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I have an "opportunity" to pick up a totaled 2000..
I know it's tough to say without seeing it, but do you think this vehicle could be straightened out?
I can locate entire non-running 4th gens for $500 in the area and get that is probably a better option but I'd love to fix this specific vehicle. If it is a totally lost cause, I wonder what's involved in retaining the VIN of the original damaged car.... (Like if I get a base model and wish to keep it a "WS6" w/ the original VIN).
If it is a totally lost cause, I wonder what's involved in retaining the VIN of the original damaged car.... (Like if I get a base model and wish to keep it a "WS6" w/ the original VIN).
There is no legal way to "re-VIN" a car with a different VIN from a totaled vehicle. You would need to repair the original vehicle to retain its VIN.
There is no legal way to "re-VIN" a car with a different VIN from a totaled vehicle. You would need to repair the original vehicle to retain its VIN.
Thanks, I just got done reading up on this and how the unibody and firewall and everything is one large piece.
Does this "look" bad?
I am going to attempt to pick it up. If I can get it I'll take it to a body shop and see if she can be repaired. If not, I'll take all the parts off and move them over to another project.. (car has had a lot done to it)
Is it fixable maybe, Is it practical no. By the time you spend all the time and money doing repairs to the body and then the cost to paint it you'll be in it several thousand dollars and it's will always be a salvage vehicle. It's a parts car basically.
Edit: Just noticed you said you were taking it to a body shop...………. Uh no..... It's not worth paying someone else to fix it, You'll have twice what it worth in it.
Its probably beyond repair but if the drive-line is in good working order and the car is REALLY cheap then I'd say go for it. Now that's if I was trying to make some $$ from the parts but in the end your left with a big pile of scrap!
You're going to end up sticking way more into fixing it than it's worth. Just from the one pic, you're going to need a new quarter panel, the door jamb pulled, roof straightened/sail panel replaced, rocker panel pulled/replaced, fender, hood, door, floor pulled. You're looking thousands of dollars in body work. There's more there too, that's just a quick rundown. It's not worth fixing. Pull what you want from it and scrap the rest.
Side hits like this are the best for getting a good drive train. As said above unless your father or best buddy has a frame rack and good skills willing to work for beer money it's going to cost way more than the car is worth.
Thank you everyone for all of the great replies! Really good advice here.
So... I ended up buying the car!
I left out one detail - it is a Firehawk.
I'm getting it sight unseen and have no clue how many miles are on it or if it runs. 99% of the time I want to know everything before making a decision. But, the car is hundreds of miles from my house, I'm in Florida at the moment and it was in a Copart auction, so, viewing it was not an option.
I'm crossing my fingers and hoping for the best.
As far as I can tell, the hood is in good shape. A buddy has a free driver's door for me. I can easily locate a fender...
I'm having it sent right to a body shop near me. The owner there said almost word for word what @myk said - it is fixable, just depends on what I want to put into it. (He then told me not to spend more than $250 on it! haha. If he only knew..)
I was only scanning copart from time to time hoping to find a wrecked 4th gen near me so I could get a rearend, LS1 & T56 for my '92, then I saw this and I got a little overexcited... This one is indeed an automatic.. Or at least it shipped that way. I guess I'll find out soon enough what it is.
So... I'm waiting right now. Once it gets to the body shop I'll find out what I've got. If it is a total basket case, I've overpaid for a rearend and an LS1 but I'll have some nice parts to sell... If it is indeed repairable reasonably and my guy thinks he can straighten it out I'll get it repaired.
Unlike a 3rd gen Firehawk, the LS1 Firehawks are not so rare that they retain any significant collector value once they have been through an event such as this (especially in such a common color). Enough LS1 Firehawks have been preserved that a totaled and rebuilt example isn't going to be on any collector's radar unless it has some extremely rare and very desirable options (such as being an '02 SOM Formula model with full SLP content, etc.) Even then, the repair would have to be exceptional. If the goal is future value and/or collector prestige, a bright red 2000 Trans Am A4 Firehawk which has been totaled and needs rebuilding is never going to be a good return on investment.
On the other hand, if you just want to do the project for the sake of doing it, then more power to you.
Unlike a 3rd gen Firehawk, the LS1 Firehawks are not so rare that they retain any significant collector value once they have been through an event such as this (especially in such a common color). Enough LS1 Firehawks have been preserved that a totaled and rebuilt example isn't going to be on any collector's radar unless it has some extremely rare and very desirable options (such as being an '02 SOM Formula model with full SLP content, etc.) Even then, the repair would have to be exceptional. If the goal is future value and/or collector prestige, a bright red 2000 Trans Am A4 Firehawk which has been totaled and needs rebuilding is never going to be a good return on investment.
On the other hand, if you just want to do the project for the sake of doing it, then more power to you.
Fixing it! The damage wasn't too bad and my collision guy says it will be like new. I am supplying the parts and paying $4600 which includes full paint job.
Fixing it! The damage wasn't too bad and my collision guy says it will be like new. I am supplying the parts and paying $4600 which includes full paint job.
Wow. That seems way less expensive than I'd have imagined.
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Wrecked Car Question 
