Hey guys, I'm looking to pick up an 89 GTA with 32XXXXkm's on it. The current owner claims there are no mechanical issues, and the body and interior are in fairly good shape. Maybe a solid 100 bucks to fix up the interior to it's former glory.

Been contemplating it for a while now, and I would really like it. Went to see it a few weeks back and didn't notice any issues with it, however we didn't start it as it was mid February and it seemed a bit cold so I didn't bother asking. There is a tiny bit of rust that can be fixed with some sandpaper and a bit of paint. My only real issue with it is that it has 320XXXkm on it. The guy wants $2000 flat for it and refuses to budge.

I plan on either rebuilding the engine or getting a new one, although the first option would be best as I'd like to keep it as original as possible if I were to get it. I'm basically trying to say that I do plan on working on the car this summer, and spending some hard earned cash. He said the engine is showing it's age, I'm hoping he just started it up after standing around so long and had a rough idle, which can easily be fixed with a can of seafoam.

I'm fairly set on getting it and some second opinions would be grand. At this point I might have horrific judgment as I've wanted a firebird gta for 15 years now. Thanks for the help.

If you guys say that it's worth it even with that kind of mileage, I'll go and drive it next week the day I'll want to pick it up and if everything is smooth I'll buy it.
Also, first post.

 

Welcome to the world of thirdgens. There's a good group of people here in southern Ontario.

I've looked at this car online as well. Car seems nice. Note that it appears to have aftermarket t-tops. You can tell by the big black seals front and back. That means t-tops will be difficult to find should one ever break. Weatherstrip for these t-tops can be found here: http://www.sunroofdoctor.com/

Also, if you want to do ANYTHING performance oriented on this, it should get subframe connectors. This is originally a hardtop car with the roof cut out. These cars are structurally crap right from the get-go. Hacking the roof out doesn't help things. (They're still fun to drive, just a little bendy)

That being said, if the car doesn't have rust issues, 2g's isn't a bad price, but it is rather high on the mileage side. I have been looking at cars asking 3g and haven't found one that doesn't have holes in it somewhere. All depends on what you want. Do you know all the rot-spots on these cars?? I always bring a screwdriver to check these cars. Hope this helps.

 

Yeah, I was informed about the aftermarket ttops.
I do not know all the spots on them, I only checked the undercarriage and doors.

And thanks for the response. I really appreciate it.

 

Hmmm...wonder if he knew that, or said that because I mentioned it when I spoke with him?

Front floor pans, rear wheel wells where they meet the trunk pan (top, inside) and in the lower forward corner, rear floor (seam), front subframe (where the trans crossmember bolts in), front strut mount/inner wheel well area, spare tire area, rear wheel well lips, door seams, seam between the firewall and front wheel well, lower kick panels/forward rocker panel area, windshield pillars (check for bondo with magnet). *sigh* I think that's it. These things seem to rot out everywhere. PM if you want to discuss further.

 

Thanks alot for the quick response, if I decide to pick it up I'll make sure to check for everything. You've been a ton of help mate.

 

No problem. Good luck.

 

With 320kkm on it it'll have rust somewhere that you're not looking. With that much kms it would have been winter driven.

Feel up behind the front wheel liner to see if there's a hole at the outer side of the drivers footwell. That's where they start. If you can remove the fender liner or pull it back at the rear bottom edge you can look in. If it gets worse then it rusts into the driver foot well where it curves up to the firewall. The drain down from the windshield gets plugged after a while.

89junkyardgta is right. Next to impossible to stop them from rusting somewhere. Floor pans you may be able to check from underneath but if it's undercoated you won't see it. Remove the drivers kick panel and pull the carpet back if you can. Rear seat footwells rust too.

 

The biggest mistake that you need to look for is cars that have so called "undercoating" Often times this is some guy who spray asphalt or rubberised undercoating over rust. It looks solid but eventually rots underneath the coating. Biggest scam is that stuff coated with oil spray. At a quick glance you look underneath and it looks well oiled and coated.

 

Nomad...that's a very good point about the # of kms and winter driving....hadn't even thought of that. I generally bring a screwdriver to check those "undercoated" cars. Last car I checked out had undercoated floors but a couple little rust spots on the underside drivers floor. Looked like surface until I hit it with my screwdriver and "pop" and a little water drained out as I went through the pan. Leaky windshield was the culprit. Wraith is right too....fresh rubberized undercoating is usually as sign someone is trying to hide something, but even old undercoating will hold an otherwise rotten floorpan together.

I hate being right on the rust issue when it comes to these cars...they are so damn fun to drive, its a shame most are so far gone.

 

Easiest place to check for rust is the rear wheel opening lip. Just feel it with your fingers. It should be thin and smooth all the way around. If it undulates from thick to thin as you make your way around the arc, you know that rust is starting between the spot welds.

There is also a little black painted speed nut on the bottom of the insides of the doors near the back. If it's mint, the car will usually be good. Can send a pic of what I'm talking about if you wish.

These are just a couple of really easy checks to identify a sh!tbox.

 

thanks alot guys for all the help. I did think that perhaps it was driven in the winter as well, but I also realize that it's been 22 years and I can if I want to put 10k on a car within 2 weeks. Either way, I have given this bird alot of thought and decided that in the end it just isn't worth it. Original hardtop is much better than aftermarket t tops and overall it just seems like I'd put in a ton of cash just to get it working properly.

 

Here are some areas that are very easy to check that will quickly I.D. a rusty car.

Strut tower, rear wheel opening lip, black nut on bottom of door.

Good luck finding your hot rod.

 

Just a note here. I picked up an 87 TA yesterday with a 383 in it. Looked like a good investment. Checked EVERY spot that eseibel67 and 89junkyardgta told me. There were tiny amounts in some places but nothing serious, or in any of the spots I was told to look. I'm sure a solid minute of sandpaper work will knock it all out. I'm hoping I can restore it to it's original glory by the end of the summer (basically some interior work).
I feel like one of the gang now! Thanks for all your help guys and I'll post pics later this week when I pick it up and drive it back home to Mississauga.
Should update my side info now to reflect this momentous occasion.

 

Good for you. At least with an '87 you won't have to worry about that b*llsh*t e-test every 2 years.