Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Any pointers? Common things to check for? I know it has p/w, p/b, and p/s. We are going to do an engine swap b/c the engine is blown. The tranny was just rebuilt with less than 500 miles on it.
I was told it has some rust in the trunk due to the fact that the trunk seals need replacing. Also, a smal leak into the back seat from one of the side windows b/c the window seal needs replacing. Body has minor surface rust only.
how big is your budget for rebuilt or re-man engine and body and paint restoration.
the 81 were less desirable because of the anemic pontiac 301 and chevy 305 but the 6.6 in the early versions is a better way to go I mean for the price of restoring the 80-81 you could find a decent running 6.6 77-79 T/A for $5-6K
If you want a cheap car to drive, the Ford you are looking at is IMHO a better choice. What does "blown" mean on the engine - separated con rod, what exactly?
You could put a crate engine in this car and assuming it's in good condition otherwise have a decent car for cheap.
This one is new enough that in some places you'll have to pass smog, while the 1972 car would probably not have to, and would pass anyway if it's in decent tune.
That said this car is at least a 2-door and not completely a "grampa-mobile" like the 6-pot Ford.
Not sure of what kind of budget you are on, or what you want to spend, but I have kinda figured you are in central FL, because some of the cars you have posted are in central Florida... I found this NICE car on Craigslist for $2000, OBO. Really nice, but not sure if you wanted to go this much or not. These are one of the best Ford Motor company cars made in the 70s. This one would have power steering, power brakes, A/C, etc.
1978 Lincoln Mercury!! (http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/1810910063.html - broken link) (says Lincoln-Mercury, but its actually a Mercury Marquis)
Not sure of what kind of budget you are on, or what you want to spend, but I have kinda figured you are in central FL, because some of the cars you have posted are in central Florida... I found this NICE car on Craigslist for $2000, OBO. Really nice, but not sure if you wanted to go this much or not. These are one of the best Ford Motor company cars made in the 70s. This one would have power steering, power brakes, A/C, etc.
1978 Lincoln Mercury!! (http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/1810910063.html - broken link) (says Lincoln-Mercury, but its actually a Mercury Marquis)
Nice car and yes it's in budget. The only thing I'd have to find out is if it's an 8 cyl. We need to stick to a 6 cyl for our 16 yo. Thanks for the link!
Nice car and yes it's in budget. The only thing I'd have to find out is if it's an 8 cyl. We need to stick to a 6 cyl for our 16 yo. Thanks for the link!
Oh yeah, this is definitely a 8-cylinder... probably has either a 400 or the optional 460 V8. Definitely a more powerful car and will get up to speed faster, but one thing to remember that in an actual crash, this car will hold up very well and would have an advantage in a crash... much better than the smaller cars of the 70s. If you (or your 16 y/o) is not that used to such a large car, that could be an issue... these cars need a lot of space to dock into a parking slot.
Done deal! We picked up the Firebird. Let the restoring begin!
Thanks for all the help from all the posters here! I'm sure I'll be back several times to ask other questions.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We are going to do an engine swap b/c the engine is blown. The tranny was just rebuilt with less than 500 miles on it. 
