https://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/c...576849708.html

https://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/c...576849708.html




Checked this car out yesterday because it's a 5.7, N10 vert. Looks good in pics, but could use some TLC on the paint. Carfax has it in an accident in 1996 and there is evidence that both quarters and the hood have been repainted. Missing most of it's decals. LOTS of weird paint chips, not stone chips, but chips in weird places. Like on the passenger side fender there are about 6 where the decal used to be,(you can still see the decals's outline. Missing floor mats, wheels and wheel wells are filthy, the rear PBRs were black. Hard cold start issue and still has original Multecs. I figure the time clock is ticking on those. A previous owner also had installed a crappy shift kit which I simply couldn't stand. It's one of those where you bark the rear tires at even 25% throttle.

What's it worth to you guys? Owner wants $16,500.

 

I've been looking for one of these and would not offer his price given the issues you've outlined. That said good luck finding another one, they are like hen's teeth. I'd say $14K cash and you'd need to put another $5-7 in it to make it right. All in all I'm waiting for one that is all original or done even if i have to slightly overpay for it as who knows what else might be lurking after you bring it home.

 

Sure doesn't 'present' like a 34k mile car. I don't love the colors. I know the fender vents are "correct" but they mostly look goofy to me on a monochrome car. I don't know, it just doesn't speak to me, and I love that body style in almost any condition when it's a hard top or ttop car. If it were well detailed, paint the alt fan, the waterpump, and the rusty aircleaner lid, throw away the bright red sock monkey and the red floor mats, make it shine like gold with all new decals in all the right places, I could probably see up to $10k.

Why so low? Because it's not an official convertible. Pontiac didn't officially offer a convertible until 1991. It's not a desirable color combo. Opaque red is about the most generic sporty car color on the planet, and it's beyond played out and boring. Condition - low mileage doesn't make up for being monkeyed with. A wreck, which says salvaged/rebuilt title to me, and the aforementioned issues negate any premium I would allow for the mileage. Aside from the drop top + L98 draw, there's nothing there.

My opinions.

 

It's interesting that it's an L98 that isn't a GTA, how many 350 non-GTA Trans Ams were made in 1989, I didn't even realize you could get one. I wonder if the aero kit was originally a different color or if it was always monochrome. As for the official/non-official convertible debate that's another thread.

I've seen a couple of other 350 87-89 Firebird ASC Verts but they've all been Formulas or GTA's. This is one rare bird.

 

I think Ive seen this one for sale before and he was asking $19,500...looks like he has come way down.

 

Interesting car, and unique as a 5.7L trans am
Not many.

Agreed, fender vents odd on monochromatic car

 

It does not. Paint is shiny thanks to multiple coats of Zaino, but get close to it and you can see the many flaws and the many hours of touch ups and paint correction it requires. It presents as a car with double or triple the miles.

This is actually exactly the kind of car I enjoy getting and sorting out. But the price needs to be right.

 

Yeah, you'd expect this car to be a GTA.

 

It needs all the Trans Am decals and accents to break up all that red.

 

Nearly all the GTA options were available on the Trans Am. This Trans Am is missing a few extra options, such as the Ultima "GTA" seats. While it's possible the car wasn't solid Red and had the silver aero accent color, there's just as good of a possibility it was solid Red as both was available.

 

SPID:

 

Well it definately came all red. WA- L8774 U8774

That's LOWER red, and UPPER red paint codes

 

The code to look for is the WW8, which this T/A has, and is the Bright Red Aero. WW2 is for Silver Aero. The Upper and Lower paint codes refer to the actual body color, and not aero, for ThirdGens that had two-tone colors on the body.

 

By the way Chazman in regard to the following thread I recalled where you inquired about N10:
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...1989s-n10.html

This Trans Am was converted by ASC in January of 1989 and shows a ship date of 1/25/89.

 

the price seems high, Rare doesn't mean desirable and rare does not always bring what it is worth. I think the asking price would be the high end retail at a dealer after it is cleaned and detailed and decals added. I think 12k is the ceiling for this one, when you look at the photos it just looks boring to me. for 16k I would want that WOW factor and this just does not do it. The 350 in a vert is a big plus.

 

I'll be damned......Thank you for the correction!

So, about the only third gen that would have a different upper and lower body paint code would be like an 82 Indy pace car Camaro??

 

Yes, I noticed that. This must have been one of the first N10s built.

 

Funny to see a red bird in front of Cubs banner....

 

and sport coupes and berlis

 

I think mine is Jan 89. N10

 

How was this ordered with a 5.7 if this wasn't a GTA. Is this a 1 of 1 car? How was this able to be ordered?

 

Same way you could order a 89 formula with a 350. Just put a checkmark in the box.

 

A properly installed shift kit shouldn't do that. I've done B&M and Trans Go, and neither of them hit hard like that at part throttle, although they are noticeably harsher when the trans is cold.

What is more likely, is that the 1-2 accumulator spring is broken. I haven't taken a stock F-body 700R4 apart that DIDN'T have a broken 1-2 spring(I've only done 3 though). Not a big deal to fix, but you have to drop the pan and the accumulator body and possibly the valve body. I can't remember if the 1-2 accumulator is on the top or the bottom of the separator plate right off hand, it's been a few years.

At any rate, just wanted to add flavor to the problem you identified.

 

My 87 shifted like that when I bought it. The tv cable wasn't adjusted right.

 

Like I said previously, most of the equipment on the GTA was also available to the Trans Am as an option. The 5.7L was in fact an option on the Trans Am and Formula in addition to being standard for the GTA.

 

I think that price is inline if it had been well preserved but what you are describing is more like around 10K if the mileage is correct.

 

Exactly, if this were an absolutely pristine example that would be one thing.

The problem comes when owners believe that their cars are "mint", even if they have a lot of needs.

 

I'd say if you are really interested, if this is your forte, then drive one of your clean examples over and bring an appraisal or something showing what a mint example looks like. He may see the difference and come down to a sensible number then.

 

One thing I've learned all of these years is you have to let the owner go through their own process. It's tough when you are the first guy giving them an offer. They are sometimes literally flabbergasted!

I can't tell you how many cars I've offered what I believed to be a fair price and been rejected completely, only to find that months or years later, it sold for what I offered or less.

 

100% agreed. Car should not shift like that with a properly installed shift kit. The “Shift kit” sounds like an excuse to cover up a trans issue.

 

Regarding the shift kit or broken accumulator spring or whatever it was, the owner had no idea about any of it.

 

Weren't the quarters painted as part of the ASC conversion? I thought I read that somewhere.

 

I'm not certain, but I don't think so.

 

I would not think so, either, as the "caps" were to "hide" what was left of the cut metal and cap them so they didn't "need" to be repainted. On the 91/92 cars, I never saw one painted new.

 

Here are some things I notice from the pics.
1) The Door panels, and the seats... The Door panels I thought was with the Ultima seats only, the only exception to this was in 1987 the formed door panels were used on the Custom seats.
2) The Hood has been repainted, look at the grilles they are painted red, they should be Black (or silver as the paint usually wears off). You noted that indeed there was paint work done to it, and the lack of stickers confirms that.
3) They did not even bother to take off the mirrors to paint, the black spacer is now red, or at least it looks that way in the pic. Not a huge deal, but come on... Did someone get Maaco?
4) Wrong CD Player

 

Are you thinking that the door panels and/or seats were changed?

 

The car doesn't have the AQ9 option which is for the ultima seats.

Those door panels are part of an interior deluxe package and can be ordered without the ultima seats. Additionally, my Trans Am is equipped the same way with those deluxe interior door panels but no AQ9 seats.

 

Don't get me wrong I love most everything on the car. Color combo +5.7L. But too many other things make this a 8K car to me. WAY WAY too many nice thirdgens out there cheaper with less questions about them. This car doesn't present itself as a low mileage car. Maybe it is, maybe it isnt. I wouldn't touch it.

 

So how badly does it leak? The first thing I noticed was when he pulled it into his driveway he threw a rug under it....why? My guess it that it leaks like the Exxon Valdez after it struck that reef, really no other reason why one would put a rug under their car in their driveway.

 

Lol?

Nothing there for me, I think it's gross.

 

I have seen pictures of this exact car with a custom leather interior at a dealership a few years back.

Furthermore, I did not know the Molded Door panels were available on any Interior except for the 87-89 Deluxe (Ultima) seats, or with the 87 Custom Seats.

Keep in mind from 87-89, there was 3 Seat levels.
Standard (S - Firebird and Formula)
Custom (Has seat back pocket) (S - Trans Am, O - Firebird and Formula)
Deluxe "Ultima", (S - GTA, O - Trans Am)

According to the Parts Catalog, there was 4 trims in 1989,
Base Seat - AR9 - Pallex Cloth (19B, 66B, 82B)
Custom Seat - AR9 - Metrix Cloth (19C, 66C, 82C)
Deluxe "Ultima" Seat - AQ9 - Metrix Cloth (19D, 66D, 82D)
Deluxe "Ultima" Seat - AQ9 - Ventura Leather (192, 662, 822)

The 669 is for the seat belt Color, 66I is for the Interior Trim Color

John

 

Price lowered to $15,500.

 

I think those optioned door panels are under option code B20 starting 1987. That's Luxury Trim Group. It specifies deluxe door trim as one of those items.

 

I like that Trans Am. Simple, straight forward. Nothing flashy.

1989 Pontiac production records indicate that of the 5,727 units of RPO WS4 Trans Ams, 1,648 units were RPO 81U Bright Red.

Of those 1,648 units, there were 1,035 units with RPO WW8 Red Aero Kits. (The others had WW2 Silver Kits)

1989 Pontiac production records also indicate that there were only 613 units of RPO L98 Trans Ams. Fairly rare when you consider that for 1989 there were: Formula: 4,875 units with L98; GTA: 7,553 units with L98.

 

Interesting numbers, how/where did you get them if you don't mind me asking?

 

I've had an old Pontiac production sheet for a few years now. I've been getting it organized so that it is readable. Typically, and unfortunately, life seems to always get in the way (for example, I just got home from work!). Stay tuned, I'll get the data out to the Third Gen site.

 

I’m not a fan of this car.. I know it’s a 5.7, but for that price I’d rather have a nicer, low mile IROC..

I’d say it’s a $12,000 car.. I know prices are inflated now, but I wouldn’t pay it..

If it was meticulously kept with no accidents it could have been a bigger dollar car.. It will go up but there’s better cars out there..

I would t call it a mistake to pull the trigger, but I wouldn’t.. would have to be obsessed with having one of those.. I’d rather put a few more bucks towards a Grand National

 

Sorry went back through and saw dmccain said $8k.. I agree.. I was being nice based on the hype right now.. $8k-12k range but it would have to knock my socks off in person to get to the upper end..

 

Also in agreement with Drew’s thorough post and many others..