What to do with a rare but over-engined 84 TA Recaro edition?

Considering a trade for my dirt buggy that is being hard to sell.
84 "Recaro edition" Firebird Trans Am, with 500+ HP 383" SBC and five speed.
Particularly rare as it doe not have the leaky T tops.
Has the WS6 suspension, Recaro seats, etc.
Only real issue is that the iron head engine wants 105 octane race gas.
No surprise, the owner cannot register it in CA, but not a problem in my part of NV.
But it is not a car I would want to own long term either.
Is there any market for such a beast?
Not sure how far back most states go for demanding a stock engine.
I know Reno and LV go back to '68, CA goes to '74.

Shoot for 9s in the 1/4.

RichardSIA said:

Not sure how far back most states go for demanding a stock engine.
 

Michigan doesn't care. In fact, Michigan will hold your beer and watch that.

This sounds like the dream chassis for an LS engine. Easy as pie if you can just leave the LS alone as GM programed it.

Floriduh of course. 

Car is claimed to run 11.0 in the quarter, which is a big yawn to me and probably a bit too abusive of the T5.
Poly bush "Upgrade" to the suspension too so handling should be decent.
Seller is making wild claims of high value, but looking around I have found runners for as little as $3,500 in stock form.

Sounds easier to flip than a dirt buggy. I'd jump on it with both feet. Especially if no-rust California car. 

Wasn't the WS6 suspension a forth gen only thing?  

The 105 requirement would make the car basically unusable unless you shell out for a barrel of race gas.  If you want to flip it, no big deal, but if you want to use it it might be nice to look at compression ratio reduction paths - hopefully just replacing the head gaskets with a special thick, possibly solid copper gasket so you avoid either new pistons or combustion chamber enlargement.

In reply to Stampie :

This forum thread (so grains of salt required) says that the WS6 option existed on the 3rd gen Pontiacs;

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/history-originality/433941-what-does-ws6-package.html

I agree with the above comment that a stock T5 is not going to last long behind a hotted up small-block V8, never mind a theoretical 500 Hp 383.  Maybe with a pile of work & parts a T5 could be sourced to deal with that but I'm betting that didn't happen.

In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :

Ws6 was the rpo for the handling package even before 3rd gens

make the trade and if you think a clean 3rd gen trans am is a $3500 car, I've got $3500 for you waiting 

My hope is $8K but with the limited racer market that is probably dreaming.
Was asking $5K for the buggy and that was a cheap price.
Harder to sell cars out of the area as no one wants to deal with transport.

Here is a stock one for only $2K, https://www.smartmotorguide.com/L50168469
I think the seller overestimates value, even for a rust free CA car.

So, if I get this can I advertise it as a "Hot hatch-back"? 

I swear every 383 is 500hp lol

In reply to yupididit :

Was about to say that I'd want to see some proof of the build before paying for a 383 500hp engine.  I swear every SBC in a performance car is a "built 383".

I think he has a dyno sheet or two for it, might have the eleven sec time slip.
Just realized it has the utterly stupid 85 MPH speedo, yech!
Anyone have a simple fix for that?

Simplest compression fix seems to be 70cc heads for 10-1.
Still a chore with all the accessories to R&R on late model cars.

If you have any interest in driving it I'd swap otherwise I'd pass.

The motor would be easy enough to detune to make it more pump gas friendly.

Ah well, moot now.
His girlfriend got involved, he now has to sell the TA and buy a Samurai. 

Surprised the seller/trader hasn't claimed it's a "Vette motah" as well. 

WS6 as an option started in '78. My '79 has it. Big sway bars, tighter steering box, chassis bracing, and 4 wheel discs. The Recaro T/As are really cool cars, and came fully loaded with all the good stuff. One of the better 3rd Gens for sure. That said, might be a good candidate for a LS/T56 swap, especially if it has a mystery engine in there that takes race fuel.

Also, if it really makes that much power, 500hp and an early T5 are a recipe for a spectacular failure. Things will definitely go boom. 

EDIT: just saw the above post. Bummer. 

For anyone wondering, my old Class 1? Buggy.

RichardSIA said:

I think he has a dyno sheet or two for it, might have the eleven sec time slip.
Just realized it has the utterly stupid 85 MPH speedo, yech!
Anyone have a simple fix for that?

Simplest compression fix seems to be 70cc heads for 10-1.
Still a chore with all the accessories to R&R on late model cars.

Just say it had gone through.  How do you know that dyno sheet was for that car.  Want me to download a few dyno sheets for you?  Time slip the same.  Name a time and I'll give you a time slip.  383?  Can you tell by looking at the outside of the engine?

Stampie said:

Just say it had gone through.  How do you know that dyno sheet was for that car.  Want me to download a few dyno sheets for you?  Time slip the same.  Name a time and I'll give you a time slip.  383?  Can you tell by looking at the outside of the engine?

Lighten up, Francis.

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

I'm just saying I wouldn't trust the seller.  Especially if they claim that engine with a T5 behind it.  I'd want to verify their claims.

I also think the T5 in what sounds like a drag car project is not making a lot of sense here.  I really like the suggestion of "only buy it if you want to drive it" because this sounds like a bad way to pick up a different project.

Does BAT or Cars & Bids sell cars like the buggy?  I would think selling that car for cash would be a more straight forward to win as much as possible in this situation vs. trading for a different car.