[grd777]

saw a 71 formula today that a guy is selling it is tropical lime inside and out side ,all matching numbers 4 speed car , engine has been rebuilt but not in car , car needs rear trunk floor ,rear frame rails and rear taillight panel . that is what he said it needs , but will need to take a closer look , car is all apart , he wants 7500 what do you all think

[njsteve]

Is it actually a round port and not a D-port 455? 1971 was that weird year where you could get the D-port engine. (or maybe that was just with an automatic? - I forgot my memory is going)

Rear frame rails are expensive to do but since it needs all the other parts that attach to them, it actually would be less labor when you don't have to spend all the effort to save a nice trunk floor or tail panel. That being said, If it is a real 455HO stick car with its born with drivetrain, I think that is a very good price (I love that color).

If the engine is not running, and out of the car: I would treat it as an engine that needs to be disassembled and rebuilt. There is an old saying: Unless you can hear it run, it doesn't run. I'm a stickler when it comes to engines on recently purchased cars. I always take them apart when I buy a car. Every one so far has had issues, from bearings about to spin or 12 to 1 pistons that wouldn't run on anything less than 110 octane, to incorrect valve spring retainers that were in the process of dropping all 16 valves.

[grd777]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Is it actually a round port and not a D-port 455? 1971 was that weird year where you could get the D-port engine. (or maybe that was just with an automatic? - I forgot my memory is going)

Rear frame rails are expensive to do but since it needs all the other parts that attach to them, it actually would be less labor when you don't have to spend all the effort to save a nice trunk floor or tail panel. That being said, If it is a real 455HO stick car with its born with drivetrain, I think that is a very good price (I love that color).

sorry I should have said it is a 400 engine in it

[njsteve]

Still a decent price .

[grd777]

this guy is a well know engine builder so I guess it is ok the engine looks to be rebuilt and great just worried how much I need to put in to it and how much they are worth finished

[njsteve]

Not many shops will tackle rear frame rail/trunk floor replacement. That is an labor intensive job that requires serious skill. I would estimate it to be around a $10K job. It cost me more than that to get the rails done on my Black '72 (BentwheelBob's car now).

[keith k]

All apart, and needing that much work.... $7500 seems a bit on the high side.

[2manyT/A'S]

Unless you are "in love" I'd be putting my running shoes on.....sounds like a money pit.

Find something out west thats NOT as rusty....

[Dave R]

It likely needs more metal replacement than the seller thinks. Once you get into a rusty car, you usually find a lot more lurking in panel overlaps and recesses. My first experience was replacing a trunk on a 68 Firebird. By the time I was done, just about every panel was replaced all the way to the cowl.

Tropical lime is a nice color; numbers matching is a bonus.
Try an offer closer to 5k.

[rexs73gto]

If it needs a trunk floor it will need the sides of the trunk to & possibly the inner fender wells to. If the tail lamp panel is bad it probably need the 1/4's replaced to. If the trunk floor is gone the panel under the rear window is bad because it's been leaking , thats why the trunk floor is bad. So plan on from the door striker panel back. 12-15K to fix that. If you didn't take the engine to the machine shop & check in on them while in process, take the engine apart. He may be a good engine builder but if he's getting rid of it he may have just put it together just to do so to.

[Formulabruce]

Needs to be viewed up on a lift
"well know" doesnt mean they know the little details of a Pontiac. Just got a motor back from a "well know" 40 years building, and they had not heard of the water pump divider modification.
6K tops due to about a year on a rotisserie to fix it right.

[71formula455]

I Love the key lime color, 4-speed and numbers matching is great. Cars like that are hard to walk away from; more so these days too; however I agree with previous posts. No question it's going to be expensive and there very likely will be more rust to repair than those areas he says if he knows it needs a trunk and rails.

Unless that's your dream car or you get it for a much reduced price ya might wanna walk. You'd probably have more money in the car by the time you finished than it is worth.
Good luck and post some pics if you have them.

[71formula455]

GRD777, did you ever buy the car or pass on it?

[grd777]

sitting on the fence on this one want to but not sure what do u think , not afraid of the work just the time , I am 60 years old

[71formula455]

First off $7500 seems like too much for a car needing serious body work especially frame rails. That is probably a deal breaker in many cases for your average guy.

Tough call . . assuming the guy is willing to negotiate these are things I would ask myself.

1. Do you have any other projects that you have now or ones that would/should take priority?
2. Determine how much you like that specific car (color options etc) vs. another car you would like to have or spend time building.
3. Do you have the time and money to spend?
4. Assuming you like the above what's the car worth to you given what it needs? Establish you max not too exceed number.

Factor all those things together and make a go or no-go decision. . .If its go then go inspect the car again, look it over really good. Tell the guy all the good and bad you see. Highlight the bad and the work it needs without going overboard. Make him an offer and don't go over you not too exceed price you previously established.

[grd777]

I asked all these questions in my head , now that I read them on this email it is very clear .I will pass on it till I find something that fit for me .thanks for your help

[71formula455]

Originally Posted by grd777

I asked all these questions in my head , now that I read them on this email it is very clear .I will pass on it till I find something that fit for me .thanks for your help

Well I think you'll know when you found the right one. It's out there be patient; however easier said then done, I also know that for sure too. Best of luck to you!

[Overkillphil]

Definitely too much money but could be ok if you can negotiate a better price AND you are intent on fixing the rust issues yourself and dealing with the learning curve.