*I think I know what you guys will say but.....

OK, I know I've whined about this before so spare me it. Just looking for an opinion.

I am now 90% sure I am going to pick up a '94 Cavalier in good condition for under $1500 from a co-worker to keep as a second car/driver. This is good, then I can keep the Camaro in the garage and do the work to it I want. Anyway I thought I'd lay out the pros and cons to each choice and see what ya'll think. I know its ultimately my decision, but obviously I am not 100% sure what I want to do.

Choice number 1:

Buy the Cavalier, sell the Iroc for whatever I can get and then take out a loan for around 5k and look for a '69 Camaro. The '69 is my favorite year and I really want to build a "pro-touring" '69.
With some time and luck I should be able to find a solid '69 for $6-7k and then begin working on it. Unless paint is very nice I sand it and paint it flat black until the summer when I can paint it. Buy wheels and tires for it and go from there.

-The '69 is far easier to work on, smog exempt, very easy to find parts for and easy to get going decently fast.
-However, ultimately will need more imeadiate work and will cost more in the long run.
-It will most likely lack the ammenties and comforts the Iroc has until further down the road when I can spare cash for that type of stuff.
So for $9-10 grand I get a solid bodied '69, probably primered black, sitting on nice wheels, and ready for work. In the very near future it gets mild engine work done to it (since its so easy), 6 speed tranny, exhaust, etc etc....


Choice number 2:

Buy the Cavalier. Keep the Iroc and get to work on it, it becomes a nice weather cruiser and race car. I still take out a $5-6k loan to put towards the Iroc.

The Iroc needs immeadiatly:

-arm rests
-headliner/t-top seals
-new rear-end (posi is almost out and I understand I have a stupid axle that is impossible to find.....)
-exhaust
-sub-frame connectors

There's a good chunk of change right there. Then I add new wheels/tires, lower it, window tint, NOS?, and whatever else I might be able to do.

In the near future I do other small things to make it nicer..... possibly start replacing the old suspension, add nitrous until the motor goes, finish the stereo, etc , etc.....

Buuut.... its still not a '69, its still only barely breaking 13's, and still a bitch to work on and a bitch to make fast (compared to the classic)

But, I have a pretty damn nice weekend/cruiser car. Looks nice, sounds nice, goes kinda fast. And overall is nicer for less money than it'd take to make the '69 equally as nice.

Oh I almost forgot, needs minor body work to fix the damn scrape/dent (I'd do that and paint it near the end of the summer).

Dont think I forgot anything......

Whatcha think?

Sell the farm and get the 69', you'll never regret it.......KZ

------------------
John D. Smith
69 SS/396 CLONE!
The Texas Tornado lives!
http://www.geocities.com/kz1000ltd/

North Texas Camaro Club (http://www.northtxcamaros.com)

Hobbystage Free Picture Posting!!! http://hobbystage.net/camaro/69ss396/

I'd say rather than taking out a loan, just wait until you have the money. If you already have to take out a loan to buy the car, you probably are going to be spending a lot of time paying off the loan rather than being able to spend money on speed parts. Keep the Iroc as the daily driver and save up the money for the older Camaro.

I think boodlefoof is on to something. If the 88 runs and drives, why do you need the Cavalier? Put what you need to in the 88 to make it an acceptable driver and start saving your money for the 69.
On another matter, beware of loans to invest in a car that will require more money to put into shape. Ultimately, it takes the same amount of time to save the money as is does to pay off a loan. If you're very disciplined, even less.

keep ethier one and save for the right deal on a 69, dont just buy anything, the longer you wait for "the right deal" the more money you have saved to spend on it.
once you've got that covered spend sometime mapping out your plans for the car, the reason alot of money gets spent is that alot of us will buy temporary fixes or just do something the wrong way the 1st time and end up spending more money.
I did this with my rear suspension, i've put $400 into the rear suspension and it still doesnt work for crap, so i'm changing over to coil-overs, i could have saved the money the 1st time and been alot farther along in the project, but who was to know?

Good things come to those who wait. I looked for an early 70's camaro for pretty much five years for one that was what I wanted. Of course I looked at a lot of cars and bought a few I should have never even got involved with. I let my emotions get the best of me. Had I stood back and thought it all out I would have a lot more money right now. Save your money and get to know some camaro guys in your town/city and sooner or later you will come across a good deal like I finally did.

A second car is a good idea but adds a lot of unthought of costs, like isurance, mantinance and registration for starters. Just make sure you can afford two cars.

------------------
70 Camaro 307cid(350soon) /350th ex. dark purple (dark blue soon) in. black
74 Trans Am 400cid/th400 ex. red in. red power windows

I have had an 88 Iroc (350) and two 69's. I currently have a 69 RS Convertible and love it. I also loved my 88 and was very attached to it. It was a rare optioned 88 and was very fast.
I looked for my 88 for 6 months before giving up and buying my first 69.
I looked for 5 years before buying my first 69.

You will spend much less money on the 88 than a 69.
I would also say that you will get more looks and complements on the 69 than the 88 on any given day.

A 69 just has more character that the 88.

I spent three times the money on each of my 69's then I would have spent on the 88. You may also get more driving time out of the 88 than the 69. It may just be me but my 69 only sees the best days of the year.

Hope my story helps.

for seven grand you will be able to get way more than a primered no wheels, 69. You don't live that far from me,and i see good deals all the time, i think you are underestimating what kind of car you can get for that much money. You must not be looking in the right places, try diablo dealer, or autotrader.

I've been checking traderonline almost every day with no real luck so far....