I can't make up my mind

I have been rolling so many ideas in my head since taking over Brad's old car. I just can't for the life of me make a decision.
The ideas I have had are.

1. Move everything from the impala over to the caprice like the original plan, but with a lower mile engine. Having never rebuilt a LT1, this makes me nervous. And the thought of tearing up a 94 WX3 with a low production number and built the month gm started building them puts a lump in my throat, but when I look at all the cancer, I see no other choice.

2. Sell the impala and use the money to buy a low mile LT1/4l60 (or t56 if I can find one and a eaton with 3.73s) for the caprice

3. Sell impala and use money to buy a LSX/4l60e or 4l80e, for the caprice.

sell the Impala whole, buy LSX T56

Sell 'em both and get a pickup!

boojum wrote:

Sell 'em both and get a Vette!

Thats no vette. It is a Cormino.

Am I the only one that totally digs that???

toomanytoyz wrote:

Am I the only one that totally digs that???

I like it. i put a copy in my "projects folder".

I'm wondering what a Camaro version would look like.

boojum wrote:

I'm wondering what a Camaro version would look like.

I will bring my sawzal

Hey Bill

Well at least you have choices!

Now for some tough love: Going from what you have said, your Impala has 285K of NE winters, body is in real bad shape. Unless you have a garage and are prepared to do a frame off, it has absolutely no value to you but I am sure it has value to someone who is looking for a real project at a fair price. I know you have the interior looking decent and if I remember you have Ron's tranny.

The value that it does have, is if it remains mostly whole. That being said, I would take Ron's tranny out and sell the car. Like you have said an engine with 285K is not worth swapping. Take that money and buy an engine with around 100K and do like Tim did and be happy with it. Now this is from an old bast*rd, keep the same engine family (LT1), nothing fancy. If you try to get fancy, it gets costly and unexpected things happen and when they do, it get expensive. You don't need any more hastle in your life right now.

Drive Brad's, slowly fix it up, sell the Impala. Stockpile the parts needed for the engine swap and then have a mod day; so then by Wagon & B & D Roundup in October it will be all done.

I told you, you should have kept the wagon! Ha Ha!!

See you Sunday

Tom

Everything you suggest hinges directly on the value of the '94.

Why don't you post what you realistically can get for it and then we can make some informed decisions.

The only thing I can tell you for a fact is that rebuilding the engine is out of the question.

It will be far more expensive to rebuild one, than to purchase a lower mile running piece that doesn't need work.

- J

Bill, Personally I would rebuild the low mileage motor you have or like Jay said find another low mileage one and swap it and the headers/exhaust into the Caprice and let it roll with that. Keep Ron's tranny for a spare or to build, and sell the Impala. I say that because it will be the easiest by far. I have DCM Impala door spears, bumpers, and rocker trim to clone it. You could swap your interior in, and by then only you know it is not an SS, and who cares anyway?

PS: I know a guy who pays cash for rusted out Impalas...

toomanytoyz wrote:

Am I the only one that totally digs that???

No, I am erect.

After hearing everyone. I think I have decided to put the SS up for sale. However I think a running car is going to be worth more, than trying to sell it with out the tranny. And the more money I have the better a drivetrain I will be able to purchase.
If anyone has a good set of stock exhaust manifolds laying around, I would be interested.

Swap the SS to Doug in exchange for a rear-end and a complete motor from one of his lower mileage cars. Then put those along with your nice tranny in the Caprice and go from there.

Of course I'm biased because I like any idea that involves no cash changing hands

What do u estimate the value at? I've never seen the car!

It's worth more in parts I'm thinking. Unless you want to cut the undercarraige out of another car and swap it over to the SS

How BAD is the body of the SS anyway? I saw the pics where you patched the quarters and the floor, are there holes up in the random nooks and crannies in other parts too?

I saw the car in person and while it definitely had some paint issues it didn't look all that terrible to me and seemed to run nice and strong....someone would prob. buy that from you based on it's low production number maybe...

I'd still try to sell the car whole and do something different...who knows even use Brad's car as a driver and do a couple of things to it for both repair and modification/personalization reasons, then save up for a nicer SS down the road?

With my white one, I'm just tossing some wheels and a grille on there, maybe a spoiler, probably blacking out the B/C pillars, detailing/polishing, then driving it and taking care of it until I get an SS at some point (or something else).

I'm sure you'll figure something out!

If you already have a Caprice then there's no need to buy an SS. Just swap over the SS parts and your done.

Billy's car is just lucky it isn't a boat

Still plenty of rubber on the fenders though