88CamaroKid

Alright guyz...... you need to help me!! I have my dads '88 2.8L Camaro that he gave to me, and I wanna know if I should put the money into it or just save up for another 3rd gen.

All it really needs is a new radiator, new exhaust system ( from y pipe back, needs new y pipe too), fuel lines, fuel pump, tune up, paint job and rust removed, and a bunch of other little stuff. Should I save up and fix it up over the summer? Or should I save more and get another 3rd gen? I know I'd feel awesome drivin a car i restored...... so I'm thinkin bout keepin it, plus my dad would be really happy if he saw his car back in good shape, since he bought it new off the lot in '88. Help me guyz!!

Here's some pics!!
http://www.printroom.com/ViewAlbum.a...lbum_id=100616

Should I go for it?

Also........ could you guyz give me suggestions on wut i should get for exhaust and all the other stuff?? A price and link would help me too! thanx!!

Laterz!!

Nixon1

Depends on how much the car means to you and the family. Cost-wise, it's probably not worth it to do a resto of a 3rd gen V6... Third gens tend to be a dime a dozen, it's not hard to find them selling for not too much in good shape. Now..if you do decide to keep it...exhaust wise, I recommend the Dynomax Super Turbo catback, as will most board members. Flowmaster sounds too *****, gurgley. I have the Dynomax and am extremely happy. It's listed on Summitracing.com, I think on the last page...it's around $150-$160 for the catback. See if ya can't get a custom Y pipe made, it should help performance quite a bit. Tune up...well...spark plugs, for now I recommend AC Delco's..I'm running Rapidfires and they run great. My plug wires are Taylor 8mm SpiroPro's...you can get away with 7mm's just try to find ones that aren't a solid wire core, those screw with your radio signal. If you want performance out of it though and some extra life out of the wires, I'd go for 8mm's...I LOVE my Taylor's, and they come in like 50 million colors.

BTW...honestly, you'd feel good driving it knowing that you restored it yourself, but that feeling would probably fade after a week or two. I drive a 91 Camaro with a 3.1 V6 myself, and I love the car..it's got some real ***** and it usually treats me good...but I wouldn't restore it if it was in bad shape. The payoff just isn't worth the costs put in. Now, if it was a 350...or even a 305...(Tuned Port that is..I dont tango with TBI's)...that's a different story...

85f-bird

you've got some $$'s you'll be spending on restoring the vehicle. The biggest thing will be if you can do the work yourself, or have a friend do the work who won't charge you. I'm getting my bird redone this winter, but it won't cost me a dime more than paint (around 300 bux probably) and the body work will be done by a good friend of mine. Aso have the trans am ground fx going on. But it basically depends on how much the car means to you like stated before. Wish you the best of luck. Also, remember that the six cylinder isn't going to hold it's value properly, reason i'm lining up the LS1 swap.

Nixon1

Good point there..the V6's are entirely too common..particularly the 2.8's.....

85_ZED28

Depends on if you actually want to "restore" it, or if you just want to fix it up.

TomP

If you can do all the work (except the paint job) yourself, I'd say to go for it. At the very least, you can sell the car for more than you got it, and you can buy another car with the money.

BikertrashDude

if this is your first car, and the engine is not totally shot. go for it!
the rest of the car looks to be in good shape, just needs alittle TLC. stuff you learn on this one will help you futher down the road. "restore" is such a big word. "fix up" sounds more like what you should do.
biker

88CamaroKid

Thanx for the replies guyz! Ya, I think I'm gonna fix it up. I can probably do most of the work myself, and I just plain love workin on cars so this will be fun! Ya it's my 1st car, I have a '91 grand am that is my daily driver, but I figure once i get the camaro fixed up I'll have the grand am as a winter beater and put the camaro up for the winters. Restore is a big word..... but if i start fixin it up, I plan on replacing a lot, and puttin a lot into it, so hopefully in the end it'll end up bein completely restored and lookin like new!!! I'll just go little by little...... I'll get the radiator, exhaust, and lines now, and wait on the paint job, I dont need paint right away, the primer look is pimp!! Thanx guyz...... You know where I can get a cheap radiator? I found one on thirdgenresource.com for $193, but i think i can get a new one somewhere for cheaper!!

Laterz!! :hail:

NastyEssCee

you can get parts at my favorite place.....THE JUNKYARD....if you can find a yard that will let you get it cheaper if you pull it yourself hence go to a U PULL IT YARD....ill go that way...

TomP

Yep, the junkyards are usually the best place. Especially when you find a sharp looking v8 f-body with a blown motor; chances are probably good that the v8 radiator is okay. (V8 radiator is larger than the V6 radiator.) Good luck with the restoration; I've done mine once already, 6 years later, it needs it again. (sigh) Hopefully this summer I'll actually get to work on it!

icebird_1981

i say restore it, u learn, u respect your car more, and you can tell every one u did it all. and if u think about it restoreing it wont cost that much, buy a beater for like $100 take the part, do the body work and motor work your self, get it painted. at least at the end u really know your car inside and out. for me to get all that stuff done to that car would cost me about 700$ canadian, but i know some people. anyway good luck on what ever u do. just think of all the spare parts u will have for your car if u get a beater. Oh but if u want power dont restore it buy a v8 car.

icebird_1981

off topic here but tom p u got any pics of your car??

Crazy Firebird Kid

Wow, i never realized that you have the exact same car as mine. Except that yours looks lots better then mine. But that will slowly change over the next since months since I have finally started working on mine.

As for the main topic, I agree with everyone else, fix it up yourself. My bird is the first car I've ever had that I truely loved, and so even though it is a pile right now I don't mind putting more money or work into it then its really worth. It really is a great learning experience.

TomP

LOL, just tonight, my fiance' was trying to get me to get a newer Firebird. She doesn't understand... she's like "give me one good reason that you should keep your car".. I answered "because I like it". She kept trying to convince me.. didn't come close to working.

Only pic that's up of my car is the butt-end of it, you can see it in the corner of one of the pictures at the webpage where I show myself doing a 2.8/2.8 swap for a guy I know - http://www.geocities.com/tomp_3rdgen