im trading my 92 v6 firebird or an 84 trans am, and the lady says it has a 305 in it from a sunfire. i laughed and said they didnt make them in sunfires(even though that would have been a BA car) but she says she is pretty sure its a 305 and heres a pic

im just wondering what motor it is so i can do a little research before i check the car out friday.

and do you guys think its a good trade? 92 firebird v6 auto with a/c for an 84 trans am 305 5 speed?

 

It is impossible to tell what motor it is from a pic. You would need to get the numbers on the block behind the driver's side head. What kind of shape is the car in compared you yours?

 

this is hers http://matthewedwardhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/PART951324954720771.jpeg

thats gold paint not rust. it looks like theres no dents, and i was going to paint mine anyways, the interior is nice, but my main concern is what is worth more. i dont want to get something that would sale for less if i had to come to that.

this is mine

 

and i will be keeping my rims

 

this is an opinion question so opinions are what ye shall receive

I can already guess the answer but what is the motivation to move to a car which is 8 years older?

Will this be a project vehicle or must it be your daily driver?

how is your rug?

how is the bottom of your doors?

has it always been a Florida car?

Has the antique (it's over 25 years) always been a FL car?

look under the bumper for rust

look underneath at the floors and also underneath the doors

look in the hood hinge area

does your vehicle always start and get you where you need to be?

how is the interior of your vehicle compared to the TA?

you will get to your own conclusion when you stop getting hung up on having a V8 and look at the trade without emotion...........oops, I guess I answered question #1

 

Is that a dog food tin being used for a rocker cover breather? That looks like a real pos compared to what you've already got, maybe more pics of both would help.

 

Would yours sell for more than $700-800?

 

Keep your car, and put a 305 or 350 in your car, when you can.. your looks like its in much better shape from the pics.. and that tin can doesn't look too good there..l
o

 

Exactly what I was thinking.

Her car is barely worth $700. Keep yours and like mentioned earlier, on down the road swap your v6 for a newer v8.

 

The motor is a small block Chevy. Has perimeter-bolt valve covers so the heads at least are older than 87.

However it does have the flat wide ribbed belt of the style such as is also used in serpentine systems, so the pulleys came from about a 86-88 vehicle. They changed different chassis from the V-belt to the flat belt, and later to the serpentine, systems in different years, so it's hard to be more specific than that.

It has the old orange-red paint that was discontinued in about 77 or so, so it might not be a "factory" motor. OTOH the rubber grommets on the valvve covers were painted, so it might just be yerbasic "Krylon rebuild". Wouldn't be the first such "rebuild" that's ever been done.

Whether that's the original motor or whatever, it's one giant HACK JOB. Basically every place I can see that anybody has touched it, is hacked. The rubber hose in the fuel line is a good example of the level of "craftsmanship" that's been applied to it. Basically it's been sodomized by a ham-handed knuckle-dragger. If it looks like that on the outside, I'm afraid to even guess what it looks like where you can't see.

To me it looks like a rolling chassis in desperate need of a paint job, with a motor that (if it runs at all) is probably only suitable for getting the chassis to the paint shop and to the motor hoist.

I'd say $500 - 800 is probably a fair valuation for it, depending on parts we can't see, like the interior and running gear.

BTW, it's a waste of your time to argue with a used car seller about ANYTHING. Just let em talk. If you hear lies or misinformation, just use it to discount whatever else they're saying that you don't know yet os true or not... anybody that would think that a 305 came out of some front-wheel drive car either (a) knows NOTHING WHATSOEVER about cars and therefore not the first word they utter can be trusted, or (b) is DELIBERATELY LYING about it, in which case not the first word they utter can be trusted, or (c) was misinformed by someone else in which case ..... you do the math. In NO case can the first word they utter be trusted, let alone any that come after. Therefore best to just ignore their drivel and go on finding out THE TRUTH independently from their uselessness.

 

the car is her daily.driver and she is.drivng.100.miles to meet me, she is also giving me 500 on top. I want a 5 speed and in every forum, it says getting a 5 speed car is cheaper and easier than the swap. my dad is a.mechanic, so he will do the.work free, my car starts evrrytime but has 225000 miles on the car and motor. it also has some pretty big dents, but no rust anywhere. it was actually rust proofed in 92. this is such a hard desicion. the 500 would be enough put together.with my savings to get a motorcycle to use as a dd. but I dont want to loose a good car. I tried selling mine for 1800, no calls. and the.book value of the trans.am is even higher.

 

So...

What's the asking price?

 

she was selling hers for 1500 but im sure she had no calls. us third gen drivers can really put a.price tag.on our cars, cuz no one will buy them for what we think there worth. I mean have you seen some of the crazy prices on third gens on craigslist? they never sell. people think there gonna get 1500 out of a 92 rs with no motor. or even funnier 3000 for an 88 firebird, v6 needs tlc with a huge dent in the.door. these cars are all about fun, so which.car would be more fun to drive? and whats easier, paint job tune up, junk yard ground effects, a/c fix or engine and tranny swap, body work, and paint

 

stop right there

if that is a fact, then you don't need us. Whether he works on Audis or old cars the same principles hold true when buying a used car

You should defer to dad and accept what he says

good luck

 

Her car plus $500 is still shy of the value of your car.

I'd say, pass on it.

I'd agree, if you want a V8/5-spd car, it's easier to start out with that, than to try to swap a V8 into a 6-cyl car OR a stick into an auto car. But that's not the car you want. You need to be trading UP, for a BETTER car than what you've got now, not trading DOWN into a half-a$$ed "project" hack job like that one.

 

I wouldn't trade. Your car is much nicer. Mileage isn't that big of a deal if the car has been taken care of and if you like the car. You know the issues with what you have, who knows what issues that other one has...it may be showing signs of doom and the lady wants to get rid of it while it is still running/driving.

 

I'm gonna have to agree with torque...

 

thanks everyone. im not going to do the trade. found a buyer for my car, and i found an 88 iroc with a 350 that i could buy, or a 92 running gta that needs a little work

 

There you go!

 

Good decision. You will eventually find what you are looking for.

 

Those would be better; but probably still not ideal, based on your stated desire for a stick shift. The best all-around way to go would be an equivalent car except 305/5-speed.

Be patient. They're out there. Sounds like you don't need this car to get to work tomorrow; wait until the PERFECT one appears, as it surely will.... about the day after you buy the wrong one.