I really didn't know what forum to put this in, so to the mods, if it doesn't fit here, please move/delete it and feel free to excoriate me.

Anyway, I am wondering if people have a feel for what TAs, specifically of the '91-'92 variety, are going for these days? I haven't really been able to detect a pattern, watching them on Ebay or the classifieds here.

I am looking at a '92 350 TA in good condition that has had a 4th gen six speed swapped in, and am wondering what ballpark I should expect to play in, or where the dividing line is between a good deal/fair price and a walk-away price. Car does need work, but is not a full-blown project.

Thanks for any opinions and help.

 

How much work are we talking about here? It's going to be a bit due to the rarity of the later-model T/A's.

An equivelant Z28 would run you somewhere around 3500-4500 depending on mods/condition/milage. However considering that some 5500 T/A's were manufactured in the last two years, they're a bit of a collectors item.

Personally I'd go for the Chevy, but it's easier for me to say that while making only a little over seven bucks an hour.

 

Thanks for the reply.

I will know more specifics about what the car needs by tomorrow afternoon, and I'll post the details here.

Right now, I know that there is one rust hole on the PS door, about the size of a golf ball, maybe smaller. The interior has 4th gen seats and console, but the seats have some wear on them. I'm also not sure that the car is ready for daily driving...might have some bugs to work out. Again, I'll post the details here tomorrow...I'm going to look at the car in the morning.

 

If it needs minor work I'd say jump on it. Stuff like that can knock serious money off the price, but usually you can fix it pretty easy. Do you have any idea what the guy wants for the car, and is it a private owner, or a dealer?

BTW, I've gotta say, you got some nice cars, especially the GP and MC.

 

Thanks for the compliments on my cars. None of them are show cars or anything that special, but I like all of them.

The TA is 4,000, IIRC. Private seller, not a dealer.

 

Not bad. That's around where I was guessing, although I will freely admit that I'm much better at pricing Chevys than Pontiacs.

Assuming you're paying with cash, and the car is in decent shape and not needing to much work, offer him $3700 and see what he says. Also, do you happen to know how long he's had it up for sale? If it's been in the paper for a couple weeks, he'll be a lot more liable to take at a lower price, especially if you can pay cash.

 

A buddy of mine picked up a '91 T/A with around 140k miles for $1500, all it needed was a fuel pump.

 

Actually it was 124k miles
Needed a fuel pump, and the original paint was in rough condition. Otherwise a very clean L98 car.

 

So tossing in the cost of the fuel pump, labor for the install, and a paint job, that's probably a $3500-$4000 car.

Assuming you did all the work yourself though, you probably saved quite a bit.

 

Well, I just got back from looking at the car.

It is a legit 350 car, as verified by the VIN. The starter needs to be replaced, but the engine runs well, even when left idling for an extended period of time. The owner took me out for a spin in the car, and it is pretty impressive. The trans was apparently rebuilt by a previous owner, and it pulls strongly through all the gears. The car sounds very healthy, as it has a new, aftermarket exhaust from the cat back. It makes great power, and was pretty exciting to drive in. Someone seems to have played around inside the engine a bit. Car has a shock tower brace, aluminum driveshaft, A-pillar digital gauges for trans temp and air/fuel ratio.

The car needs a lot of attention in small areas. The speedo does not work, there is one rust spot on the PS lower door (not through yet) and a few smaller areas of rust (no rot) elsewhere on the car (quarter lip, fender lip, underside of trunklid). Roof is heavily oxidized, but I have faith that it could be made to look acceptable for a driver. Most of the paint is shiny, but not perfect. Hood has what look like hail dents, but the owner is willing to replace that hood with another mint black one that he has at no extra charge. He also is willing to throw in a black Formula door for the PS. Interior needs attention...has 4th gen seats and console, but DS seat has wear along the bolster. Carpet is dirty. DS power window does not work, but there is a new motor in the back seat. Squealing noise from the rear when making a turn, but the owner will install another posi rear for a fee.

So, I am seriously considering buying the car. It is not a beauty queen, as the owner freely admits, and it needs some work, but it runs and drives well, is a pretty rare car, and the owner is a great guy to deal with. The six speed swap makes it even more desirebale, IMO, especially since it seems to work well. Plus, it would look killer parked next to my fiance's red '92 Formula 350 that I bought back in October...kind of like a complimentary pair of desireable '92 Birds.

 

To date this is what i have in the car....
100 walbro 255 fuel pump, with no labor cost.
1000 dollar white pearl paint job
Interior is near mint condition, needs no work. However, I have a free pair of 4th gen seats to go in it.
Drivetrain is perfect with no work needed other than just ordinary maintance.
The car is a WS6 car with the 4 wheel disk brake and aluminium drive shaft... 5.7 tpi with the 700R4
Everything on this car works perfectly.

I have a total investment of 2600 dollars in this car

My point being is that, Even tho the normal price of these cars may be in the 3500-4000 range.. There are still people out there that just dont know what the value of the 91-92's are when selling. If you look around, they are out there.
There are 2 reason mine was so cheap, the guy had no idea what he had, and the paint was original and in rough shape.

I now have a 2600 dollar MINT car.....

They are out there....if you really look hard. Or perhaps, i got a once in a life time deal, but i doubt it.
Brian

 

Too high.

Thats nuts for tinkered with and butchered car.

Let alone paints peeling off and there is rust.

I payed $6k for a 17k mile GTA(91) from its original owner. I'll admit I flew from IN to Salt Lake City to get it, but it was worth it.

For what yuour paying up there in MA for a car, you could get a rust free and clean paint high mileage car like it for the same or a better price in the midwest,south and out west.

I would keep the coin in your pocket and shop for rust free and clean high mileage if u want something else to play with.

Non molested cars are always worth more too, unless I know directly the skill of the people who modified it. I hate fixing other peoples issues.

This isnt bashing, you asked for opinions, I'm just telling u how i work.

later
Jeremy

 

3.8 is right, for 4K you had better not have to do anything more than minor touch-ups. It's worth 3K at best, and that's only because of the general rarity of the T/A's.

 

Hey, don't worry about bashing, I asked for opinions and that is what I want!

I, too, have considered the issue of buying a stock, unmolested car rather than one that has been tinkered with. I'm not so sure I'd say this car was "butchered" by previous owners, but yes, there certainly are things that need to be fixed. But, I am looking at it this way: I bought my stock, clean, and unmolested '92 Formula 350 for $2800, and consider that to be a good deal given the numbers of them produced and the options it has. Now, if I wanted to convert it to a 6 speed, install aftermarket exhaust, 4th gen seats and console, and modify the engine, I'd be in WAY over 4k total. This car moved like a bat outta hell today, and made my stock auto 350 Formula seem kind of sluggish...

What are your opinions regarding my thinking there?

 

Have you checked to see if the floor boards are rusting? That would really be my first concern if there is rust anywere else on the car.

IMO 4k is to much considering the work, I would give 3k tops, and that is if you can do most of the work that it needs.

Its all in the eye of the beholder though, or the man with the cash in his pocket.

 

The owner did jack up the car for me so I could have a look around underneath. I saw a shiny new exhaust from the cat back, a fairly clean looking trans, and apparently solid floors. There were a few areas that had some very light scale, but no rust and certainly not any rot. Now, I can't say I was able to comb over every square inch, as the car was just jacked up, not on ramps so I could take my time exploring under there.

 

I'd say get a 3 grand advance from your bank, and make an offer. Couldn't hurt unless he feels you're way-lowballing him and gets pissed off at you.

 

Hey Bull i'm from your neck of the woods and have had my trans am since it was new. About four years ago i noticed a small rust hole in the floor pan. So i pealed back the rug to check it out and to my suprize the whole pan was rusting from the inside out. Apparently a t-top was leaking and the water was running inside the piller and settling in the floor pan. Not saying the is the case but just something to be aware of. Just every thing is not always the way that they appear.

 

Hey 90tararebird, thanks for the reply. I hear you on the issue of hidden rust...I've been burned by it before. I try to look for it as well as I can before buying a car, but sometimes you find it only after you've bought a car and started taking stuff apart. Ahh, the jpys of New England

You're down in Wilbraham? Maybe come warmer weather, we'll see each other at a show or something so we can check out each other's cars.

 

Bull, so did you decide to buy the car, or what? I'm curious as to what it eventually sells for.

 

Hey, I haven't made a decision yet. I'm torn between spending $4k on another car, or using it towards my house, building a new garage etc. I am leaning towards buying it, though. I'll make sure to update this thread if I do

 

Bull you ever go to cruise night on tuesdays in summer @Ludlow Elks lodge?

 

Man, a few years back, I would go every Tuesday. That was back when I was dating a girl whose dad was into Harley's, so we'd all go there every week, and I'd park one of my cars with all the other muscle. You going to be there this summer?

 

Well, I just made an offer on the TA...I didn't try to haggle the price down, but I did ask the seller if he would take a deposit now and then take a few payments on the car over the next few months. I would never propose this type of arrangement, except that the seller and I are on good terms and he is a real good guy to deal with.

I've been thinking about this car since I first saw it a couple months ago, and I am just going with my heart on this one. They aren't making these things anymore, and after doing searches on all the national classifieds I could think of, I can see that '92 350 TAs aren't exactly all over the place.

 

I say get the car. I just invested almost 11k in getting my car. Its been almost a month and I have had no regrets.... yet!

 

Yeah, might as well go for it. I'm sure your woman isn't as pissed off at you now that she has her own 3rd-gen, so you can probably get away with it.

 

Yeah, she likes her Formula, but I know that I like it a lot more. I think she'd rather drive a Honda Accord or Nissan Altima or something

 

Ok, the owner has agreed to take a $500 deposit on the car, after which I will pay him in installments until the total sum has been paid. I'm wicked excited to own this TA! Here's a pic of how she looks right now:

 

Sweet!

BTW, what's with that third green Bird behind the tree, and that black 4th-gen Camaro in the right background?

Edit2: I also just noticed the white Camaro parked waaay back by the garage. Do you just collect them, or what?

 

Haha, that pic was actually taken not at my house, but the house of the guy I am buying the car from. I bought my Formula from him, too. Until recently, he was heavily into buying these cars, parting many of them out and selling others after a while. He's still got a few left...not pictured is a really, really nice looking red '91 or '92 Camaro.

 

Congratulations on a very nice looking T/A Bull.Oh it would be nice to have the resources to have that many around just to part them out or save them.

 

Schweet Bull! I'm working on a '91 Formula in my avatar right now. I love these cars!

 

Banshee noses rock! I love them so.

Congrats on the purchase, Bull.

 

I have a question for you guys. What makes the non stock TA more valuable then the base model 91 if the base model was upgraded to better then TA specs?? The only reason I am asking this is b.c I would honestly rather have my car then a stockish TA350. Since the original Auto tranny has been swapped out and serious modifiactions have been done to convert it to a T56 and everything, what makes the TA keep its value? My 91 "v6 auto" now has a 350 with a T5 that i love, the person didnt want it anymore and decided to give it to me. . These are all serious questions and i am not trying to highjack someones thread. I would just think that a Stock TA is worth more then a modded TA in the long run.
Thanks
Dennis

 

I've been into older Pontiacs, like from the 60's primarily, since I got my GTO in '94.

Let's look at a '69 Lemans and a '69 GTO. The GTO, whether left alone bone stock, or modified by swapping out the TH400 for a 4 speed, will ALWAYS be worth more than the Lemans, assuming they are in approximately the same physical condition. Even if the Lemans has had a bigger engine swapped in and been otherwise beefed up, the true-pedigree Goat will command significantly more money.

It's like this with all car lines that have base models and then more performance oriented models.