Camaro guy with Firebird Questions.
11-04-2010, 03:42 PM
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Camaro guy with Firebird Questions. I've only dealt with Camaros, so I don't know much detail about the Birds.
http://batonrouge.craigslist.org/cto/2040875296.html
There is the link to the car I'm looking at. I've been looking at the pictures of different LT1 birds on here and I noticed some have some version of a ram air hood. Is that aftermarket or factory?
What do you guys think about this car? I wouldn't pay $3,000 for it, but maybe 2k-2.5k. I have enough LT1 powertrain parts laying around to get this thing running at no cost, just time.
I did call the guy and he said he was driving to work one day and the car started sputtering and died. It cranked back up and made it a little further, but then wouldn't crank again. Now he says when you turn the starter, it backfires into the intake. I was hoping it was just an optispark problem, and I could swap that out (with my eyes closed) and either resell it for profit or swap motors with my Camaro and sell my Camaro.
Why you ask? I personally like the LT1 camaro look over the Firebird, but my Camaro has been wrecked and the front bumper cover doesn't line up, it needs a paint job, it has burn holes in the headliner and carpet, and no t-tops. This bird has a clean paint job, never wrecked, leather, t-tops, clean interior, etc.
I've never heard of an LT1 jumping timing. Do you think that's what could be happening here?
Any other thoughts? I'm going to look at it tomorrow and might make him an offer.
http://batonrouge.craigslist.org/cto/2040875296.html
There is the link to the car I'm looking at. I've been looking at the pictures of different LT1 birds on here and I noticed some have some version of a ram air hood. Is that aftermarket or factory?
What do you guys think about this car? I wouldn't pay $3,000 for it, but maybe 2k-2.5k. I have enough LT1 powertrain parts laying around to get this thing running at no cost, just time.
I did call the guy and he said he was driving to work one day and the car started sputtering and died. It cranked back up and made it a little further, but then wouldn't crank again. Now he says when you turn the starter, it backfires into the intake. I was hoping it was just an optispark problem, and I could swap that out (with my eyes closed) and either resell it for profit or swap motors with my Camaro and sell my Camaro.
Why you ask? I personally like the LT1 camaro look over the Firebird, but my Camaro has been wrecked and the front bumper cover doesn't line up, it needs a paint job, it has burn holes in the headliner and carpet, and no t-tops. This bird has a clean paint job, never wrecked, leather, t-tops, clean interior, etc.
I've never heard of an LT1 jumping timing. Do you think that's what could be happening here?
Any other thoughts? I'm going to look at it tomorrow and might make him an offer.
11-04-2010, 03:53 PM
#2
I've only dealt with Camaros, so I don't know much detail about the Birds.
http://batonrouge.craigslist.org/cto/2040875296.html
There is the link to the car I'm looking at. I've been looking at the pictures of different LT1 birds on here and I noticed some have some version of a ram air hood. Is that aftermarket or factory?
What do you guys think about this car? I wouldn't pay $3,000 for it, but maybe 2k-2.5k. I have enough LT1 powertrain parts laying around to get this thing running at no cost, just time.
I did call the guy and he said he was driving to work one day and the car started sputtering and died. It cranked back up and made it a little further, but then wouldn't crank again. Now he says when you turn the starter, it backfires into the intake. I was hoping it was just an optispark problem, and I could swap that out (with my eyes closed) and either resell it for profit or swap motors with my Camaro and sell my Camaro.
Why you ask? I personally like the LT1 camaro look over the Firebird, but my Camaro has been wrecked and the front bumper cover doesn't line up, it needs a paint job, it has burn holes in the headliner and carpet, and no t-tops. This bird has a clean paint job, never wrecked, leather, t-tops, clean interior, etc.
I've never heard of an LT1 jumping timing. Do you think that's what could be happening here?
Any other thoughts? I'm going to look at it tomorrow and might make him an offer.
http://batonrouge.craigslist.org/cto/2040875296.html
There is the link to the car I'm looking at. I've been looking at the pictures of different LT1 birds on here and I noticed some have some version of a ram air hood. Is that aftermarket or factory?
What do you guys think about this car? I wouldn't pay $3,000 for it, but maybe 2k-2.5k. I have enough LT1 powertrain parts laying around to get this thing running at no cost, just time.
I did call the guy and he said he was driving to work one day and the car started sputtering and died. It cranked back up and made it a little further, but then wouldn't crank again. Now he says when you turn the starter, it backfires into the intake. I was hoping it was just an optispark problem, and I could swap that out (with my eyes closed) and either resell it for profit or swap motors with my Camaro and sell my Camaro.
Why you ask? I personally like the LT1 camaro look over the Firebird, but my Camaro has been wrecked and the front bumper cover doesn't line up, it needs a paint job, it has burn holes in the headliner and carpet, and no t-tops. This bird has a clean paint job, never wrecked, leather, t-tops, clean interior, etc.
I've never heard of an LT1 jumping timing. Do you think that's what could be happening here?
Any other thoughts? I'm going to look at it tomorrow and might make him an offer.
There's only two other LT1 hoods that were OEM.
The firehawk hood and the WS6 hood. They were both very similar looking but the firehawk hood had an extra lip at the nostrils.
...and I'd skip the car. My brother got a salvage formula for $2500 and it was in better condition with only 80k miles.
11-04-2010, 03:54 PM
#3
While I havent heard of any lt1s jumping the timing chain I have heard of other cars that have done it.
I purchased my z28 with 180k miles on it for 2800 and it came with the CME and system, oh yeah it ran fine also.
Offer him 1500, take it or leave it.
I purchased my z28 with 180k miles on it for 2800 and it came with the CME and system, oh yeah it ran fine also.
Offer him 1500, take it or leave it.
11-04-2010, 04:25 PM
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yeah car looks ok but im sure the engine and trans aren't going to be totally reliable with that mileage. like why try said 1500 or so, id probably pay 2k if te chassis is good.
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11-04-2010, 05:31 PM
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$1500 tops unless he has the paperwork for the trans rebuild, then $2000 tops. I doubt it jumped timing, though I don't know what it would be. I know when the timing belt, and I realize it is not the same as the setup on these cars, broke on my parents' Saturn there was no way that thing was firing back up even once.
11-05-2010, 07:29 AM
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Thanks guys. I was thinking the same thing on the price. No way anyone's paying $3k for a car without a good running motor and the car has 190k miles on it, so if it's all original I'm sure several problems will arrise, whether it's suspension/brakes/window motors/door locks/weather stripping, and the list goes on. And the car broke down in March and it's been sitting outside in the weather since then.
I was thinking if I could get the car for $2k or less, breakdown the motor, replace rings, bearings, and seals for minimal cost (let's just say $500). I could put that motor/trans in my Camaro and sell it for $3k-$3.5k, I'd make a few $ and have my same powertrain setup in a nicer car. Seems like a win-win, but I know things aren't always how they seem, so I remain skeptical. I'm going to look at it this afternoon and I hate lowballing people, but I'm like anyone else, I'm not buying anything unless I feel like I'm getting a good deal on it.
With that said, I do think an LT1 F-body with the interior and body in good shape is worth at least $1,000 without a motor/trans, assuming it has a clean title and all other parts are working good.
I was thinking if I could get the car for $2k or less, breakdown the motor, replace rings, bearings, and seals for minimal cost (let's just say $500). I could put that motor/trans in my Camaro and sell it for $3k-$3.5k, I'd make a few $ and have my same powertrain setup in a nicer car. Seems like a win-win, but I know things aren't always how they seem, so I remain skeptical. I'm going to look at it this afternoon and I hate lowballing people, but I'm like anyone else, I'm not buying anything unless I feel like I'm getting a good deal on it.
With that said, I do think an LT1 F-body with the interior and body in good shape is worth at least $1,000 without a motor/trans, assuming it has a clean title and all other parts are working good.
