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I stumbled across this car a couple hours from home. The price was right, so I picked it up. It's a 1989 IROC, 65k miles, 5.7 car that is loaded. T-tops, 4 wheel disc brakes, Bose, etc. The car is rust free. Some idiot painted the car black, with what I believe to be a rattle can paint job. They didn't even sand the car, so there's paint flaking off all over with shiny blue peeking out from underneath. The car is originally blue, which is a killer color combo with the tan interior, gold wheels, and gold decals and emblems. The interior is dirty, but all there and no tears in the seats. Dash pad is great, etc. So, here we go again with another project, lol. It needs a fuel pump, so that's the first order of business... It needs a hood and pass side front fender, but the rest of the car is actually very straight. I already have a blue hood found from a buddy for $50
Thanks guys! I'm actually excited for this project! I put a new battery in it this afternoon, and everything works except for the power antenna. The hatch pull down even works. The car has been sitting since 2008. I even found a picture in the car of the previous owner from 2008. He DEFINITELY looks like a stereotypical IROC owner
This was my last project.....before and after. This one was a MAJOR overhaul. Took around 5 months or so working on it nights after work and some weekends
This IROC is gonna be a breeze compared to the Trans Am. The fuel pump should be in the car on Monday.
I gave the wheels a good scrub down today. They will be very easy to restore. There's no curb rash at all. I'll strip them down, polish them, paint the gold, and clear.
*EDIT* I actually just called the place that did the Trans Am wheel lips for me last summer. They will strip and polish all the bare aluminum on these wheels for $60 per wheel. I'm dropping them off next week. Then all I gotta do is paint the gold inserts and clear them.
*EDIT AGAIN* I took the wheels to the same place that did the Trans Am wheels, and they turned out terrible. They refunded my money, so I'm gonna just do these on my own
Awesome! What are you going to do about the rattle can black? You’re not going to repaint the whole car, right?
I'm gonna get the car running first, and then give it a good wash with a hot water pressure washer. I think a lot of the black paint will actually wash off.
The plan is to repaint the entire car back to its original color. It is supposed to be a twin to Bull-Vette's IROC
I'm gonna get the car running first, and then give it a good wash with a hot water pressure washer. I think a lot of the black paint will actually wash off.
The plan is to repaint the entire car back to its original color. It is supposed to be a twin to Bull-Vette's IROC
That’ll be so sharp when it’s done! Hopefully that black paint blows off easy...
That’ll be so sharp when it’s done! Hopefully that black paint blows off easy...
Thanks Joe, yeah I am really looking forward to tackling this thing. I bought this thing for $1,500 so I'm definitely into it right. It's just a crying shame that they painted it like this. Some people just shouldn't have been born with hands...
Ohhhh...the beechwood interior. My fave. ....when you said blue, I thought of Bull-Vette! He got the 2nd set of those Hawk's 17" gold Irocs, and I got the third set for mine, LOL. Anyhow.....love the blue and beechwood! Can't wait to see it come together!
I just picked up another one. This 1986 is gonna be a donor car for everything I need for the 89. This car has 10 miles on brand new tires, all 4 new brake calipers, rotors and pads, new alternator, and all new shocks. So it has a TON of great parts for the 89! This car runs and drives great. There is no body rust at all, it is an original paint car that has peeling clearcoat. There is a little rust on the floor, though
Man idk how you find these cars. I rarely see thirdgens in person and when I do they are ravished.
I am looking, ALL THE TIME lol. There are actually some awesome deals out there if you are lucky enough to find one and jump on it before someone else does. I bought the 86 for $1,400. It would be a great car to fix up, but the title has been lost for years so I'd have to get a bonded title. So for that, it's gonna be a parts car.
Well I got the 86 IROC parts car today, and it's a PERFECT parts car. The floor is actually pretty rotted out, so it's definitely going to make it easier to part out. I am, however thinking there should be some stellar burnout videos in the future with it.
I have also started working on the wheels off of the 89. I'm doing the sanding and polishing first, then I'll repaint the gold. I have 3 done and 1 to go. What a pain in the butt! I'm hoping to have them all completely finished this week sometime.
Wheels look great. When I was younger I preferred the older Iroc wheels but for whatever reason these have become my favorites. I would love to have the 17” replicas eventually.
Finally got the fuel pump finished up, and it runs like a CHAMP! Put all new plugs, wires, and fuel filter in it, too
It fires right up, idles great, and it has perfect throttle response. It has ZERO brakes, but at least I know that it runs and I can continue on the project!
I did mine SOOO long ago that I honestly don't remember all the steps. I DO remember NOT going all that fine on the sandpaper. Maybe 1000? Again, just don't quite remember. The polishing compounds and the buffer did the majority of the polishing. It was definitely a ton of work though. It's worth it in the end!
Well I worked on the car most of today. I got all of the front brake components changed, all the lights working (and replaced the pass side fender marker light), front seat belt receivers changed, oil changed, new plugs and wires, new IAC, etc. I also gave it a much needed bath. I went to top off the radiator when I was servicing it, and the radiator is cracked...so I'll have to swap radiators with the 86 parts car. I am waiting for the rear calipers to come in so I can replace all of the brake components on the rear end. I still don't have the gold painted on the stock wheels...I was hoping to have that done by now. So tomorrow i will be heading to my brother's farm where my parts car is, and removing the radiator, installing all of the old brake components off of the 89, and start to take off other body parts that I need. I'm going to be using the 86 hood, front pass side fender, chin spoiler, and both bumper covers. I drove the 89 from our dealership to the body shop (2 doors down), and had to rip a burnout on the way
I also got the horn button replaced. That alone made a HUGE difference lol
I still need to scrub the entire interior. So far I have only gave it a quick vacuum. It should clean up awesome and I'm super excited to see it all scrubbed up.
I also only had one set of keys for the car, and while changing the drivers seatbelt receiver, I found another set of keys under the seat.
This is non third gen related, but this definitely fits the third gen "era".
I picked up a 1990 Cadillac Allante, that JUST turned 50k miles. I'm kinda looking forward to a little fun in the sun with this baby! The car is probably the nicest, 50k mile car I've ever seen. It's literally flawless....and it's probably one of the best deals I've gotten on a car. $2,500!!!!
These cars were a huge flop for GM. They're actually pretty cool, and the build quality is awesome. They probably would have sold a lot more of them if they would have been affordable. This car was $52,000 in 1990. You'll have to google them if you're unfamiliar with how they were built. Kind of a strange project for GM. Anyways, here's some pics from the previous owner (my boss)
Well to make it kind of third gen related.....it has factory RECARO seats lol.
Door isn't shut tight in the first pic....there are no issues with alignment, etc.
This is non third gen related, but this definitely fits the third gen "era".
I picked up a 1990 Cadillac Allante, that JUST turned 50k miles. I'm kinda looking forward to a little fun in the sun with this baby! The car is probably the nicest, 50k mile car I've ever seen. It's literally flawless....and it's probably one of the best deals I've gotten on a car. $2,500!!!!
These cars were a huge flop for GM. They're actually pretty cool, and the build quality is awesome. They probably would have sold a lot more of them if they would have been affordable. This car was $52,000 in 1990. You'll have to google them if you're unfamiliar with how they were built. Kind of a strange project for GM. Anyways, here's some pics from the previous owner (my boss)
Well to make it kind of third gen related.....it has factory RECARO seats lol.
Door isn't shut tight in the first pic....there are no issues with alignment, etc.
That clean, low mile Allante at $2500 is your "Christmas Bonus"! Very nice!
He gave me that deal for finding him a 26k mile IROC-Z that he made almost $6,000 on. I found him the buyer, too. So he came up to me and said he would either give me some bonus money, or sell me the Allante for $2,500.
You never see those, let alone in that shape. Cool car, wasn’t that designed by Ferrari’s Pinnafarina?
Thanks! And yes, it was. Designed, and the bodies built by Pininfarina. The bodies were shipped here with Boeing 747's and trucked to Michigan for assembly to the chassis
