[V8&4spd]

If you have a 68, I would be putting your time and energy into that. Lots of people have good intentions when they start working on old cars and find out they are in over thier heads. Someone has to do the work on them and most times it ends up being you unless you have deep pockets.

[1979 TA]

My uncle is going to be doing the body work and me and my dad are going to be doing the engine work to make it faster so the only thing i really have to pay for is the engine parts. and again i like the 68 but the 79 is my favorite body style so i want to do it first

[V8&4spd]

Why is your uncle not doing the body work on all those cars sitting there? I'm not trying to discourage you but the body on that 79 T/A is a ruff puppy.

[1979 TA]

I know You're not you're just giving your advice and all advice is appreciated and i stated in an earlir post but he is restoring some of his cars that are worth restoring he has 3 lots full of cars and his shop where he does the body work on them

[V8&4spd]

He has some good stuff there, he has an eye for what is collectable. What do the cars he has done look like?

[ap72]

I have three cars that I built engines for, did trans work on, suspension, wheels, etc.

they all need body work and I am in the middle of doing one of them- body work is a PITA and takes a lot of time and money. engine work is infinitely easier.

There's also more money tied up in body work than you ever think upfront- a couple gallons of paint, primer, reducer, and maybe bondo are the LEAST of it. I've spent more on stripper and sandpaper alone than all the paint.

[1979 TA]

Yea hes collected for over 20 years. and he does quality work he really takes his time to perfect them a lot of people come to him when they need body work done. hes been doing bodywork for over 30 years so i trust him to get whatever needs to be done on it finished. ill try to put some pictures up tomorrow when i go over he has a garage with at least ten hes done so they can stay out of the weather

[vht]

Get the 1 with the best body, try to get it on a lift before buying. Cars that have been setting tend to rust underneath and although you can get rails, floor boards etc, they are a pain to put in. I'd put a 455 pont eng in it, but thats me. I just worked on a 97 chevy 4x4 trk that had alum wheels, nice looking body but it had been setting for awhile in tall grass. I replaced gas tank, fuel lines, brk lines, you name it. Nothing came loose very easy, and there is still alot that could be replaced but he run out of money.

[1979 TA]

Originally Posted by ap72

I have three cars that I built engines for, did trans work on, suspension, wheels, etc.

they all need body work and I am in the middle of doing one of them- body work is a PITA and takes a lot of time and money. engine work is infinitely easier.

There's also more money tied up in body work than you ever think upfront- a couple gallons of paint, primer, reducer, and maybe bondo are the LEAST of it. I've spent more on stripper and sandpaper alone than all the paint.

Yea my uncle was telling me that materials for the paint is expensive because you have to buy quantities of material and prepping it for paint is the most time consuming and tedious process.

[1979 TA]

Originally Posted by vht

Get the 1 with the best body, try to get it on a lift before buying. Cars that have been setting tend to rust underneath and although you can get rails, floor boards etc, they are a pain to put in. I'd put a 455 pont eng in it, but thats me. I just worked on a 97 chevy 4x4 trk that had alum wheels, nice looking body but it had been setting for awhile in tall grass. I replaced gas tank, fuel lines, brk lines, you name it. Nothing came loose very easy, and there is still alot that could be replaced but he run out of money.

We did put this one on a lift and the undercarriage didn't seem to be an issue at all it was just dirty and gunky with black slime but as far as rust went i only saw the mufflers were rusty and the bolts looked to be the same.

[hcompton]

Originally Posted by 1979 TA

Im thinking of buying a 1979 Trans am with a 403 SBO as of right now its been sitting up for 10 years and was driven to the spot it sits at the body doesnt have too much rust Ill upload some pictures. Its one of the T/As with a towing package and i have no idea what the rear end gears are. Would this be a good project car to buy hes only asking $1700 for it

Wow you can buy these cars for alot less than 1700 bucks that car is wasted. Door gaps are not right its been in a few accidents. Save your money for something better. You can buy them with nice paint and still running good for 2500 all day long.

Is your uncle mad at you? That car is a parts car. In 79 they had major rust issues. Once you take the paint off that car you will be doing a frame off resto on a car that you can still buy in good condition. Its going to be in worse shap that it looks. I know someone here in md that has one in good shape for 1500 and i thought that was too much.

I posted on your engine thread but that car does not need any engine helpmit needs major overhaul. I have pulled a few t/a out of the weeds that one is going to be a money pit. You will never have the cash to make that car right. If you can afford the 1700 price tag.

[BarryK]

In 1978 with winnings from a tournament I was in, I bought my wife a new 1978 TA, although the car was a <200hp dog, I liked the style of the car and the wife liked the handling.

For last year have been watching for a nice 77-79 to restore and at same time build the engine to a more respectable 400-450 Hp range, so it can at least get out of its own way.

I have looked at a lot of them in the last year and the nice ones go for some big bucks but I have to tell you, that one is worth more as a parts car then anything and I will Guarantee you, the way that thing was setting in the mud, it has serious floorboard and trunk pan as well as frame rust damage.

The truth is, your Uncle hates you, just learn to live with it.

[1979 TA]

Originally Posted by BarryK

In 1978 with winnings from a tournament I was in, I bought my wife a new 1978 TA, although the car was a <200hp dog, I liked the style of the car and the wife liked the handling.

For last year have been watching for a nice 77-79 to restore and at same time build the engine to a more respectable 400-450 Hp range, so it can at least get out of its own way.

I have looked at a lot of them in the last year and the nice ones go for some big bucks but I have to tell you, that one is worth more as a parts car then anything and I will Guarantee you, the way that thing was setting in the mud, it has serious floorboard and trunk pan as well as frame rust damage.

The truth is, your Uncle hates you, just learn to live with it.

I can choose another one i just liked this one because of the t tops

[69 widetrack]

Choose another one or shop around...don't fall in love with a car until it's finished. Doing this car is like dating an ugly, mean woman hoping after hope that one day she's going to be pretty, after the expense of the plastic surgery she's still a beach.

Ray

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by 1979 TA

I can choose another one i just liked this one because of the t tops

I think that Bandit movie w/Burt Reynolds sold more T-tops than GM ad men did!

T-tops are the worst! They leak, they let the body flex even more than it will anyway, and unless you just like the looks (I don't) there a total liability IMHO. Add the overall condition to that and I'd say to keep looking. A solid body (forget the paint and looks for now) is the main priority on the 2nd gen F-body.