Hello all, I am new to these boards. I am 15 years old, and in the process of decided what to get for my first car. I have about a $6,000 budget. For about a month now I've been considering a 90-92 RS or z28 and dropping in a new GM Crate and B&M 700r4.

I just recently came to realized that wasn't an option. Just the car, engine, and transmission alone would reach my limit. I didnt not calculate in the cost of installation, nor the carb or manifolds that arent included with the engine.

Right now I'm back to stage one, looking for the car in general that I can afford. I've come here looking for help in my decision. Maybe there is something I haven't thought about that you guys could bring to my attention?

I really do like camaros, but I dont know if they will fit into my range. What have most of you guys put into your 3rd gens?

I would really like a car that is semi-reliable so I wont be going for any camaros with 80k miles or more. Speaking of that, can anyone give me a general idea on when camaro engines and transmissions tend to go out? I know it all depends on how they were kept but I'm just trying to get a general feeling for it. Like I said I'm interested in a reliable car that looks nice rather than a fast car. 200hp would be ok with me. The 330hp crate was just a choice because I thought I could afford it

Well, that pretty much sums it up. If I can think of anything that I wanted to say but didn't, Ill post back another reply. Thanks guys.

 

lol..a fellow youngin.....just search for any camaro or firebird that looks nice and clean inside and out(engine included)......get whatever looks kept up the best.....if its just a 305 you can allways put in a 350 later....i had my camaro since i turned 15 and did a cam swap......lol...the power was lots of fun until i blew it up....3 days before my 16th b-day......lol.....got a firebird bout 3 weeks later.....its nice telling people you got a camaro and firebird and your only 16....back to the subject though......just search for a clean car.....if its clean its usually a lot better taken care of(oil changes and such)....for 6k you have many many options.....i got both of mine for under 1000(they thought the firebird had a cracked block):lala:

 

Anyone else care to give an opinion? I stuck a couple questions in my essay there(lol)... I'd be very grateful if someone knowledgeable about camaros could answer those. Thanks!

 

150k+ miles 3rd gens that run just fine every day are all over the place.

You don't need a new engine. A 305 or 350 TPI car will have the power, be reliable, and not cost an arm & leg. They'll also pass smog inspection/testing (which the 350HO is much less likely to do). And respond to improvements that you can make as you learn more about what does what.

 

listen to five7kid. another thing is if you want more power look towards upgrading the rest of your car (chassis, suspension, etc) at least the chassis. thirdgens make great platforms but once any more thatn stock power is made in one the body flexes like hell and may even crack in some areas . id at least look into some sub-frame connectors.

 

Your in a great position to buy a very descent ride and have plenty of loot left over to do some good performance mods. If I was in your shoes, I'd find someone knowledgeable about the type of car you want to buy and bring him along. Here in the NorthEast, 3rd Gen F-Bodys are a dime a dozen with $2500 to $3000 for a really good car. And to find something under a grand isn't unusual either. Buy what makes you happy.....your the one that has to drive it. Just take your time and shop around, you'll find what you want !! And like it was said before; a high mileage motor really does'nt mean that it's not a good motor. Alot of guys on this site are way, way, over 100,000 miles and still going strong without any problems. This just goes to show you that if you take care of it, It will take care of you !!! Good Luck in your search young man, and in case you don't know by now; Chic's really dig an F-Body 3rd Gen ride !!! You'll be in like Flynn !!!! LOL !

 

You aren't gonna have any trouble finding a 3rd gen in yor price range. 80k miles would be hard to get but any clean 8cyl car should fit your needs.

 

Hiya Guys

I don't know much about american cars as i'm originally from the UK, but I arrived here in Florida in Feb 2000 and in March 2000 I bought an '87 V8 305 3rd Gen Camaro with nearly 200,000 mls on it for $1,400. It ran dog rough and only just got me home, a full service (plugs, wires, oil, filters, etc) later it ran great.

3 years later I still own the car and it takes me to work everyday, it has been to Alabama (my husbands home town) 3 - 4 times and has travelled most of north Florida from St. Pete to Jacksonville.
It is now coming up to 300,000 miles without any engine work.

The rest of the car is starting to look tired, interior, paint faded, etc. but the motor is still bullet-proof even when i've left the oil change for 10,000 miles.

So, although I can't compare to other makes having only owned this one car, I can say, hand on heart, that i'm hooked on the SBC and would recommend them to anyone.

My next vehicle is going to be a 4th Gen Camaro with some refinements like electric windows!.

Take care, be good..

Sara Lou

 

although my 305 tbi with a 5 speed, had 138,000 miles on it, and the preivous 2 owners drove the **** out of it. I dont know about the owners before that. But it still ran, until i was on the way to put the new motor in the car, I drove the motor as hard as i could, up to 6,000rpm everytime, shifting hard, and did a big burnt out, by the time i got to where i was going it felt like it was running better than when i bought the car.

But if you get a manual transmission car make sure the people who had the car before you, took good car about it. Because i know how to drive a stick, and the 2 gears synchro was just barley starting to go out when i got the car, and just continually gets worse.

 

Dude what you want is a Iroc or z28 with a 350 TPI they put out about 240hp stock , but there are tons of cheaps mods out there that will make it a very fast car. Look for one with less than 120k on it even though it is possible to have a good runnig one with more miles. I have been to Dallas plenty of times and looked in the auto traders and found plenty of good choices ,if your willing to you might even look in ft worth.Even if you dont have 330 hp they get decent gas mileage and break the quarter in low 14's stock. good luck

 

why one earth do you want a 700r4??????

find a 3rd gen with a t-5 or a 4-speed manual, and it will handle the power of a 350 HO crate engine.

plus there is a lot more you have to buy for that engine that what you think. All the small stuff adds up quick.

You need a distributer, Carb, Intake, Air Cleaner, Oil Dipstick, Harmonic Balencer, Flexplate, Water Pump, Plugs and wires, Intake Gaskets and Bolt kit,new motor mounts, probably a new starter. And i'm sure im forgetting things. Not to discourage you, but make sure you know what your getting into before you do an engine swap. plus engine brackets tat might not fit, and accessories.

second, i think you have your sights set a little too high, do you even know how fast 200hp is? I'm sure you read the magazines and hear about the cars with 400-500hp, but i think you need to buy a car and drive it for awhile before considering a new engine, all you really know is the #'s and you want to do an engine swap just because 200hp doesn't sound like enough.

you can find 3rd gens pretty damn cheap if you look hard enough.

i would say find an IROC in cherry condition with a 5spd and a 305 TPI for like 4500-5000, maybe then buy some headers, or save the other $1000 for insurance, maybe a little down the road go with the engine swap, but not right away

 

Even thought I havent posted it, lately that has been what I planned on going. I've been looking around at L98's. I'm hoping to buy one in mid-january and then I will drive it while I work. Then, once I get more money from work, I can drop in the new engine maybe next summer... The main reason Im putting the new engine in is so it will be more reliable and run better, the power is just supplementary.

Anyone have any idea how many MPG an L98 might get stock? What about an LB9?

Also, can someone give me some approximate 1/4 times for stock LB9's and L98's... Thanks