Hey guys I am looking at two cars right now. which one would you buy and which one would be faster?

86 Trans Am 355 TPI Rebuilt 700R4 with Corvette servo,modified valve body, and a B&M Torque Converter (2000rpm stall w/ lock up), 87 350 block bored .30 with new
crank. Reworked 305 heads with 3-angle valve job. Added in the rebuild was an SLP TPI cam, BBK 58mm Throttle Body,MSD 6A, Hypertech Power Coil,MSD Wires,1.5 Crane roller tipped rocker arms, SLP Intake Runners and Port matching in upper intake including fully ported plenum, TPIS adjustable fuel pressure
regulator @ 46psi, Hooker shorty style headers w/Thermotech heat wrapping, Custom 3” exhaust withFlowmaster muffler and chrome quad tips, HypertechThermomaster Computer chip, K&N open element cone
filter on modified MAF per TPIS specs, removal of A/Chardware and added a 1LE firewall cover installed.Also there has been a PST front suspension kit withHotchkis strut tower brace added. Stereo has 2 Clairion Pro Audio dash plates, 2 Sony
6X9s, 2 Kicker 12's in a custom Carpeted box with a custom amp rack Holding 3 MTX 280 Amps, and a MTX electronic Crossover all wired with EFX cable. Also has a fiberglass cowl hood and the body has no rust. it has a small dent in the front fender and the car has good balck paint job.

or

1989 Pontiac Firebird Formula 350. 350 tuned port injection with Edelbrock Hi-Flo base, 52mm throttle body, 24 Lb injectors, SLP cold air injection, KN air filter, 470/500 lift cam, Crane 1.5 full roller rockers, Edelbrock 1 5/8 headers, Flowmaster two chamber muffler, MSD 6AL ignition, MSD 8.5mm super conductor plug wires, Accel U-groove plugs, MSD Blaster II coil, Streetdampr harmonic balancer, T-56 6-speed transmission, centerforce flywheel, McLeod Street Clutch, Hurst Billet/Plus shifter, 3.27 posi, four wheel disc brakes, WS6 suspension, Eibach lowering springs, KYB AGX adjustable shocks and struts. Needs paint but thats about it!!

Thanks Guys for your opinions
Tom


[This message has been edited by Zio (edited April 08, 2001).]

 

i would get the 1989, it has the T-56 already in it.

 

I forgot to mention that he is asking $4500 for the 86 with a bunch of extra parts like back hatch, 97 trans am wheels and buncj of small stuff.
The 89 is going for $4400.
The only thing that i do not like about the 89 is that it needs paint and that is expensive.
camaro6spd thanks for your opinion!!
Tom

 

yea, paint is expensive, but a t56 in it? it doesnt get any better than that.. unless you dont care at all btw auto/man. im always wary of a car thats been modded alot.. like the person before has driven it really ahrd. i always like to get a car that i know is clean, and then mod myself.. but thats me. i'd go for the 89

------------------

• 83 Z28--ttops, 200k miles--very ragged out. sold, thank goodness
• 74 Z28--slightly modded 383, TH400 tranny, not too quick but fun to drive

 

So you are saying that i should buy a stock car and mod it my self. i get your point on the owner driving it hard. the only thing that i like about a modded car is that it is usually a lot more expensive o buy a stock car and put all those mods on it. but thanks for the advice
Tom

 

I'd get the 89 Formy. I don't like the 305 heads on the other 350, they have to be done right to flow for anything, who knows if they are or not. The stock L98 heads are nothing special but at least they are a known entity.

The T56 is a plus in the 89, at least to me. Good strong tranny, not cheap so that is great mod to have already done. The B&M converter in the 86 is a POS. I like the fact that the 89 has a good cam and a good aftermarket baseplate. You can add the runners to the 89 alot easier than you can add the baseplate to the 86. Looks like the 86 has no A/C anymore, I assume the 89 does. That's a plus for the 89 as well. I don't see any mention of injectors on the 86, may well be stock 305 injectors, too small. 89 has 24lbers already.

Sounds like the 86 has a few more goodies, and I guess alot more stereo equipment. That wouldn't be worth that much to me, and just going by the description I feel better about the 89. Although all that might change when I looked at the cars in person, the 86 might actually be done up pretty well and might be the better buy.

Depending on how well or poorly done the 305 heads are on the 86 the 89 might actually be faster. The stock manifold base on the 86 will be holding it back quite a bit as well. The 89 needs a set of runners, which again I think will be easier to add than the base to the 86. The 86 has the potential to be faster I guess, but that doesn't mean it is... The T56 vs auto is also going to come into play there.

Again, from the description, I'd go for the 89. But you can view the cars and get a vibe from the owners about the quality of the work done to them. We may be way off w/ our concerns on the 86 and approval of the 89...

------------------
Ray87Z
-Vortec headed 350.
86 IROC w/ a cammed 305 TPI.
Formerly Ray86IROC.
www.inter-scape.com/Ray

[This message has been edited by Ray87Z (edited April 08, 2001).]