I now have 2 non running F-Bodys.

Awhile back i bought an 87 Camaro Sport Coupe Hardtop 305 4bbl Automatic, It needs work, the fuel pump is bad,the brakes need done and the interior is mostly intact but the cloth is falling apart from the Florida sun and old age. However the car hasn't been messed with, its all stock and mostly there, but its old and worn. I only paid $1000 and it ran when i bought it, so i cant complain.

However today i lucked into a 87 Trans Am T-Top 305 TPI Automatic for $300. I'll add pics as soon as i get ahold of a camera. Its gonna need quite a bit of work. The guy had just put in a new fuel tank and pump and then ran outta money and time. He claims it was last ran a little over a month ago and the transmission was recently rebuilt.

So far heres what i know the Trans Am will need. rear suspension and exhaust (Flowmaster!) reassembled from putting in new tank (Guy stopped working on it after attaching the straps.The fuel lines will need to be reattached too. Susposedly, I have all the parts for this in the car) New Radiator (Missing) and Battery, New Rear Spoiler (Missing),New Carpet (Missing) and Front Seats (Torn), Hood (Warped) and Clear Plastic Gauge Lens (Missing). But some things like the Sail Panels,Visors and some interior plastic are brand new in the plastic that the guy threw in with the deal. Also The Flashlight was there! LOL

I'm sure there is more but thats off the top of my head after looking the car over for an hour after getting it home. I'm on a tight budget and i bought the Trans Am as a parts car for the Camaro. But after having her home looking at the engine and sitting in the Trans Am with the T-Tops off i'm really thinking i want to fix it up instead.

Both cars will need paint and the TA has a dent in the drivers quarter panel. This is a really tough choice to make, I really like both cars but I can only afford one of the cars, so now i have to decide which car is the project and which is the parts car.

I would say the Camaro is about 85% Ready vs 65% for the Trans Am. The Trans Am would require alot more work, but i think it would be a better car in the long run and they are not making Pontiacs anymore so if i can save one i'd like to.

Its kinda funny to own 2 1987 F-bodys, I can compare them side by side and see the minor differences GM did that year. Its pretty cool, But Im thinking i like the Trans Am alot better.

I'm not doing anything until the Title comes back, i don't think there will be any problems there, but you never know for sure until its in your hand. That just give me time to decide what i'm gonna do.

So without seeing pictures, What would you do? You can only keep one, which is the parts car and which is the project?

Also, I couldn't get Thirdgen.orgs RPO Decoder to work, does anyone know where i can run these codes?

 

I'm biased as I'm a Firebird guy, but I really do think the Trans Am is going to have a lot better future collectibility and should be more fun to drive. If it were an IROC that you had bought before, it would be a lot tougher decision.

 

I too am a firebird guy and I do think the trans am will be worth more in the end. There were less than half the number of firebirds produced as camaros between 82-92 so right there the TA has the advantage. I would say go for fixing up the bird instead.

Just a question though....why use a camaro as a parts car for a firebird? I would think the only real swappable parts are the engine and drivetrain. The interiors and the bodies are almost completely different. Just curious.

 

Fix up the Trans AM ! It will be worth more the the plain camaro. I would just sell the camaro and try to get my money back on it. Also the TPI motor is way better then the 4bbl one in the camaro.

 

Keep both!! If you live where it snows, you aren't going to daily drive the TA, are you? If so, then keep the Camaro for the winter...or fix it at a later date.

Without a doubt, though, the TA as a 4 barrel would be worth significantly more than the Camaro fixed up. Factor in that the TA is a TPI car, and its no comparison. 4 barrel non HO third gens are bottom of the barrel in desirability...just above a V6. Not saying much...

If my 86 TA was a 4 barrel, I wouldn't have even bothered buying it. The one thing I WILL say about a base Camaro is you never, EVER see them on the road.

 

For some reason I've been seeing more Trans Ams on the road than any model Camaro. It doesn't make any sense production-wise.

 

I love Firebirds