Going to look at an 94 GT 5spd, what to look for

[mach18604]

My dad is a disbatcher at a towing Co. They took the title on a 94 GT. I had to sell my 04 Mach 1 when I bought my house last year. I NEED A TOY!!
This 94 has ALOT of miles (170,000) but a new built motor. My dads boss says it has Cams and such. He wanted 3 grand now that hid did some work such as tires, batt and breaks he wants 4. I think its a little high but I have not seen the car. Would anyone be able to tell me what to look for? Where are the main rust spots on these? What is the HP on them? Anything would help. I need to get back in the game..
THANKS

 

[95BlueStallion]

I personally would feel under the rear fenders (particularly the lips) for rust. Also the inside edges of the doors. Drive it and see if any of the gears grind, and just get a feel for how it runs. With that amount of miles, things may have rattled loose or broken, so listen for funny noises. If the brakes are new like the boss claims, make sure it brakes smooth and he didnt cheap out and just throw pads on it without surfacing the rotors. I mean, just give it a good going over and take your time. Depending on what parts were used on the rebuilt engine, I would doubt the car would have as much power as your old Mach... If it has a hot cam, and some nice aftermarket heads, then it may have decent power up to around 300 rwhp... You wont know until you get a run down of the parts or a dyno slip. Good luck with it. Drive it like you stole it to make sure it can hold together (unless he has a You break it you buy it policy).

 

[Chythar]

If this guy says it has camS (as in multiple) then it's either not a 94 or the engine has been swapped to a modular motor. On top of the great advice 95BlueStallion gave, besure to get a feel for the transmission. If it's a stick, make sure it shifts smoothly without grinding. Pay close attention to the sounds you hear - I think you'll hear a squeaking if the throwout bearing is failing.

If it's an auto, get a feel for how smooth and consistent the shifts are. they won't be completely smooth, but they shouldn't be too different from each other. Push the button next to the shifter, drive without overdrive on for a while. Push it again and feel how well the car shifts back into overdrive. The engine has enough torque to slip out of overdrive if you floor it, so be careful. However, the car should STAY in overdrive if you're not too aggressive.

 

[mach18604]

Thanks for the help guys! Sorry i ment cam. I will go take a look after work if its not raining. I just wasnt sure if there were any key things to look for....
I think I am going to low ball him due to the miles. I would like to pay around two for the car..

 

[Car Nut]

Could be a great find!

Check the fluids and see if they're even close to the color they should be: power steering (red), oil (clearish, but not black), brake fluid (golden brown), coolant (green), etc. That might be an indicator as to how well it has been maintained.

Have someone stand back at the tailpipes when you start it to check for smoke (or have someone else start the car and you take a peek). I like to consider things like the cleanliness underhood, condition of the spark plug wires/air filter/coolant, and the noises (or lack thereof) from the engine.

If you know someone with a 94/95 GT that is in good or great shape, a quick drive in that can put you in the right mindset as far as expectations.

All the advice above from others is great.