chazman

iTrader: (4)

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hn...564932660.html




So cool!!!!!!!!!!


I don't know if I'd pay $9K, but if I had space I think I'd be compelled to pursue this sucker.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

I love early coupes, and I'm a stickler for original condition, but I'd rip that drivetrain out of there so fast it'd make your head spin.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

I've never driven an Iron Duke F-car, but I know they are painfully slow. With that said, I'd leave this one pickled. Iron Duke, hubcaps, whitewalls and all. I can imagine the reaction if this thing pulled into ThirdGen Expo!

Drew

iTrader: (58)

I don't understand the attraction to something that's not fun to drive. This car strikes me as a carousel full of slides that Aunt Betty and Uncle Herman took on their trip to Maui. Once the novelty wears off there's no redeeming value.

I guess I'm glad that someone is preserving it, it's just better him than me.

B4C5.7

iTrader: (2)

Easier than a V8 to change plugs on.

armybyrd

iTrader: (4)

Crazy to think that someone took better care of that thing then most of the high trim models.

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

Same here. The ONLY change I might be tempted to make would be to slip a T5 5-speed in it. But for as little as I'd drive, even that's probably not with the effort.

Some folks like original, exciting to drive or not. Ever ride in a Model T? It's a riot, but it is defiantly NOT fast.

FirebirdUSX

I keep searching on youtube for a good quality video with one of these things and some performance tests.Everyone jokes about them but I want to see and hear them.

DynoDave43

iTrader: (11)

I worked at a Chevy dealer in the late '80s. Did new car check in a lot of days. And while I never drove a Duke powered Camaro, I moved 100s of Duke/5-Speed S-10 pickups. You weren't putting your life on the line trying to get up to speed in traffic with one, but they were not exactly spry, either.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

The 2.5L got better as time went by, just like every other engine. The early 2.5L was just mis-era-ble. My 85 Fiero and 85 S10 were both "hold em to the floor, and pray" cars. My buddy's 84 Fiero was maybe even a little worse if that's possible. We tried to G-tech it's performance once, but the G-tech was laughing so hard we couldn't get a straight answer. Now my buddy also had an 87 Fiero and it was considerably better. The 92 S10 2.5 5spd a buddy of mine had in highschool was a completely different animal, it wasn't fast, but certainly wasn't scary.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

Cool time piece but I'd like to see one of these with a turbo ecotec and 6speed in one as clean as this.

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

I had an 81 Buick Skylark with the Iron Duke. It was a dog to say the least. The only good thing I can say about it is I drove it without oil due to a massive oil leak. It was knocking, and I figured it was done. I threw a few quarts of oil in and the knock went away. I drove that POS for a few more years after that.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Last Iron Duke I drove was a '90's S10 with a manual trans and something like a 3.73 rear end. It was okay. It could even chirp the tires going into 2nd. I have also driven several '80's 2.5L X and A cars, which weren't quite as fun.

Anyway, I suspect that this is the same car which was for sale in the Chicago area several years ago. For some strange reason, they had it listed in the LA Craigslist for like $20K. I did end up speaking to the seller then, who was the brother of the original owner. If this is the same car, that is.

dmccain

iTrader: (2)

Bought my wifes first car it was a 1981 Pontiac Phoenix and it had the Iron Duke 4cyl and a lil 3spd auto. It was slow to get up to speed and a no-go as far as passing anyone on the highway but it ran flawlessly for years and never hardly had to turn a wrench on it.

Jason E

Saw this one on Facebook...cool car...wouldn't bother to clog my limited garage space with it...but I do like it

KMK454

Cool car. It's interesting to a small group of people within the thirdgen community - history nerds. And as much as I appreciate this car, I'd really struggle to take up a garage spot with this over a comparable V8 car.

It'll probably sit at $9k. The odds of it surviving much longer in its current state are low. I can see it selling for $5k to someone who wants a perfect roller and is okay yanking the current drivetrain.

What page?

chazman

iTrader: (4)

I might be interested at $5K. At $9K it will sit.

eseibel67

The appeal of this one is that it's extreme. An extreme stripper - no A/C, crank windows and a manual 4 speed. I don't see a fluid reservoir so it probably even uses a Z-bar mechanical clutch.


This thing was probably $7,500 new.


I do like it though. The older I get the more I appreciate the simple devices.

SolarGoldRaptor

Saw it on facebook too. It sure is something special, it's interesting for the historical "value" more than the excitement behind the wheel. I'd love to have a total stripper like that.
Who would preserve a car like that !

chazman

iTrader: (4)

I did in fact contact the owner and this is not the same car from Chicago.


I also asked for additional photos. The novelty of this car is it's originality and rarity. So I asked him about the exhaust which appears to be a replacement to me, but the owner insists is original. What do you guys think?



Here an interior shot. Does the dash looked cracked? And what's on the carpet?

Eric-86sc

iTrader: (18)

Dash is definitely cracked which is a shame. Going to be hard to find a correct 2 line

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Hard or even impossible to find.

And I am 95% sure that the exhaust is a replacement. The fact that the owner insists it's original is a turn off to me.

Jason E

1) '83 was the last year for Z bar mechanical clutches in 3rd gens. A buddy of mine and I aborted an attempt to restore an '83 L69 car...one of the rods for the Z bar was actually broken. This car had been thrashed to an inch of its life. The Olds/Pontiac dealer I worked for at the time (circa 2000-2001 timeframe) did a nationwide search and found the only factory piece left in the country on a dealer shelf.

2) I find simple cars fascinating, too. As much as I love my V series, and all of the goodies, I'm often reminded how little of what that car has is needed to get down the road!

navy02ws6

Man, that'd make a really nice parts car for someone with the low miles and all. Not sure why it's so expensive though, for that kind of money you can get a really nice TPI car.

okfoz

Probably because no one wanted to drive it...

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Still for sale and the price is dropping.....

jkris53406

iTrader: (5)

The CL ad deleted but still up on Milwaukee Craigslist. Did someone buy this thing? I do like the mint seats.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

He has several ads up. $8,000, $7,000 and $6500.

okfoz

The problem he has is not many people want half an engine.

GCrites80s

You guys need to get over the drivetrain. Like 90% of 3rdgens that are registered and running today have V8s. This is something different that's still neat.

kymmee

Only a collector is going to show interest in that car. No one will pay that kind of money to get a clean car to drop in a bigger engine. Even if it was a V6, still going to be a hard sell. My low mile 82 Firebird V6 went to a collector after being for sale over 6 months. Sold if for somewhat less than his asking prices. I also had a lot of tire kickers offer me $1000 or less. Hopefully this seller with have patience and get it sold to someone who appreciates it for what it is.


I have two NOS Z bars in my parts stash.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

If it gets under $5K I might get interested.

The dash cannot be replaced, however. It would take years or longer, of searching to find a nice used replacement.

The exhaust is not original either.

zya5point0

iTrader: (4)

That body looks clean, straight, and rust free. If it could be had cheap enough I'd drop in a stock LS1 6spd in it with a big nitrous kit and drive it. Imagine getting smoked by a car with white wall tires and hubcaps��