundant, and not as good in performance, as the 88...hence the axe.

4) My 97 Z is sticking around, even though I'm buying the SS. The SS is the 4th gen equivalent to my IROC...a 9,500 mile garage queen with every option I could want, in the right color, with the right tranny. I will drive it...hard...about 1,000 miles a year. But its a keeper...I don't wanna rack a ton of miles up on it. I've had my Z for 11 years...with 71k on it, its no longer low mileage, so I figure why not enjoy it? I can take it on road trips, drive it to work on nice days, and flog it a little, and it still looks and drives nearly new.

5) All these cars are kept indoors. That's part of the issue with having 3 third gens with the SS coming along...no room. I have a 4 car garage. So the 86 gets the boot. Frankly, I thought about selling this one as well so my 2005 Ram can go back inside...doubt I can bring myself to do it, though.

6) I think I may just throw the SLP catback on it I already have, throw a couple good amps in the trunk with a sub and 4 speakers (running off a really nice '91 Bonneville CD player with an iPod jack I bought off eBay) and just cruise with it that way this season. Time will tell the end mission for this car.

Admittedly, I have always been a purist, and IZGR8 said it best...my old '91 RS is kinda the ideal car to mod. It had 100+k on it, it was a "lowly" RS, and had no intrinsic value stock. That's what I liked about that car. This one, admittedly, is different....

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

Good evaluation. As for myself, I'm one for light mods that can be put back if desired on prime examples unless they're very low mileage, like that TA. If you decide to do the exhaust though, which is a wear item and not a huge deal, try to get someone who cares to remove it in a way that it can be preserved. Whatever you do to the car, just make sure that it's easily reversible. There are some cars that are perfect candidates for mods and some that are not. We both know this. Some would take a mint IROC-Z and change almost every piece of it just to go fast when there are lots of RSs and nice high mileage IROCs/Z28s out there that are perfect for that stuff. Those cars unfortunately wound up in the hands of the wrong people that just don't care. But, everyone has a different goal, and those people only add value to the more original cars. The only thing I would change on your IROC-Z would be the gears, they all deserved the 3.27s IMO.

Are you keeping that pinstripe on the 88?

Jason E

What, you don't like my pinstripe? I had my trim guy make it special for that car...its black/silver thin/thick to accent the black wheels and silver trim, with a small 3" Pontiac arrowhead at the end. I think its sweet, and he did it for $25 I realize though that not many people are keen on pinstripes. I like them, on the right car.

Its gonna be hard to not throw that hood and intake on it when I get the bodywork done. This car is hard for me to determine a path. Its uber-clean, and faster than 90% of third gens produced, so its a fun car to drive and show. At the same point, the performance factor makes me wonder if it would be even more fun amped up a notch. I feel different about this car than I do the IROC. The IROC is so perfect and flawless, its brand new. After wanting it for so long, there's nothing about it I wanna mess with!

Alas, like I said, I am a purist more than a modder, and I may just keep it stock. That was one nice thing about having the 86, too...its long term destiny with me was H/C/I/wheels/exhaust, as I already have 2 stock third gens.

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

I don't think the pinstripe is horrible, but I thought it was a Charlie situation where you bought it that way. Are you the one who repainted the car?

Personally, I feel like you'd enjoy that IROC alot more with the 3.27s and it's something that no one could ever detect. Those gears flat out hinder that car!

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

Mod it.. its not like these cars are super collectible. Enjoy it.

Jason E

No, I made it more like an old man's car with the mudflaps and pinstripe One way it REALLY looked like an old man's car (because it actually was before I owned it) was the stupid small 215/60/16 Eagle GAs it had on it. They were nearly new tread-wise, but I ripped them off within a month and put proper 245s on it. The car did fishtail easily with those crappy tires, though!!

I did not repaint the car...the previous owner did, around 2000. Apparently it had a lot of clearcoat checking, and the shop couldn't match the faded bumpers up to the body, so they painted the whole thing. Its a good spray job, but too much flex additive was added to the front bumper, which has caused the red to darken over time. Its easily 2 shades darker than the rest of the car...not very noticeable in broad daylight, or even twilight...but when inside a garage under light, its horrible. Look at this pic from the night I brought it home...



At the same time, in normal sunlight, its fine. Here's a pic just before I left on my 4 hour journey to tow it home with my Ram (I live in Western MA, the car was near Niagra Falls...). You can see outside, the bumper looks fine.



Other than the bumper, the hood has a few small chips in it along with a few small water spots etched into it, the spoiler is a little junky, and there is an occassional small, random drip in the paint somewhere...like in a door jamb, or on the ground effects. Nothing detracts from it in any obvious places. Overall, its a great paint job, and is far better than the factory paint my 89 RS had. It just isn't as perfect as the blue TA's paint...but its worth it to freshen this one a small amount, and not waste the money on a full respray.

As for 3.27s in the IROC, I don't disagree. The 2.77s blunt the off-the-line feel substantially...over 3k you feel that torque take over and its like a freight train. Its amazing even with 330 lb ft what 2.77s do to it!!

StevenB L98/LS1

I would say if you want to impress the newer generation f bodies, id just mod the rear end, transmission, and engine, but leave everything on the outside bone stock looking, it will look like a sleeper if a 4th gen or corvette come up to challenge and there baffled as to why a stock third gen just beat them, its always funny for laughs. But thats just me, i like stock appearance third gens with like a lsx or ls swap in it or even revert back to old school with a sbc carb motor. I did like your thinking on adding on the third gen firehawk wheels though, but that would be the only outside appearance change i would make.

backgammon7

What if everyone who had a 69 camaro in 85 had thought like that?

Modded cars are awesome, I want to mod mine, but original cars are history.

Linson

i know it seems that way. and i'm sorry that it does, but its not that people are keeping them stock that bothers me, but the reasons why. if you want to keep your car stock because a stock car is what YOU want for YOU, then more power to ya. but, like i said, dont do it for someone else who you never have and perhaps never will even meet. and BTW, if a stock car was truly what Jason E wanted, i doubt he would have even raised the subject. evidently, he is wrestling with his concience on the matter.

i think it goes against everything that the Muscle Car Hobby is supposed to be about, to put the potential value of a Muscle Car before enjoyment of said vehicle. and i mean this all within reason - i'm not sayin i would mod any and everything, and there are plenty of things that i find sacraligious myself, like Jesse James turning an original big block C3 Vette into a "muddin' truck." to me, having a muscle car is about making it better than new. that doesnt mean doing anything tacky, or taking away from the essense of the car.


no such thing as life-changing money in this game, folks.

edit: that 2 million that changed hands for that Cuda, probably didnt change the lifestyle of either party involved.

Linson

uh, then we wouldnt be having this discussion because people wouldnt think that an original car was gonna be worth 200K. or would we? dude, close your eyes and think about the 69 Camaro of your dreams.....

was it modded? i bet it was! that's why everybody thinks 69 Camaros are badass - because most of the ones you see are modded, tastefully, but extensively.

but, TBH, i get what youre saying about preserving a piece of history. but historically speaking, these cars were made to be modded. people were modding their 69 Camaros in 69.

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

That makes it look like stock Third Gen paint!

Very true. As said earlier, it's also true that the ones people usually envision are also not quite stock, but it's even more true that the ones that are stock are worth considerably more and are held in higher regard.

IROCThe5.7L

^ I agree. Just do what makes you happy. You only live once. It would be nice to have a mint thirdgen and also own a high mileage one to mod. But realistically most people have other responsibilities and can't do both.

But OP I can see were you're torn a bit as your car is low mileage. Some people tend to think 70,000-80,000 is low. But those cars aren't going to bring in nearly what a 10-20k car would. You have plenty of options. I'd consider my car heavily modded. But I have never cut a wire or line. I have all my original parts. If I wanted I could return my car to 100% stock. The only thing I don't have is the original muffler. So there's plenty of options for you.

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

I think the world would be a better place. Nothing is more boring than goin to a car show and see dozens of "showroom" stock 69's all parked together. :yawn

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

I don't know, there was a time when I used to go to cruise nights 3-4 times a week a few years ago and my experience was the exact opposite. Almost every 1st Gen was modded and it was practically impossible to see an original, especially a real original with factory paint and all. Those, I only saw at actual car shows in which they were usually owned by paranoid people because of the rarity and value. They were few and often were actually total restorations that haven't seen their original paint or parts in decades. I really like modded cars, especially if it's done to base models and the like. They're usually the more fun cars, but sometimes I just want to see the real thing and that is what's actually important to save/preserve. If people think, "so what, it's just another nice IROC," or whatever model, years from now the real originals will be few like the 1st Gens or worse. There's just no reason to do these things to the exceptional cars at this age anymore when there are many others to choose from IMO.

Also, if someone would like to have a mint car and a street machine but cannot afford both, they do have the choice of selling the nice one to pursue their dream of speed if needed, so as to not modify a car that someone else would truly enjoy owning/preserving just the way it is. Mint Third Gens will still be around years from now if they want one again.....just with higher price tags. In the case of the OP, he has a fleet of cars with some that are already fast and have much more potential than this one. Appearance-wise, wheels and tires would be the easiest and safest modification, but one could argue that those crosslaces are already nice on that car.....

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

Thats true but a nicer base to start with makes your work alot easier! lol. My car was bone stock at 131K miles when I got it, but it was practically mint condition even with high mileage. It was super clean all around and made modding so much easier since everything was in good shape and not cut up or rusted or anything like that. With these old cars, you may be buying something that was owned by 7 different ppl at one time and who knows what was done! Just my thoughts.

I just havent seen thirdgens attract much attention at shows even tho some of them are mint condition. I've seen very low mileage Z28 convertibles at shows that were beautiful but no one seems to stop and look at them. I just dont think they are respected yet. Give it another 10 years maybe.

KMK454

It's all personal preference. Anyone holding a thirdgen as an investment needs a class on finances. Some of our cars will draw more money in the future and mine's always "for sale" if the price is right, but I bought mine because it was a dream car, not an addition to the investment portfolio.

My philosophy for modding cars is "factory plus." A lot of people think modding means hackjob cars and absurd changes to the vehicle. Jason could easily do a factory plus mod-group to his TA, and here's what that might entail...

Period correct parts - think of the Firehawk as a perfect example:
SLP Intake runners
SLP headers
Catback (GMMG, SLP, Flowmaster, Magnaflow, your call but make the tips look factory by hiding them or doing dumps)
Replace all bushings with higher performance rubber or derlin/polyeurethane
Larger sways / better panhard bar
1LE brakes with stainless lines
Lowering springs
Performance shocks/struts
Wheels if you wanted to, but they must be very tasteful, high quality wheels or be period correct wheels (Ronal Firehawk, BBS RS, etc.). No 'vette wheels, no mismatching IROC wheels on a TA, etc.
Wonderbar
Shifter
Classy stereo - Maybe find a 91-92 CD player and put it in there, or do a hidden ipod hookup and run the cable out of the ashtray or console.
Window tint - your call

Notice what's missing... no internal engine mods. Also, no subframe connectors aside from wonderbar (need to be welded on, but bolt ons may damage the bolt holes). All of the removed parts can be easily stored, and returning that stuff to stock is a matter of time and labor. No fabrication. No tubbing the wheels. No crazy interior mods. No cutting. No wings and scoops and other craziness. No major invasive changes... the car can be put back to 100% stock 30 years from now so you can sell it for $1.6 million at Barrett Jackson...

IMissMy86TA

As one who owns an original Pontiac I say go for it
I remember the 80s when people were modifying original 60s and 70s F bodies. Now the original ones go for pretty decent money with low miles
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/appli...&aid=363&pop=0
Considering the 79s stock were gutless...

Thats the way it goes. survivors will be worth something one day
You modify yours.. make mine worth more for my son when he decides to sell it.

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

Jason - do you have a picture of the hood you were referring to?(Ram Air I)

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

Doing what you did is exactly what I'm talking about! Finding a nice higher mileage example to modify if it's going to be and IROC or GTA, etc. If it's an RS or equivalent, even better.

When I had more free time to take my car to shows it always attracted attention, even if I parked in the back. There were times that people would crowd around it, ask questions, and compliment it. I also heard alot of, "You don't see them like this anymore" and "I wish I still had mine" LOL. Gas stations seem to produce the same reactions and I've had many people stare or shout compliments at it while I'm just out cruising. I agree though, a few more years from now and it should pick up more as the cars range from 20 to 30 years in age at this point in time.

Jason E

Here's a TA in my exact color with the desired hood, for sale locally...

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

The more I look at these pics, and the airbox on Hawks, the more I love it. Interestingly, if Hawks hood is indeed an ASCD hood, its $50 cheaper to order through ASCD. I just want to confirm its identical, so that I know the Hawks airbox fits.

At this point, I've talked myself out of the cam, and even the Firehawk wheels, possibly. The windows are already tinted. Therefore, if I paint and install the RA hood, install the airbox, install the Hawks OEM fiberglass spoiler I already have, install the SLP catback I already have, freshen my spare 10 bolt with 3.42s or 3.73s, and paint the front bumper, I have a nice looking nearly stock Trans Am that I still have all the stock parts for. It can be put back to stock in an afternoon, and will be fun to drive putting out a few more ponies and sounding better.

Still debating...the Firehawk wheels may come later. If the car was any color but red, I wouldn't care about the Firehawk wheels because I love the black 16" crosslaces. But, those red accented wheels...yummy...

Jason E

That's part of my issue I lost every dime I spent on mods on my RS. Original cars are always worth more. I know I will keep my IROC until I croak...I know I will keep my SS until I croak. This car may be kept for a long time, but may not be kept forever. Hence, I have to really think about what path I want to take with it...

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

All I know is that the basic bolt ons took my car from a mid high 14 second car to a mid 13 second car without much effort. All simple mods that can be easily swapped back to stock if you kept the parts.

For an L98 car, they respond very well to headers/exhaust and intake modifications to TPI. Port stock base and add runners or add aftermarket base/runners. Either way it will pick up nice power you can feel and make the car enjoyable and should not hurt value.

Who is gonna know/care that the stock base was ported? Runners you can swap out in a few hrs to go back to stock if need be, but the big tube stuff doesnt look too over the top to notice its not stock. All good mods on ANY car IMO.

At the gas stations I always had someone compliment it and even try buying it when stock. They do get some attention when you see a clean example, but I get a BUNCH more attention than I could ever ask for with the twin turbos sticking out of the hood. I cant go anywhere without having someone ask me to pop the hood or ask how fast it goes. I like this feeling alot

Its just the shows dont seem to attract late model crowd anymore. You get late model vette guys with their showroom stock high polished Z06's, C6's and even ZR1's now. And then ofcourse you have the typical 69 fbody crowd and other known muscle car groups of that 60-70's era. Rare to see late model 80's,90's cars now. Sad to see that alot of 5th gen 2010 cars are trying to get into the show scene thinking they are just like the 1st gens. Well I hate to break it to you but you are not and dont really belong there with that group IMO.

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

Jason - I think I like the looks of the early third gen TA - Formula hood better. Those 2 holes just kind of look like a snout - the regular TA hood is cleaner looking. You will regret doing it and wind up switching back to your old hood.

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

Haha, I've also had the offers to buy. Not happening. But people like these cars, always have, always will. When they age some more, become rarer, and the entire public sees them without question as classics, it'll probably double.

Linson

[quote=KMK454;5180771]





thank you! that needed to be said.

Linson

agreed. my order of preference:

• Formula/TA Power Buldge Hood
• Stock TA Vented Hood (whats on his car now) -- personally, i would just keep that.
• RA I Hood (the one Jason wants to get) --looks pretty good, but better on a 4th gen
• Base Plain Jane Hood
• RA II Hood --

Linson

am i the only one who still asks, "what have you done to it?" when you see another muscle car owner? have we now gone from "what have you done to it?" to "how much do you think it's worth?"

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

I am biased, as I own a Ws6 cloned 4th gen....i think those cars were born to sport that hood and the only car on the market that should have one.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Whatever else you do Jason, I am dead set against any hood swapping shenanigans.