Need help/advice for new ws6!!

**sezo** · 04-01-2014, 09:55 PM

Hey guys, i'm new here. So i just needed some advice or help about this guy selling a 1997 trans am ws6. It's my first car, i'm a 20 year old college student, also working part time. I love classic cars, but of course i can't afford a beautiful '69 camaro SS...lol. I fell in love with T/A's a few years ago and decided it'll be awesome as my first car. I live in NYC. I found this posting on craigslist. It's a 1997 LT1, he changed the front to make it look like the "newer years". Here's the specifics on the from the posting:

I have here a Pontiac Trans Am, auto, 93k on the clock. The car has been maintained very well. This is a v8 T-Top car, has rebuilt heads, ebony leather, touch screen navigation head unit, larger posi, SLP lm1 exhaust, shift kit, chrome Torqu Thrust wheels, Intake, 5% tinted windows, and a tune.
Asking $7,500 obo. No trades. Car is Fast. Test drives with cash in hand.
-Some pictures(copy and paste into browser)

images.craigslist.org/00s0s_bE4r9Qd6Wqg_600x450.jpg

images.craigslist.org/00f0f_dgLrxXVWImb_600x450.jpg

images.craigslist.org/01111_eelbcyIObpo_600x450.jpg

images.craigslist.org/00S0S_2iOPqvriuaM_600x450.jpg

engine:

tinypic.com/r/117crx3/8

-Any suggestions/advice/help would be awesome. Is this car worth 7500? Good thing to note is that I don't know everything about cars or engines, but i do have some general knowledge. Thanks so much guys~

**Too Fast** · 04-02-2014, 02:46 AM

I'd drive it and see if the differential makes any noise. Looks great in the pictures. It is not a true WS6 hood, if that matters. Price seems a bit high, but not too much for how it looks.

**sezo** · 04-02-2014, 08:47 AM

What exactly is the differential? What do you think of the engine mods? And given that it is an lt1 and not the stock hood/front, what would you put the price at?

***SMWS6TA*** · 04-02-2014, 09:35 AM

It's honestly a little high for a 97 even with the change over to 98-02 yrs. I'd be weary that the car was in some kinda front end collision off books and this is what they swapped over to for ease.

My grips with the LT1's are the opti system. Keep it nice an dry and it will run, get it wet and you'll start having issues. Also it seems to want to go bad every 50-70k miles. I have a friend that got so pissed with changing his opti every 6 months he finally swapped over to a LS1.

Car looks clean in the pics but I see no engine pics. What Steve is implying is to take it for a test drive and see how the drive train holds up.

Here's a couple of threads to help in shopping for a Fbody

http://www.ls1.com/forums/f6/differe...y-years-27512/

http://www.ls1.com/forums/f6/guide-buying-fbody-118628/

**024mula** · 04-02-2014, 03:01 PM

I don't think that's a WS6 hood, but a Raptor hood.............

Theres a lot of Trans Ams out there, I'd stay away from is one. Unless the seller has a very good reason why he replaced the front end and hood.

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A differential is the drive train (rear axle) that drive the car. The reason "Too Fast" probably wants to know if it makes noise is because Trans Ams are bought by a lot of guys that just want to use them on a drag strip and it might have a damaged differential.

**sezo** · 04-02-2014, 05:28 PM

Here's a pic of the engine, he texted it to me: https://col127.afx.ms/att/GetInline....503&oneredir=1

I also got him to lower it to 6800, i might even get him to lower it a bit more..

**sezo** · 04-02-2014, 05:36 PM

Is there any specific reason i should stay away from this one? i honestly don't mind the hood too much, i actually prefer it over the original 97 hood and front. Btw in this picture you can kinda see the "trans am" decals on the hood on the left side: https://col127.afx.ms/att/GetInline....bd9&oneredir=1

don't know if that makes a difference. The reason why i really want this car is that it has pretty much everything that i want: Nice appearance, a few mods, and a stereo system already installed, and the price isn't as high as other trans ams. And if he's telling the truth, a great running engine. I just need me something that i wouldn't have to invest lots of time and money into since i don't make lots of money to begin with. And well, i'm a student. So, you know.

**sezo** · 04-02-2014, 05:39 PM

And as long as the car itself is a real ws6, i don't mind the hood and front not being a real ws6. I can actually use that to bring down the price a bit

**sezo** · 04-02-2014, 05:53 PM

BTW any comments on the engine/mods? Are these mods good? What exactly will these mods do in terms of power, mpg, etc?

**024mula** · 04-02-2014, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by sezo

Is there any specific reason i should stay away from this one?

I fear the car has been wreaked, that would explain for the different front end and hood. But you do what you want to do - its your money.

**pajeff02** · 04-02-2014, 06:29 PM

Welcome to the site, Thomas. Car looks clean from the pics. The link for the engine pic did not work for me. Make sure you check everything out on the car to make sure it is operable -- horn, wipers, lights, etc... If you can, get the car up in the air on a lift and check out the condition of the underbody, suspension bushings and such.

**sezo** · 04-02-2014, 08:04 PM

There you go, i've gone and changed the url for the picture link. Kinda difficult as the site won't let me post direct links, but i think i bypassed it by deleting "http" haha.

**sezo** · 04-02-2014, 08:08 PM

Yeah, it is a possibility a wreckage is the cause of the change of the front; OR, (thinking positively) maybe he just disliked the look of the old hood and front. lol. I did ask him if there were any accidents, and he said none whatsoever, so i guess i'd have to take his word for it..I plan on bringing it by a near by mechanic just to get a second opinion of the car, etc, since i can't tell much as i'm not as good as you guys are with cars.

**sezo** · 04-02-2014, 08:26 PM

Please let me know what you guys think of the engine, and overall mods, and if $6,800 is worth it..thanks again you guys, you've been helpful

**pajeff02** · 04-03-2014, 02:19 AM

After 10 days and 10 posts you'll be able to post pics in threads. Upload the pics to Photobucket (or similar photo sharing site) and then simply copy and paste the [IMG] code into your post on here. In Post #4, Scott gave you a link to our sticky on buying an F-body. Here is another that will help you cover all the bases: http://www.ls1.com/forums/f6/guide-buying-fbody-118628/

**sezo** · 04-03-2014, 08:08 AM

tinypic.com/r/117crx3/8 that's the link right there, just copy and paste into the browser

, thanks again

**pajeff02** · 04-03-2014, 08:24 AM

Ok, that worked.

**1998 T/A** · 04-24-2014, 06:27 PM

For the same price you can get an LS1 and Mod it yourself. LT1's had serious issues with the opti-spark over time...it is your money but I would look for an LS1 before an LT1.

**0rion** · 04-24-2014, 06:46 PM

I pretty much agree with everything said so far. The LT1 and it's optispark troubles would be enough alone to keep me from buying one. It's not "if" you have problems with that opti but "when" and it's a fairly expensive part to replace and most likely you'll replace it more than once. That price seems up there for an LT1 car. That's about a $5k car. Mods add next to nothing to the price of a car on resale usually. With some patience and shopping you can get an LS1 car for that kinda money. Low ball him if you really want the car and see how bad he wants to sell it. Offer him kelley blue book for it.....~$4500.

**sezo** · 04-25-2014, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

I pretty much agree with everything said so far. The LT1 and it's optispark troubles would be enough alone to keep me from buying one. It's not "if" you have problems with that opti but "when" and it's a fairly expensive part to replace and most likely you'll replace it more than once. That price seems up there for an LT1 car. That's about a $5k car. Mods add next to nothing to the price of a car on resale usually. With some patience and shopping you can get an LS1 car for that kinda money. Low ball him if you really want the car and see how bad he wants to sell it. Offer him kelley blue book for it.....~$4500.

Just thought i'd let ya'll know: i found out the car wasn't a real WS6, and with research, i found a 1999 camaro z28, pewter metallic color. In great shape, interior and exterior, besides some small scratches, including some mods like: SLP cold air intake, a full custom exhaust with longtube headers, magnaflow high flow cats, and slp loudmouth quad tips. Also, has a tuning, and some nice z06 wheels. Automatic, only 80k when i got it (a week ago, just broke 81k)/ automatic. Got it for $5,500. Oh, and an aftermarket SLP ultra Z hood.

thanks guys
I'm in love with it, my very first car, i'm only 20 years old, and all my hard work paid off. Everything was made possible by my own hard work, no mommy and daddy's help here..haha. So, you can imagine how proud i am. The only work i've had to put in so far was an oil change, replace the steering rack and pinion. I also need to do some adjusting to the front side panel as it is sticking out a bit, i think the bolts under were bent a little when putting it up on a lift...so it popped out the quarter panel a bit. The drivers door interior panel is also kinda flimsy/loose. I'll take it to a body shop to see what they can do. I was also given the stock wheels and tires, so i'll just sell them to make some extra money.