How's it going everyone? I've been better. About four or five months ago, I bought an '89 Pontiac Trans Am GTA for about $900. What I was told is that the kid over-revved it and spun a bearing. After pulling the engine out and apart, multiple bearings had spun. After talking to a guy at Napa Auto Parts, it looks like the engine rebuild will cost me approximately $800 dollars for just a basic rebuild. The engine currently has 145,000 miles on it. I am faced with a bit of a problem, I don't have that kind of money. If I rebuild this engine I want to do it right. By the way, it is a 305 with tuned port injection and a 5-speed. I have a couple of options: 1)Sell the beater car that I am driving now to pay for the rebuild. 2)Sell the Trans Am I really don't want to sell the Trans Am because it has everything I want, a 5-speed, V8, and 3.45 posi The only problem, is if I sell the beater I have now, I won't have anything to drive for a month or so. Any opinions would be helpful, as I have hit a brick wall and don't know what to do. Thanks for your time. Scott

 

The only two options I can offer are:

1. Continue to drive the beater and forget about fixing the T/A for now while you save some money to rebuild the engine.

2. Go shopping for a used engine...although finding a decent one for less than the $800 you mentioned is going to be tough. Maybe you could find a cheap shortblock.

 

Try finding a running, used engine...or short block for about $200-$400, and swap it in.