Cost to Restore 1980 Tran Am?

**Mazda.Mark** · 01-05-2011, 10:50 AM

I know we are detailing nutheads, but I have noticed some of you are real muscle car connoisseurs.

My father -in-law has a trans am in the yeard rusting away with only 39K miles on her.

Mody work is good, has 2 large rust spots on passenger door and trunk. They live i NY and I'm in IN so I cannot post pics.

Basically I understand it needs paint job, tires, wheels, interior refabricated and a few mechanical enhancements.

I have NO prior experince in this but want to take it on as a project I can tinker with in my free time.

Anyone have experience dealing in this area?!

Thanks AG!

**Setec Astronomy** · 01-05-2011, 10:54 AM

Well, I'm not sure what mody work is, but if it's really been sitting "in the yard" you'd better take a hard look at the floorpan, etc. especially since the car is in the rust belt. What's with the interior? Did the T-tops leak? What wheels does it have on it that they need to be replaced?

**The Pad Man** · 01-05-2011, 10:54 AM

Wheels and tires are not that big of an issue. The issue would be the rust, the bodywork. Is it getting painted the same color? Also, look at the floors and inner rockers and cowl area for any issues.

**Dubbin1** · 01-05-2011, 11:02 AM

No one can say what its going to cost to restore any car but if you are looking at a complete restoration you can figure in the neighborhood of 30k + to do it correctly.

**tuscarora dave** · 01-05-2011, 11:13 AM

I have done a few restorations in a body shop that I used to work in and I can tell you through experience that the deeper you dig into the car , the more rust you are going to find so as far as cost is concerned it is subjective to the intensity of the restoration.

In other words if you are going to just bondo up the visible rust and shoot a cheap paint job you can expect to get better than $5000 into it but if you intend on taking the car apart and cutting out all of the rust and welding new steel into it the cost will likely outweigh the importance of getting the job done.

There is a guy right up the street from where I live who has been doing a front yard restoration on a 1980ish Trans Am and it has been an ongoing project for him for over 2 years now and he has just now got all the rust cut out of it. Depending on how he goes about it from here. I would venture a guess that he'll have upwards of $30,000 invested in it if he does a complete and thorough restoration.

**SeaJay's** · 01-05-2011, 11:24 AM

You'll also need to ensure the frame is in good condition. Depending on how long it's been sitting in the yard, it may be completely rotted out. Then you have to worry about the body mounts, which are most likely starting to go. I have an 86 442, that I kept good care of until the motor blew in it. Ended up sitting in my yard for a few years and just those couple years did major damage. Mice had nested in it, the body mounts had started to rust, floorpans rotted out...electrical was an issue due to the mice. And the list goes on. I ended up selling it for $800.

Like everyone has said it really depends on how far you plan on taking it...

**Flash Gordon** · 01-05-2011, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by Dubbin1

No one can say what its going to cost to restore any car but if you are looking at a complete restoration you can figure in the neighborhood of 30k + to do it correctly.

110%

**Mazda.Mark** · 01-05-2011, 11:38 AM

I understand sorry for the typo should have said body work.

I guess I need to get a better look and a second opinion from someone who has more knowledge than me.

I guess this is a project I need to hold off on...or possibly pass on. I would love to take on a project but I mostly want to do just fabrication. Interior/Exterior work is about what I want to handle and master thne move on...

I knew you guys knew your stuff! Thanks again! Sounds like I will tell him to just get rid of the car b/c I know he will not spend that kind of money on a car.

Mark

**Setec Astronomy** · 01-05-2011, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by SeaJay's

Ended up sitting in my yard for a few years and just those couple years did major damage.

I knew a guy who had a 30's car sitting in his parents barn that he kept telling me he was going to restore, that it had been sitting in there for x decades (this was 25 years ago). I didn't see him for a while and I asked him about it, and he said he had to junk it because it was all rusted...even though it was inside, parking on a dirt floor for all those years had done it in.

**Setec Astronomy** · 01-05-2011, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Trumbo_S10

I knew you guys knew your stuff! Thanks again! Sounds like I will tell him to just get rid of the car b/c I know he will not spend that kind of money on a car.

Hold on there! Just because it might cost 30K to do a frame-off restoration, doesn't mean you might not be able to get it on the road for a reasonable price. It all depends on the expectations, etc. What is with the wheels and interior?

OTOH...if it's all rusted to hell already, the die is cast.