Part-out, or fix up and sell?

[CFreed11]

So I've got a 2000 Trans Am that is a former race car. I can tell by the 4 holes in the hump between the rear seats where I assume a nitrous bottle was mounted and the fact that the A/C, AIR, and EGR have been deleted. I paid $5500 for it. It was being converted to a Formula/v6 body style.

What it has:
- TDP Stage 2 t56
- Billet Specialties 17" Street Lites
- Longtubes and true duals dumped before the axle
- Spohn trans-mounted adjustable torque arm

What it needs:
- A few minor dents to be filled
- Formula/v6 front bumper to be repaired
- Complete paint job
- Headlight bump stops to be addressed
- New leather door panels
- Slow passenger side window motor
- Drivers window tries to keep running when put down until you hit up
- Atleast 1 interior piece and sun visors

That's about all I can think of right now. I figure by parting it out I can get most of my money, if not all of it, back. But, I could invest a little in it and have a potentially really nice TA worth a bit more. It would be awefully hard to sell it as is for the price I paid, and I really don't want to invest anymore into it if I'm going to get rid of it.

I know I listed the SLP GT (v6) for sale before, but I've made up my mind that, regardless of the outcome with the TA, I am keeping that one.

Opinions?

[FIREBIRDV6RAGE]

Re: Part-out, or fix up and sell?

if your going to make it into a track car again or even a toy i say go for it, but if you do decide to part it out i can see it is going to be hard to get all your money back.

[1998silverbird]

Re: Part-out, or fix up and sell?

Just because it had nitrous on it doesnt mean its a track car.

Was it caged? Was it tubbed? Is it still rocking a 10 bolt rear end? Those are telling signs if it was a race car or not. My V6 had hole marks for were the 2 bottles were bolted down, I had deleted my A/C, EGR system as well but my car was still a daily driver.

How does the car run? does the motor have a aftermarket cam in it? Whats the number stamped on the front of the cylinder heads? Does it have a LS6 intake at least? Does the car have subframe connectors?

5500 for a 2000 trans am a good price but to say it will be worth alot more then that I am not sure about that one. My 2002 WS6 is booked @ around 12,000 now and it has 90,000 miles on it. 2001 and 2002 T/A's are the ones that are holding there value still aside from the 99 collector editions and Firehawks. 98-00 T/A's are great cars but they have less power then a 01-02 and have more crap on them like egr and less standard options like TCS.

Down the road with pontiac gone I am sure the Trans am values will start to come back up.

If you do decide to part it out please find out what kind of headers are on the car? If they are Texas speed 1 7/8 I might be interested in purchasing them from you..

[CFreed11]

Re: Part-out, or fix up and sell?

The engine in the car is not the original engine from the factory. This one was dropped in the car sometime last summer before I purchased it. It has a mail order tune on it and what looks like cheap ebay headers. It does have an LS6 intake though.

I may just do the body work and paint it, then sell it. For one, I have no place to store another car. I already have to leave either my truck or my Firebird at my parents house, depending on which one I'm currently driving. We only have space for my girlfriends car and one of mine at the moment. Plus selling the TA would give me more towards a down payment on a decent size house.

I've got someone interested in the motor, so we'll see what happens with that. If I get the price I offered, then I will part out the car. My decision is pretty much riding on that deal right now.

[1998silverbird]

Re: Part-out, or fix up and sell?

What are the casting numbers on the heads? 853,241,or 243? How many miles are on the car?

[flamingchicken]

Re: Part-out, or fix up and sell?

You should part out the car less things that make it drive, then sell it to me for whatever you think it is worth. I am talking every single thing that anyone could want off of it, less wiring, a drivers seat, gauge cluster, engine and transmission...Hell you can even sell the wheels, I have my own. If you can get it into the state of Texas I can come get it and pay you for your troubles.

PLEASE SELL IT TO ME!

[flamingchicken]

Re: Part-out, or fix up and sell?

Please!!!!!!!

[CFreed11]

Re: Part-out, or fix up and sell?

Flamingchicken, I'll be sending you a pm shortly..

The car has 136k on the body, approx 80k on motor, 3k on transmission. I believe they are stock TA/Camaro heads, but I'll have to double check the casting numbers.

[1998silverbird]

Re: Part-out, or fix up and sell?

Flamingchicken, I'll be sending you a pm shortly..

The car has 136k on the body, approx 80k on motor, 3k on transmission. I believe they are stock TA/Camaro heads, but I'll have to double check the casting numbers.

If they put a newer motor with a LS6 intake on it in the car then it should have at least 241 casting heads. You might even be lucky and have 243 casting numbers which are the LS6 ( Z06) heads and are worth 400-800 dollars alone depending on what if anything is done to them. The LS6 intake you can get 300-400 and if your really lucky you might have a crate LS6 motor in there as well and the shortblock could fetch 1000. If its just a regular 01-02 LS1 with 241 casting heads then the longblock is worh about 800-1000 or even more on ebay.

Other aftermarket parts to look for are a 85 mm Mass Air meter, Ported and polished TB, Air lid and smooth bellow, truck coil packs color of the fuel injectors. Those mods right there would fetch you another 300-400 dollars on tech.

There really isnt a camaro head. Its either a stock LS1 head or a stock LS6 head. There are other casting number like 802, 799, ect and they are truck heads that people have ported and put on the Ls1. Stock LS1/LS6 heads are 853,241,and 243. 853 were 97-00 and 241 were 01-02. 241 and 243 have center valve cover bolts and the older style have perimeter valve cover bolts.

[FIREBIRDV6RAGE]

Re: Part-out, or fix up and sell?

if you do part it out i would be interested in the tail lights of the trans am , for some reason when i bought my bird it came with 96 trans am tail lights and not the original honey come ones