OK folks. Thanks for stopping in. I have a huge dilemma. Restore my 1988 camaro which was the first car i bought when i was 17 in 1999, ill add pictures of it now. But it has a 5.3l with built 700r4. The exterior body i restored in college and needs a little attention. But the big issue is upstate ny rust. The floor pans are shot and some rocker rust and a lil here a lil there but they body has none! The dillema comes in the form of a unmolested 1991 hard top v6 5 speed 64k orig miles underneath absolutely gorgeous but needs body work and obviously a ls 700r4 setup out if my other car. Oh and mint interior. Im a vetran auto body tech/painter the work doesnt scare me but i only have money enough to make one car out of the two. I dont want to retire my car for good but i have also hacked the **** out of the interior and learned alotta lessons and had million memories in my 88. But i dont wanna give up on it yet. Its a tough choice rebuild my love with a mint v6. Or build the v6 to the dream car i want today. I keep going back n forth. Ive finally got my car in the garage and idk. Input, help please. Thank you!

 

If your not worried about it making economic sense, I say restore your original. There's only one.

 

Establish your goal, and use the best tool for the job.

 

Fix the original.

 

Hmmmm Build the 88 and put the other on back burner.

 

I'm leaning towards your first car too...

Not for "Resale" value, but for the value of it was your first car...

 

Thanks for the input. Im gonna document this and do a future post so everyone can see what my dilemma was. The v6 is a vigin orig car and is 99% rust free, but it has everything i need to rebuild my 88. And only cost 1g. Way cheaper than everything i need new. So ill do pics along the way that can show others what it takes to do floor pans and rockers and going to do full interior swap since my 88 is barron with a hack of a 98 firebird interior. Thanks again!

 

If the 88 is not an IROC build the 91. The chassis tolerances on the unrusted, v6 1991 are probably much closer to factory spec than a rusting 88 V8. Probably less sag and twist in the body. With the 91 also you would be installing subframe connectors in the best possible way since you would be stripping it down of the drivetrain and suspension. Not to mention, insurance rates would be lower.