I am thinking of buying an 85 Trans Am, here are the pics of it.



It needs a little work, but I'm getting it for less than $100 . It needs the seats re-covered, a carb, front bumper cover (to match the original), maybe a hood, and a battery.

Other than that, It runs/shifts fine, and everything works. Just TLC and cleaning...(I drove it a couple of weeks ago, and since the guy has sold the carb..DOH!)

Anyways, where should I look for rust? I am a mustang guru, but know nothing about the f-bods. I'm assuming the usual spots like the floors, rear quarter rockers, where else? What are the odds that an 85 in TX with no t-tops will have cancer?

What would this car be worth, running and driving, with a fresh base/clear paint job?

BTW, I was going to ask the value of the car in good running/driving shape, but I dont know which forum! I think there should be a 'general' forum...just my .02!

Thanks for the help!

Shawn

 

The Wheel wells, Under the seats, Hatch area. also check to the doors areas as well.

 

Mine was really clean, i had rust on the floor panels (right under driver/passenger floor close to firewall), lower radiator support (imagine..) and in the spare tire well. The car had surface rust on the bottom of the hatch (above license plate and such). And the battery tray. The bottoms of the inside of the doors are also notorious for rust (there are drain holes at the bottom but the factory left peices of **** in the doors sometimes and it eventually plugged the holes and held the water. Thats all i can contribute, nice bird, good luck.

 

both my 85's had a rust spot in the same place...passenger a pillar. other than that get under it with a flashlight, look at the floorpans and the inside of the fenders under the plastic rock guards. if it is an original texas car it likely doesnt have anything to bad.

 

Driver and passenger a pillar, where it bolts to the body, kinda below the level of the fender.

 

If the car is near Austin I can take a look at it for you!

 

That car isn't an 85. I hate to be a pain, but the 85-89 models have "bumperettes" on the front instead of the grilles on each side. That car is most likely an 82-84

 

whoops didn't realize that that bumper cover wasn't the original