Hey all,

I have a few tracks in my area and I'm looking to buy a car I can build up as I drive since I dont have the funds for 2 cars. I'd like something that has lots of after market and can be made to handle well at high speeds. Also, I want to be able to do the work myself, I have acccess to alot of tools and friends who have the knowledge to help me in a pinch. I was wondering if a 3rd gen would fit the bill, it fits the price range and I really like the body style.


Thanks for any help,
Ace.

 

Aftermarket? How about THE LARGEST automotive aftermarket available? They came equipped with a small block Chevy... The car readily accepts anything from a turbo V6, to a SBC, BBC, LSx, you name it. Chassis specific aftermarket? There's more available than you'll ever need.

3rd gen Pontiacs are extremely stable at high speeds. They've been used in all sorts of land speed records for decades utilizing a stock body and suspension.

Finally, they are as easy to work on as any other RWD GM musclecar from the 60-90s. Much easier than the newer stuff that's for sure.

 

Cool, thanks. Also, I was looking specificaly at the camaro, are they prety good handling at high speeds or is it mainly the pontiacs?

Thanks again, that really helps.

 

they are definately not the largest aftermarket available... it depends on your goal. as for thirdgens the 91-92 camaros have the most current pieces to help with anything that you plan to do. in the end it's all about the intended goal, if you don't have a goal and plan to just wing it then go for the body style and year you like. understanding the oldest thirdgens 84-86 have the least compatability and pontiacs have the least aftermarket pieces available between brands.

they are expensive to build overall though. you really have to sit down and figure what you want as there is no straight answer.

 

I do have a goal, Ultimately I'd like to have a street legal track car. I want it to really be able to handle well under high speeds. but still be able to use it as a daily commuter. I don't have the cash to do that right away so it would be a working progress.

I realize its not the largest after market, I just want to be able to build it up with out having to fab everything myself. Engine work is not a problem but suspension kits for handling would be a must.

I'm just looking for a car to build up that has a lot of potential but I dont have a ton of cash right now so it has to be decently cheap to start with.

 

you might want to look into finding a 5.7 TPI car. You will be stuck with having a 700-R4 automatic b/c the 350 wasn't offered w/ a t-5 in the f-bodies.

the 5.7 will give you the best starting point, unless you want a manual car then you should go for a 305 TPI. I would avoid the carbed and TBI cars unless you are eventually planning on replacing/upgrading the intake system (newer/better carbs or an after market EFI setup).

The T-5's in the 3rd gens aren't known for their strength, however a T-56 swap is very possible and will hold up much better than the stock T-5.

The 5.0 Mustangs have the largest aftermarket, no question about it. While the SBC has been around for a looooong time, not everything designed for the SBC will work in a 3rd gen..... there are a ton of options, you just need to look around and see what you like

 

I was referring to the powertrain. The SBC has the largest and most diverse aftermarket of any powerplant ever made. Maybe not chassis specific stuff, but if you want to go 7s in the quarter mile on a stock suspension, or run 300MPH with a stock body, or pull nearly 1.5 Gs with stock suspension on a track, the 3rd gen has more than enough aftermarket available to do it.

 

I have an LT1 Z28 for sale. Would make an awesome race car.
more aerodynamic than the 3rd gen's as well.

 

OK, I'm confused. Jayman, You said that the T5 wasnt made in the fbodys but then u said the T5 in the tird gen wasnt known for its strength. Is'nt the F-body the same as the third gen? I'm not trying to sound like a smartass here, I'm probably wrong on my facts, just trying to understand all this.

Also, is the T56 swap dificult? Are there kits made to do it?

Thanks again.

 

T5's were manual transmissions used in 3rd generation f-body's (f-body platform= camaro & firebird) It is true, they are not known for their strength. Particularly because of their case design. You can have internals forged in the fiery furnaces of hell by 10,000 year old gnomes and the transmission would still break over time because of the design. It has even been noted for a T5 to break under the power of a stock 305 camaro or firebird (with heavy driving).

The T56 manual tranny was used in all 4th gen f-body's. Anything dealing with a T56 tranny swap isn't going to be fun, I can assure you that. it depends on whether your swapping from a 700r4 to a T56 or a T5 to a T56, but everything is expensive. Your best bet for finding a kit for a swap is searching the classifieds for them as I don't know any manufacturer out there that makes any kits. Or you can look at aftermarket shops that make higher performance versions of the T5 or T56 who might have a kit as well. TREMEC is an example.

 

He said that they were not offered for the 350 cars. Only the 305 cars were available with the T5.

 

not offered in the later 350 cars. you could get them in the iroc optioned thirdgens, just rare.

aftermarket is decent to do what you want. figure on spending only 1k more on average then you would to do the same situation in a fox body with cost as a concern. thankfully with many help from alot of us here this is changing yearly.

the l98 engine code or 350 optioned iroc/z28's will have the most updated electronics, suspension, interior features, etc. so the little more you spend on a used version the less you'll spend down the road. also, anything you remove from a 350 car is worth that much more if you try to sell used.

try selling a low mileage 305tbi (rs v8) or v6 motor, maybe a few hundred dollars if your lucky complete and running... 350 double in value.

as far as engine goodies to be honest the value you can get for a used 1998+ ls1 or later style drivetrain it is not worth looking into engine upgrades. swapable drivetrains can be bought for around 1500-2k now. you'll loose alot of weight and double the factory horsepower which is perfect for what you want to do.

everything you want to do is available these days for thirdgens, only wild custom ideas need fabrication. if you want to road race the 91-92 350 L98 hardtop is your best bet. best of everything ever available for a thirdgen. however, good ones are hard to find. 88+ years are the best when it comes to overall applications. pre 1988 years require more work then the later but should not be ruled out if you get a good condition one in your price.

good luck!

 

Yup, very rare. More rare than the 1983 Corvette.

 

Yep. No L98 5 speeds were ever sold. I'm sure there were some test cars made for research.

 

that isn't true... just not 91-92 hardtop camaros. pontiacs had them through all year ranges and the irocs had a few.