I am looking into buying a 79 camaro berlinetta project car. It comes with 2 new front fenders and needs both doors replaced. Runs and drives fine but smokes when first started up and smokes a little when driving. I'm thinking it needs new rings. Body isnt bad needs paint and interior. Frame is good. Its a project car. My question is how much do you think its worth. I have 3 grand right now to put into a project car and will have another 2 saved up at the end of the year. I'm only 14 so i have a lot of time to work on it. What do you think is a fair price for it, he wants 1300 obo. Heres the link

http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/cto/1768502272.html

Thinks its a good project car? Any opinons?

 

Doesn't look too bad. I would really look into the frame rails, and floor pans, and the very corners of the dash by the vin number area. With T tops? at least it looked like it, the floor could be screwed. Also look really well at the t top channels. Trunk floor.

Do you need new doors? are they rusted inside and out? You can re skin them, or watching Craigslist you will find some if you are patient that could be better off. I would imagine less than $1000, and if it has anything rusted out in the areas I just spoke of, seriously less.

Now, if you have $3000 right now, and can wait to get more. You can probably get a seriously NICE second gen that doesn't need ANY work!

 

Yah I would need to put new doors on it. I want a project and something to do.

 

OK, but you could still have something to do with less to do. Look into it a bit deeper. Can you weld? If it is fairly solid, I would say it is worth around $1000 ish. Insist on looking under it, get a jack and put it up on stands if you have to. Get under there with a flashlight. Check the cowl by the windshield, etc.

 

I can weld and go to a tech school also so i know people in those trades. I'm going to look at it again really well and check all the places you mentioned.

 

If you feel up to it and want to tackle all that then anything goes, but if the frame rails are rusted I would estimate the value to be closer to $500, if he won't come down, walk away.

 

Yah if the frame rails are rusted out or any major rot is on it i'll probaly walk away. I want a project but don't really want to start to mess with the frame and patch it. Thanks a lot for the advice.

 

The part that sort of raises red flags for me is his statement, "new bumpers and PATCHES included." If he has patch panels already, but didn't put them in, then it might be that he discovered so much more rusted out that he gave up.
Check the fenders, inside the trunk, floor boards, frame rails, and rear trunk drops. All areas that can and do rust out. Also feel the carpets for moisture. If they are wet it's most likely rusted out.

 

If it looks like this bail.

Front cowl by the vin.


The back package tray.


Inside the wheel wells.


Here is a good example of my quarter. It looks good but do you see gap under the spoiler?


There is a pic in another thread showing a monster over the spring pocket.

 

^^^ those are excellent pics of what to run from. That is a good idea for a sticky is a gathering of pics to make a car worthless.