Axel Stone

Sorry if this is in the wrong section, there doesn't seem to be a general discussion section.
I found a 1982 Trans Am near me for $1500 with a 305 V8, tinted t-tops, and new brakes, wiper motor, and carburetor. It also has aftermarket rims and shifter. It runs and drives well, but I noticed some issues:

• A "dead zone" in the steering wheel - I figured it could be bad tires
• Sticky shifting
• RPM gauge spins around when starting and moves with the turn signal blinker
• Transmission appeared to be leaking

The interior is also pretty beat up and is missing a few panels.
That being said, I have a couple questions: Is it worth the buy? If too many problems occur and I have to sell it, what would be the part-out value?
Thanks in advance.

quikslvr2269

Probably won't be the first of your issues with an 82.....lol. I'm in the middle of restoring mine, and the best thing to do is start at the front end and work your way back. I took our all the easy stuff....power steering pump, fan/fan clutch, water pump, alternator...etc. Noticed my A/C compressor was missing and bought a new one for installation. New hoses, spark plugs, wires since everything was easy to access. Can't hurt to get those things out of the way now, so you don't have to fix them down the line. Especially since you don't know the age of all of those parts. Make sure all items are there and in good working order. Main thing is getting the engine and electrical in order and it sounds as if you may have some wiring issues with the turn signal blinker. The worst thing about buying a car like this is you really don't know what else could be wrong (or go wrong), without taking things apart and checking it yourself.

Lastly....make sure it's an actual tranny leak. Could be a rear main seal leak and that is a pain in the *** (and costly) to fix. I have a small oil leak coming from the rear main seal and i'm going to get it fixed when I get rid of my 350 turbo tranny and put in a 700r4.

Good luck though!

Axel Stone

Thanks for the response, quikslvr2269. I didn't buy the car yet, sorry if I didn't make it clear in the original post. I wanted to know if it is worth buying for $1500, and what the part-out values would be if it didn't work out.

Edit: When I checked out the car, I also noticed that the A/C compressor was missing.

GeneralDisorder

iTrader: (1)

Can you post pictures? Value hinges on condition. 82 Trans Am's are appreciating in value and for one in below average condition, $1500 may still be a good deal. They can easily fetch $5k plus in good shape and the value is on the rise.

What is your planned use for the car? You going to try to rely on it as a daily?

Hate to say it but first impression of your questions is that this car is out of your league. If you have to ask this stuff it's going to be an uphill battle. That car is approaching 40 years old. If you aren't a professional wrench or a serious hobbyist with deep pockets for when it's out of your element - it's not going to be viable.

GD

quikslvr2269

Pics would be helpful, but I wouldn't offer anything over $1000. Depending if the parts in the engine and interior are complete, you could probably part it out and get more back. Many of the 82 parts are hard to find, or no longer in production. As an FYI, trying to find the compressor mount (if it's missing) will be a pain and will usually be around $200-$250 if located....just for the mount/brackets.

Axel Stone

Sure. These are from the online ad, I didn't take them:
As you can see, it's pretty beat up, but I'm not looking for anything too pretty.

I'm definitely not a pro, but I'm not a total newbie when it comes to car work. I've just never worked on anything so old, so I don't really know what to expect from it. I've been reading up on the service manuals for these things to expand my knowledge. I also have a few friends who are professional mechanics who are willing to help me out when I need it, but I wanted to get opinions from the people who are really experienced with third gens.

Definitely not - I plan to use it as a winter project to make a fun little summer car. Clean it up a bit, make sure it's running reasonably well, upgrade the sound system, etc.

That would be my ideal price, but the guy originally wanted $2500
Third gens are becoming really hard to find in my area, so I don't have many options.

Thanks again for the responses!

quikslvr2269

I think $1500 is ok. Seems to be a solid project car, similar to mine. Just pick up a cheap shop manual off ebay and you're good to go. Good luck!

chazman

iTrader: (4)

If it runs and has floors $1500 is cheap.That's parts car territory. Looks like it has an '87 Camaro interior.

Axel Stone

Thanks for the response. It runs, drives, and stops well, and there are only two rusty parts I could find under the car, maybe an inch in diameter each.

Axel Stone

Thanks for the advice! There's an auto parts shop near me that sells both Chilton and Haynes third gen Firebird repair manuals.

kentuckyKITT

iTrader: (4)

I don't know, that doesn't look too bad really. I could take a car like that, spend about 2 months on it and make it a 4-5,000.00 car pretty easily. I can't see much of the driver's side, but that passenger side looks pretty straight. It has some scratches and paint chips, but I wouldn't call it beat up. Beat up to me means at least one dent in every panel and a completely ripped up, trashed interior with broken plastics everywhere. If it's not rusted out underneath, in the strut towers or firewall, that actually looks like a good project from what I see.

GeneralDisorder

iTrader: (1)

Useless. Find a factory manual on ebay.

GD

Axel Stone

Driver's side is also pretty straight, only a few scratches here and there. The interior doesn't have rips anywhere, but the center console and stereo head unit are missing. I couldn't find any dents, just scratches and paint chips. The firewall/strut towers are surprisingly clean, and there are only two rusty spots under the car, but they're only about an inch in diameter each.
Seems like this might be something worth investing in.

Thanks for the info. If I end up buying it, I'll find one. I do have the 1988 service manual as a pdf, though.

dmccain

iTrader: (2)

Well worth $1500 you can make it a fun driver. You can't buy a used atv for that around here.
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JimRockford

Looks like a decent car from what I can see. The one thing to mention is that the 1982 had the terrible 200c 3 speed automatic which many owners had fail at 40,000 miles when new. I had two 1982 cars nearly 20 years ago. Both had the transmissions replaced with th350’s because original owners got tired of the 200c failing.

is this car cabureted or does it have cross fire injection?

JimRockford

The hardest part of finding an 82,or most third gens for that matter,is finding one that hasn’t been beat to hell and modified. For some reason it seems the type of people these cars attracted couldn’t leave them alone. Aftermarket wheels,aftermarket shifters,Aftermarket seats or junkyard seats out of other vehicles. Aftermarket steering wheels,aftermarket spoilers...you get the picture. then you get the guys who have to cut holes in door panels (and the sheet metal behind) to install more speakers and put stupidly loud stereos in them.
I’d love to find another black and gold 1982 t-top like my first third gen. The problem is most of them are beat to hell and no longer have any of the unique parts that,as Kentucky Kitt mentioned,make the 1982’s special. Especially with people buying them for the last 20 years to harvest the Knight Rider specific parts.

I personally really love the style of the 1982 Trans Ams,the pmd seats are the coolest ones ever put in these cars and I like the body style before they went the wrap around ground effects route with the later models. 82 and 83 have that clean look with the front lower fender flares and the flares above the rear wheels. I also liked the original turbo wheels with “bowling ball” hubcaps as they completed the then new “aerodynamic” look of the sleek new 82’s. Most people hated those wheels back then though and they were the first to go.

it is hard to believe they are nearly 40 years old! I remember seeing them when they were new at the local Pontiac dealer....and of course on Knight Rider when it was new.

Axel Stone

Thanks for the response! "Fun driver" is what I would do with it.
Didn't know that, thanks for the info. I don't remember if it was a 3 speed though, if I see the car again I'll look.
Carbureted.
I agree. I've found some other third gen Firebirds that are much more expensive than this one, and all of them had aftermarket shifters, wheels, or both.