Found a nice 86 SE with a good body for $1000, looks like a great start to my project but I have a few questions. My goal is a 3800 5 speed fastback, currently the car has none of these.
I am gonna want to get a new transmission anyway with the 3800, is it that difficult/expensive to put a clutch pedal/lines/cylinders in there(currently an Auto)?
Down the road(next few years) I am gonna want to convert it to a fastback, I know it is possible but is it worth it?
I have the time over the summer to change this into a car that I want, but should I just wait for a stickshift fastback and pay a little extra for it? or is it not much different to do the work myself?
I have converted a notchback to fastback, which was fairly easy because I had a complete '87 GT parts car for a donor. I have never converted an auto. trans to manual trans. I know it can be done, but it would seem to be a pain unless you had a complete parts car for a donor.
If it was me, I would keep looking for a good solid rust free manual trans. GT, that needs a motor, to use as your project car.
[This message has been edited by hdryder (edited 11-17-2013).]
There's been a few guys who thought it would be cheaper to make a 4-cylinder automatic Coupe into the V6 5-speed GT that they wanted buy (but cost $1500 more) in the first place. Not!
Everything costs money. Don't forget the time and work to do the conversions and with a GT body swap - new paint!! Even if you got everything "free" - converting the body and transmission is a hassle. (did an auto to manual in my Indy)
Doing the 3800 S/C engine swap is complicated enough. I'd say find a GT 5-speed to start with.
I agree with fiero sound. Unless you have a written off 87 GT 5spd parts car that you got for free.. The parts will cost you more than just investing in the right project car.
100% unanimous. And I will take it one step further....find yourself a southern car. You are unlikely to find a rust free car in Michigan in that price range. Watch for rust in the trunk corners under the carpet, and on the frame rails behind the struts. It is far cheaper to get a rust free car than to repair rust.
Originally posted by CowsPatoot: 100% unanimous. And I will take it one step further....find yourself a southern car. You are unlikely to find a rust free car in Michigan in that price range. Watch for rust in the trunk corners under the carpet, and on the frame rails behind the struts. It is far cheaper to get a rust free car than to repair rust.
Yup... Fiero Body can look prefect but frame can have major rust problems. Trunk, floor, frame rail (some are hidden under body) all can be rust targets.
Some here have patches to fix rust but many will fail in long run because rust will eat other sections, the patch jobs, etc.
Be very careful on buying any car more then ~10 years old or more in states w/ high road salt in winter.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
Welp, good thing that I have all winter and spring to find one!
Thanks guys, I'll keep my eye out.
Not sure how set you are on the fastback thing - but I do have an 85Gt that I will be selling over the winter as soon as I get motivated to put it all back together. I was chasing some bugs and ended up replacing the ECM, steering column, ignition switch and other parts. Its an 85GT from somewhere down south - very little rust, trunk corners are clean, so is the frame. link to pics below. Its not $1000 - but I can let it go for $1600. It has new tires, new brakes, shocks, and the other parts I mentioned. No body damage - paint is baked (of course). Running and driving 4 speed car. Im in the suburbs of Chicago, near I-294/I-290/I-88 all meet if you are looking on a map. Let me know if you are interested and Ill get motivated to put the parts back together. Its just the console and other interior parts when I was chasing what I thought was an electrical problem - turned out to be a bad coil (grrr). All the interior aftermarket gauges work and are hooked up.
