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1992 pontiac sunbird

Buickfosure

By Buickfosure
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Buickfosure Newbie

Buickfosure

Posted
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I'm looking at picking up a cheap 1992 sunbird from a relative it has the 2.0 L 4 cylinder I believe. Its up there in miles but had alot of mantenance. It just needs sway bar work up front , new belts, and a tune up. Its had the head gasket replaced a while ago and its done well so far knock on wood, but is it a decent car or is it going to be a money hog? I really want it for fuel efficiencys sake for just around the town driving.

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daves87rs Collaborator

daves87rs

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Drivetrian is solid, but the bodies rust like mad.

185050[/snapback]

Isn't that the truth... :(

I have a 93 Cavalier w/ 3.1...and it has been a good car...I think I'm going to have to replace the EGR and a few Hoses, but other than that-these old J-bodies

will run for quite a while...

There is a 91 Sunbird in the family with well over 150k on it, and it still runs like

a trooper... :)

I guessing if it is a Michigan 'bird-it's quite rusty....

I know the cav is.....

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Guest YellowJacket894

Guest YellowJacket894

Posted
Posted (edited)

Buick Skyhawk:

Posted Image

It was a pretty unique J-Body.

I don't know if you can see it, but I do have a thing for the front of the 1991 to 1994 Sunbird, which this one is '93 I believe.

Posted Image

Pontiac should start doing something like that for the next generation of their cars. Or at least for the G5. I don't think many people will make the connection if it's done right.

I may not like front-drive cars, but any J-Body will turn out to be a solid little car. My parents had a maroon 1993 Chevy Cavalier RS and the only problems it had concerned the alternator and (this is odd as f@#king hell) flooding floorboards. Other than that, it managed to see a solid 200,000 miles before we traded it in for a '98 S10, which we still have and is just as soild (over 150,000 miles and it still has the original clutch).

I wouldn't actually mind having a '93 Sunbird around someday as a beater, either, although it would be based only on what unique styling was applied to the bread-n-butter Cavalier shape and the interior and it's rather odd layout.

And, you know, J-Bodies can be converted to rear-drive with some time and money... :scratchchin: (Yeah...might happen someday as a project car.)

Edited by YellowJacket894
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daves87rs Collaborator

daves87rs

Posted
Posted

Buick Skyhawk:

Posted Image

It was a pretty unique J-Body.

I don't know if you can see it, but I do have a thing for the front of this particular year of Sunbird, which is '93 I believe.

Posted Image

Pontiac should start doing something like that for the next generation of their cars. Or at least for the G5. I don't think many people will make the connection if it's done right.

I may not like front-drive cars, but any J-Body will turn out to be a solid little car. My parents had a maroon 1993 Chevy Cavalier RS and the only problems it had concerned the alternator and (this is odd as f@#king hell) flooding floorboards. Other than that, it managed to see a solid 200,000 miles before we traded it in for a '98 S10, which we still have and is just as soild (over 150,000 miles and it still has the original clutch).

I wouldn't actually mind having a '93 Sunbird around someday as a beater, either, although it would be based only on what unique styling was applied to the bread-n-butter Cavalier shape and the interior and it's rather odd layout.

And, you know, J-Bodies can be converted to rear-drive with some time and money...  :scratchchin: (Yeah...might happen someday as a project car.)

185183[/snapback]

Yep-I think a few people made them RWD......

I tend to see a few as beaters...can't go wrong...

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Buickfosure Newbie

Buickfosure

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yeah got it today correction its a 94 but theres no major differences between those years anyway but its a great car. Just had to do some front swaybar work and replace some belts but everything went well now its time to wait till monday for plates. I find it funny that after you take off the coolant cap the thermostat is right there. Gotta love that if it ever went bad you just take off the cap and your done. One thing is it seems to idle rough in drive at a complete stop but its fine after you take off. Other that that I love the car and I will be saving gas money now.

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Guest YellowJacket894

Guest YellowJacket894

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I don't get what is going on with the rust issues. We had, as I said, over 200,000 miles on our Cav's odometer, owned it from 1993 to 2000, and it didn't rust in a single spot.

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Guest YellowJacket894

Guest YellowJacket894

Posted
Posted (edited)

Up in our area we get a lot of salt and sand on our roads in winter so that may contribute quite a bit to the rust issues.

185320[/snapback]

Kentucky may not be as bad as Canada when it comes to road salt, but I think we tend to lay it on thick down here.

Edited by YellowJacket894
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Cory Wolfe

Cory Wolfe

Posted
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I don't know if you can see it, but I do have a thing for the front of this particular year of Sunbird, which is '93 I believe.

Posted Image

I wouldn't actually mind having a '93 Sunbird around someday as a beater, either, although it would be based only on what unique styling was applied to the bread-n-butter Cavalier shape and the interior and it's rather odd layout.

Um... why the '93? The 91-94 Sunbirds are virtually the same save for minor equipment changes.
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Guest YellowJacket894

Guest YellowJacket894

Posted
Posted (edited)

Um... why the '93? The 91-94 Sunbirds are virtually the same save for minor equipment changes.

185337[/snapback]

Well, the year 1993 has significance to me concering the J-Body. :AH-HA_wink:

NOTE: Changed what made the original post confusing.

Edited by YellowJacket894
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Flybrian Newbie

Flybrian

Posted
Posted

For some reason, I don't like the lazy-eyed Pontiacs with their semi-concealed headlamps. To me, it just looks like its broken. I love the slick look of the Skyhawk, though (plus its rarity), and also the Toronados with their hidden lamps

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Sixty8panther Newbie

Sixty8panther

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I learned to drive on a 1994 Pontiac Sunbird SE wiht the 2.0L.

It was my "first car" in the sense that I did not own it since

it was registered to my mother but I drove it for the first two

years I had my license. It would have been much more fun

if it had been a 5-speed and if it had a tape deck. It had an

AM-FM 4-speaker radio & that's it.

Like any other first car I loved it but I always knew it was just

a temporary stepping stone to a RWD, V8 car.

So long as the car makes you happy go for it.

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daves87rs Collaborator

daves87rs

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Dave... You're so silly. Two stock Sunbirds, one with the turbo 2.0L and one with the 3.1L... The turbo will be faster. Of course if you mod the 3.1L it will be faster than the turbo 2.0L. But if you mod it as well, to make things equal, guess which one will be faster... still. :P

185461[/snapback]

Oh yeah? Maybe we should race a few then.... :P

Actually-they'll be pretty close...

Also depends on if it is a stick or auto....

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Cory Wolfe

Cory Wolfe

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Posted (edited)

Oh yeah? Maybe we should race a few then.... :P

Actually-they'll be pretty close...

Also depends on if it is a stick or auto....

185526[/snapback]

Oh really?

1990 Pontiac Sunbird Turbo 0-60: 7.8 1/4mi: 16.0 Weight: 2422

1993 Pontiac Sunbird SE 3.1 0-60: 9.2 1/4mi: 16.7 Weight: 2594

Now, granted, the 3.1 tested was the convertible which had the added weight of being a convertible, but I doubt it'd make up that much time to even be close. Edited by blackviper8891
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Buickfosure Newbie

Buickfosure

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It is a rebuild and I know how they can be but I'm just gonna hope for the best and take care of it. The thing I'm happy about is the brand new Kumho Tires. Never heard of the brand myself but they are new 50 miles ago and still have the nipples on the sides to prove it and a new diehard battery.

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daves87rs Collaborator

daves87rs

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Oh really?

Now, granted, the 3.1 tested was the convertible which had the added weight of being a convertible, but I doubt it'd make up that much time to even be close.

185549[/snapback]

ah, I don't know about that....

back in the day my 3.1 was pretty quick..even with that extra "wagon" weight... :lol:

I've seen a race between a turbo and a 3.1....and the 3.1 won by little...

The turbo will have better jump...though the 3.1 will have better pull...

I see how it is. You just want a race, don't ya? :AH-HA_wink: :P

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Cory Wolfe

Cory Wolfe

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ah, I don't know about that....

back in the day my 3.1 was pretty quick..even with that extra "wagon" weight... :lol:

I've seen a race between a turbo and a 3.1....and the 3.1 won by little...

The turbo will have better jump...though the 3.1 will have better pull...

I see how it is. You just want a race, don't ya? :AH-HA_wink:  :P

185737[/snapback]

No... I just pulled actual test data to show youre wrong. :P

Now, I do wanna race, but I'm afraid it'd be with my Millenia... and well, you have no chance against it, either. :D

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daves87rs Collaborator

daves87rs

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It is a rebuild and I know how they can be but I'm just gonna hope for the best and take  care of it.  The thing I'm happy about is the brand new Kumho Tires.  Never heard of the brand myself but they are new 50 miles ago and still have the nipples on the sides to prove it and a new diehard battery.

185552[/snapback]

Nah, you should be fine. They lack horses....but they hold up quite well...

My first car had the 2.0....

NOTE: One way to baby it is keeping that motor warm.....when it gets cold-warm her up for a few minutes...seems to run better...even with the extra idling-oil kept up well-and I had no issues with the engine....

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Sixty8panther Newbie

Sixty8panther

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Posted

Holy cow... except for the fact that I had hubcaps instead of rims

that is EXACTLY my old car. Even the same color combo inside &

out as well as that semi-cool horse-shoe E-brake lever. Notice,

not in the photos but when you pop the hood, that the NA 2.0L 4

cylinder still kept the 1/4 notch in the valvecover to accomodate

the turbo ducting in the GT model. :P (no, really)

One problem that has not been mentioned yet in this thread: these

cars suffer from 2nd gen. F-body style door sag. The 2 door models

have like 120lbs. of door on a hinge set up to accomodate 40lbs. :(

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