1992 pontiac sunbird

[Buickfosure]

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.

[daves87rs]

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.....

[Flybrian]

I'd actually like a Buick Skyhawk with hidden headlamps. Such a cute lil' thing.

[daves87rs]

I'd actually like a Buick Skyhawk with hidden headlamps. Such a cute lil' thing.

185087[/snapback]

Hard to find though.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

Buick Skyhawk:

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.

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... (Yeah...might happen someday as a project car.)

Edited August 27, 2006 by YellowJacket894

[daves87rs]

Buick Skyhawk:

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.

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...  (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...

[Buickfosure]

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.

[american_revolution_2005]

There are many Sunbirds around my area. They are usually beaters but if you take a look at the mileage, they last quite a while. Our neighbour's daughters car is a 93 and it has 365,000 kilometres on it. It does have a lot of rust unfortunately.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

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.

[american_revolution_2005]

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.

[Buickfosure]

I have very little surface rust and it is all just along the bottom of the door but I will try to stop it before it spreads.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

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 August 27, 2006 by YellowJacket894

[Cory Wolfe]

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.

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.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

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 August 27, 2006 by YellowJacket894

[Cory Wolfe]

Anyways, if I were to ever get a Sunbird, it'd be the turbocharged one, the last year for which was 1990.

[Flybrian]

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

[daves87rs]

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]

Salt.Ugh. I see a lot of that here....

My 1st J rusted after a few years...no matter how much I washed it...

[daves87rs]

Anyways, if I were to ever get a Sunbird, it'd be the turbocharged one, the last year for which was 1990.

185344[/snapback]

I like those birds'- but I'd much rather have one w/ the 3.1.

A few mods=much faster.

I also have a fondness for the 85-87 Cavs and Birds...

[ocnblu]

It's a shame the G5 wasn't made more Pontiac-like. The J-bodies were much more unique. I realize the G5 was a last-minute decision, but still...

[daves87rs]

Any pics?

[Cory Wolfe]

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.

[Sixty8panther]

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.

[Buickfosure]

Heres the pictures of it, my battery went dead... shouldn't of had the flash on in daylight

[daves87rs]

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.

185461[/snapback]

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

Actually-they'll be pretty close...

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

[daves87rs]

Heres the pictures of it, my battery went dead... shouldn't of had the flash on in daylight

185510[/snapback]

Looks good...I like em' in white....

Save those doors...the coupes start to rust like crazy...

How many miles on it?

[Buickfosure]

It has 125,000 miles but only 12,000 on the engine itself. And yeah I do plan on stoping that rust as soon as possible when I have time.

[daves87rs]

It has 125,000 miles but only 12,000 on the engine itself.  And yeah I do plan on stoping that rust as soon as possible when I have time.

185537[/snapback]

Brand new engine-or rebuild?

New ones rock, just gotta watch the rebuilds....

I watched a 91 cav blow because of careless people....

[Cory Wolfe]

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

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 August 28, 2006 by blackviper8891

[Buickfosure]

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.

[daves87rs]

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...

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:

[Cory Wolfe]

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

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

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: 

185737[/snapback]

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

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

[daves87rs]

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....

[Sixty8panther]

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. (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.

[daves87rs]

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

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

185745[/snapback]

Well, it could be lighter from the rust...