Hello,
I was driving around the other day. Came across a 84 Z-28 that needs a little exterior body work. Guy is asking 1500 for the thing (tells me he is trying to get rid of the thing since he needs money). New breaks on it (front and rear), newer rear axle (told me the old one blew out), has TH350 trans on it, and a 350 4-bolt main rebuilt (new cam and all that other good stuff on it) that came out of a 72 vette. Engine has supposivly been in it about two months. It does need an exhaust system put on the thing (just has a y-pipe connecting to the headers). I was figuring doing a test drive on the thing tomorrow to check it out a bit more.

I'm mostly wondering if there is anything else I should check out. The body looks strait, needs a little bit of drivers side rear fender work (small dent), he's replaced a bunch of the interior items. New seats it looks like from another camaro and a few things. When he started it up for me I didn't see any oil burn off come out of that y-pipe, so I figure that's a good thing. It also idled really nice, didn't sound like it was missing at all (my mechanic friend was with me, he said the same thing). I was told the front suspension does need a little work (for a 19 year old car, go figure).

Any suggestions? Also, it's a t-top model of Z-28 and the drivers door needs new pins on it (but I figure that's not too much of a problem since my RS did the same thing).

Thanks guys,
Dan

btw, this is more of a project side car that I want to use for draging down at the drag strip, so I figure it's more worth in engine stuff that everything else. Yet, anything is fixable. I just want some advice.

 

On a side note. I live in a non-smogged area. This thing is carbed, using a old quadrajet out of the 305 it replaced. Don't know if that makes any difference.

-Dan

 

doesn't sound like a bad buy, especialy if the engine is somewhat built.

 

Yah, that's what I was thinking, as well as my mechanic friend who was with me. Yet, I just hate getting something, then end up dumping 3 grand into bs that I didn't notice. Like my old Jeep that I ended up having to replace a ton of sensors on, replace the intake/exhaust gasket, and other tons of bs like failed breaks one day (starts sweating over that one again). Heheh.

-Dan

 

yep, had to rebuild tranny, new wire harness, new steering gears, breaks on my camaro. in the process of all that, I'm rolling primer now, and the interior is about to go back in (new and fixed up parts alike).

it'a money hole... :lala:

 

the old "vette" engine story comes up again..... lol.... 99.9% of cars people are tryin to sell have "vette" engines in em.. 4 bolt main is also one people like to throw out there since theres no way to actually check short of pulling the oil pan... anyway be skeptical for now.. if you can get the casting number off the block do it and look it up.. hopefully its a 350 at least.. also on the front ledge in front of the passanger side head near the top corner of the water pump theres a ledge.. get the numbers off it.. it will consist of a partial vin of the car it was origionally from followed by a suffix code.. even if ya cant see the casting number on the block that should narrow it down a bit. look it up on mortec.com

 

I had a similar experience when I bought my '84. Mine was actually legit though my motor actually was a Vette 4 bolt main motor as indicated by casting number on the crank and block.
The quadrajet was still on my motor from the 305 also, but unplugged as was the computer controlled distributor. Can you
say zero advance. Have your mechanic friend take it to work and put it up on the lift, take off the wheels, check brakes, suspension,(fixing a neglected suspension can really cost you) make sure the gas tank isn't rusted out or the floor pans. Like you said the car is almost 20 yaers old and some wear and tear for $1,500 is expected.