New F-body owners, how much on mods / restoration?
07-08-2021, 06:50 PM
#1
Teching In
Thread Starter
New F-body owners, how much on mods / restoration? Curious if I am the only crazy one here? 
Between parts(Suspension- Koni shocks, sprano springs, lower control arms, upper front A arms with ball joints, adjustable panhard bar, interior, water pump, new hoses, eternal power steering cooler, rear end parts, fluid changes, pulleys, egr,) and the labor on my steering rack, and differential rebuild with axles I am at about 6k parts and labor. I did most of the work myself except the rack and differential. I am sure there are a few more things I left out.
Between parts(Suspension- Koni shocks, sprano springs, lower control arms, upper front A arms with ball joints, adjustable panhard bar, interior, water pump, new hoses, eternal power steering cooler, rear end parts, fluid changes, pulleys, egr,) and the labor on my steering rack, and differential rebuild with axles I am at about 6k parts and labor. I did most of the work myself except the rack and differential. I am sure there are a few more things I left out. 
07-09-2021, 07:03 AM
#2
TECH Junkie
I bought mine new and my mod total is under $10. I splurged and bought an LS1 oil filler cap. 
I'm one of those 'stock' guys. Still doing my best to preserve my original 16" chrome wheels too.
I'm one of those 'stock' guys. Still doing my best to preserve my original 16" chrome wheels too.
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JORGE (07-10-2021)
07-10-2021, 05:22 PM
#3
A long time ago keeping these cars stock would get people laughed at. But as time goes on, it's getting more and more popular to leave them as is. It's becoming more desirable to find a nice stock/semi stock TA or Camaro rather then a modded out car with every bolt on performance part. People even look for stock parts and try to revert back.
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NC01TA (07-11-2021)
07-10-2021, 07:40 PM
#4
For some it's an addiction. Bought my one owner 55k mile 99 SS, with some good SLP options, for about $10k. The build cost, excluding the car, was about $38k. Suspension, engine, transmission, driveshaft, rear...etc
Looking back I would have saved my money. After building this car I bought another car that is about perfect. Oh well it's still a very fun car.
Looking back I would have saved my money. After building this car I bought another car that is about perfect. Oh well it's still a very fun car.
07-10-2021, 08:01 PM
#5
No, you're not crazy. Let's say you get tired of the car, the resale of a stocker is almost certainly easier. There is the supportability issue with modded cars, at a certain level, that would be off putting to a lot of non-enthusiasts. Springs are reversible, as are after market controls arms. Stock ride height is hard to stomach, so that might be ok thing to not reverse, as long as the drop isn't substantial.
Most of what you listed isn't ridiculous at all, much of it being general maintenance and would be near indisputably desirable - if you wanted to sell it and list those things.
When you get in to engine internals, engine swaps, forced induction, emissions deletes including long tubes, substantial paint, interior mods, brakes and wheels, the car will appeal to fewer and fewer people. I think @TheBlueKnight might be alluding to the collectibility of the 4th gen's. Assuming general collectibility is true, and I'm not entirely sold on the that idea, then a stock car would be more desirable.
Most of what you listed isn't ridiculous at all, much of it being general maintenance and would be near indisputably desirable - if you wanted to sell it and list those things.
When you get in to engine internals, engine swaps, forced induction, emissions deletes including long tubes, substantial paint, interior mods, brakes and wheels, the car will appeal to fewer and fewer people. I think @TheBlueKnight might be alluding to the collectibility of the 4th gen's. Assuming general collectibility is true, and I'm not entirely sold on the that idea, then a stock car would be more desirable.
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JORGE (07-12-2021)
07-10-2021, 09:59 PM
#6
Curious if I am the only crazy one here? Between parts(Suspension- Koni shocks, sprano springs, lower control arms, upper front A arms with ball joints, adjustable panhard bar, interior, water pump, new hoses, eternal power steering cooler, rear end parts, fluid changes, pulleys, egr,) and the labor on my steering rack, and differential rebuild with axles I am at about 6k parts and labor. I did most of the work myself except the rack and differential. I am sure there are a few more things I left out.
Between parts(Suspension- Koni shocks, sprano springs, lower control arms, upper front A arms with ball joints, adjustable panhard bar, interior, water pump, new hoses, eternal power steering cooler, rear end parts, fluid changes, pulleys, egr,) and the labor on my steering rack, and differential rebuild with axles I am at about 6k parts and labor. I did most of the work myself except the rack and differential. I am sure there are a few more things I left out.
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JORGE (07-12-2021)
07-10-2021, 11:01 PM
#7
You have to distinguish between mods, upgrades, maintenance, and repairs.
As we all know, fluid changes are maintenance, ball joints would be a repair, Koni shocks would be upgrade/repair/maintenance (stockers are shot by 60k or so, so it's a maintenance item, but Koni's are a significant upgrade). Strano springs and an adjustable panhard bar would be modification/upgrade. Maintenance and repairs are mandatory; mods and upgrades are optional.
I bought my car for $15k in 2003. Within 5 years, I spent another $5k in mods and upgrades. Since then, it's been mostly maintenance and repairs, some of them expensive (two water pumps, fuel pump, rear main seal, rocker arms, motor mounts, suspension pieces, etc. etc.).
I've definitely spent more on these than on the mods and upgrades of the early years. Back then I did most of the work myself with a friend. In recent years, I've paid for labor on most of the heavy repairs. This is in 18 years of ownership and 155k of the car's 188k miles.
As we all know, fluid changes are maintenance, ball joints would be a repair, Koni shocks would be upgrade/repair/maintenance (stockers are shot by 60k or so, so it's a maintenance item, but Koni's are a significant upgrade). Strano springs and an adjustable panhard bar would be modification/upgrade. Maintenance and repairs are mandatory; mods and upgrades are optional.
I bought my car for $15k in 2003. Within 5 years, I spent another $5k in mods and upgrades. Since then, it's been mostly maintenance and repairs, some of them expensive (two water pumps, fuel pump, rear main seal, rocker arms, motor mounts, suspension pieces, etc. etc.).
I've definitely spent more on these than on the mods and upgrades of the early years. Back then I did most of the work myself with a friend. In recent years, I've paid for labor on most of the heavy repairs. This is in 18 years of ownership and 155k of the car's 188k miles.
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07-11-2021, 08:33 PM
#8
You have to distinguish between mods, upgrades, maintenance, and repairs.
As we all know, fluid changes are maintenance, ball joints would be a repair, Koni shocks would be upgrade/repair/maintenance (stockers are shot by 60k or so, so it's a maintenance item, but Koni's are a significant upgrade). Strano springs and an adjustable panhard bar would be modification/upgrade. Maintenance and repairs are mandatory; mods and upgrades are optional.
I bought my car for $15k in 2003. Within 5 years, I spent another $5k in mods and upgrades. Since then, it's been mostly maintenance and repairs, some of them expensive (two water pumps, fuel pump, rear main seal, rocker arms, motor mounts, suspension pieces, etc. etc.).
I've definitely spent more on these than on the mods and upgrades of the early years. Back then I did most of the work myself with a friend. In recent years, I've paid for labor on most of the heavy repairs. This is in 18 years of ownership and 155k of the car's 188k miles.
As we all know, fluid changes are maintenance, ball joints would be a repair, Koni shocks would be upgrade/repair/maintenance (stockers are shot by 60k or so, so it's a maintenance item, but Koni's are a significant upgrade). Strano springs and an adjustable panhard bar would be modification/upgrade. Maintenance and repairs are mandatory; mods and upgrades are optional.
I bought my car for $15k in 2003. Within 5 years, I spent another $5k in mods and upgrades. Since then, it's been mostly maintenance and repairs, some of them expensive (two water pumps, fuel pump, rear main seal, rocker arms, motor mounts, suspension pieces, etc. etc.).
I've definitely spent more on these than on the mods and upgrades of the early years. Back then I did most of the work myself with a friend. In recent years, I've paid for labor on most of the heavy repairs. This is in 18 years of ownership and 155k of the car's 188k miles.
I could have gone stock replacement but for a bit more decided on a better than stock (yellow adjustable Koni's) and the normal stiffening and tightening up of the car. It needed replacing per age/wear but I did upgrade to far better than stock. And it works. The car drives so much tighter and feels.more connected than before.
Wish I could drive it more.
07-12-2021, 03:57 PM
#9
Teching In
Thread Starter
You have to distinguish between mods, upgrades, maintenance, and repairs.
As we all know, fluid changes are maintenance, ball joints would be a repair, Koni shocks would be upgrade/repair/maintenance (stockers are shot by 60k or so, so it's a maintenance item, but Koni's are a significant upgrade). Strano springs and an adjustable panhard bar would be modification/upgrade. Maintenance and repairs are mandatory; mods and upgrades are optional.
I bought my car for $15k in 2003. Within 5 years, I spent another $5k in mods and upgrades. Since then, it's been mostly maintenance and repairs, some of them expensive (two water pumps, fuel pump, rear main seal, rocker arms, motor mounts, suspension pieces, etc. etc.).
I've definitely spent more on these than on the mods and upgrades of the early years. Back then I did most of the work myself with a friend. In recent years, I've paid for labor on most of the heavy repairs. This is in 18 years of ownership and 155k of the car's 188k miles.
As we all know, fluid changes are maintenance, ball joints would be a repair, Koni shocks would be upgrade/repair/maintenance (stockers are shot by 60k or so, so it's a maintenance item, but Koni's are a significant upgrade). Strano springs and an adjustable panhard bar would be modification/upgrade. Maintenance and repairs are mandatory; mods and upgrades are optional.
I bought my car for $15k in 2003. Within 5 years, I spent another $5k in mods and upgrades. Since then, it's been mostly maintenance and repairs, some of them expensive (two water pumps, fuel pump, rear main seal, rocker arms, motor mounts, suspension pieces, etc. etc.).
I've definitely spent more on these than on the mods and upgrades of the early years. Back then I did most of the work myself with a friend. In recent years, I've paid for labor on most of the heavy repairs. This is in 18 years of ownership and 155k of the car's 188k miles.
Here is a video I took before getting the interior done. Will be doing another with new interior.Last edited by JORGE; 07-12-2021 at 08:19 PM.
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JORGE (07-12-2021)