Dave M

I went to see a 97 TA today. It's black, M6, t-tops, 94,400 miles. Let me start off by saying I'm looking for a cheap project car, so a certain number of problems are acceptable and even desired, because I'll be replacing the stuff anyway.

The problems with this car that I know about: dashboard cracked; one headlight doesn't go up; leaky fuel injector causing SES light to be on for rich condition, bad head gasket at #4 cylinder, power window motors were running very slow, driver's seat is really ripped up, leopard print headliner.

Pros: cat-back exhaust and performance clutch, otherwise stock, max price of just $2,000 and I could probably knock a couple hundred off that, body and paint in good condition for age, 6 speed, a bad head gasket and injector give me the perfect excuse to upgrade/replace nearly everything on the top half of the engine.

I saw the car start and run, but I did not get a chance to drive it. I didn't look at it really close today, just check it over and looked at the electrical stuff. I want to go back and drive it and look closer at the engine (check out the dipstick, etc), look for signs of repair although CARFAX says it's never been in an accident, and look at some other stuff like the rear end gasket, etc.

Assuming everything else checks out, given the known problems, what do you think about this car? If I could get it for $1,800 and set it in my garage and take my time repairing the head gasket, use that opportunity to port/replace the heads and intake, upgrade injectors, add an adjustable fuel pressure regulator, CAI, etc, is it a good deal? Or should a head gasket be a deal killer?

tl;dr For $1,800 I could have a 97 TA with a blown head gasket and leopard print headliner. Good deal and chance to upgrade or stay away at all costs?

Thanks!

Dave M

metalmilitia606

iTrader: (8)

Stay away. Wait for another car. You can get a nice LT1 for around 3k. For a little more you can get a high mile LS car. This car sounds like a nightmare just waiting to happen.

93 LT1 Vette

How big of a project? Cuz dumping the engine out the bottom the first day is a rather big one. Generally a popped head gasket isn't just pulling the intake and head, slap on a new gasket kit and it's off to the races. Buyer beware of that one.

DisasterFormula

iTrader: (1)

Honestly, not really that bad a price, but then you have to be very wary of other problems that are probably there, thanks to the hg leak and other problems. If nothing else crops up, it isn't too bad a deal. But I wouldn't want to give more than $1500 if I could.

stevo9389

take the motor as a loss and offer 1500 as a roller with a good tansmission.

96lt1m6

iTrader: (31)

Since it is a project you have to determine if you want to start with a high investment or not. If it needs motor repairs you should just do a complete rebuild with performance in mind..... Since the body is straight and the paint is good you are in good shape..
I would still offer a lot less than what it is advertised for showing cash in hand! There are many Lt1s out there that can be had for cheap with similar problems that will be light on your wallet initially....

SchaefZ28

iTrader: (2)

My dad and I took a chance on a '94 formula M6 with a suspected bad head gasket; got it for $1800. We pulled the engine and I tore it down. Yes the head gasket was blown, and it also bent one of the connecting rods. So just a warning, there is always that chance of needing to rebuild the bottom end as well.. However, the engine is still sitting on a stand in the basement, and the car is long gone: sold as a 6 speed swap / roller for $1800. Free engine

Dave M

Thanks for the opinions guys. For the time being I think I'm going to pass on this car. My wife and I have been kicking around the idea of buying an investment property, and it looks like we're going to pursue that so I'm going to need all available funds for that. Hopefully if the investment property pays off I'll be able to buy a better car in the future. If it turns out we can't qualify for a loan or for whatever reason we decide not to purchase property I'll go back and look at this car again or look for another one. I still think it would make a good project car, but cars can't fund properties but properties might be able to fund cars.

Thanks.

Dave M

96lt1m6

iTrader: (31)

I don't know if there is such a thing as investment property anymore but i hope it works for you guys..... then pop back in with a 4 wheeled surprize

lethal bird

iTrader: (12)

I'm with you. Nice cheap lt1 cars are not hard to find then you will have a nice solid base to work with.

Dave M

Investment property as-in becoming landlords, not flipping houses. No way would I get into that in this market. There are lots of renal units for sale near us though.

SilverSS07

iTrader: (1)

I paid $600 for mine with transmission problems and peeling clearcoat but it ran good. It also had a Hooker carback, B&M shifter, CAI, and 3.73's . Sold the Corbeau racing buckets in it for $300. Keep a little bit of $ just in case something good pops up.

ROUDA

iTrader: (1)

I say offer him $1200,pull out the cash show it to him tell him here do we have a deal.
that leaky fuel injector **** is just dumb I bet them ppl drove the car with it leaking for a while til it start overheating. Also I could picture it bet the inside is dirty fast food bags all in it and **** hahaha.

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

Leaking fuel injector? This can cause the oil film to be washed down the cylinder and fuel to build up in the oil pan. This engine may need more than you realize.

I'd pass on this one unless it's $1,200.00 or less.

mezzyshreder

Pass on that beater box,lol

trilkb

iTrader: (4)

Sounds like a 1000$ car to me.

its a 97 6 speed, so it does have that going for it, 94k miles is relatively low.

"dashboard cracked; one headlight doesn't go up; leaky fuel injector causing SES light to be on for rich condition, bad head gasket at #4 cylinder, power window motors were running very slow, driver's seat is really ripped up, leopard print headliner."

To me thats about 1000-1500$ worth of repairs just in cost, plus you gotta do the labor.

Im with the other guys 1000-1200

Keep in mind none of us have seen this car, sometimes you just stumble onto something and know that its what you want and you know you can do the repairs. Price everything out tonight besides the engine repair. Then just assume you need a new engine, you cant factor in building a engine with aftermarket, but you can deffinetly factor in a rebuild price. Also a ripped seat can be a 500-1000$ repair on these seats now, leather ones are getting rare!

I would tell the dude You dont mean to lowball, but the car needs alot of work, and noone is going to want to do a headgasket, plus all the other stuff it needs. Just tell him thats what its worth to you, take it or leave it. If its worth more then 1000-1200 to you then offer it. Some people are absolutly crazy though and think they own a peice of gold wrapped with fiberglass, rust and broken parts.

I wouldnt be scared to walk away though, best advice I ever got on buying something was "let the thing your trying to buy, buy you, instead of you trying to buy it" Ive walked away a few times when I repeat that in my head. Yes I want it, but its not buying me, its not the end of the world if it sells. Considering you had to make this post, you seem like your on the fence. Sometimes price isnt as important as you being happy with what you bought, but you deffinetly dont want to get ripped off.

I recently got lowballed selling my f4i, like 1000$ lowballed. Also by people who never rode it, or sat on it, heard it run or looked at it in person. And everyone who replied falls into that catagory, in words it sounds like a pile. It could be very well taken care of other then those issues for all we know!

LT1FirebirdSLP

iTrader: (2)

I wouldn't pay more than $1,000 assuming no rust and he hasn't done anything jacked-up to the chassis. You are already going to working at a loss on this car since the engine clearly needs a rebuild, so at this point it is just a matter of what you want to do. Is this going to be a project? Then buy it and make it beautiful again. Is this going to be a project/daily driver/might need to drive it in a pinch car? Buy something different. The car obviously needs a significant amount of TLC so ultimately it is up to you to determine if you can have the car sit it a non-moving state for long periods of time. Good luck.

NemeSS

iTrader: (127)

sounds like a crock. Its more than likely gonna need a new motor. And ur prolly gonna end up spending 2-3k on a rebuild assuming the block,crank,rods and heads are salvageable. Its not like you can go to the jy and just get a running 5.3 for 500$. Like for an ls car
Nowadays, makes more sense to buy ls cars. Motor options are just cheeper for stock stuff and plentiful. stock 4.8/5.3/6.0 etc. too many choices.
Look for a ls power car for ur next project.

reservoirdogs12

My '97 had a slow window motor and a headlight motor that needed a new gear, and I just replaced this stuff myself. Not hard at all with all the writeups on the internet. I can't imagine a fuel injector would be very hard to replace either. For an M6 car with 94,000 miles with that price, if you can handle the headgasket issue on your own or for a decent price, I'd jump on this offer.

alexcoreas

iTrader: (1)

Where are you located? Im about to pull my LT1 out with 86k miles, I'm going FI 4.8.

Pm me if you live in Los Angeles.