HELP! Which is BEst 3rd Gen?!
#1
08-26-2011, 03:40 PM
HELP! Which is BEst 3rd Gen?!
Hi guys, I'm looking for a little help here.
My buddy and I have decided on purchasing an old 3rd Gen. to completely build up and smash around in for a while. Unfortunately, I have never owned a 3rd so I dont know which model/year to pick up. Now I have done quite a few research on them myself but I was wondering if you guys could give me your opinions on the BEST 3rd Gen. to start out with.
Year/model/motor/suspension. stuff like that. Which is the best to start with?
Thanks.
My buddy and I have decided on purchasing an old 3rd Gen. to completely build up and smash around in for a while. Unfortunately, I have never owned a 3rd so I dont know which model/year to pick up. Now I have done quite a few research on them myself but I was wondering if you guys could give me your opinions on the BEST 3rd Gen. to start out with.
Year/model/motor/suspension. stuff like that. Which is the best to start with?
Thanks.
#4
08-26-2011, 07:23 PM
it depends what you mean by "fix up" and "smash around"
if you are really looking to have a decent vehcile then begin looking for a southern car with no rust and also try and find a vehicle with a good interior.
A rebuild is a rebuild is a rebuild for a SBC and is going to run you $1500-$2000 and to add performance to that such as porting and a cam will add a little more. A 700r4 bench rebuild with a couple new hard parts and rebuilt tc will run you $700 Body, frame and interior work could cost a kings ransom.
So, it depends on what you really want and most improtant, how much money to spend you really have. And with respect to handling, the 4th gens outhandle the 3rd gens night and day difference
if you are really looking to have a decent vehcile then begin looking for a southern car with no rust and also try and find a vehicle with a good interior.
A rebuild is a rebuild is a rebuild for a SBC and is going to run you $1500-$2000 and to add performance to that such as porting and a cam will add a little more. A 700r4 bench rebuild with a couple new hard parts and rebuilt tc will run you $700 Body, frame and interior work could cost a kings ransom.
So, it depends on what you really want and most improtant, how much money to spend you really have. And with respect to handling, the 4th gens outhandle the 3rd gens night and day difference
#5
08-26-2011, 07:45 PM
it depends what you mean by "fix up" and "smash around"
if you are really looking to have a decent vehcile then begin looking for a southern car with no rust and also try and find a vehicle with a good interior.
A rebuild is a rebuild is a rebuild for a SBC and is going to run you $1500-$2000 and to add performance to that such as porting and a cam will add a little more. A 700r4 bench rebuild with a couple new hard parts and rebuilt tc will run you $700 Body, frame and interior work could cost a kings ransom.
So, it depends on what you really want and most improtant, how much money to spend you really have. And with respect to handling, the 4th gens outhandle the 3rd gens night and day difference
if you are really looking to have a decent vehcile then begin looking for a southern car with no rust and also try and find a vehicle with a good interior.
A rebuild is a rebuild is a rebuild for a SBC and is going to run you $1500-$2000 and to add performance to that such as porting and a cam will add a little more. A 700r4 bench rebuild with a couple new hard parts and rebuilt tc will run you $700 Body, frame and interior work could cost a kings ransom.
So, it depends on what you really want and most improtant, how much money to spend you really have. And with respect to handling, the 4th gens outhandle the 3rd gens night and day difference
#10
08-27-2011, 12:06 AM
Dog help us. You and your 'partner' want to fawk off in a Camaro until it blows up? Despite the obvious 'what the hell are you thinking???'...lemme throw this out there....
You are only going to find *4* kinds of 3rd gen Camaro's out there....
1) total basket cases. Non running POS's that need full rebuilds. Not what you want. Your looking at an initial 1K investment, 4K to get it going and a full summer just to work out the bugs. If the car doesnt start when you go look at it...walk away. You sound new to this game. Trust me, if someone says 'all it needs to run is such and such...', they are full of poo-poo. Think about it, if it was that simple, they would have done it.
2) Stock, beat up daily drivers. These cars are 20-30 years old. Dont expect performance,dont expect some bolt ons to add the 'power' you and your boyfriend want. What you will get is a high mileage 305 or 350. AVOID the 305 at all costs. Look at later 80-early 90's for a 350. No matter how you work it, a 305 will NOT give you what you want. Now, Camaro prices vary SUBSTANTIALLY by geographic area, but plan on about 2500-4000 for a car like this. Its a decent starter...go with a 350, add a carb, intake, headers, and you will be happy. Mind you....it was a daily driver, a 20 year old daily driver. Some fat single mom was using this car to shuttle her snot monsters to school. Guages arent going to work, suspension is going to be shot and its generally the kind of car a 18 year old drives for a year or two until they wreck it trying to contain the massive 200 HP it has...Id you are willing to put about 1K into mods, repairs and misc issues, this is the car for you.
3) All original garage queens. This is a stock car, owned by a lawyer, driven twice. This car will cost 10k. Dont even think about this car, as there is no reason why a 20 year old car should cost more NOW than the day it rolled off the floor.
3) Performance rebuilds. Guys who love em and sell them to finance other projects. You wont touch one of these for under 5 K. Watch the paper....pay close attention to military installations and suburbs. Guys (like me) buy these cars and do all the hard work. After a few years we get bored and sell them to buy other projects. Ask the seller....'WHY are you selling this car?'.... if the story sounds fishy, its a car #2 (above) that someone is trying to fawk you on. This kind of car will start right up, should have NO issues, maybe a power steering leak or a cracked dashboard, nothing more. This kind of car is RARE....but they are out there. Just do your research and search around. It may take forever, but you will find one. Bottom line....you will know this car the minute you see it. However...you will need to be patient. It took me over a year of weekly searching to find a C3 Corvette that fell into this category.
Sorry for the novel. I wish you and your life partner the best of luck. 8*p If you need anything...let us know. Keep us posted. -Scott
You are only going to find *4* kinds of 3rd gen Camaro's out there....
1) total basket cases. Non running POS's that need full rebuilds. Not what you want. Your looking at an initial 1K investment, 4K to get it going and a full summer just to work out the bugs. If the car doesnt start when you go look at it...walk away. You sound new to this game. Trust me, if someone says 'all it needs to run is such and such...', they are full of poo-poo. Think about it, if it was that simple, they would have done it.
2) Stock, beat up daily drivers. These cars are 20-30 years old. Dont expect performance,dont expect some bolt ons to add the 'power' you and your boyfriend want. What you will get is a high mileage 305 or 350. AVOID the 305 at all costs. Look at later 80-early 90's for a 350. No matter how you work it, a 305 will NOT give you what you want. Now, Camaro prices vary SUBSTANTIALLY by geographic area, but plan on about 2500-4000 for a car like this. Its a decent starter...go with a 350, add a carb, intake, headers, and you will be happy. Mind you....it was a daily driver, a 20 year old daily driver. Some fat single mom was using this car to shuttle her snot monsters to school. Guages arent going to work, suspension is going to be shot and its generally the kind of car a 18 year old drives for a year or two until they wreck it trying to contain the massive 200 HP it has...Id you are willing to put about 1K into mods, repairs and misc issues, this is the car for you.
3) All original garage queens. This is a stock car, owned by a lawyer, driven twice. This car will cost 10k. Dont even think about this car, as there is no reason why a 20 year old car should cost more NOW than the day it rolled off the floor.
3) Performance rebuilds. Guys who love em and sell them to finance other projects. You wont touch one of these for under 5 K. Watch the paper....pay close attention to military installations and suburbs. Guys (like me) buy these cars and do all the hard work. After a few years we get bored and sell them to buy other projects. Ask the seller....'WHY are you selling this car?'.... if the story sounds fishy, its a car #2 (above) that someone is trying to fawk you on. This kind of car will start right up, should have NO issues, maybe a power steering leak or a cracked dashboard, nothing more. This kind of car is RARE....but they are out there. Just do your research and search around. It may take forever, but you will find one. Bottom line....you will know this car the minute you see it. However...you will need to be patient. It took me over a year of weekly searching to find a C3 Corvette that fell into this category.
Sorry for the novel. I wish you and your life partner the best of luck. 8*p If you need anything...let us know. Keep us posted. -Scott