Hah! If we have T Tops then the polar bears can get in too easily!
There's quite a few Tops cars up here and I've always had cars with t tops, but I figured maybe change it up for the next one.

I also noticed on the GTA there was a small crack at the corner of the roof and the B pillar right where the roof would be cut for a T Top. I've never seen that before. Is it just a stress crack? To me it seems like there's too many little problems to be worth $8000. I initially offered him $7000 CAD and he said no. Had he said yes it would be sitting in my driveway.

I also found an ad for a 91 GTA, black on black, 305 5 speed, T Tops, with 280 000 kms (174 000 mi) asking $3000.00 CAD ($2481 USD) that apparently has a rebuilt trans and new clutch, and 2 new tires. The mileage makes me a bit uneasy though. Seems like a very good swap candidate or just buy a new block and heads.

There is an 87 GTA Flame Red with Tops, 350, and Digital dash near me that has been converted to a 5 speed but I am unsure of the trans and he said he has no paperwork as far as the swap as it was done before he bought the car.

And, lastly, I have a line on a white on grey 90 GTA, T tops, 305 auto, 206 000 kms (128 000 mi) and they're asking $6900 CAD ($5700 USD)
So I've got a few options to go look at still. They always pop up around this time of year.

Sorry I have zero pictures of any of them at the moment
As clean as yours is, I could see someone up here asking around $20 000. There is an 89 IROC 350, Maroon on Black with Tops with 76 000 kms (47 000 mi) about 2 hours from me and last I saw he was asking $16 000 CAD ($13 230 USD) Keep in mind that yours is a much rarer car.

 

Good info thanks!

 

High miles but may be okay if it was looked after and everything works. The price is certainly low enough for a car this rare. I don't think people have picked up on how rare 5 speed GTA's are just yet and they seem like bargains right now.

 

I agree. if you look at my poll on here you will find most people would prefer the 5 speed if they had a choice. Feel free to vote!

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...-tpi-only.html

 

Here is the 91 GTA 5 Speed.
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/e...ationFlag=true


And here is another, it's about 5 hrs away from me but looks like it may be worth the drive
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/...ationFlag=true


Also found this but I am not too keen on the base Firebird styling
http://www.kijiji.ca/v-cars-trucks/c...ationFlag=true


Keep the thoughts and opinions coming!

 

I really like the red GTA...very sweet. the black ta has too many KM i think but very cheap. I am partial to black but the red gta looks clean. base fbirds are not for me.

 

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/...ationFlag=true

 

Well I have found some more this weekend:

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/...ationFlag=true
I looked at this GTA, it's pretty clean, no rust other than the damaged area. I could easily have it repaired if I picked the car up cheap enough and still be under my budget, maybe even throw a repaint on it. Interior was clean but the car has sat outside for lord knows how long. My fear is if the tops leaked into the car while it was sitting and the floor is rotten on the inside. It did not smell musty or anything, and the carpet didn't feel damp. She started it up for me and it fired and ran like a champ. Saw minor coolant leak just behind the thermostat housing, guessing the t/stat gasket. She said she is flexible on the price but it is not a fire sale by any means. Couldn't drive it but she said it drive's straight, can't always believe what you're told though

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/...ationFlag=true
I know this isn't a 'Bird but rarely do you find a G92 car up here. I e-mailed him and was told it has a sagging headliner and a ding in the hood. I am waiting for more pics though.
Aaaaaand go opinions!

 

All of the 5.7 cars had the same rear & gears (3:27 Posi with Disc) - G92 or not - so don't overpay for something somebody else will give you for free. All part of the B2L package that you got when you checked off the 5.7 L98.

If the GTA is a 5.7 (which it's probably not because it has t-tops) it would have them too.

 

My 89 IROC was a 5.7 car with 2.77 in the rear and single cat. The GTA according to VIN is a 3.27 rear and it is a 350 with single cat. The 88 Formula and that first red 89 GTA were both 350, single cat, and both had 3.27 but I have ran into a lot of Camaro's with a 350 and the 2.77 ratio.
So, does the 3.27 come standard with the 350 in 1990+? Any clarification would be muchly appreciated.


And as far as the GTA, I went and showed some pics to the body man I deal with and he quoted me $6000-7000 to paint and install the fender and doors and repaint the whole vehicle with a new spoiler. His caution to me is what you can't see behind the ground effects and under the paint.


And again, I love this forum for being able to bounce things like this around and get many informed opinions and knowledge. Thanks everyone!

 

Actually I just read under that handy 'Tech Data' link up above. Managed to answer my question. Thanks for the heads up PurelyPMD! I thought it was always an option but, again, I learned something new!

 

Buy the best car you can find. You are better to spend up at the start than buy a lesser car and pay to get it where you want it.

FWIW I also think that if you don't buy a GTA at the end of the day you will regret it. You parted with a nice IROC to get a GTA and you should get one and not another Camaro`

.02

 

Thanks 79bluebird. I don't have patience I think is my issue. That money is just burning a hole in my pocket. Plus, the weather has been so good here lately (minus Calgary's snow today) that I can't wait to get a cruiser again. I put a wanted ad on kijiji in Edmonton hoping maybe someone is sitting on one in their garage and just needs a nudge to get rid of it. Wait and see I guess.

 

http://wwwa.autotrader.ca/a/Pontiac/...PO&orup=3_15_4

If you buy this one it's costing you supper and beers at Bamboo Hut.

 

thats one well done custom!

 

i'm a generous guy, so instead of giving you .02 cents, i'll throw in about .63 cents.

you need to have patience. the right car and the right deal WILL come along. it always does.

you need to stop looking at Camaros if you know what you want is a Firebird/Trans Am/ GTA... the Camaros are not "the right car."

i notice that all the ads you've posted are for in your area. there are a lot more cars in the US. i would expand my search beyond Canada's western provinces and into the US. sometimes paying the shipping fees is less expensive than paying to fix paint and body damage or mechanical problems.

how much in U.S. dollars is your price range? if you like GTAs in particular, then i'm assuming that you would be somewhat keen on an '89 TTA, which usually are not in too ratty of condition and can be bought for sometimes under 15K (for a pretty nice one) sometimes even around 10K for one with miles (which are still gonna be low compared to a normal Third Gen). taking out a signature loan to cover the initial expense of a nicer car can even be cheaper and more rewarding than spending all your money on a lesser car and trying to fix it up, which gets costly in a hurry depending on all the elements in the equation.

IROCs, Trans Ams, GTAs... i still think that Formulas are the sexiest looking Third Gens. (plus there's no body skirts to warp and peel off.) i only say that to say this: if its a GTA that you really want (and i hope its for the lines and not for the supposed higher status/value) then thats the car you should get. i know that if i had initially settled for a good deal or a convenient acquisition of an IROC or a TA/GTA, i would still have the itch for a Formula and i would never be truly happy with the car that i bought.

and one more time: be patient. the right car and the right deal will come along. it always does. dont find yourself having already blown your wad on your second or third choice when it does.

 

i dont like the wing. i dont care for the hood. and i dont like the bright tomato red paint. and i dont care for 2" or so drop on stock/stock sized wheels.

those subjective things aside, it looks like its super clean and really nicely done. 9K Canadian seems like a way fair price considering the apparent condition and the work and parts that have gone into the car.

 

Thanks everyone!


I'm not a huge fan of that GTA, ruined the look with the wing.


I would love a TTA but for my budget (approx. 7500 USD) I don't think it can be done at this time. We are looking at moving soon and that will for sure be a shock to the bank account. Maybe down the road, which is a terrible way to think because they will just go up in value and thusly, cost more.


It is a GTA I want, I always loved the look. Just screams 80's high perf what with the body cladding and everything lol. Value isn't too much of a concern for me, more basing on looks and appeal.


Thanks for the pep talk to calm me down on spending. That being said, however, I found an 89 Hardtop GTA 350 with approx. 82 000 miles about 5 hours away from me for $6500.00 CDN ($5400 USD) Looking like I'll go up Sunday to look. I posted the link a while ago. He sent me more pics today, looks really clean, always garaged, rarely driven. So we'll see how that goes and I'll report back unless something else comes up.


Thanks again everybody!

 

Here's some pics of the 89 I'm going to go look at. The bird badge on the pillar was stolen from the car by someone and they did a pretty filthy job of removing it. If anyone see's any other issues in the pics please feel free to point them out.

 

spoiler cracks - otherwise looks good!

 

Well, ladies and gentleman I have found the next 'one'. Now, it doesn't sit as low to the ground and it doesn't have the sporty lines BUT it was helping GM re-claim the streets back in the early 90's along with it's F Body brethren.
Body is solid other than the clear (surprise, GM paint) And the interior is spotless. Pretty excited for what I can do with it. Maybe just fix up a few things and flip next spring. It's a 1990 and I have paperwork dating back to 93 with it. Not an F Body but still a bruiser