Hello I'm currently looking at a '88 305 carbureted auto. The car hasn't been on the road since September. She currently has the price at set at $1500 (the kbb of a 90 in fair condition). My biggest concerns are the body. The floor pans are rusted through to the point where I can touch the underside of the carpet. There is little rust spots around the trunk I think those are just surface. Also the Trans shifts hard when going from drive to reverse. The brakes seem to be fine. Needs a new carpet due to floor pans and the own before was a smoker.

What should I do. How much is the car worth and is it worth my time, I do need a car to drive and well its a camaro hehe.

Thanks
Jared

 

I would offer them $1000 in cash. Carpet is easy to get or clean and re-dye. Floor pans are not super expensive... especially if you can find a set in the junkyard that you can have cut out and blasted.. new ones are reasonable also. If the trans shifts hard into reverse it may simply need a tranny service. BUT transmissions are a dime a dozen especially if it's a 700-R4. how are the strut towers and are there any stress marks on the b-pillars.

I wouldn't pay a dime over a $1000. Let me know how you make out... Do all the electronics work... what motor?

 

Find some other ones in your area and compare from that.

I don't believe they put carbs on in 1988 so something is changed there.

 

What are your goals for car? Seems nowadays most used thirdgens that are lower priced need some type of body work or replacement panels. All of them need a respray too. I would go into it knowing how much you are willing to spend for making car what you want. I always see a lot of them for sale especially now since winter is coming. Low ball the guy ($750 cash) and see what happens. If he baulks tell him why you are offering that much (needs floor pans, carpet, trunk work, paint, etc). He might take your offer just to get rid of car before winter. With these cars and this economy, you are in the "drivers seat". Many more out there.

 

Currently Im looking for a car to drive. But I live in Buffalo NY so the winters can be bad for cars with all the salt. I want a car that when I look back when its sitting my garage I can remember my child hood. Yes I want to fix it up. She had it posted as an 88 but i know for a fact it was carbed. I poped the hood and reved her up.
I just dont want to screw my self over with a car that is going to be expensive to get on the road. I talked with some of my friends and they said the won't pay over 6 for it. Lastly how are they in the snow???

 

well put it this way, rear wheel drive with not traction control, most you can get is posi or limited slip

 

What would you guys do?

 

If this would be your only car, I would get a decent front wheel drive beater. Buy thirdgen when you can afford a 2nd car. I have a friend that drives an 84 in the winter and does fine. Personally, I don't like rwd cars and snow after spinning out in my T-bird.

Where are you in Buffalo?

 

I would buy a beater for the winter and decent 3rd gen in the spring.

 

Agreed. There are some seriously good deals around if you look. I paid $1500 for my 91 Z28 last April and short of some very minor rust issues, its solid.

I also just found a 91 T/A for sale for $1200 that looks nice.

The deals are there; the trick is you may have to travel a large distance and trailer it home.

This past weekend, I traded some stuff for a '91 Formula 350 that came from Ohio and was amazingly rust free. I'd definitely pass on this '88. Unless the car was like $500, I'd pass just based on the work/parts needed.

 

Another consideration - 1988 cars did NOT have carbs, so it's been modded - is a 1988 carbed car LEGAL in your area? $1500 for rusted through pans is way way too much, offer $500 maybe! Neither of my cars had rust, and I didn't pay but $500, $750, and $800.

 

driving a 3rd gen in a new york winter? thats almost like suicide. especially in a high lake effect snow belt area as you are. and the salt they use in ny will finish off that 20 plus year old metal like a hot knife through butter. not worth it

 

and it might look carbed, but im willing to bet its tbi

 

Turn and run. I wouldn't pay over $300 for the thing. So many better deals floating around right now.

 

From the for what it is worth department - granted it was three years ago - but i bought an 83 crossfire Recaro edition that had never seen a day of salt in its life for $1600. It is so dry and lacking any rust that every bolt literally comes off like it was put in yesterday and the seam glue in the spare tire area literally will leave thumb prints because it is still so pliable.

I paid $1600 for it and have put in another $6,000 to $7,000 into it just to get it decent. It still probably needs another $3-4,000 to bring it up to tip top shape.

And everything was original, unmolested, and not hacked up, even the stereo cables that plug into the stereo unit are unmolested.

If you are serious about wanting a third gen, I would shop around for one that has little to no rust and is mostly still 100% intact as far as seats, carpet, rims, wire looms that aren't hacked up etc.

Restoring a car is not cheap, and it is not easy. The closer to original shape, the easier that restoration will be and the cheaper it will be.

However, if you just really like third gens, then go for it. I drove my first third gen in the winters back in the late 80s and it was not a fun experience. A winter beater would definitely be something I would consider.

I also think a few people on here are correct, the 88 model years did not come with carbs, so that alone leads me to believe you might be going down a path with a cobbled up car that will continue to be one head scratching issue after the other.

Go for it if you have the desire, but I think if you really search, you will find a rust free and original model for not much more than you are looking at here.

Good luck, and this board is a very supportive group, so if you do decide to get it, we support you 100% and would be glad to help whenever we can!

 

Don't buy it. Rust is a bitch. I'm in the middle of doing a lot of body work on my bird and it's a pita.

I personally don't think thirdgens are that bad in the winter. Just put a sand bag in the trunk and take it easy. Although I've never driven a front wheel drive car in the winter before so maybe I just don't know what I'm missing.

 

i dont drive a front wheel drive car in the winter, i drive a 4x4 bc in the snowbelt you can see feet of snow a day in ny. driving a 3rd gen is a death trap, if it even moves