What have you see out there, sitting, or just rotting away?

Yard art, or the earth reclaiming slowly?

I saw this original looking RS just sitting. Been here for years. Never moves.
Enough mold growing on it, one could farm it...

what have ya got? Pics, of course.

 

Oh man more of what I haven’t seen 😂

This should be a fun thread as well! 👍🏻

Would have to get some pictures again but posted once before in the paparazzi thread I believe. There’s a IROC down the road from me been sitting in the same spot for at least the last 20 years or more. Ground is up to the rockers damn near.

 

Early bird, has Recaro’s. I’m a UPS guy and I see a lot of third gens returning to the earth. Very plentiful in my area.

 

 

When I worked in the field, I used to see all sorts of cool cars. Of course, this was all before the flip phone and such, so no pics.

Looks like they do a nice job mowing around that bird, and the bus.

 

That's a damn shame. Needs to be rescued.

 

It’s unbelievable the things you see sitting behind houses, in barns, tucked away in garages!

 

 

Just log onto Craiglist and you'll see all kinds of them. Too many to mention. On lazy days I used to drive around spotting thirdgens behind barns and in shelter belts. If you can imagine it, it's sitting out behind some guy's barn. Problem is 99% of those cars are not worth saving. The drivetrain in my Mustang came from a shelter belt car, actually it was parked behind a corn crib and the mice had nested in every part of the thunderbird. I ripped the engine and a few pieces that could be sterilized and the rest went to the crusher. Once they're neglected like that, they're little better than scrap.

 

Yeah, that’s the reason why I don’t ask about many of them. Did ask about this one though, guy said his nephew was going to restore it...that was over 5 years ago.

 

It does look like he was trying to take good care of it though, notice the cardboard under the rock on the hatch so the paint won't get scratched..

 

Not for sale and he's been going to restore since around 2005.

 

Another not for sale "I'm gonna restore" in my area.

 

My car 4 years ago, sat here for almost 11 years.

 

My car now, really wish I could get the white GTA hardtop.

 

Damn. Did you restore the black GTA?

Looks awesome.

 

25 years ago, I tried repeatedly for several years to buy a 76, 455, 4spd Trans Am, sitting behind a trailer. Most of you know how rare this car is, though not a third gen, one of my dream cars.

As always the owner had every excuse not to sell. It was scrapped 5 years ago. Nothing left of it at time of scrap.

I saw the same happen to a TTA. When I looked at it, it was beyond saving.

I’ll look for the pictures later to post.

 

Thanks, actually I only repainted the hood, the rest is a result of lots of cutting and buffing. Spoiler is shot of course but I still have a brand new one in our living room. I did have to replace the entire fuel system from tank to all 8 injectors, all new brakes, all new ignition, and new carpet and 4th gen seats. Also refinished wheels. It is now a solid daily driver that I consider a nice 20 footer. In hindsight it would have been cheaper to buy a decent driver but I have had a blast getting her to this point. The wife just last week bought me a vortec crate 5.7, just don't have the funds for ls yet. I do have a soft spot for these cars in the rough.

 

Here's an 89' GTA that's been abandoned behind a body shop for at least a decade. About 60,000 miles, entirely rust free, 350, and is gorgeous inside. I've been trying to track down the owner but the body shop isn't co-operating and it's extremely difficult to get owner information through the MTO out here.

 

Amazing the paint looks that good on the hood compared to the rest of the car. I'd be shocked at the interior condition being nice while getting baked in the sun for 10 years unless the car was under a cover.

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/auto...hind-body.html

Here's a short thread I made on the car. Bunch of pics and more info on it if you're interested!

 

My son will be driving in a few months, so we're looking for a cheap project car for him. We took a nice drive through the country in my IROC a few weeks ago, just keeping our eyes open for anything that looked promising.

We found three 3rd Gens that were obviously not in use. One was an early white Camaro, looked like either a Berlinetta or SC parked next to a barn with weeds growing up around it. Just down the road was an early IROC (judging by the wheels) parked in a back yard. And just a few minutes from home we found a 1986 TA that didn't look too bad, but was obviously not being driven regularly. My brother in law said he has been watching that car and it hasn't moved in about 15 years, so it's probably pretty rough.

Anyway, my son and I put notes in the mailboxes of all three houses to see if anyone was interested in selling. Didn't get any phone calls from any of them.

Next time I drive by them, I'll try to snap a few pictures.

 

I know where there is an 89 lb9 formula convertible. It needs a lot of work and they want $5k for it.

If it had been a stick, I would have bought it anyway.

Later,
Chris

 

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

 

Above, 85-90 Firebird of some type not far from me in NV. When the people moved-in three years ago, you could see it better from the side street. Looked like a TA, color looks copper-ish, not red, which, I think was available in 1985? This pic was two years ago, and junk cars were piling up around it. Today you can barely see it because of all the junk cars around it. Edit: Got a little better view of this one recently. Looks like an 87-90 GTA. Dark red metallic would probably fade to an orange-ish. It looks to be in better shape than most 3rdgens I see, so maybe they have a future planned for it.



The two pics, above, are the same pic, but cropped. Seven years ago. Mojave area of the Antelope Valley in CA.


Four years ago, above, convertible top caved-in. Passed it a few months ago, and body panels are falling off or have been removed. Could be a parts car, although it looked pretty decent seven years ago when I first saw it.

 

This 84 TA is sitting in an alley a block from my work

 

Found this while out on a bike ride a few miles from my house... have gone by a few times but I have never seen any other cars there... not sure if anyone lives there...

There is a sign that says "Smile, you are on camera".

As best i can tell, its an 87 IROC with an LG4... (high 3rd brake light, no TPI emblem).. tires are almost flat... clearly has not moved in a long time.

 

here is the one I am looking to save from the scrap heap.

just waiting for the field to dry up enough to get in to get it.

 

Looks like someone tried to open the hood with a piece of barn, which always destroys the fender from downward force as well as the mirror while leaning on it.

I don't see much there and if the underside of the body has been making contact with the ground for many years, that's toast.

 

What's the red third gen in the background?

 

why?? If it is free maybe. Just my $0.02

 

Must be a duck blind. Even I didn't see it!

 

looks like a firebird. not sure about it though. it wasn't on the list of available cars.

i will ask about it when i go to pickup the 84.

thanks,
Chris

 

getting it for a father son project. it is mostly just surface rust. and some minor body work.

if that red one is a ttop firebird, i may make an offer on it as well.

Thanks,
Chris

 

Red camaro has been sitting in storage rental place for about 10 years. The white one just showed about a month ago. Its tags just expired in April 2020.

 

88 GTA sitting in the same spot in my yard for the last 7 years.




Pic was taken in early June. Unlike some guys that abandon the project that's been sitting around untouched for awhile,........... I will not give-up so easy & do expect it to drive again.

 

Rotting away in a backyard in Clinton, NC.


Eastover, NC. Believe the inspection sticker says ‘96.

 

Seeing this makes me wonder just how many there are in my area in people's yards that I would never see. Being a UPS driver, you are going onto private properties everywhere, so you see all of the treasures people have hidden away. Makes me wonder just how many thirdgens are realistically within 10 miles of me. I only know of 1 black Camaro rotting in a field a stone's throw from my property. Of course I asked and no it's not for sale. Since working from home, I did see a guy driving a tattered 87 or 88 red/primer T/A awhile back like he was testing the engine up and down my road, but it vanished before I could flag him down.lol I haven't seen it since and have looked and have not seen it anywhere parked on my road.

While I do glance around looking while driving, I can't go behind houses/barns or down long driveways to "look." Sure makes me wonder. Can't see mine either, all 3 are behind closed doors unless I have them out...

 

You would be absolutely amazed at the gems and junk people have hidden away.

 

I live in NC as well. I can confirm this.

 

Funny, I've also noticed that an awful lot of the cars posted are in NC.

I've also noticed that member, dagwood, in Iowa, sure finds a lot of 3rdgens within his range, so Iowa must be another hotbed for 3rdgens.

I go out for drives each evening after it cools down below 100*, and my rural NV area is loaded with sad 3rdgens, some still in service. I just don't stop to click pics of them. I'd feel creepy doing that... a little nervous too. Too many "if you can read this sign, then you're in range" people in areas like this. The orange or red TA I posted in this thread, though, I am tempted to stop and ask to see it. Doubt I will, but maybe one day...

 

Not sure if this counts. Its a SE t-top car. Assuming v6. In an old abandoned junk yard. Place used to be littered with f-bodys 10-15 years ago. This is the only one I see left.

 

Man seeing these pics is a bit depressing. To think they were once all shiny and new. Someone was excited to get them. I remember the day I go to my 1986 firebird and my now 1989 firebird. The 89 was 31 years ago mid July.

 

This has been sitting outside, almost in the same spot, for at least the last 25 years (about when I first spotted it on the way to the salvage yard).
It has moved closer to the fence over the years (may be trying to escape the neglect..).

 

What a shame, car looks solid.

 

 

I have a bunch of birds laying around my area

 

Here Is one I seen when I was stationed in Florida

 

Yellow 87 IROC-Z in Iowa...

 

Red, 89 IROC-Z, 5.7 TPI sitting in NW Iowa. A friend of mine found this car today and is trying to get it bought