Identity
- Confirm VIN/model year and visible configuration
- Check RPO/service-parts information where available
- Document engine, transmission, rear axle and brake changes
BUY / INSPECT
F-Body Buying & Inspection Guide
Check identity, condition, modifications and expensive systems before money changes hands.
Inspect the car that exists today. A clean VIN history does not tell you whether the current engine, transmission, rear axle, brakes, calibration or wiring still match factory configuration.
Cold start
- Ask to see the car genuinely cold
- Watch starting behavior, smoke, warning lamps and abnormal noise
- Preserve scan/DTC information rather than accepting recently-cleared lights as proof
Fluids / leaks
- Inspect fluid condition and active leakage
- Check cooling-system condition and evidence of overheating
- Look for mixed parts, improvised hoses or wiring around prior repairs
Chassis / body
- Inspect tire age/wear, steering, suspension and brakes
- Check underbody, jacking damage and structural repair evidence
- Check T-top/hatch/door sealing and water-entry evidence
Modified-car audit
- Identify tune/controller changes
- Verify headers/exhaust, fuel system, clutch/converter, gears and wheel/tire package
- Look for compatibility workarounds that may create the next repair
Road test
- Verify clutch/transmission or automatic shift behavior under appropriate load
- Check steering, braking, vibration and wheel/tire contact
- Recheck warning lamps, leaks and scan information afterward