89 SC Questions-Probably Stupid Questions

1993XR7

Registered User
Hi all. I looked at a black 89 SC this evening and I've got some questions as I've never purchased a SC before. This car has 118k on it and is in very good condition from the looks of things. The owner told me the supercharger has been rebuilt, the head gaskets done and the tranny was swapped out for a 94 5 speed. The front suspension also looks to have new bushings installed and it's got an aftermarket exhaust system that gives the car a very throaty rumble. It has a dark red cloth interior that is in excellent condition. There are no rips in the seats and the carpet looks new. I drove the car a short ways and the first thing I noticed was how touchy the clutch was. I really had to rev the engine to keep the car from stalling when I let the clutch out. Now, I drive 18 speed trucks, so I know how to drive a standard. The owner told me it has a "bigger" clutch in the car and that's why it's so touchy. trying to back the car back in the driveay was a totally new and embarrassing experience for me. Every time I let the clutch out backing it up it stalled out. Is this normal for these cars?
Also, the front and rear fascias need replacing. it looks like the car ran over something in the front as the driving light on the passenger side is bent upwards and the fascia is torn along the bottom. The rear fascia also has been repainted and the paint is checked and chipping off pretty badly. I'm looking at a complete repaint in the spring if I was to purchase this car.
Under the hood the car looks new. it looks like the supercharger has been apart and the guy told me the previous owner rebuilt it. The engine is quiet and the supercharger does not make any noise, so I tend to believe him. The engine oil is extemely clean too.
Is there anything special I should look for on this car to be wrong? I jacked the car up and the underneath looks new with no visible signs of damage or repair.
he's not sure on a price right now, so I thought I'd ask what y'all thought it might be worth. It'll need new front and rear fascias and a complete repaint. It does have new brakes all the way around.
So what about it guys. Any feedback? Am I missing something here with this car? What do y'all think it's reasonably worth? Any and all input at this point is greatly needed and appreciated. I apologize if these questions seem ridiculous, but I'm new to these awesome cars and I want to make sure my purchase is worth my money.

Thanks in Advance!
 
Well, I bought a 90 back in February, and it was near perfect. The ground effects had a few scratches, but other than that, it was fine ... until June, when I burnt out the tranny. Mine came with 102k miles, so it's around where yours is. From what other people paid for their cars, I think I got a real deal: $1231 out the door. There is another thread related to this: http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1657 - that might help a little as well.
 
I forgot to mention the supercharger is putting out 12-14lbs of boost. From what I understand, this is reasonable for this car in stock form. Am I correct?

:confused:
 
i believe thats actually a little more than stock. i am runnin around 14lbs with my mods, it ran 9-10lbs completely stock
 
I'm not sure what the elevation is here. We don't live in the Grand Titons or anything like that so I wouldn't think elevation would be much of a contributing factor here, but I could very well be mistaken.

:confused:
 
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