hey all

i found a 92/91 firebird formula for sale

its got a 305 TBI engine/ auto

its in great shape

i figure i can use my current camaro as my daily driver and Hot Rod this chicken

its teal with a grey interior

now the problem:
whoever owned it put 2 white stripes down the hood
it looks like vinyl, but i cant tell

1) how can i tell?
2) how can i get rid of them?'

also, the side hows no GFX, i'd like to add some
(along with the Ram Air Hood, ROH wheels, and 4th gen spoiler)

 

If the stripes were applied after the paint job (not painted on) then you're gonna have to let it bake. Leave it in the sun on a hot summer day. I've never tried it on a cold car... dunno if the results would be the same. Then break out the heat gun (a hair dryer won't be hot enough) and a razor blade once the car has gotten good and hot. Start applying the heat at the corner of one of the stripes and then use the razor blade to get under and peel up the corner. Once you have enough to grip you shouldn't need it. SLOWLY work the heat gun heating only the attached edge closest to where you are peeling. (There's no turning back here) work the stripe slowly and it will come off, this will take you a couple of hours to do the whole car. There will be residue left on the paint but i believe that 3M makes a compound that will take that off, sometimes it will wax off depending on how long they've been on the car. Depending on how long they've been there, be prepared for the paint under them to be drastically darker than the rest of the paint on the car. Good Luck!

 

Oh yeah, suggestion for mods Vortech heads and a matching cam, Edelbrock headers and performer air gap intake, Holley 670 cfm throttle body, 305-335 stroker kit, Rapidfire plugs and MSD ignition, exhaust cutout. You can make 350 hp with this setup and if you've got the cash... Vortech Supercharger!!!

 

Why do people knowingly buy TBI cars as a base to mod?
Every single piece of that car will have to be modded to make it run anything resembling a good ET. Not to mention adding GFX to a formula is like buying a submarine and installing a screen door.

Buy what you want in the first place, all these cars cost basically the same price. If you wanna go fast on a budget get a car thats carbed, if you wanna go fast right away get an L98.

 

Cause you can smoke a lot of the stuff that's out there, then, after you've blown their doors off and left balled-up rubber on their windshield. they'll ask what you're running under the hood. Wouldn't you like to see the look on their faces when you tell them you're making 400+ hp with an LO3? Getting pre-packaged hp is great, but I prefer to be original. Knowing that I brought 400+ horses outta that LO3 that was once only 175 hp... That's a good feeling!

 

I agree with Drew, unless you find a deal that is too good to pass up, wait until you locate one set up like what you want. Thirdgens are a dime a dozen right now, and your wait shouldn't be long.

 

Alright, so you go car shopping, here on one lot you have a 91 fbody with an L03 and automatic. You've got a car with 2.73 non posi, drum brakes, basic interior, tiny exhuast, horribly small cat, tiny manifolds, horrible cam, horrible aircleaner, horrible heads, etc. On another lot you have a 91 Fbody with a L98 and automatic. You've got a car with 3.23 gears w/posi, rear discs, probably nicer interior, 2.75" exhaust, dual cats, large manifolds, good cam, sufficient intake, etc. Both cars are going to be priced about the same. The L98 car will run low 14's as long as its in good mechanical shape, the L03 will run high 16's, almost 17's in its best tuned stock condition. For reference the 3.1L V6 will run the same times as the L03 in stock config.

The only worse starting points for performance than L03 would be Iron Duke, CFI, and carbed 2.8's. At least the carbed cars can support a larger engine, the MPFI 6's can be swapped to TPI V8's with a little work, etc. The TBI won't support heavy mods.

Its nice to say you'd mod this or mod that and the car will run this speed or that, but the fact is that 90% of project cars NEVER satisfy their owners and never get completed. I for one would rather have a car I enjoy from the get-go then something I'll dream about modding to my satisfaction forever.

Which direction would you go?

 

Not all L98s come with rear disc. Mine didn't

 

Not all but most.

 

I aggree with Drew on this one sort of... But still great cars are built not bought... I would start with the L98 myself too then mod it up. There you start with all the basics accesories you would have to install on your TBI setup which means you could take the money you saved on labour and put in a few quick mods, and your in Low 14's right off, rather than starting with a few tenths better than the V-6 cars.

 

ok, i found something today that will make this a "not to buy"

i found a 1990 IROC-Z with a 350 in decent shape for $1500!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i am going back to look at it tommorow.......................

wish me luck guys

 

Good luck on the Iroc. Be sure to check the oil, the tranny fluid *rub it between two fingers to check for grit, and smell it for burnt smell*, make sure all 4 gears work, etc. Also don't forget to check the tires, if they're 16" keep in mind a new set will cost $700. Check the RPO's and the VIN to make sure its the real deal and not someone elses heavily modified parts car.

 

thanx drew!!!!!!

the body was in real good shape except for a couple of lite scratches

i checked the VIN and the engine code was an 8, so i believe it to be a 350 TPI

i'm gonna go look at it in about another hour

its maroon and has a grey leather interior

no t-tops!!!!!!!!!!

i'll let you know how it goes when i get back

 

Dont even waste your time with that turd of a **305** **Slowmatic** **TBI**... they are rediculously slow, and a lot of thirdgens a slow name. If its an Iroc, make sure the eigth digit on the VIN is an "8" for "L98" (230HP), but if its a LB9 which has a "F" they are still pretty bad *** cars if they have the 5 speed (225HP) and are very fun with the 5 speed. Check the entire cars over and over and find every little thing wrong with it.... Get a about a page longs things and drop that price tag down to about a one grand!

 

Basically, as was already said, starting from the 305 TBI is, well, not a good idea. You'll be spending tons of money to make a slow car fast when, for the same price, you could make a fast car faster. Keep shopping, find a 350. Mod it out. You'll probably be much more pleased in the end. Also, as for ground effects... you'd be destroying the formula! If you want ground effects, get a Trans Am. If formulas were meant to have ground effects, they would have been available with them, but they weren't. They are meant to be a true "sports car" with out many extras. That's why thay had the TA.

Just my opinion... I don't even OWN an F-body...




yet...

 

nah, forget the IROC also

i went this morning to look at it

the 8th number was a F
and the 9th was an 8

so i THOUGHT i had a 350 becuz i didnt count #positions lastnite

only a 305

and it had 230,000 miles on the clock

 

Iwsh I could find some kid to buy mine and get myself a decent looking IROC. But I can't find a car that looks as good as mine, just good engines

 

ok, i am still going to consider the IROC.........
1) its cheap
2) IT HAS A SOLID BODY
3) it's TPI
4) fully loaded
5) not much repairs are needed that i saw from being inside of it


I SAID I WAS LOOKING FOR CAR TO HOT ROD

so i guess i mite as well get this one and throw a 350 long block in, then put in a T56, then go from there

cuz right there, any car i buy, is gonna get a new engine and a T56 so, the mileage will be obsolete to the 2 MAIN problem areas
(although there are more, nothing is as costly to repair as these 2)
he was firm on his $1500 price, so i need to save a few more bones up, then i shall go back

 

Nuff said. I had TPI and now have TBI. I miss my TPI.

 

im in the process right now if trying to find either a l98 z28 or a mustang...whichever of those i get ill probably mod alot and keep the 305 TBI the way it is for a daily driver/car to drive while the others down for mods.