To Restore or Not to Restore
01-19-2006, 06:47 PM
#1
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To Restore or Not to Restore I have a 1986 trans am sitting in my back yard now for almost a two years 
. Once upon a time i was going to fix it up and drive it. I paid $150 for the car.I bought TT2's 17x8($800 plus shipping), 4 Bolt 350 Engine 67-78 High Performance Block ($350 for whole truck engine included), Inland Driveline Aluminum Drive Shaft ($300), New front end/Front Fender/Door/ground effects/other things ($350+). Recently the car was in a huge hail storm and broke the front window. This is another fix untop of just about everything else.
Well I bought a 2001 ws6 t/a about a year ago and now i want to do everything with it. Should i hold on to the 86 t/a or let it go? I could sell most of this but i will take a huge loss in money
What do you think?
. Once upon a time i was going to fix it up and drive it. I paid $150 for the car.I bought TT2's 17x8($800 plus shipping), 4 Bolt 350 Engine 67-78 High Performance Block ($350 for whole truck engine included), Inland Driveline Aluminum Drive Shaft ($300), New front end/Front Fender/Door/ground effects/other things ($350+). Recently the car was in a huge hail storm and broke the front window. This is another fix untop of just about everything else. Well I bought a 2001 ws6 t/a about a year ago and now i want to do everything with it. Should i hold on to the 86 t/a or let it go? I could sell most of this but i will take a huge loss in money
What do you think?
01-19-2006, 07:50 PM
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Recently the car was in a huge hail storm and broke the front window. This is another fix untop of just about everything else.
01-19-2006, 08:36 PM
#5
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you can spend literally over twenty grand restoring an 86 trans am to MINT condition, and you'd still have a car worth $6,000 tops. unless you really like third gens, part it out.
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01-19-2006, 10:33 PM
#8
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really, its a $150 car. you arnt gaining much by selling it and your situation may change so that you can start working on it. It sounds like you are building a drag type car out of it so maybe that could be you're project while the LS1 is the DD.
or, just build up the sweet LS1 and get rid of the old junker car.
or, just build up the sweet LS1 and get rid of the old junker car.
01-19-2006, 10:42 PM
#10
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Don't restore the carcass unless it has documented
value of some sort. There are too many around for
supply & demand to help you out. It would have to
be somehow special, to be an "investment". And like
I tell the GF, not that she listens, it's only an
"investment" if you actually plan to sell it and take
the money back out. Just buying it for what you
think is a good price, doesn't count.
I'd think more in terms of "superBeater" - stay
cheap and grungy and put the short dollar into
bang-for-the-buck ***-haulin' parts. Lighten
it up, make it go, and park it wherever you
feel like.
value of some sort. There are too many around for
supply & demand to help you out. It would have to
be somehow special, to be an "investment". And like
I tell the GF, not that she listens, it's only an
"investment" if you actually plan to sell it and take
the money back out. Just buying it for what you
think is a good price, doesn't count.
I'd think more in terms of "superBeater" - stay
cheap and grungy and put the short dollar into
bang-for-the-buck ***-haulin' parts. Lighten
it up, make it go, and park it wherever you
feel like.
01-19-2006, 10:47 PM
#11
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I am in the 'do not bother' catagory.' 86 was not that great a year, although it was the last carbed one I think....correct.??? [ although a t/a is a t/a ..]
01-19-2006, 11:12 PM
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Originally Posted by NHRAMAN
I am in the 'do not bother' catagory.' 86 was not that great a year, although it was the last carbed one I think....correct.??? [ although a t/a is a t/a ..]
01-19-2006, 11:48 PM
#14
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Is anyone bitching about the car sitting there or is it in the way? You won't make a lot of money off of it, so maybe throw a tarp/car cover on it and you'll get around to it some day. It would make a good drag car.
I do like the idea of doing a cheap build on it though like car craft with junkyard parts....
In reality, I see nice 3rd gen T/A's pretty cheap for under 2 g's. You'd probably be better off buying one of those and fixing it up if you wanted to restore one. It would probably be cheaper in the long run. Maybe use the rough one you have for a parts car?
I do like the idea of doing a cheap build on it though like car craft with junkyard parts....
In reality, I see nice 3rd gen T/A's pretty cheap for under 2 g's. You'd probably be better off buying one of those and fixing it up if you wanted to restore one. It would probably be cheaper in the long run. Maybe use the rough one you have for a parts car?
01-20-2006, 01:49 AM
#15
May as well keep it. You may one day decide to start it back up. Right now, my LS1 is my DD, but eventually, it will be garaged. And there is a finite number of things I plan/want to do with it. Once you're done with the 2001 WS6, you may want something else to build up. Besides, it always makes sense to own multiple Birds. 
