I'm expecting full crickets on this. There's an abandoned Gran Prix at my girlfriend's shop. I want the alternator off it, her boss offered us the whole car. It's junk. Blown head gaskets on a clapped out car. Actually I contributed to this by shoving a RZR roll cage from the hood onto the roof. Can anybody think of a reason to take this heap off his hands?
Which generation do you speak of? Some of them are more beloved than others.
For example, I'm about as anti-GM as they come, but will always have an appreciation for and secretly covet a nice example from this generation.
It really depends on what flavor of FWD Grand Prix it is. If it's a Grand Prix GTP with the supercharged 3.8L V6, one of those turbo McLaren ones from the early 90's, or one of the later GXP's with the FWD 5.3L V8, they can be fun. Otherwise, snag it, grab what you need, and part out/scrap the carcass.
It's the late 90s - early 2000s car with an NA motor. It's a red car, but the flavor is definitely brown.
The best reason: This should bolt in.
Here's a write up of one of its platform mates running 10's. The worst part is figuring out how to deal with transmission and traction issues; one fan commented "These cars make great 13 second cars, but aweful 12 second cars."
$50 of scrap?
Is it confirmed 100% blown head gasket? If it's just steamy exhaust, and it's a GM 60° V6 it's probably a leaky intake manifold gasket.
Worth flipping if free.
I had a '90, 4 door, 3100 V6, Grand Prix as my first car, literally drug it out of the pasture, I abused the heck out of it in high school. Hard to complain.
When gas was getting north of $3/gallon in '05-'06 I acquired a '94, 4 door, 3100 V6, Grand Prix to keep from going broke, from commuting in my 11 MPG Jeep.
I actually met SWMBO when I had the '94. It was an ugly car, had the Geordi La Forge visor style headlights/fog lights that span the whole front end, was kind of a sea foam blue/green, and the rear transverse, composite, leaf spring was cracked, so it was dragging its tail everywhere it went. Hence the name Squatmobile. SWMBO must have pretty low standards, there's no way I'm handsome or charming enough to make up for driving that car. 
As ugly as it was, it was like driving a comfy living room couch down the road, and got low 30s MPGs pretty much regardless of how you drove it.
bigdaddylee82 said:Is it confirmed 100% blown head gasket? If it's just steamy exhaust, and it's a GM 60° V6 it's probably a leaky intake manifold gasket.
It overheats.
They're not the absolute worst thing in the world. That being said I wouldn't own one.
angusmf said:bigdaddylee82 said:Is it confirmed 100% blown head gasket? If it's just steamy exhaust, and it's a GM 60° V6 it's probably a leaky intake manifold gasket.
It overheats.
3400 or 3800?
We had a regal gs, same 3.8sc w-body chassis, that had a similar problem. The dex cool loves to just eat everything when it has aged out. This causes the overheating which everybody and their brother says is head gaskets. I've found more plugged radiators and destroyed water pumps and thermostats than head gaskets. Typically if a head gasket does go, it's the rear head.
clutchsmoke said:They're not the absolute worst thing in the world. That being said I wouldn't own one.
no, that title belongs to the Grand Am
In reply to angusmf :
Boss offers you the whole car.
You keep alternator and scrap the rest.
How hard will it be for you to offload the car?
Is there a title?
Will the scrap yard take the car from you even if the title is not in your name?
What would it cost to get the title in your name just so you can scrap the car?
How much is a new, reman alt with a warranty?
How much for a junkyard alt (which is really what you are getting here?)
Sure seems easier to me to just pay for a real alt from somewhere else.
Only one source but the cheapest alt for a 2000 GP on RockAuto is $74 with shipping. My guess is a JY charges $30.
Ranger50 said:3400 or 3800?
Yep, it's the 3.8L. I can ask for more info to try to confirm head gasket issues or not. If it's the rest of the cooling system that's trashed instead, it's not obvious that's a better situation to be in. Starting to sound like we'll be happier stripping the car for the other electrical stuff if we bother. Wiring if nothing else. Automotive quality wire is a pain to get.
In reply to John Welsh (Moderate Supporter) :
Any scrap place place will take a car once it meets the legal definition of not a car. I looked once and Kentucky was 4 piece minimum. Check the state law.
Speaking from 10 years of 3800 Grand Prix ownership...
The head gaskets are trashed and so are the heads. You'll spend a fortune fixing everything only to find out that the transmission is blown, too. If you manage to somehow fix that, you'll be rewarded with the lamest driving experience of the last 30 years and an interior that makes lawn furniture from big lots seem high end.
There's a reason why it's free. Usually you have to pay someone to take these away.
pointofdeparture said:Which generation do you speak of? Some of them are more beloved than others.
For example, I'm about as anti-GM as they come, but will always have an appreciation for and secretly covet a nice example from this generation.
I miss my 90 turbo grand prix
I had an Olds Intrigue, so the slightly more subdued version of this car, and Javelin is completely correct. Part it out and scrap the rest.
I watched one pull away from a stop sign. It blew the differential and lots of fluid onto the street in the middle of the intersection. Just sayin
Ranger50 said:In reply to John Welsh (Moderate Supporter) :
Any scrap place place will take a car once it meets the legal definition of not a car. I looked once and Kentucky was 4 piece minimum. Check the state law.
That sounds like $100 worth of time, $50 worth of sawzall blades, and $55 trailer rental, all to make $90 at the scrapyard and save $50 on an alternator.
newrider3 said:Ranger50 said:In reply to John Welsh (Moderate Supporter) :
Any scrap place place will take a car once it meets the legal definition of not a car. I looked once and Kentucky was 4 piece minimum. Check the state law.
That sounds like $100 worth of time, $50 worth of sawzall blades, and $55 trailer rental, all to make $90 at the scrapyard and save $50 on an alternator.
That is true. But cutting up a car with a Sawzall is at least $65 worth of fun.
Getting liquored up and THEN cutting up a car with a Sawzall is definitely $125 worth of fun.
You can't haul an entire car to the recycler?
The Squatmobile I mentioned earlier went to the scrapper complete, on a trailer with a trunk full of brake rotors, an old engine block, and various scrap metal.
The recycler claimed to require the fuel tank be drained with holes drilled in it, so I obliged, and they said they needed the title if you were bringing a complete car.
I showed up, drove the trailer onto the scale, got a ticket, drove over to one of the piles, a big articulated wheel loader scooped it off of the trailer, I drove the empty trailer back over the scales, got a new ticket and cash. No one ever even looked at the fuel tank or asked to see the title.
bigdaddylee82 said:You can't haul an entire car to the recycler?
The Squatmobile I mentioned earlier went to the scrapper complete, on a trailer with a trunk full of brake rotors, an old engine block, and various scrap metal.The recycler claimed to require the fuel tank be drained with holes drilled in it, so I obliged, and they said they needed the title if you were bringing a complete car.
I showed up, drove the trailer onto the scale, got a ticket, drove over to one of the piles, a big articulated wheel loader scooped it off of the trailer, I drove the empty trailer back over the scales, got a new ticket and cash. No one ever even looked at the fuel tank or asked to see the title.
Sounds like a place that the EPA is going to shut down soon. All of the scrap yards around here are damn sure checking that anything that holds fluids is totally drained and has holes cut in them. in fact I've been sent home once because the holes I drilled in a gas tank were not big enough. And you definitely need a title if you are bringing anything that resembles a full car.
mad_machine (Forum Supporter) said:clutchsmoke said:They're not the absolute worst thing in the world. That being said I wouldn't own one.
no, that title belongs to the Grand Am
My wife bought (ordered) one new. Worst car ever but I never owned a Fiat so what do I know?
Arrived with a dent - quarter panel repaint before she takes delivery.
Girlfriend (wife) drives over to show my family the first day and tranny fluid is leaking on my dads driveway. Back to the dealer.
Rebuilt tranny at 50,000 miles.
Heavy body rust after the 4th Chicago winter
We should've sold it the first week.
In reply to angusmf :
If there is a IMCA Stock Car oval class nearby, they might buy the body. They have to run stock body panels and your car is popular in said class. Always like the NASCAR bodies as well.
In reply to Datsun310Guy :
Two thoughts:
1. Man, that old Illinois plate design takes me back.
2. Here in Wisconsin they all seemed to have comical pizza-sized rust holes in every panel by the mid 90's. Like, see-the-window-regulator-through-the-door-skin-on-both-sides comical. Definitely not built to last.
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