'91 RS 3.1 with 236k miles, running on 5 cylinders, burnt o-rings and valves, needs new timing chain, no radio(but has speakers) one small crack on the dash, body doesn't really line up right, 15" Cragar SST

Thinking about if I should just get a v8 swap or just sell the car. I don't expect to get much but just wondering.

 

i'd make sure the mechanic was honest with you before trying to sell. However, for my 85, 70,000 miles, 2.8 berlinetta that runs perfectly i paid 1000

 

I know he's honest. My family has known him for a long time and whenever there's a problem with one of their cars they always take it to him.

 

Honestly, with a dead engine the car is not worth much, maybe $500 to the right person, but again it's all being in the right place at the right time- I have seen running 3.1's and 2.8's given away from guys doing V8 swaps.

Eric

 

muahaha my 1990 3.1 had 50k miles on a rebuilt motor, and 166k on the stock (dying,) tranny... crap interior, black bumper cover and passenger fender, several dings, horrible paint, cracked dashboard, and to top it all off, the engine was rebuilt by cheapasses who screwed me over--the valve gaskets were leaking.


oh yeah, back to my point... I got the insurance company to give me $2300 for the car... even though I could have only sold it for like $900...

now I get to part out my car to make a little extra...

maybe you need a 3.1? All it needs is valve gaskets... 50k miles on it, running perfectly strong. Actually I don't know if it needs the gaskets or not, it doesn't leak, or smoke--but Firestone said I needed them, ( and we all know how they don't lie to customers. )

 

keep her and go with the swap. May a complete drag car out of it. That way it dont have to look Pretty.

 

If I put in a used 3.4 and paint it how much more could I get for it?

 

Whatever someone is willing to pay- honestly, even if you got a good running motor for $500, did all the work yourself, spent the inevitible $200 on hoseclamps, gaskets and other crap that adds up, and put a cheap Maaco job on it, you'd get less than you spent doing it.

There was a guy on sethidgen.org trying to sell an '88 RS with a five speed and 2.8, fresh paint he did himself as he is a professional body and paint man, and he dropped the price to $1100 and still got no takers- he got rearended into another car which totalled it before it sold.

In short, spending money to get it running is not a money making proposition. Just tellin' it like it is man.

 

many people don't realize that money in != money out...

clean up the carpets, wash it up nice, clean up all the grease, and do necessary maintenance, and call it a day. Do CHEAP things to make it better. Say you are missing part of your console; go to a junkyard and pull one for $10... dramatic difference.

Same for seats. Do NOT have them re-apolstered. Seat covers are the easy/cheap route to go. If they guy asks, just tell him like it is.

Basically only invest money into fixing it, if you are planning on keeping it!

 

Here's a 3.1 running complete with trans in New Jersey for $250-

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=327101

 

wow! I wonder what I could get for my 3.1 with 50k miles on it? tranny has like 160k though.