[bigunde]

There is a guy wanting to sell what he says is an 81 301 T with 13,000 original miles. Said it has been sitting since 83. Look at the pic. What yall think? He wants $500

[Bob Rutledge]

130k miles looks more like.

[bigunde]

Agreed. What is the going price as a "core"?

[Ollie]

You might ask over on the 301garage forums.
I'll give him $50.00 for the distributor.

[bigunde]

Here is another pic. Its bad but doesnt this look more like a non computer model (looking at the carb)

[Ollie]

Need to look at the distributor. I thought all turbo 301 were computer controlled.

[Lightfoot]

That doesn't add up for numerous reasons.
If there was an '81 T/A sitting with only 13,000 on it,,,,, why the hell would someone yank the engine out instead of selling the car intact for 'Barrett Jackson' money?
Further more, ask him where is the T/A that it came out of? In the unlikely event that he has an answer, it would probably be a ratty heap that shows 113K. (wear & tear)

If he says the engine was pulled way back when, it probably has internal issues.
Not worth more than scrap value.

13,000 miles don't mean squat if the engine came out of a mystery car.
He's using $500 based on here say of what the complete car would be worth with low miles and all.

I don't know what the going rate for 301/T cores is but I wouldn't give more than $250 for it.

[455Grandville]

Originally Posted by Lightfoot

That doesn't add up for numerous reasons.
If there was an '81 T/A sitting with only 13,000 on it,,,,, why the hell would someone yank the engine out instead of selling the car intact for 'Barrett Jackson' money?
Further more, ask him where is the T/A that it came out of? In the unlikely event that he has an answer, it would probably be a ratty heap that shows 113K. (wear & tear)

If he says the engine was pulled way back when, it probably has internal issues.
Not worth more than scrap value.

13,000 miles don't mean squat if the engine came out of a mystery car.
He's using $500 based on here say of what the complete car would be worth with low miles and all.

I don't know what the going rate for 301/T cores is but I wouldn't give more than $250 for it.

Might have been yanked when the car was much younger for a 400-455. It doesnt look that grungy, but the turbo probably melted the paint off the valvecover.

[mike nixon]

That's a 79 or early 80 engine.

Turbo core's probably the most valuable thing on it. If it's sat that long it's stuck or so loose it wouldn't rust fast in the botton of a river.

Mike

[77 TRASHCAN]

13,000 miles, sounds about like the correct time for the crank to break in one of those!!!

Have you ever owned a 301??? What would you use it for??? It's priced too high, if you kept it, and wanted to sell it later

The "301" world is something, I know little about..I drove a new 1980 turbo T/A...a big joke. I know some drag racers are making some go really fast, but that's another world altogether, and they are grenades...

It would probably scrap @ 75.00 FWIW..

[bigunde]

Originally Posted by 77 TRASHCAN

13,000 miles, sounds about like the correct time for the crank to break in one of those!!!

Have you ever owned a 301??? What would you use it for??? It's priced too high, if you kept it, and wanted to sell it later

The "301" world is something, I know little about..I drove a new 1980 turbo T/A...a big joke. I know some drag racers are making some go really fast, but that's another world altogether, and they are grenades...

It would probably scrap @ 75.00 FWIW..

well i got him down to $200. Says "the guy he got it from said 13k miles"

, he says it did run and does spin over. Gonna check it out Wednesday.

[455Grandville]

Originally Posted by bigunde

well i got him down to $200. Says "the guy he got it from said 13k miles"

, he says it did run and does spin over. Gonna check it out Wednesday.

I'd hang onto it; seems original 301 Turbo stuff is only going to get more & more rare.
Find out if that cornbinder is a 345 or 392 ?

[GT182]

By the looks of that 301 Turbo, I wouldn't touch it. 4.9s were a good 'little' engine, but the Turbo for 1980 was a time bomb waiting to go off. I saw a good number of them that went boom sitting on dealer's floors where I delivered. To me Buick had the only good Turbo V8.

No Turbos were made for 79 Firebirds. 80 was the first year for the 4.9 Turbo. 81 was the first year for a computer controlled 4.9 Turbo.

Link for 81s and reference to the computer control. IMO not a true computer controlled engine like today's are.... http://www.2gta.com/1981ta.html

"All Trans Ams received GM's new "Computer Command Control", an early version of today's high tech computer controlled engine. GM oufitted the engines with sensors to measure engine temperature, engine speed, the throttle position, barometric pressure, and the oxygen content in the exhaust. The computer would then analyze the readings and adjust the air-to-fuel ratio to increase the effiency by not letting the engine run too rich, and also reducing emissions. A new, lighter weight Delco Freedom II battery rounded out the electrical package."