Greetings, all... This is my first time posting, and I'm a newbie Trans Am owner. I enjoy doing work on my car, but I wouldn't consider myself an expert by any stretch.

My car: A silver 1986 Trans Am with the LG4 engine, new carb, 5-speed tranny, T-tops, most options. I bought it for $450 last October as a beater car to replace my 1995 Saturn SL2 which died abruptly (long story). I've always liked the third-gen Firebirds and T/A's, and I've started some minor restoration work on mine, but it still has a long ways to go.

What all needs to be fixed? Well, it's got some minor accident damage to the radiator support just behind the driver's side headlight assembly, the T-tops leak, and it's got a few other dents and dings elsewhere, in addition to needing a paint job. The car also needs a good brake job and a new windshield.

The engine is in decent shape overall, but all the emissions stuff has been either removed or disconnected (Apparently, the previous owner used to race it), straight-pipe exhaust with no cat, there may be an exhaust leak (interior smells like exhaust whenever I have the heat or vent on), the heat sometimes doesn't work, and the A/C has been removed. Engine needs a tune-up, and I suspect the valve stem seals need to be replaced (puff of blue-gray smoke at startup).

Oh, and this car will be due for an emissions check within the next few months. (I live in Chicago now, but will be moving to Philly this spring or summer. In either city, it will eventually need to pass emissions.)

Here's a few photos:
http://www.NthWard.com/images/TransAm/

Needless to say, this car has seen its share of abuse. Right now, I'm still trying to decide whether or not this car is worth fixing up, or if I should just save my money and buy another third-gen in better condition with the 350 engine (maybe even a GTA, if the opportunity arises).

I should also point out that money is a bit tight and I've had some credit problems, so it's not like I'll be able to walk right out and get financing for a mint-condition third-gen right now. I'm not even sure if there's any companies that would finance a car that's 12+ years old and has who-knows-how-many miles on it. Besides that, I like the color of my car and it's got almost all the options I want.

My driving usage: This is my daily driver (can't afford two cars), I don't do any racing, but I consider myself a "fast cruiser" and I want a car that looks good, is easy to maintain, comfortable, and can pass other cars on the highway without breaking a sweat. Needless to say, it also needs to pass inspection and emissions.

Assuming I decide to keep this car and fix it up, there's a few things I need to know right away:

1) Is it even worth it?
2) What's the cheapest way to get this thing to pass Illinois emissions?

Also, I'd consider eventually swapping out the LG4 engine to an L98 with fewer miles. In addition to giving me a stronger engine, this would also solve a lot of my other engine problems. What complications could I possibly run into doing this? Would I also have to swap out the transmission?

Assuming I decide to get rid of this car, what would be a good asking price? It's got new tires, new carb, and a few other new things, so I figure I could probably get about $1000 for it. Does this sound reasonable?

Thanks for reading this long post, and thanks in advance for any advice...

-- David
Chicago, IL

 

Get rid of it. You'll end up spending as much money as it would take to buy a car in much better condition.

 

That's what I was thinking too, but the primary advantage of fixing up the car will be spending a little money here and there as I can afford it, as opposed to spending several thousand all at once (or coughing up a down payment and being in debt for a couple years). And any new car I get will likely have its own laundry list of things to fix.

-- David
Chicago, IL

 

Wow!! Beater is an understatement. This car looks to have seen a front end collision. I like the primer on engine mod . I just depends on what you want. I you want to pass emissions it will take a lot of work. If they don't check under the hood and the don't check for cats (which most do) you might be able to get away with a VERY good tune up. The hood needs to go! But thats not a priority. The left quarter damage is going to be a PITA to fix but its possible. Your getting flash rusting in some spots also. In all the body work alone will be the cost of another car if you decide to have it done. If you do it yourself your looking at around $1500 least to get it looking good. I don't know how it runs but from what you've given me it will definitely need a major tune up. Plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel and air filters, oil change, and carb tune up. How is the suspension and the brakes?? Tires?? Interior needs some work also. You have a 305 since its a straight drive and will take some bucks to make it quick. It will take some money just to get it to pass the inspection much less run and look good. Do you know how to do body work or work on engines, brakes, suspensions, or trannys. If not then this car is not for you. It will cost some major hours getting it like you want it. I'm not trying to discourage you just my 2 cents.

 

Dude, if you drive it to Detroit area, I'll give you $300 and a train ticket back to Chicago. Whaddya say?

BTW-Im being serious-not pulling your leg.

 

No4Njunk: Thanks for the info. Yeah, no argument that it's a beater, but it's not too bad for $450, and it gets me to work and back. Brakes are almost shot, but the tires are new and the tranny is good.

This basically confirms what I already suspected, but I wanted to hear a few other opinions before I got serious about shopping around for another car.

Hopefully I'll be able to get my hands on a nice GTA with a 350 before I run out of time on the emissions stuff on this car (I can probably hold out for at least a few months), scavenge whatever parts I need from my car, and then probably send it off to the great junkyard in the sky (or at least eBay, anyway).

-- David
Chicago, IL

 

DSC,

See that dumpster in the background? Give you any ideas?

 

Okay, point taken. No need to rub it in.

-- David
Chicago, IL

 

I think it is better off getting another car. Sorry to break it to you...but it just isnt worth the hassel. But if that is all you can really afford right now then I guess you have no choice. By the way $1000 is a little high priced. I am selling my '83 TA for $1100...here is a pic of it.

James

 

Dscole,
Vader was not trying to rub it in. he was just giving you his opinion. Don't be offended by what we tell you. We are not trying to cut your car down or bash youWe are only giving you suggestions like you asked. We are here to help. As for getting rid of your car (if you want to) I would suggest (stick with me here) getting another piece of ****. why you ask!! Because this will by you some time. Get another car that runs well enough to get you where you need to go. Try to get something old enough that it won't need to get inspected. Then part your trans am out. you will make twice as much parting that car out then you would selling it as a whole. There are many good parts such as the bumpers, fenders, rear lights, t-tops, back hatch, some of the GFX, dash and console, motor, and especially the tranny. These things alone should get you at least $2000. Then you could put that into something much easier to mod. This is just a suggestion. I understand the position your in and its not easy just parting a car out. It takes time and thats something you don't seem to have a lot of. The other option isn't going to get you much more than you paid for it.

 

All im saying is my Trans Am is an 86 with TPI and heres a pic of mine.I paid $600 and i think i got a much much better deal.I mean when i bought my first trans am it was pretty bad and i paid $1200 and it was a roach and the engine seized in a month,but yea i mean just to give you an idea,you can get something like mine for $600.

 

Thanks for the advice. I have some time to kill on the emissions thing, since I checked the box on the postcard saying the car is inoperable (which is sometimes true). That gives me until June.

By that time, I'll be pretty close to moving to Philadelphia, which will make me exempt from Illinois inspections because the car will be more than 100 miles away. The plates expire in November, at which point I'd have to register the car in PA or NJ (depending on where I live), and then I'd probably have a couple weeks before inspections (I think it's 14 days in PA, not sure about Jersey).

So the long and short of it is that I probably have until about November to find myself another car, which shouldn't be a problem.

As far as getting another car, I could go two possible routes:

1) Find a mint-condition car for around $6000-7000 and finance it (not too likely, since it seems most finance companies won't finance anything older than around 1997 or so).

2) Find a third-gen for less than $2000 or so and pay cash for it, and then give it whatever TLC it needs. This is looking like my most likely route, and I've seen a lot of third-gen T/A's on the classifieds for less than $2000 that don't need major work. It's just a matter of waiting for the right one to come along at the right time.

As for parting out the '86 Trans Am, that might be difficult since I don't really have a garage or other space to store it. However, that could change after I move to Philly. If I can't part it out, I'll probably just put it on eBay and take whatever I can get for it. It's good for a few parts, or somebody out there might want to make a project out of it.

-- David
Chicago, IL

 

David,

No flame intended at all, dude. I'm just thinking that if you are a little patient, the right car will come along at a good price. I have already seen a few replies that support that idea. I just hate to see anyone throw away their money, and I'd much rather help you spend it on maintenance and modifications to a better car. The one in the pictures is a $500 car if it runs, and even then I wouldn't spend a lot on improving it. Just make sure you can still sell it for what you have in it, and you won't lose anything on it. It's just transportation until you find the one your really want, and it's out there somewhere. I've seen a lot nicer looking ThirdGens selling for $1,000 pretty regularly, and I'm only about 90 miles west of you.

 

No offense taken. Thanks for the advice.

Just to give you an idea of what I'm looking for:

1986 - 1990 Trans Am or (preferably) GTA.
350 TPI engine in good condition
Black, silver, dark gray, or burgundy exterior; Black, gray, or tan interior. (I'll consider other colors if everything else looks good, but my first choice would be black w/ black leather interior.)
WS6 suspension
Limited-slip differential
Air conditioning
T-tops (I know they're rare with the 350, so I could live without them. I certainly wouldn't miss the leaks.)
Overhead console (Suppose I could put one in myself if I had to)
Power windows, rear defogger, other goodies (icing on the cake).
Sound system doesn't matter, since I'll likely replace it anyway.
Must run okay and be able to pass emissions/inspection.
If it needs some touch-up work or minor repairs, that's fine as long as there's nothing horribly wrong with it.

Does that sound realistic for about $2000 or less? I'll probably start getting more serious about buying in about a month or two (gotta get some other expenses out of the way first, like rent ).

If you see anything within a day's drive (round-trip) of Chicago that looks like it might fit the bill, feel free to let me know.

Thanks,

-- David
Chicago, IL

 

A GTA or TA with all that in good condition, especially with a 350 TPI motor, will probably be in the $3000+ neighborhood. I spent $3400 for my gta (came with all the bells and whistles) and cars are cheap down here.

 

David,

If I were searching, I would narrow the selection to exclude the '86 cars, since they are the "bastard child" of the line. No roller cam or lifters, possibly an old style transmission and pump (depending on when it was built), old style HEI distributor, single cooling fan, no chance of getting a 350, suspect ECM PROM, suspect early-generation water-based paint process, no hot water valve, "hybrid" V-belt and poly-V accessory drives, crappy aif cleaner box, and a few others that I am probably forgetting.

Don't get me wrong - I like my '86 TA, but it does have its oddities that were "fixed" in later versions.

You might want to search the Tech and FAQ sectiosn of the site to see what the differences across the years were like. That could help you decide. If you're not into heavy engine modification, a MAF car make it easier to maintain and meet emissions requirements, but either MAF or speed-density will work for you.

 

LOL

 

Thanks for the heads-up about the '86 model year. I'll keep that in mind.

How much could I expect to pay for a 350 GTA that might not necessarily be in "good" condition? I don't mind taking on a project car, as long as it passes emissions, there's no frame damage, and I can drive it while it's being fixed up.

Or should I consider a 305 TPI engine instead? They certainly seem to be a lot more common. It's not like I do any racing or anything (I just drive fast in general), but I've heard that the 305's tend to be more maintenance-intensive than the 350. Any truth to that?

-- David
Chicago, IL

 

ouch! that car looks pretty hurt. I live in southern indiana and i've seen many 3rd gens in decent condition for under $3grand. I looked at a 88 iroc-z with a 305tpi/auto 80,000mi with power everything, decent interior, great body, paint faded on top, no t-tops for $1900 about 3weeks ago. I went to go chevk it out because the guy advertised it like this: 1988 iroc-z 5spd, fast, need to sell cheap. I was there the next morning The guy had no idea what he had.He hadn't even driven the car and he just thought it had a manual. it was easily worth $3k . I waited 1 day and it was gone. oh well, i've got enough work around here anyway.

 

I agree that you should part out your '86. Too bad tho... thirdgens are becoming a rarer sight on the road these days. Anyway, look for a GTA. When I was searching for my GTA back in 2000, I came across a really good condition '91 Metallic Green GTA for only $3000 with 80,000 kiles on it. It was sold before I bought it. It was a good thing tho, cause then I came across the GTA I have now... a Gunmetal Grey GTA with 45,000 miles on it. Only had 38,500 miles on it when I picked it up. Goes to show, you can find one in your price range if you really look. Good luck with the new car search.

GTA all the way!!

:hail:

 

If you do decide to part it out.... i'll take the T-5 and clutch assembly.. hehe

Patrick DeGrosse Jr.

 

I paid $800 for mine and I'm bringing it back to life, BUT mine had a very strong 305 TPI already in it which makes a lot of difference. Check my webpage. That hood on yours alone is worth $300-400 bucks.

 

I hope this doesn't sound like a dumb question (I'm hardly an expert when it comes to cars), but what's the difference between MAF and speed-density? What are the advantages / disadvantages of each?
Yours doesn't look too shabby for $800... That's about the level of project car I could see myself taking on. Nice webpage... It's already given me some ideas for whenever I find the right car.

What are the major differences between the 305 TPI and 350 TPI engines, aside from horsepower? How do they compare in terms of reliability and gas mileage?

-- David
Chicago, IL

 

If you have the time:
You can strip parts on this car and make some money selling them. www.ebay.com
The Turbo II hood you got there should pull $300 alone. Bring the rims to a scarper or thirdgen shop, the rear hatch, etc etc. Get the easy parts off and call the scrap yard. Sorry dude, hate to see another firebird bite the dust.

S

 

It's okay... I think this car already bit the dust several years ago, and I've already gotten far more than my $455 worth of use from the car. It's actually sort of an interesting story how I got hold of this thing in the first place:

In April of last year, I was getting ready to take come classes out in the suburbs, and was shopping for my first car in over six years. (Since I live in the city, I was able to rely on the L for basic transportation.) I did all my homework, and decided that a Saturn would be the most practical car for me. They're cheap, won't ever rust, good for city driving, and get decent mileage.

I ended up getting a 1995 Saturn SL2 with 83,000 miles for $5000, and the damn engine turned out to be on its last leg already. By July, it was burning over a quart of oil per hundred miles! (I later pulled the car's service history from another Saturn dealer, and it turned out that car's problems go back to almost when it was brand-new. Major lemon. Unfortunatley, the Saturn dealer I bought it from refused to own up to it, and I was left high and dry.)

The Saturn finally crapped out one night on the Kennedy Expressway as I was trying to merge into traffic... Two of the piston rings totally self-destructed. And since I was now working at a job that required me to have a car, I found myself stuck up S**t creek without a paddle.

I borrowed my friend's 1972 Buick Skylark (cool ride!) for a few days while I pondered my options, and decided that I needed to find a beater car, pronto, or else lose my job. $500 was the most I could spend.

A search of the online classifieds revealed beaters like a rusted-out Dodge Omni, a Geo Metro with no heat.... And an '86 Trans Am out in Elgin with some minor accident damage. I had always loved the 3rd-gen F-bodies, and had secretly fantasized about owning one. Screw practicality this time... I weighed my options for about ten seconds before arranging to see the Trans Am.

The seller had bought the car from a friend who had raced it and wrecked it, and had plans to eventually make a project out of restoring it. In the meantime, it sat on his boss's property out in Elgin collecting dust and leaves. But his boss sold the property, and the guy suddenly found himself with less than two weeks to get rid of the TA and several other beaters he had stored there.

He was desperate to sell, and I was desperate to buy, so it worked out perfectly. I bought the car on the spot for $455.

Since then, I've made whatever repairs were necessary to keep it running (new fuel pump, new carb, etc.) while I debated whether or not to fix it up. In the meantime, I've put about 5000 more miles on it, and done some minor fixing-up of the interior. During the process, I decided that I really like the 3rd-gen Trans Ams and that I would get another one even if this car turned out to be more trouble to fix up than it's worth.

Considering all the abuse it's taken, I still can't believe the damn thing even runs. (In fact, it consumes less than a quart of oil per 2000 miles, and the odometer just broke 148,000 miles the other day.)

(As for the Saturn? Well, that whole debacle, along with some prior financial troubles, led me to declare Chapter 7 bankruptcy in December, and the finance company got the Saturn back as part of the proceedings. Good riddance! Only good thing about Saturn is their ad agency.)

Now I'm looking forward to moving to Philly this spring to finish college (planning on completing my architecture degree at Drexel University), and hopefully buying a decent Trans Am or GTA within the next few months to cruise around in. At that point, I'll probably part out whatever I can from the '86 and send the rest to the boneyard for a well-deserved rest. Hopefully, I'll be able to take the SEPTA commuter train to and from work/school during the week, and the new car will be strictly for errands and weekend driving.

BTW, this is a great website... I'm still fairly new here, but I've already come across tons of great ideas and advice. :rockon:

-- David
Chicago, IL

 

Screw saturns!! I can't believe they F**cked you over like that. Its good that you want to part it out. Like I already said this is probably the best way to make money off of it. Well good luck at college and hope you find a badass TA. I'm sure you'll keep us informed.

Later,
Brian

 

What the hell, did they start to primer the engine for paint???

 

Heh... I'm not sure I'd even want to know how that primer ended up there. They even got the belts for good measure.

-- David
Chicago, IL

 

VADER...... How dare you call my child a bastard..........bwaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh ......