BLACK92B4C

Sorta a lucky streak finding rare cars lately, but here's the deal...

- I bought a 1991, 5.7L, B4C but non 1LE car about 6 weeks ago for an autocross/driver car. It had been sitting for 8 years, but with a lot of TLC is now running great. I paid $500 for the car, it has a very nice interior, and the body needs paint.

- I just found a 1992 B4C/1LE car, the guy pulled the engine and trans to rebuild, and is now moving back to the mainland and ran out of time. He has rebuilt the shortblock and is keeping it. I can get the entire car minus the shortblock and trans for $800. It is fairly solid, but also needs paint and a little interior work. I also found a donor 5.7/700R4 out of a wrecked Formula for $400.

So my question is...which car am I better off restoring? they are in similar condition. I already have a GN that I can't sell, plus my LS1 is in storage on the mainlad, I probablt can't keep two B4C cars

Here are my options:
- Keep the 1991, part out the 1992 (putting the 1LE brakes on my car)
- Drive the 1991, rebuild the 1992, then sell the 1991
- Keep working on the 1991, and don't buy the 1992
- or D, none of the above!

I have a bad habit of getting too sentimental with rare cars like these, I am curious whay everyone thinks! My understanding is that the 1991 5.7 car is one of 175, the 1992 is one of 500 something cars, but I want the 1LE stuff.

BLACK92B4C

Here is the 1992, the 1991 is in my sig;

coldblooded

just my personal preference i would do the 91, talking from a actual restoration stand point i would rather have the orignal motor, and if your numbers are correct(not questioning u just have resrearched it myself) 1 out of 175 vs 1 out of 500, i would take the rarer of the two. and is a additional 1200 worth the 1le stuff? if all you want is some upgraded brakes i think you can do it at the same cost if not cheaper to the the 91 rather than spending 800 on a car just for that and still havge to buy another motor and the money into restoring it.

BLACK92B4C

The motors are no longer VIN stamped on these cars right? I didn't think you could tell if it was the correct engine or not. My thinking is to build a warmed over TPI motor for the 1992 and keep the 1991 mainly stock. But feel free to call me LOL!

On a side note, does anyone have an opinion on the value of these cars? I've been watching E-bay, but I have never seen a B4C 3rd gen for sale, and damn few 1LE cars too. All the car guys in Hawaii think I am crazy, "it's just an old base turd-gen camaro with the Z28 powertrain." they say.

coldblooded

actually i looked at a b4c car a few weeks back, i just decided i favored the earlier intieor and what not over the 90's this one was a 92 however, as far as i know all the B4C cars were police cars at one point in time the one i looked at was from the pa state police. idk if you know if your car has always been in hawaii but if so i cant image too many got shipped to hawaii so you may be able to track it down to see where it came from

coldblooded

and i think ur right there isnt a vin on the blocks anymore but its still cool to say u have the orignal block

BLACK92B4C

I posted in the B4C thread, but Hawaii is a very interesting place for cop cars. The HPD officers are actually paid an extra amount every month to subsidzie their car payment. They get repairs and fuel for free. There are only certain cars allowed, and the lights have to mount on the roof, so no t-tops. They also have to be less than 8 years old. On the streets now you see police Hemi Chargers, LS1 cars, and the older Stang's all the time. They also like SUV's like the big Toyota. Back in the 80's the ran Buick Grand Nationals a lot, SSP Mustangs, etc. Impala SS's were in service here in the 90's. For that reason we have a lot of the rare cars.

My 1991 car was in service up to 1999 and it was retired and sold. It still had the siren installed when I got it. The wiring for the roof light was still installed. The 1992 has the HPD standard rear antenna still installed, I am pretty sure it has been a Hawaii car it's entire life.

So basically my thought now is to try and save both cars. The 1991 only needs paint and rims cleaned up to be VERY nice. The 1992 with a warmed up engine and a few more mods will be a good SCCA car.

Klortho

VINs are stills stamped on the blocks on the pad located on the front of the motor passenger side.

okfoz

AFAIK, the VIN should be stamped on the passenger side on a hog that is under the AC compressor.

Technically its NOT an entire VIN, its only the last 7 or 8 digits or so. It should have the sequence number, the Plant (Van Nuys in 91 & 92) and a 1 for Chevrolet or 2 for Pontiac.

John