What do you think

[CocaColaEatsPie]

Alright, I'll try to keep this short, I have had a 92 prelude si for about a year, it's a good little car I like it alot, but about 6 months ago I started saving for an ls1 f-body(not a fan of financing as I'm only 17) well I had saved about 2500 or so and I found a 79 trans am in alright shape about 2 months ago so I picked it up as a project with the intention of keeping the prelude. Well things never go as planned and a month ago an old guy made a uturn in front of me I guess didn't see me at all, so once again I started saving up money while going through all the insurance BS and finally they decided it was his fault and they'll get the final amount that I'll get within a week. It'll be about 4300 and I have saved about 1600, so I have about 6 grand to work with and I figured I'll go with an LT1. The six speed was a must. Heres the what do you think part. I found a slightly modded 95 Z. The link is at the bottom, I'd like a slightly modded one because my money will be going toward the 2nd gen and not this, but I don't want a completely stock car. The think that worries me is the "96crate block" Once I get the check from the insurance I'll give him a call. What do you all think about the car

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...dist=56#vdptop

[Nightrage]

I don't know if it's just me, but that car looks like it's missing a T top. Looks like the passenger side panel is in and the drives side panel is gone. The mods look tempting and the mileage isn't bad considering the year. Since it's modified, you never know if it was someone that just wanted to beef up their cars for track use, a little extra pep, or the occasional drag race like a lot of us on this board, or it's the kind of person that modded it so they could beat the hell out of it regularly. The problem is that you won't really find out what mechanical problems the car has until after you buy it. Buying a car is like getting married. The quirks don't come out until it's too late

[96Camaro]

Well I think you should call the guy up and see whats going on with the car. Go out for a long test drive. Seems like a very good price if everything works properly...well depending on what kinda exhaust and mods he has on it too though.

[darkz711]

Alright, I'll try to keep this short, I have had a 92 prelude si for about a year, it's a good little car I like it alot, but about 6 months ago I started saving for an ls1 f-body(not a fan of financing as I'm only 17) well I had saved about 2500 or so and I found a 79 trans am in alright shape about 2 months ago so I picked it up as a project with the intention of keeping the prelude. Well things never go as planned and a month ago an old guy made a uturn in front of me I guess didn't see me at all, so once again I started saving up money while going through all the insurance BS and finally they decided it was his fault and they'll get the final amount that I'll get within a week. It'll be about 4300 and I have saved about 1600, so I have about 6 grand to work with and I figured I'll go with an LT1. The six speed was a must. Heres the what do you think part. I found a slightly modded 95 Z. The link is at the bottom, I'd like a slightly modded one because my money will be going toward the 2nd gen and not this, but I don't want a completely stock car. The think that worries me is the "96crate block" Once I get the check from the insurance I'll give him a call. What do you all think about the car

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...dist=56#vdptop

Ya its not a 95z most likely. Its probably just a normal camaro with a a 350 in it. not necessarily a LT1 either. Call the guy. Thats questionable.

[Craig 94 TA GT]

It is actually a Z28. If you look at the Carfax report, it says Z28, 5.7L. I don't have a Carfax account, but they give that information for free.
I would also call to ask the guy what's with the car. A new block means he probably blew his motor somehow...but doesn't say anything else, like new pistons, rods, crank, etc. He could mean "crate motor" or actually mean a new block only. And as everyone says above, he doesn't say what kind of motor this is. Also, "hipertec" and "mandral" are misspelled, which could mean he's doesn't proof read his description, or could mean he doesn't know what he's talking about.
So I'd call him, but be quite a bit leary of this. Could be a buy, or could be one to stay away from.

[Steel2686]

I don't know if it's just me, but that car looks like it's missing a T top. Looks like the passenger side panel is in and the drives side panel is gone. The mods look tempting and the mileage isn't bad considering the year. Since it's modified, you never know if it was someone that just wanted to beef up their cars for track use, a little extra pep, or the occasional drag race like a lot of us on this board, or it's the kind of person that modded it so they could beat the hell out of it regularly. The problem is that you won't really find out what mechanical problems the car has until after you buy it. Buying a car is like getting married. The quirks don't come out until it's too late

In looking at it closer, I think the T-Top is there. It's just a strange reflection. I'd ask either way, and also request pics of every angle before you go through with it.

[Dave M]

It definately looks like one t-top is off and one on, but I have a feeling that was done for the picture, to illustrate it has t-tops, or because the driver's side window is down, or both. Ask, but I'd bet it has both.

[CocaColaEatsPie]

Yeah the T-top I'm not too worried about, it looks as if the window is down too, as if it's just to show the interrior or something. But yeah I'm not going to call him till I get the insurance check because there's not really a point, it's 60 miles away so I'll ask as many questions as I can before I go see it. Hopefully it's nice. if not I'll keep looking, maybe get a cheaper unmodded car

[Fb0dY HoTTiE LS1]

yea i dont really know about that its a tricky situation, you can try giving him a call but check out everything poss. w/ the car if your going for it, and if you do look at it see if you know any mech. who can go w/ you but the thing is most probs. probably wont happen till a little later down the road, my opinion is try and find one thats stock maybe it could be better off b/c then you do have to worry and wonder what else was touched or replaced and whats is really done to it so you wont have to find out the hard way, and you also dont know "why" something was replaced

[CocaColaEatsPie]

Alright I talked to the guy, he said that he just recently rebuilt the motor with another lt1 block, It's got all the stock parts so basically it's just a rebuilt engine, and he has pictures of it all. He says that it has MAC headers... whats the general consensus on those? He also said it has 3 inch piping for the exhaust and an "extreme" muffler, I guess that's a brand??? that exits just infront of the driver side wheel... I'm not a big fan of that but that's not going to change my decision. He said that his mechanic just put in a new fuel pump that was $260, he wasn't sure what brand it was but I'm guessing a walbro... but at that price maybe a powerdyne, who knows there, I'll ask for a receipt or ask him to call his mechanic. He said it does have the hypertec tune. The only think that he said that really made me wonder was that he had to take out the driver side crossmember to fit the eshaust. How bad will that affect handling, and does that make sense? Any help with that would be great. He said it has new 3 peice "speedline" wheels, don't know much about those, but he said it has 285's in the rear so I'm assuming 9.5 inches wide, atleast in the rear. If I buy it I'll probably just get a new exhaust system becuase I don't want something really loud, or something that comes out in front of the tire. I'm going to look at it friday. He also said that there are a few scratches from the hurricane, and has a small tear in the seat. It seems like it's not too modded, besides the exhaust, what do you guys think?

[Joe 1320]

Down here in Florida, cars like this are a dime a dozen. I would offer him $4000. As many times as I go through this, I personally wouldn't cough up more than $4500 and even that is generous. I'm not saying whether it is worth it or not, just that I wouldn't give more than 4-4.5K for the car. Legitimate untransplanted 96-97 cars are going for that. Are you in Florida?

[CocaColaEatsPie]

I am in florida, palm beach and the car is in hollywood, why do you say to give so little? I mean he's asking 6 I figured I'd talk him down a little, but I didn't plan on chopping 1500 off. Do you think it'd be a good daily driver Joe, and again the crossmember, how bad is it not to have that?

[Joe 1320]

I can't understand what crossmember he is talking about. The entire front subframe (K member) is a bolt in and parts of it cannot be simply left off. The transmission has a crossmember that retains the rear mount so that cannot be eliminated. There is a trans tunnel brace/crossmember that can be removed but that is rearward of the trans crossmember. So I don't have a clue as to what "crossmember" could be left off. It doesn't make sense.

Do I think it would be a good driver? My gut feeling says no. First, I see this as a previously modded or ragged on car. Clear corners, engine replaced, etc..... my bet is that it's had a hard life. That's why I don't see $6K for the car. I see untouched stock cars going for that and a some even less. As a point of referance, I picked up project 93 (93Z28) with 140K miles BONE STOCK, recent clutch and transmission replacement, all parts there and nothing missing for roughly $2K. This was not butchered and hot rodded, this was a bone stock example. I just missed out on a 96 Z28 right there in WPB, solid motor, lots of mods, bad 2nd gear (needs trans swap) and a noisy rear for $2K. swap the rear and trans from the local boneyard and for under $3K you have a nice street bruiser/cruiser. That's why to me, $6K is too much unless the car is mint which doesn't appear to be the case. Heck, he can't even spell "Hypertech". I know people there, I used to live in that area..... I could probably even find out who owns that car.

If you hit him with $4000, the worst he can say is no. If you offer $5000 and not lower...... and he takes it, you'll always wonder if you could have bought it for less. I'm just stating where I would go with it, that's all.

[CocaColaEatsPie]

Yeah Thanks alot for the help Joe, There is another one I'm going to look at in hollywood so I'll check them both out the same day, I'll see what "crossmember" he's talking about and I'll check everything out real closely, and see what's up with it. I need something that I can reliably drive everyday. If the motor was rebuilt well, it shouldn't be too bad... but ya never know so we'll see, I doubt I'll buy it, but it never hurts to take a look at it.