Hi everybody i'm new. I am currently looking at a 91 RS for a project car. It is in OK shape. The body was one minor ding in the left fender, and that is it. It needs new paint, some weather stripping, carpet, and possibly a dash cover. It has T-Tops and an auto trans w/ the 305 TBI. I have a few questions and I am looking for things to look out for on the car. This would be my first F-body.

1. Is the 305 TBI as bad as I have read? Some sites make it sound like it is slow as a dog and troublesome?
2. Does the rear spoiler extend past the tail lights, or should they be really close to the tail light lip? The gap seems a little big to me, and I want to make sure it wasnt in a wreck.
3. Where should I look to make sure the body hasnt been rewelded after a wreck, for rust, or for any other common 3rd gen camaro problems?
4. I know the car has driver airbags, but did it have ABS brakes? I know they are 4 disk brakes.

Thanks,
Andrew

 

bump?

 

I'm not completely sure, but I didn't think the RS came with disc brakes in the rear - someone might have swapped rears in the past - I've not seen an RS model with rear disc, but that doesn't mean they didn't exist.

Even if the rear was swapped for a disc rear, they wouldn't be ABS - no 3rd gen had ABS brakes. If the rear was swapped, there might be an ABS rear end in there, but nothing would be connected to the ABS connector on the differential.

The TBI cars are slow - not like deadly slow, but they aren't as much fun as one would think a Camaro would be - solution - drop in a 350! The 305 TBI is however reliable, and easily fixed in stock form. But, it takes little modding before you need custom-made chips, or remove the computer and go carbed is the easy out for mods.

Rust, welds - look where you would on any other car - there is no "frame" as these are unibody construction - and like all cars, if it's from the north, it will have rust - brake lines and fuel lines in the rear driver side, and things like sway bar end links will rust the worst. Pop the plastics in the rear, and look in the wheel wells - the rear quarters crunch easily in a wreck, as do the front quarters.

Know now, these cars are addicting - and like anything else aggravating. You'll love it and hate it every day. But, there is all the info you'd ever need here, and parts are easy enough to find most times, and cheap to restore (unlike a 2nd gen or 1st gen).

 

thanks....we have now moved on to looking at a 89 RS witht the same 305. The trans is gone and the motor needs to be rebuilt, but thats all the better for performance and engine swaps. thanks for the help.

 

hey if that rs really has disk brakes in the rear it could be a b4c cop camaro idk if tops were an option but look at the rpo sticker in the trunk glovebox and see if it says b4c ne where.