1987 Chevy Sprint Turbo

[AnthrAxNSB]

I am selling a 1987 Chevy Sprint Turbo.

History:

The car has the 3 cylinder g10 motor (turbo) and a 5-speed transmission.
It has always been a Florida car (I have the original paperwork from when it was purchased new). I purchased it just over one year ago and have driven it sparingly since the purchase (just over 2,000 miles). The man from whom I purchased the car had been the owner for the previous six years. I've spent the last year restoring the car.

When I purchased the car, it did not run and the interior was trashed. While it did have a freshly rebuilt head, the valve timing was out and valves needed adjustment.
I replaced the woodruff key and the crank sprocket, reset the valve timing, and adjusted the valves. I also gave the car a complete tune up (save for plug wires). The car now runs perfectly and has great compression (although I don't recall the numbers after I adjusted the valves).
I next tackled the interior. I washed the carpet. I replaced the dashboard, a- and b-pillars, kick panels, and other miscellaneous interior items. I dyed the remaining interior items (the original grey). I also replaced the torn front seats with seats from a '92-'95 Honda Civic SI. I replaced the rear seats with grey vinyl seats from another Sprint.
I finally installed a Pioneer head unit (CD player), 4" aftermarket (I want to say Pyle) speakers in the dash, 4" Jensen speakers in the rear/side, and 6"x9" JVC speakers in the rear/hatch. There is also currently a 10" Bazooka bass tube with 300 watt 2 channel Jensen amp insalled, but I would prefer to retain the amp/bass tube.

Specs:

Car
-76,317 miles (original miles - verified)
-3 cylinder g10 engine
-5-speed manual transmission
-stock hp: 70
-curb weight of 1570 lbs
-fuel economy (over the last six months): 41 mpg
-no AC

Engine and Mods
-76,317 miles on the block
-just over 2,000 miles on rebuilt cylinder head
-great compression
-2.5" turbo back exhaust with inline Magnaflow muffler
-aftermarket intake
-MBC*
-Autometer 0-35psi boost gauge
-tint all around

Transmission
-shifts well into all gears; no grinds

Interior
-'92-'95 Civic SI front seats, grey vinyl n/t Sprint rear seats
-Pioneer CD player, 2 pairs of aftermarket 4" speakers, 1 pair of aftermarket 6x9 speakers, 10" Bazooka bass tube and 300 watt Jensen amp

Wheels/Suspension
-13" refinished steel wheels from a Mirage (I can include a set of 14" Nissan alloy wheels with Falken tires if the buyer would prefer the larger alloy wheels)
-suspension is stock

The car runs and drives perfectly. I just cannot afford to insure three vehicles and I really need to stop collecting cars.
This car has performance potential (not like a DSM, but...) - in stock form, it is as fast as my 2.0 n/t Eclipse. It also has incredible fuel economy. My gas log shows that I've never dropped below 39mpg, and I've hit 44mpg on a tank.
Mechanical parts for the car are not terribly difficult to find. Many are available at auto parts stores, many are interchangeable with Metro/Swift parts (or the Metro/Swift parts can be used), and others are Sprint specific. However, there is a community of Sprint owners across North America. I can connect the buyer with the community and the aftermarket (and there is an aftermarket, including engine and transmission internals) upon purchase.

I'm asking $2500 obo

Pics:

(Some of these are older pics during the restoration process. For example, the pic of the dash doesn't show the new shift knob, Pinoeer head unit, floor mats, etc. The pic of the front seats was clearly taken during the restoration process. The pic of the engine doesn't show the intercooler shroud. Anyway...)

[AnthrAxNSB]

I forgot to mention that it also has two new front rotors.

[smalldisplacementfreak]

Sweet!

Too bad I'm on the other end of the states!

[smalldisplacementfreak]

PS, I miss my 2nd Gen GSX Gosh looking at your cars, it really brings back good ole memories of my days of turbo boost!

[AnthrAxNSB]

The local market is almost nonexistent for these cars. I think I'm one of only two turbo Sprint owners in the state, and I know of only one other Sprint/Swift owners in the county (Swift). There's a much larger market in the west and northwest.

[GasSavers_Erik]

Interesting. What part of Florida? North, Central or South?

Is the trans gearing the same as the regular metro?

Are the engine and trans interchangeable with the metro?

Cold the wastegate be adjusted to produce less boost and thus get the same FE as a non-turbo metro?

Does it lug at low rpms and high throttle input?

[AnthrAxNSB]

I'm located in Pinellas Park, FL (west central).
I do not think the gear ratio is the same as a metro transmission.
You could swap a Metro engine in this car. I'm not sure where the mounts are located, but I suppose you mount a Metro transmission on that engine in the Sprint.
You can keep the wastegate open to eliminate boost.
It runs perfectly throughout the driving range (well, I've never gone over 5k, and that was just to see what the car would feel like) and at all throttle positions.

However, I think it would be a peculiar choice to purchase this vehicle and then swap motors for an NA g10, or to keep the wastegate open to eliminate boost (if not just temporarily). If you want an NA car, this isn't it. There are many NA g10 options. It would be odd to purchase this car and modify it to eliminate forced induction. It would be ashame, I think.

[bwaynep]

GasSavers Newbie here...

I was wondering if the car still had a Cat on it? I'm near San Jose CA and I think a summer roadtrip might be in order if I thought I could smog it here. Speaking of, do you have the stock intake?

[AnthrAxNSB]

The intake is stock. I should clarify. All I've done on the intake side is flip the MAS, create a cone filter adapter, modify a cone filter, and install a cone filter.

There is no cat installed. I have the original cat, though. (I think I have the original down pipe through the cat, and then it's cut.)

[AnthrAxNSB]

I have a "buy it now price" of $2,300.

I have received just over ten offers on this car, but I'm struggling with a balance between expecting what I believe I could receive for the car and avoiding price gouging. I think, obviously, the longer I hold onto the car, the more valuable it will become. But, my interest isn't in the greatest profit, but rather breaking up my car collection and offsetting the expected cost of my girlfriend's new car. However, I've been receiving offers inline with the former going rate for this vehicle in this condition. But, while the availability of this particular vehicle hasn't changed much, the demand for this type of vehicle has grown considerably over the last week alone. The going rate for this vehicle in this condition just a week ago no longer applies. The market is ridiculous right now. Yet, I want to keep the car affordable for most people, and in particular, for people who have an interest in this particular car (not just any car with good fuel economy). That's why I'm not lowering the price, and that's also why I haven't raised the price.

Again, the "buy it now" price for this car is $2,300.