Alrite i recently came across the idea of finding a rusted out F-body and just getting it legal enough to drive as my beater. And i mean this thing would be a BEATER! I'm looking for any f-body from 1970-1992 but i'm not sure how much one would run be (approximately). I mean obviously the thing needs 2 be somewhat salvagable to be street legal, but i dont really have anyt other expectations. I'm going to start looking a few places on Monday, but i just want to see how much i should expect to pay.

 

A couple hundred bucks, I suppose.

 

Good...that's exactly what i'm looking to spend.

I got the idea because i was working with my dad on saturday, and i eyed this 1970-1973 TA that i've seen sitting at this maaco for atleast 5 months. The roof and trunk has an absolute ****load of rust, but from the distance i was from it, it didnt appear to be like rot. Then it hit me, that if i can get a car like for less than $500 and just get it running, it would be awesome. Slap on a redicoulously cheap paint job, maybe a hood bird and use it as my beater. I'm gonna call Maaco on Monday to see whose car it is, but i'm expecting someone to want too much for it. And if that happens, i'm going to check out a junkyard or two around where i live.

 

A buddy of mine has a couple of 83-84 camaros sitting in his field im sure he would let go for a few hundred bones.

youd have to haul it back from upstate NY though

 

The one I wanted was on eBay...good sheetmetal and no engine, trans or interior...sold. Just over $200

Bill

 

bought my v6 for 400, only rust was on front fender, easy fix

 

Don't bet on it unless Maaco or the owner doesn't know what they have. Even '70-73 Trans Ams in total need of restoration are worth $5,000 or more. A 455 HO engine core is worth about $3500-$4,000 these days. A '73 SD-455 engine is in excess of $5,000 IF you can find one. Prices are just getting ridiculous on early Trans Ams. I would have never guessed where the prices would have gone when I bought my '71 T/A five years ago.

 

Yea i know... that kinda hit me a few days ago and i just like gave up...

I looked and saw that from 70-73 they only made like 1800 t/a's each year and i realized that even a rusted one would be worth a **** load of money.

I really want a cool beater car though...because right now im stuck driving a minivan when i don't want to drive my camaro, and even the minivan is starting to die. I wish i had about $2000 though because right now in my local newspaper there are 3 Firebirds (2 formulas and 1 TA) that have 305 TPI's with 5 speeds!!!!!! (actually one is AT, but the other 2 are 5 speeds). I wish i had that kinda money and i would buy one of them. This sucks. I hate driving my car everyday... Was driving home from weightlifting today and a rock flew off a dumptruck and left a nice little x mark on my hood. eventually that will turn into a paintchip and im gona be freakin pissed.

 

Cars are meant to be driven lol

but eh, your best bet is to go look in a junkyard and get something for a few hundred bucks.

 

Honestly... your better off getting something FWD for winter driving anyway...

Camaros are fairweather vehicles

 

The yard near my house has about 30 Camaros & Firebirds (mostly all thirdgen) at any point and with various damage. You can pull an engine for maybe $250 with ECM and then grab the body for a little more and you've got a beater for under $1000 that more than likely is good even w/o a paint job...for a beater.

 

Look in the classifieds... seems all 3rd gens around here are beaters, and are going for under $500 for everything but Irocs and GTAs!

 

Wow i wish i lived where you did!! That junkyard idea aint bad either, i just have to find one that has a few thirdgens to choose from...

 

I can speak from experience, my car's seen 4 or 5 winters, being outdoors, and driven somewhat carefully. Early on, winters here were more traditional but recent ones have seem affected by our changing climate and have been less snow, more cold, etc.
I made a habit of washing frequently due to salt, but I feel water didn't aid the rust provention. It likely slowed it by removing the salt though, but I have rust in virtually all areas, sadly. Undercoating early on, via spray cans I noticed today, would have been my first objective in hindsight. Also the fact I used the stock 16" tires on my car and didn't change for winter, a few times I did become stuck and a kind person was luckily around to help push me out. That's the part I feel good about anyway. My 'new' beater car is an 88 Deville that has virtually NO rust on it! And it hails from New Jersey!! Anyway, that car, even though I plan to fix the ailing trans, is undergoing a minor resto job, it can hopefully aid me when I sell it later for more then I bought it. The trans work will cost me $1000 or more alone, however

Bill