I'm thinking of buying an older T/A or Firbird, around '82 or '83 and I was wondering if anyone knew of any know problems I should look out for. Parts that usually rust away and that sort of thing.

 

Right now I own seven third gen cars so I think I should be able to give you a good idea of problem spots. Basically, any body problems are going to be on the doors or quarters. Pay very close attention to the bottom of the doors around the weatherstriping and up front by the hinges. These are very common places for rust. As far as the quarters go most likely you will find rust around or in the wheelwells. Beware of cars with fresh undercoating sprayed in the wheelwells. One more very common problem spot is on the floor in front of the drivers seat. Look under the car and make sure it is solid there. Basically this stuff applies to any thirdgen car. Also, if it is a T-top car make sure they don't leak.

[This message has been edited by LFN AT U (edited March 23, 2001).]

 

If the car is from Canada and it has seen some winters trust me you are going to find a lot of rust. As the other person mentioned the floor pans at the front rust out. Check around the wheel wells, BOTH front and rear. Check in where the spare tire goes. Check the whole under side. Use a sharp pointed screw driver to see if you can poke a hole in the metal from the under side. Check inside the engine compartment around where the window washer fluid bottle is. And also at the top of the strut towers. If you can remove the bottom half of the back seats to check on rust. try to remove the front kick panels to look for rust behind them.

Hope this helps

 

The only advice I have is that the bottom of the doors are a very common place for rust to form.

 

if its an 83 5speed/V8 combo...beware a cracked bellhousing... those things are impossible to replace for the 83 f-bodies I can't find them ANYWHERE... mine was cracked in 4 places so I had to settle with getting it welded

Another thing to look for is the floorpans under the rear seats... if you can check that do so, its a common place to rust out... I'm replacing mine soon when I redo my interior.

Check your battery trays and other parts under the hood... shock covers, things like that... make sure none of its too weak... (one of my battery trays is rusted so bad I'm going to knock it out and weld a replacement in, and will probably do the same with the other side as well just to be safe... )