MX-3.com

So, I was givin an offer for my mx3... He wants to trade my car + 1,000 cash for his car. I guess he is and has been a lover of. Mx3s for a long time. Also, this is after I put the work into fixing the front end from the wreck.
His car -
'85 Trans Am
3 on tree with new tranny
350 engine
Not sure about anything else. Time was running short but I'm suppose to call him to talk about everything.



Now, I am a HUGE sucker for a TA ever since before I owned my old one. Although, I love my mx way to much and have way to many plans for it.

Let me know what you think guys. Oh, he's also trying to out right sell it for 3k. I haven't seen the car in person, only this pic of it and his info.

damn I would be torn to trying to decide I used to have a 76 it may have only been the Firebird but still the lady I bout it off of had a 88 GTA looked alot like the T/A in your pic but metalic red. I have allways loved the T/A. But sense I have owned my MX3 it earned its self a place too. I really couldnt help you on this subject, I can only say neither way would be wrong unless one was on its last leg.

Argh! The TA or the MX3; such a hard choice! I would definitely look into what hes done to the car before doing anything. Make sure he's not selling you a gimped/failed project car. Also whats the mileage?

I've never heard of a Trans/Firebird/Camero whatever with '3 on the tree' except the older autos. All those cars had floor mounted shifters did they not. The Trans will burn probably twice the gas so be prepared to reach deep into your pocket book and by the way. What's with that hood?????

I don't know what's under the hood. Hopefully he didn't just put it on there because it looked 'cool' or something and there is a purpose. I'm also unsure of the milage as of now.
I don't know if I even want to get ahold of him over it truthfully. I would love to have it, and I know that a year ago, when I first got my mx3, I would have in a heart beat, but now that I've had time to fiddle with it and take the time to learn the car, and now, I just don't think I can give her up.

Daninski wrote:I've never heard of a Trans/Firebird/Camero whatever with '3 on the tree' except the older autos. All those cars had floor mounted shifters did they not. The Trans will burn probably twice the gas so be prepared to reach deep into your pocket book and by the way. What's with that hood?????

I actually have heard of the tree on tree FB/TA and camaros they just aint very popular for the fact that most people rather have floor shifters hence y u may not of heard of them.

dont do it man ...

john1983 wrote:

Daninski wrote:I've never heard of a Trans/Firebird/Camero whatever with '3 on the tree' except the older autos. All those cars had floor mounted shifters did they not. The Trans will burn probably twice the gas so be prepared to reach deep into your pocket book and by the way. What's with that hood?????

I actually have heard of the tree on tree FB/TA and camaros they just aint very popular for the fact that most people rather have floor shifters hence y u may not of heard of them.

Ok didn't they stop producing 3 speed trans back in the early 70's and go with the 4 speed and there's no way a 4 speed was column mounted. OK WAIT! 3 on the tree always meant standard shifter on the column, is this an automatic? Even then I haven't ever seen a shifter on the column on any newer TA.

Personally, I wouldn't do it... If you do decide to go that route, research the car as much as you can first. Then flip it for a profit and buy 2 MX-3s

Daninski wrote:Ok didn't they stop producing 3 speed trans back in the early 70's and go with the 4 speed and there's no way a 4 speed was column mounted. OK WAIT! 3 on the tree always meant standard shifter on the column, is this an automatic? Even then I haven't ever seen a shifter on the column on any newer TA.

Maybe it's as 1-2-D on the shifter, so 3 shifting points, but it being a 4-speed? Man been a long time since I've pay attention to domestic automatic shifters from cars in the 90's, lol

I've never heard of "three on the tree" for third gens. Hell, I couldn't even find anything when I searched. Its probably an automatic with a floor shifter that says "1, 2, D" or "L, 2, D" and then overdrive making up the 4th gear. Unless he swapped in a column from a 2nd gen? He could've put in a manual valvebody and you'd have to manually shift, too...

If the car is stock and TPI (which I doubt since its an '85) you'd be lucky to get 20mpg highway. That's about what my cousin would get in his IROC-Z. Since its either carbed or TBI, kiss gas mileage goodbye.

well im thinkin that more then likely its an auto 3 being like said L S D wich is how they labled it in my FB but i also had a second with the floor shift but i at one point had to grab the column and rotate it to shif seems one of the pins in the shift linkage slipped out and the floor was inopperable but honestly a true three on tree was usualy in old trucks i didnt know to many cars that had it I my self would hate to have to go threw gears with a column shifter