$8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

[Finkledbody]

I'm putting this here in the lounge cause I'd like to get some input from everyone... Well I still have my 98' Firebird v6 a4 and the car needs some love. I bought this car back in 04' or 05' and it was the first car I ever owned. I however was one of those unlucky kids that didn't have a mom and dad to buy my car or co-sign with me. Well like everyone with a story I worked hard and got it on my own.

And like everyone I have done well and wanted to go fast so I bought a 2001 z28 camaro.

But to be short and to avoid telling another life story that no one cares to read about, I sold it. Oh well, we own a 08 Jeep Wrangler with the trail package. Fancy smacy.

__

Well the firebird has been sitting for well over 9 months, un-used, occasionally started and well to be blunt she looks tired with 128k miles, going on 14 years old, faded paint, slight rust appearing on the rear panels...Lets just say owned by me and being my first car :twak: I abused her needlessly and for some reason I still feel like I don't want to part with her.

So it comes down to this; my fiance' gave me permission to spend some of our money and fix her up, or buy myself a new LS1 power f-body. However, and its a big however, she said I can't keep the bird if I get a new car... :tdown: Doh! Oh well. She does love these cars as much as I do and was pretty upset when I told her I sold that camaro.

That said we have agreed on a budget of $8-12k in two phases with the decision of repair in mind. :stp: So whats wrong with it you may ask and what would be the first phase? Well here it goes: it needs a new rear axle (again), driveshaft, shocks, springs, rotors, pads, front calibers, front wheel bearing hubs, balljoints, hoses, cooling system repair, A/C recharge and possible repair, all fluids changed, minor body work, paint, rims, etc. The list is to long.

First phase: Front/back Bilstein shocks/eibach springs and cross-drilled & vented rotor/pads, replace front calibers, replace the front wheel hubs, hotchkis front/rear hollow sway bars, BMR lower control arms, BMR pan-hard bar, pacesetter ceramic coated headers w/y-pipe, magnaflow hi-flow cat, alum. driveshaft, replace all fluids and most sensors, repair A/C and cooling problem, and a dyno tune. To finish it all off the body work would be completed and the car would be painted professionally with proper prep and high quality long lasting finish.

Second phase would happen 6 months later: 12-bolt moser w/3.42 & posi, Chrome rims, tint, and the interior would be spruced up (We agreed that we would finalize the process and how we wanted to freshen the interior, would happen when everything else was completed).

Final phase (not factored into cost and to be honost, doesnt' matter): would happen when the 3.8l engine blows, we have agreed to swap in a fresh ls1 with supporting mods so we can run high 11's again.

So in the end I guess I'm asking all of you.. Am I crazy? If money wasn't a problem would any of you go through all of this to save your beloved first car? or would you just sell the POS and get a nice car again? and if you would save the car, is there anything else you would do or anything you would do differently with the money? I could definitely use input on recommended parts.

All I ask is that no one comes in and tells me to save the money, lol. We've got plenty saved. This is why shes telling me to use some of it and get myself what I love again, and thats a fancy f-body.

Thanks for any and all input, and sorry for the super long post!

[Everglades W68]

Re: $8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

Start over with a LS1 TA or Camaro and call it a day.

[Heywood]

Re: $8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

Start over with a LS1 TA or Camaro and call it a day.

x2. My V6 'bird is my first car too and I absolutely love it, but if I ever found myself in your position I wouldn't hesitate to get a Trans Am! And your fiance is letting you upgrade?! Holy crap bro, get a 98-02 WS6 and don't look back! Even if money isn't an issue, it looks like you're fixing or replacing so much on your 'bird that once all is said and done most of the car won't be original ("original" being what it was when you first bought it as your first car). So there goes most of its sentimental value.

Hurry! Buy a V8 before your significant other changes her mind and says she'd rather put the money into "a nice spacious minivan"!

[vanbibber]

Re: $8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

id do it if money is on the table to blow and you dont want to part with it. but im a weirdo who gets emotionally attached to cars so i cant let them go. even though i upgraded from a v6 bird, i still miss the hell out of it and would buy it back and rebuild it in a heartbeat if i ever found it again.

[2.8 Bird]

Re: $8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

I've owned a total of 12 rides in my liftetime. I've bought, sold, and traded them, but one thing I've always have is my first ride, '88 Mitsubishi Pick Up (Mighty Max). It only has 82hp and 110tq. I bought this at my senior year in High School for 3500$ and l was able to buy this by working at Mc Donald's and saving up my money. I will never get rid of it and yes, I am restoring it and trying to make it even better. Because of this ride I've learned how to fix and maintain a car.

If I had that kind of money, I would just save that and invest it on something else.

[12secondv6]

Re: $8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

I miss my bird terribly - I regret getting rid of it

[1997Canadian3.8]

Re: $8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

X2 to what bibby said. I plan on keeping the Camaro forever, if possible.

You can never replace your "first car". More work and more money to restore it, but to say you still have your first car is an accomplishment. Build it!

[Finkledbody]

Re: $8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

x2. My V6 'bird is my first car too and I absolutely love it, but if I ever found myself in your position I wouldn't hesitate to get a Trans Am! And your fiance is letting you upgrade?! Holy crap bro, get a 98-02 WS6 and don't look back! Even if money isn't an issue, it looks like you're fixing or replacing so much on your 'bird that once all is said and done most of the car won't be original ("original" being what it was when you first bought it as your first car). So there goes most of its sentimental value.

Hurry! Buy a V8 before your significant other changes her mind and says she'd rather put the money into "a nice spacious minivan"!

Lucky for me, this is something she has been telling me to do since I sold my camaro 6 months ago. I owned that camaro for a bit over 2 years and put 7500 miles on it where I eventually sold it to a friend. He offered me well more then I paid for/had invested it in and then some. hehe, made a good profit.

id do it if money is on the table to blow and you dont want to part with it. but im a weirdo who gets emotionally attached to cars so i cant let them go. even though i upgraded from a v6 bird, i still miss the hell out of it and would buy it back and rebuild it in a heartbeat if i ever found it again.

I do feel lucky to not have wrecked or sold it, lol. I do think I'm going to keep it and restore it. No restoration project is worth it to the crowd but it is to the individual whom owns it.

I've owned a total of 12 rides in my liftetime. I've bought, sold, and traded them, but one thing I've always have is my first ride, '88 Mitsubishi Pick Up (Mighty Max). It only has 82hp and 110tq. I bought this at my senior year in High School for 3500$ and l was able to buy this by working at Mc Donald's and saving up my money. I will never get rid of it and yes, I am restoring it and trying to make it even better. Because of this ride I've learned how to fix and maintain a car.

If I had that kind of money, I would just save that and invest it on something else.

Hehe, Mighty max. I like that. Well I've got plenty of money saved, have all my bills paid, have money invested, I'm in college, debts are paid... How much more can a guy do before it just comes down to, "Its time to blow some money on yourself" - Words from my girl. :poke:

Start over with a LS1 TA or Camaro and call it a day.

Does sound like the best way to go eh? hehe
Heres a vid of that camaro: http://www.streetfire.net/video/2001...ls_2332070.htm

I miss my bird terribly - I regret getting rid of it

Ouch, that does seem to be the way of things for most folks.

X2 to what bibby said. I plan on keeping the Camaro forever, if possible.

You can never replace your "first car". More work and more money to restore it, but to say you still have your first car is an accomplishment. Build it!

Agreed!

_____

My brother "the mechanic" has agreed to help me install the parts on the car and what we can't do will be done at the shop down the street. I have a friend whom works there that gives me great prices on parts he installs. I'll be placing a $6k order to summit racing at the end of august. The build will begin with the expected completion date of spring 2013. No expense spared.

Current mod list: Magnaflow exhaust system, hotchkis STB, UMI front/rear solid sway bars. Thats it, was my daily driver for 5 years.
Her last burnout: http://www.streetfire.net/video/98-p...hd_2048176.htm

[ssms5411]

Re: $8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

I say go for it if you have the funds.

[Finkledbody]

Re: $8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

I found a vid I did 2 years ago that shows the kind of condition shes in. Not much has changed since then. I couldn't see the mileage but I think at that time it was around 118k so it hasn't been used to much since

http://www.streetfire.net/video/98-f...vs_2047794.htm

[transamtom1]

Re: $8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

Get the best newest LS powered car you can for the money,at 12k US you could possibly get a 04 GTO or 97-01 Vette.

Sell the V6 Bird for $500-$1000 as is and use the money for Headers,CB,and CAI for your new ride.

Why throw all that money at a car worth $3,500 tops in mint condition? JMHO

[2.8 Bird]

Re: $8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

Yeah, but cars are a terrible investment. I will never understand why people invest so much money on mods for their cars and then a couple of years later they would sell it cheap. I modded my Bird with a SC and good exhaust and I'm still modding it. I will definately keep this car for life.

If it were me, with that kind of savings, I would invest on something that would appreciate like a house or start looking at doing small business.

[Finkledbody]

Re: $8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

Get the best newest LS powered car you can for the money,at 12k US you could possibly get a 04 GTO or 97-01 Vette.

Sell the V6 Bird for $500-$1000 as is and use the money for Headers,CB,and CAI for your new ride.

Why throw all that money at a car worth $3,500 tops in mint condition? JMHO

Although driving in a corvette gives the average individual a sense of fun, enjoyment, pleasure, a rush if ya would; I however feel like everyone and their mother has one... Iincluding their dogs, kids, hamsters, and the indians in third world countries. Firebirds aren't to be found up here really and it was my first car! Who wouldn't want to save it? :wavey:
Oh and its a hardtop firebird! oooooooh yeah. I'm a fan, not ganna lie.

Yeah, but cars are a terrible investment. I will never understand why people invest so much money on mods for their cars and then a couple of years later they would sell it cheap. I modded my Bird with a SC and good exhaust and I'm still modding it. I will definately keep this car for life.

If it were me, with that kind of savings, I would invest on something that would appreciate like a house or start looking at doing small business.

I know for some people a car is a investment and if someone was looking at putting all this money into a v6 f-body; they would be a fool to think they would see 1/4 return on investment.

However, it has been decided this car wont be sold now, wont be sold in the future, nor would it be sold ever. So its time to put some money into it and keep her alive and looking good. Don't want it to rot into the ground. I'd feel like 99 out of 100 guys out there.. Owning some car in the garage that they plan on "someday" to restore and we all know it never happens. hehe, I dont' want to be that guy. :D

Thanks for your input guys!

[transamtom1]

Re: $8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

Just throwing options out there.

12k would buy one sweet WS6 TA:)

[flamingchicken]

Re: $8k-$12,000 budget - To repair and build? or just move on?

People have put their input stating to just go buy an LSX car, and you have consistently made excuses to fix up your Firebird. I am in the same boat, I have all my bills paid, I have a daily driver, and my wife has a truck, the Bird is our third vehicle. As much as I would love to have a V8 car, I just cant stand to part with it. I am very emotionally attached, as it seems you are. With $8k you should be able to put an LS1 in it no problem. Find a full donor car and just do it right. With the donor car you could replace the rear axle for one with LSD, and have all the parts. Plus have money to be able to put bolt ons. I have seen wrecked camaros/trans ams for $3k, add in another 2 grand for maintenance, plus like 2 grand for any misc stuff (headers, wheels, tires, suspension), and there you are at $7k with your original car and an LS1.

Thats just my $.02