One of my buddies is parting out his '88 near-top-option L98 IROC (only option I have noticed missing so far is rear window defroster, but it may possibly be lacking in suspension packages or something, not sure what was available)... assuming the suspension is top-option, is it worth bothering taking his springs and swaybars to put on my '88 LO3 car? Is the steering box worth the hassle? How about the dual-piston front brake calipers?

He got a better offer than I'm willing to put down on the posi/disc rear, so that's out (though I am removing it for him in trade for other parts, probably including the springs and swaybar I have to remove to remove the axle anyway )... anything else you can think of this car might have other than engine/trans (already gone, and the thing that blew up in the first place pissing him off into parting it out) that would be worthwhile swapping over?

Not sure about the springs, but the swaybars are probably thicker. If he has dual-piston front calipers, just take the spindles loose from the ball joints and take the whole spindle/brake assembly with you. The 1LE brakes are much nicer than the regular single-piston brakes. The steering box is worth the swap if you don't have the tight-ratio box already. If he has a Wonderbar and you don't, get it too.

unless those brakes are upgraded, or youre mistaken, he has 1 of 4 1LE cars unless its seriously ****ed up body wise, he needs to be beaten with a very heavy blunt object

I thought about the calipers as an afterthought... didn't occur to me the dual-pistons were 1LE only... it has/had A/C, it's not a 1LE car. One less thing for me to try and scrounge up cash for

Good luck finding an '88 1LE car....as mentioned above, a 1 in 4 chance.

Take the swaybars, wonderbar (under the front swaybar), grille, fog lights if they're there, and anything associated with the TPI but keep it complete. Pull the whole motor if it runs. That's about all I can think of right now. If the interior is good, get all of it too.


Ed

Most of my interior is better off than what's in there.. but I am scrounging the majority of it for my gf's bird, which is *way* worse off than what's in there, and the car happens to have the gray/black setup we're going with for the bird's replacement anyway. Took the Bose kickpanels and map light equipped dome light for myself though. TPI is being left alone, I don't see the point in putting the TPI setup on top of the LO3 without head/cam swap too, which I definitely can't do right now.... if I want a TPI car, I'll just wait till I find a whole running car at a good price. The motor that was in the car is going in the guy's truck. I'll keep the wonderbar in mind today when I go to resume stripping the car.

Noone has any opinions on the IROC springs? I'm sure they're pretty worn, but the car has half the miles mine does, so they're likely in at least mildly better condition, and shouldn't the IROC springs be variable rate and stiffer than the base model's?

edit -- Oh, gutting the doors already too (door panels, arm rests, and window motors for gf's bird.... power mirrors, power door locks, and wiring for mine) ... snagged the grille too (only been trying to get one for 5 years) ... the stock fog lights are staying though.. I'll find decent aftermarkets and fabricate mounting brackets. I also considered the grid tail lights (I think 88 IROCs got grid tails) ... but.. they're under GTS blackouts... that were mounted with screws. what a waste prolly could have had the pair without holes in 'em for 20 bucks.

The front springs should be stiffer then what your car has now. It may actually raise the front, and you would need to cut coils to level back out.

Rears are more then likely stiffer also.

If the TPI rig is still intact ****** the TB off of it and sell it to me for cheap. I need one for my truck motor.

Uhm... none of these parts are goin' in my v6, man. Shouldn't raise anything.

Okay.. well.. if you see anything too insane here, lemme know... ~44k mile 1988 car:

F/R swaybars, $25 ea
F/R Coil springs, $25 pair
Stock wimpy-lookin Wonderbar, $10
Steering gear box: $40 + trade of my old 300k mile gear box so the rolling chassis still steers
Power side mirrors + plain Rearview, $50
145mph cable-driven speedo: $20

No, the car does not have dual-piston brakes... no aluminum driveshaft... can't even snag the dual fans because the shroud is MIA. The TPI unit is being sold whole. Seriously considering leaving the front coils in the car because of the potential hassle involved with removing them.

If you ever pick up the fog light grille, don't install it till you have fog lights.. it looks nekkid

It's an FE2 car... snagged the front swaybar (seems hollow, didn't measure, assume 34mm from search info) and wonderbar today.. wow. Definitely grabbing the rear swaybar tomorrow.