Should I Buy It?
Thread Starter
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Newbie
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2
Should I Buy It?
Ok, my aunt has a '91 camaro RS, it has the 305 in it, although, im not sure which one it came with, I dont have the vin. She will sell it to me between $400 - $500. The car has a few problems, one of the front seats has a rip in it, the headliner sags, and there is a crack in the dash. Thats about it for the interior.
As far as the drivetrain goes, the engine runs..but smokes a lot, I'm guessing that a head gasket is bad in it, but im no engine mechanic. The car has 140,000 miles on it. If I buy the car for that cheap, I would like to do some serious work on it.
Below I am going to list what I would like to do, if you would tell me if its worth it, and about how much it would cost, that would be great. Also, if you have any suggestions as far as what else should be done, that'd be great too. I am 17 years old, currently driving a '97 Grand Am GT (hate it) that I will sell if I buy this, I have a '74 ford courier that I can drive while I'm rebuilding the camaro if I do it.
What I htink needs to be done is:
[ul][*] New Engine (Would like it to have 300hp, but doesnt need to have it. I would like to get a 350 in it, but if would settle for the 305 that is in it.) I have never built an engine before, but I could if I had to, I would like to find a turnkey engine with fuel injection.[*] New Transmission, Im guessing that the one in it is almost shot after 140k miles..dunno?[*] Interior, like I said, headliner and dash to start, seats and matching pieces later.[*] The paint is done, not to mention, she wrecked a while back and a new (black) bumper was put on, needs paint badly, I want to do a midnight blue.[*] I have thought about maybe a new rear end, but it is not necesary.[*] Maybe new carpet and a few minor things.
[/ul]
She said that she just had the shocks replaced about 2 or 3 years ago. so that sholud be fine. I would like to find an engine around $1,500 - $2,500. Is that possible? It has power windows and locks, and she says the window motors have been replaced also. Other than that, the car is in good shape. It only has one little spot of rust about the size of a nickle that would be easily sanded off, it looks like it just started. She wants to know if I'm gonna buy it by tomorrow as she has to sell it because of a city ordinance, otherwise she is putting it in the classifieds.
As far as money I have to spend on it, I have 1500 in the bank now, so i would have $1000 left, I could sell my car for anywhere from $3000 to $5000, depending. and I have a summer job this summer where I will make close to $3000. I dont want to go overkill and make this thing rediculous, I just want to make it have a "little pep in its step", and mainly look good. With the engine work, i just want to to be redone and be reliable, it doesnt have to be a gas sippin' horsepower belching beast, just a daily driver, and besides, remember that I'm a 17 year old, and I dont want to get into (to much) trouble with this thing.
also, how big is the aftermarket on these cars?
As far as the drivetrain goes, the engine runs..but smokes a lot, I'm guessing that a head gasket is bad in it, but im no engine mechanic. The car has 140,000 miles on it. If I buy the car for that cheap, I would like to do some serious work on it.
Below I am going to list what I would like to do, if you would tell me if its worth it, and about how much it would cost, that would be great. Also, if you have any suggestions as far as what else should be done, that'd be great too. I am 17 years old, currently driving a '97 Grand Am GT (hate it) that I will sell if I buy this, I have a '74 ford courier that I can drive while I'm rebuilding the camaro if I do it.
What I htink needs to be done is:
[ul][*] New Engine (Would like it to have 300hp, but doesnt need to have it. I would like to get a 350 in it, but if would settle for the 305 that is in it.) I have never built an engine before, but I could if I had to, I would like to find a turnkey engine with fuel injection.[*] New Transmission, Im guessing that the one in it is almost shot after 140k miles..dunno?[*] Interior, like I said, headliner and dash to start, seats and matching pieces later.[*] The paint is done, not to mention, she wrecked a while back and a new (black) bumper was put on, needs paint badly, I want to do a midnight blue.[*] I have thought about maybe a new rear end, but it is not necesary.[*] Maybe new carpet and a few minor things.
[/ul]
She said that she just had the shocks replaced about 2 or 3 years ago. so that sholud be fine. I would like to find an engine around $1,500 - $2,500. Is that possible? It has power windows and locks, and she says the window motors have been replaced also. Other than that, the car is in good shape. It only has one little spot of rust about the size of a nickle that would be easily sanded off, it looks like it just started. She wants to know if I'm gonna buy it by tomorrow as she has to sell it because of a city ordinance, otherwise she is putting it in the classifieds.
As far as money I have to spend on it, I have 1500 in the bank now, so i would have $1000 left, I could sell my car for anywhere from $3000 to $5000, depending. and I have a summer job this summer where I will make close to $3000. I dont want to go overkill and make this thing rediculous, I just want to make it have a "little pep in its step", and mainly look good. With the engine work, i just want to to be redone and be reliable, it doesnt have to be a gas sippin' horsepower belching beast, just a daily driver, and besides, remember that I'm a 17 year old, and I dont want to get into (to much) trouble with this thing.
also, how big is the aftermarket on these cars?
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 6
RE: Should I Buy It?
I am fixing up a wrecked camaro myself. I don't know a lot but I do know a few things from experience. You can totally redo your interior, I'm talking new covers for your seats, new carpet, headliner, sail panels, door panels, and sun visors for around $800.00 - $900.00. My dash was cracked also. I priced a new dash for $400 and some change, but what I did was get a dash cover. It's a hard plastic cover that fits your dash and makes it look like you put in a new one for $229.00. The guy at the body shop wanted 3500.00 for a paint job, but he wanted to do a Chip Foose (Overhaulin') paint job on it... I am still shopping around for that. Engines and Transmissions are not cheap. I have seen engines running around 3 to 6 grand. Maybe you should check into having what you've got rebuilt???? I would check around at junk yards and see what you can find there..... you could be surprised at what you can find. I can give you a few sites to check out.
I got my interior from:
classicindustries.com
I got the dash cover from:
fbodymotorsports.com
Other places to look:
hawksthirdgeneration.com
yearone.com
rockauto.com
I would buy it for $500.00 and just take my time to fix it up.... that's what I am doing. I love my crappy Camaro!!!!
Jeff
[quote]ORIGINAL: airbornflght
Ok, my aunt has a '91 camaro RS, it has the 305 in it, although, im not sure which one it came with, I dont have the vin. She will sell it to me between $400 - $500. The car has a few problems, one of the front seats has a rip in it, the headliner sags, and there is a crack in the dash. Thats about it for the interior.
As far as the drivetrain goes, the engine runs..but smokes a lot, I'm guessing that a head gasket is bad in it, but im no engine mechanic. The car has 140,000 miles on it. If I buy the car for that cheap, I would like to do some serious work on it.
Below I am going to list what I would like to do, if you would tell me if its worth it, and about how much it would cost, that would be great. Also, if you have any suggestions as far as what else should be done, that'd be great too. I am 17 years old, currently driving a '97 Grand Am GT (hate it) that I will sell if I buy this, I have a '74 ford courier that I can drive while I'm rebuilding the camaro if I do it.
What I htink needs to be done is:
[ul][*] New Engine (Would like it to have 300hp, but doesnt need to have it. I would like to get a 350 in it, but if would settle for the 305 that is in it.) I have never built an engine before, but I could if I had to, I would like to find a turnkey engine with fuel injection.[*] New Transmission, Im guessing that the one in it is almost shot after 140k miles..dunno?[*] Interior, like I said, headliner and dash to start, seats and matching pieces later.[*] The paint is done, not to mention, she wrecked a while back and a new (black) bumper was put on, needs paint badly, I want to do a midnight blue.[*] I have thought about maybe a new rear end, but it is not necesary.[*] Maybe new carpet and a few minor things.
[/ul] She said that she just had the shocks replaced about 2 or 3 years ago. so that sholud be fine. I would like to find an engine around $1,500 - $2,500. Is that possible? It has power windows and locks, and she says the window motors have been replaced also. Other than that, the car is in good shape. It only has one little spot of rust about the size of a nickle that would be easily sanded off, it looks like it just started. She wants to know if I'm gonna buy it by tomorrow as she has to sell it because of a city ordinance, otherwise she is putting it in the classifieds.
As far as money I have to spend on it, I have 1500 in the bank now, so i would have $1000 left, I could sell my car for anywhere from $3000 to $5000, depending. and I have a summer job this summer where I will make close to $3000. I dont want to go overkill and make thi
Thread Starter
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Newbie
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2
RE: Should I Buy It?
Yeh, the only problem is that I dont have a lot of money...dunno, guess I wasnt expecting engines to be as much. I dont have a problem redoing the interior, already priced that, just the engine and trans is what I was worried about, checked jegs and summit, and all they seemed to carry was carbuerated engines, where i was wanting to find the engine that was in it, or a 350. Is that engine throtle body injected, or multiport injected? im thinking that it is throttle body right?
I dunno, I'm stuck with a grand am right now, and it is a huge pos. I hate it, it doesnt look (all that) bad, but it is as slow as a turtle. About the only thing it will beat is my friends civic Si (thank god, if it didnt i would have it crushed) but my friends eclipse smokes it, my friends mustang beats it...and the list goes on, its just a slow grandma car and im sick of it.
I was thinking that If I could get it driving for $3k, not completely redone, mainly just engine and trans.(maybe some interior) then I would do it. But yeh, im 17 years old, I dont have the time or money for a money pit. But I really cant afford to buy a nice camaro either, cause that would end up setting me back a good $7k-$8k around here. For some reason in oklahoma camaros are damn expensive compared to what their msrp was of around $20k brand new.
What would I have to do to rebuild it, im thinking cank, pistons, conecting rods, gaskets, heads?, cams?, pushrods,
I dunno, I'm stuck with a grand am right now, and it is a huge pos. I hate it, it doesnt look (all that) bad, but it is as slow as a turtle. About the only thing it will beat is my friends civic Si (thank god, if it didnt i would have it crushed) but my friends eclipse smokes it, my friends mustang beats it...and the list goes on, its just a slow grandma car and im sick of it.
I was thinking that If I could get it driving for $3k, not completely redone, mainly just engine and trans.(maybe some interior) then I would do it. But yeh, im 17 years old, I dont have the time or money for a money pit. But I really cant afford to buy a nice camaro either, cause that would end up setting me back a good $7k-$8k around here. For some reason in oklahoma camaros are damn expensive compared to what their msrp was of around $20k brand new.
What would I have to do to rebuild it, im thinking cank, pistons, conecting rods, gaskets, heads?, cams?, pushrods,
In the Staging Lanes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 32
From:
RE: Should I Buy It?
i have a 91 rs too.... the 305 is the tbi and its definitly not worth rebuilding. you can invest alot into those engines and not get alot out of them, what i plan on doing soon is rebuilding a lt1 engine. maybe you should think about that.
Newbie
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 11
From:
RE: Should I Buy It?
Its all up to you , your the one who will be doing everything to make it all nice , look for example i bought an iroc -z 1985 fro 1000$ cdn and people would look at it and say wow what a money pti , but hey that ous choice , oviously im a girl so i dont get much rep for having a camaro , but hey im no ordinary girl and ill show all those lil civinc lovers out there that is nothing better than pure muscel in that car 
I have alot to invest but its mustly lil crap , my 85 came wiht a 305 tpi (tune port injection) which came out right away , reason being is that those engines are not worth to rebuild so much money and nothing to show after , so im switching over to a 305 carb for now and getting myself a 350lt1 built piece by piece , asa i said before if your worried about lil knick knacs trust me your not ready to own a project car , your dont want it pass it over here the more the merrier im proud to say im 23 and own a iroc-z lol
I have alot to invest but its mustly lil crap , my 85 came wiht a 305 tpi (tune port injection) which came out right away , reason being is that those engines are not worth to rebuild so much money and nothing to show after , so im switching over to a 305 carb for now and getting myself a 350lt1 built piece by piece , asa i said before if your worried about lil knick knacs trust me your not ready to own a project car , your dont want it pass it over here the more the merrier im proud to say im 23 and own a iroc-z lol