water damaged cars/engines

[dookie]

i have come across a 2005 gto in my area , the car was involved in the hurricane and flooding last year , the car is beat to hell , but the seats are usable and i think would look good in my car , the engine is of course the 6 liter and it has a 6spd gearbox , of course the car was also flooded it looks like it sat in a mud hole that was deeper in the rear and about the height of the brakes in the front , my question is should i go for it and chance buying the car for the driveline in chance of salvaging all the engine and tranny components , are the brakes and or rearend worth anything in these cars ...
Price on the car is 1000 dollars , i just dont want to lose terribly on it and end up stripping it just to barely recoup my funds by parting off little pieces on ebay... thanks for any help!!!! Terry

[Mike Hall]

I would buy it for $1000. There would be tons of parts that would work nice. The seats go for like $800 on ebay alone. I would think the engine and trany would be ok or at least rebuildable even if they got water in them. The electronics may not be good but still you could make out good on that car parting it out.

Mike

[DB Z28]

Be carefull saltwater bad or freshwater but still 1000 is cheap

[ProdigyCustoms]

Well, back when I build rebuildables, I did a fair amount of "swimmers". In fact, in 1993 I bought a 91 Dakota V8 4 X 4, loaded cool truck, with light water damage. By light water damage, I mean water in the dome light!

It was sunk in a swamp, lilly pads on the air cleaner. We got it home, pulled the plugs, oil drain, filled it with oil, pumped the water out of the cylinders (this is sensational on a Dodge motor with the plugs pointing out at 45 degrees, it sprayed water for 50 feet, LOL!)

After 4 oil changes, 3 cases of transfluid through the trans, running it with engine the trans cooler feed line in a bucket while adding new fluid. Once the strawberry Nestle Quick in the trans went red, and the oil went from chocolet milk shake to clean oil, I drove it home. And another 100K miles. Never did a thing to it repair wise except replace some electronics. Still have it today, the kids stadium style race it around the yard.

NOW, with all that said, that was fresh water, in a 1991 model, not many electronics. The new GTO, in saltwater, and it was saltwater, could have serious damage. But with that said, I would buy it in a heartbeat if you do not, even if I have to go through every driveline component. it is still a deal. DO NOT buy this car with intensions of using any of the parts without total tear downs and service or replacement.

The seats, they are done. Water soaked seats will smell for life, and the leather, even if it cleans, will die a fast death.

If you pass, I would like to know

[carkrazy1987]

if ur gonna buy it for parts go ahead, u can make ur money back by cleaning up pars and selling them, but trying to rebuild the car will be too much trouble. the electronics and harnesses will be fried, and the engine is cooked, the salt water will have eaten it up. im currently working on a corvette at work that a man bought as a flood car in hopes to rebuild it for cheap and sell it, but he is up to $15000 in parts and the car is no where near done. The engine might not be any good, but since u said the front was higher up it might of not gotten inside, but it would all depend if it was salt water or fresh water, then if the water got inside it will eat the block away. you may be able to salvage the trany, by cleaning it really good, the diff to can be cleaned up most likely if u want it. But for a 1000bux, if the body is good and not damaged you could sell all the parts and make your money back.

[dookie]

thank you all very much for the quick response , i am in the area and have seen a bunch of the damaged cars , i have rebuilt quite a few totals and have messed with a few water cars , i have just not messed with any with as many electronics as this one , i pulled alot of the pigtails under the hood and things such as that , and for the most part they were not corroded , dont get me wrong im quite sure there was water over the engine at one time but it is not showing to be filled with water , as a lot of you know not all cars were completely saltwater damaged but a certain amount of salt water for sure in all of them , i have no intention of making the car run , i simply want to strip it of the complete driveline and start trying to tear all of that apart and rebuilding , the entire car is literally beat to hell and back on the outside , every panel , i would never think of rebuilding the whole thing , i will try to close the deal on it tommorrow , just because it sounds almost to good to pass up , if i decide to ditch the effort or catch to much hell from my other half , it will be up for the taking to anyone one here for the price i paid , but im prettysure most of the components will be worth the effort ... thanks again , and any other suggestions are welcomed !!!! , Terry