Venture Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 A friend of mine just totaled his 86' Corvette. I'm giving some serious thought to buying it from the Insurance company. There is no damage the the Engine compartment at all, so I could snag the engine, computer, fuel pump, and some other various odds and In's. It's a stock L98 with aluminum heads, and some minor factory tuning. What I really need to know is how much is this setup worth and what else should I grab. There are still alot of good parts on the car that I'll probably try and sell on Ebay to get back some of my investment. I might end up with a free motor if the Ebay stuff sells well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruez Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 The L98 is a decent engine, but the TPI is limited in pulling power. You can get aftermarket runners that will help with the power falling off higher in the rpm range. I think the stock engine is around 250 hp. But the TPI setup looks very good setting in the engine bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venture Posted November 2, 2005 Author Share Posted November 2, 2005 I've heard about some of the limitations, but I think it's a pretty good starting platform. I love the way they look sitting in the Z engine bay, and a little hood clearance isn't such a bad thing either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 Just to give you an idea of "worth", there is a 1987 Vette up the street from me painted metalic Pearl White (Really odd color) and it has a Greenwood body kit on it... Guy is asking $7600 for it and it is running, tagged and legal... The car (other than the choice of color) looks nice, and I see it being driven... So that should give you an idea of what a totaled one should run you. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 TPI motor is worth about $700 these days. Tops. LT1's can be had for that price around here. What trans is in the car? TH700R4 worth about $500, BW 4+3 more like $750. At least values I consider reasonable. If you can get the whole car that's the best way to do a conversion, and a good deal at anything less than $2000. The suspension parts will sell EASY. Many aftermarket frames for early 'vettes, 55-57 chevys, and streetrods use the forged aluminum 'vette components and IRS stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venture Posted November 4, 2005 Author Share Posted November 4, 2005 It has a 4+3 in it, but I'm not sure what condition it's in. The suspension took a beating in the wreck. It launched off a 50' embankment and hit a fence with the back end. Three out of four rims are perfect, the last is questionable. All the lights are good, and other small stuff is in good shape, but the body of the car is trashed. It only had 60k on it when it crashed, so everything that's still good is really good. I don't have room to store it, so I plan on tearing it down over a weekend. What all should I grab out of it for my swap? Thanks for your input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruez Posted November 4, 2005 Share Posted November 4, 2005 That 4+3 would be interesting to have in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venture Posted November 4, 2005 Author Share Posted November 4, 2005 I drove the Vette before te wreck, and I didn't really like the way it shifted. Besides I don't think It would fit. Will a T56 bolt up to it? Will the L98 bolt in using standard JTR motor mounts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 The 4+3 will fit and their are pictures of it in the JTR book with a custom shifter since the Corvette shifter bolts to the body. The 6 speed will work for you as well. I would get the engine, trans, computer, wiring, radiator, cooling fan and shroud, driveshaft, rear differential and all of the associated air intake plumbing and air box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 If the front suspension is good, pull that. Sell it on ebay..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusPuppis Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 If some of the rims are good you could probably get a few bucks for those.. Interior peices are often worth a little as well. I cant say from experience with a Vette but a friend of mine and I make a little side money by buying and parting out DSM's (Eclipse/Talon/Lasers) and I'm always suprised at the weird crap poeple buy off of them. Is the interior leather? If it is, did that era of Vette come with a non-leather interior? Top-end interior peices like the seats, sometimes carpets and the like sell well and for a pretty penny. Alot of poeple get cars with the cloth interior and convert it over. Seems to me like there would be a market for very nearly everything salvagable on the car, seeing as its a Vette and nearly 20 years old to boot. 20 years mean the cars poeple are buying used should have some wear and tear and will be in need of replacement parts.. =] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venture Posted November 6, 2005 Author Share Posted November 6, 2005 I don't suppose there's any way to stuff the LSD diff in my 280Z, is there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8dats Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 look up scottie and the famous GNZ i believe he ran a corvette suspension and rear end on his old z. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v8dats Posted November 6, 2005 Share Posted November 6, 2005 even better.. here ya go. http://home.cfl.rr.com/scottiegnz/gnz.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Pull everything good and sell what you don't use on ebay. Seriously, that is the best advice...that is, if you can store it all in the meantime. I have no idea if the gas tank will fit, but the system is FI and if you can swap over as much as possible, you'll be doing yourself a favor. Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venture Posted November 7, 2005 Author Share Posted November 7, 2005 I'm going to use as much of the FI system as I can, but I'll probably just stick to the engine stuff. I just re-did all my suspension, and I'm not ready to get into all that again. We're still dealing with lawyers and insurance companys, so I still haven't gotten the car yet. Hopefully within the next week or two, I'll have all the good stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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