BC

I saw the white 88 at Mark's warehouse.

I was there over the holiday to say hi and get some parts. Its just sitting there in the entry way, like you could drive it off.

The white paint is better than I have recently seen, and the burgundy interior, for all the conversation about how people don't like the burgundy (or the blue), it actually looks like it has rarely been used.
The engine bay has originality to it, even though from the PO it seems the engine was R/Rd.

Door open and close like a much lower mile car.
I have checked the VIN and the mileage it states looks legit and reflect little driving recently.

The thing that shocked me is the way it clearly has been taken care of and how its a shame that even these pristine cars are affected by the TBF.

I am very interested in it, and I have been scrounging around for inside storage until I can put it in my garage and put an engine in it. Because from the looks of it, if you swap the engine, you have a car almost too nice for DD for a weekend of work. *Obviously* not including the actual building of the engine.

The funny thing for me is that this other 88 I have is its twin, but in a dark twilight episode way where as children they got separated and mine had a MUCH MUCH harder life including personal violence and abuse (which I have fixed, but still). And this one at Mark's went to all the best schools and got great jobs and had a charmed life. Except for the TBF.

I appreciate it when Mark posts his FS threads because it cuts above the chatter to say "most of your used parts are here, but THIS part cuts above the rest and is interesting". Its a great service and we should continue to welcome those posts very week or month.

hlee96

Go for it Brendan. Put a GB stroker in it.

hacker-pschorr

I have room in a 13x40 which costs me $140 a month 1/4 mile from my house you can use.
It will probably be cheaper to ship it here and back than storing it in your area

Mongo

You know that LS3 swap thread is on page 1 still right?

Hint...

BC

You guys are funny.

Rob Edwards

This is the kind of car that just makes you scratch your head RE: how such a nice one could suffer TBF. You could not have anyone re-upholster an interior as nice as this car's, for any amount of money. It's a shame the original block is trashed because otherwise it's a true survivor car.

Wisconsin Joe

Somewhat random question:

For a car in this good of condition, how much would the value go down with at (correct) replacement motor?

hacker-pschorr

Go sit in the corner for 10 minutes.

Depends how honest people are down the road. Is there any markings on these engines to tie them to particular chassis? If not, someone just has to drop in the appropriate motor, take it to an auction and only share the good parts.

Aside from any discussion of dishonestly, such a car should still be worth a pretty penny (for an automatic S4) even with full disclosure. It's not like these are vintage Corvette's where "numbers matching" is a significant part of the overall value, or a GT / GTS with an S4 engine.......

Best move with this car is document everything, and present it accordingly.

Mongo

Is it half off too? Rhetorical question I know...

docmirror

Hell - I tried to pay for it a week ago, and he wouldn't take my money.

I bought another plane.

Don't tell the wife though.

hacker-pschorr

olmann

A few from Sharktoberfest. Very nice car!!

hacker-pschorr

110,000 miles?

Ah.... for some reason I was thinking this was a ridiculously low mileage car. I don't know why, but that makes the TBF easier to comprehend.

I remember years ago Mike Schmidt (Z) said: "It would be interesting to know how many TBF cars had the TT and Trans out at one time.." Insinuating they were reinstalled too far forward exacerbating the issue.

Still worth saving, that's super clean.

Assuming all original (I do not doubt it is) there goes all the theories of side bolster wear indicating mileage

polecat702

How is it [possible to install the TT, and Trans to far forward? It only goes back in the way it came out, as far as I know, and my trans was swapped with one that works. I know that the WSM, stated something about setting up the torque converter when doing a transmission change. But I spoke with Sean, and he said just change the bearings and seal, and I'd be good to go. So far no problems, but then this thread could change all that.

hacker-pschorr

Don't know. Now that I think about it, I never asked for clarification of this comment. I just assumed it had something to do with how the trans & TT we're installed.
The automatics never interested me much, too complicated...