Advice please

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Woody1980

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Jun 3, 2022
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I ran across a 1983 Malibu wagon.. all there. Ran when parked in 2015, minimal body damage, surface rust on roof ect, has 5 spoke camaro likez28 wheels.. interior is all there, old and dirty. Clean title..
he wants $600
What ya think??
Get it or pass on it??
 
:worthless:

Way too many variables to say one way or the other.

Depends on why you want it as well...parts...project....flip....
Yes I know this breaks the cardinal rule on pics
I’ll try and get some tomorrow after church.
 
Biggest issue will be body condition, rust damage can be worse than it first appears to be. After that would be wiring as POs love to cut up wiring in bizarre ways. Also look in the engine bay for signs of emission tampering and powertrain Jerry rigging. Some of the worst things to repair are Jerry rigging.
 
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Very low price. Check the door bottoms and rocker panels for rust bubbles along the seams. Check the rear frame rails, especially right rear wheelwell just above the frame. Check the metal around the rear side windows for rot, rust stains and other suggestions of future work.
Cargo area plastic is irreplaceable - but GM plastic panels can can be made decent with careful application of truck bedliner over a chalky surface if not crumbly all the way through.

On the other hand, a clean title on a (mostly) complete car for $600 may be worth it alone. The hard part is estimating the total future cost of fixing the holes and replacing missing parts. If you are outside emissions land, that makes things easier. Where will you park it until you can dig in and see what you bought?
 
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Very low price. Check the door bottoms and rocker panels for rust bubbles along the seams. Check the rear frame rails, especially right rear wheelwell just above the frame. Check the metal around the rear side windows for rot, rust stains and other suggestions of future work.
Cargo area plastic is irreplaceable - but GM plastic panels can can be made decent with careful application of truck bedliner over a chalky surface if not crumbly all the way through.

On the other hand, a clean title on a (mostly) complete car for $600 may be worth it alone. The hard part is estimating the total future cost of fixing the holes and replacing missing parts. If you are outside emissions land, that makes things easier. Where will you park it until you can dig in and see what you bought?
 
It has a fiberglass 2” cowl hood in great shape also..it’s all there down to the ecc quadrajet carb
All inside panels by rear seat are there.
I have about talked myself into it lol
I’m going over after church with 400/500 see if he will take it.. a hot battery and some extra tires
 
Also, I have to ask...

What engine ran when parked? Stock? Swapped? I always look to value the scrap (converter, aluminum, leftover steel) plus the core bits engine/trans, then any nice clean parts. If I can come out ahead breaking it up if it proves unsavable I always pull the trigger
 
Buy it.
I'll give you $300 for the title, vin plate and cowl take.
 
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