Rare classic car - 5 speed manual transmission with extended powertrain warranty

1992 Chevrolet Lumina Z-34 Description

Are you a car enthusiast that can appreciate this car for the rare vehicle it is?I have priced this to sell because I am getting married and my fiancee wants it gone...plus I no longer have the ability to store it or work on it anymore. I am sure you are aware the parts alone are worth more than the buy it now price. As you can see from the AutoCheck vehicle history report it is a clean car.Here is some history for you: In 1995 I had an nice red automatic Z-34 with very low miles. A few months later I had the privilege of driving someone else's Z with a 5-speed...the difference was amazing. That is when I started searching for my own 5-speed. I found one in town...a red one with red bowtie on the windshield, but the owner wanted too much money for it. A few months later I got a call from a local dealer who told me they had just gotten a 5-speed in. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it was the same car with the same bowtie. She had traded it in and they sold it to me for less than she had been asking. Long story short, I ended up getting rid of the low mileage automatic for the 5 speed I am now selling here.
One of the first things I did was to put in a brand new clutch disc. Then, I put in Slick 50...the good stuff they don't sell anymore. This was followed by a K&N permanent air filter, Hypertech chip, and custom exhaust with free flow cat and dual Flowmasters with twin Ansa tips on each side. I also upgraded the suspension with 1994 parts...including larger anti-roll bars, etc. The interior was also upgraded to the 1994 seats with larger side bolsters. The factory wheels were put into my storage room. I replaced them with some from the Olds Cutlass and had worked with someone to create custom center caps. In the front I added the Lumina logo reminiscent of Earnhardt's race car and fog lights. Later I had the lower spoilers custom painted to make it more unique. Then I replaced the Flowmasters with even better sounding ones, a throaty resonator, and custom Chevy bowtie tips.
The car, which is still in North Carolina, is now officially 25 years old and qualifies as a "classic" automobile according the Antique Automobile Club of America definition.Having owned both the automatic and manual transmission versions of this car I can attest that the 5-speed wins for the fun factor.Based on my research, only 1914 of these were made with the 5-speed manual transmission during a three-year production period. Very few of them are left on the road at this point and mine has one of the cleanest interiors around. As you can see from the pics I had someone take a couple days ago, there are no rips or tears in the seats or the headliner.I have not had any rust problems and the radio works.The trunk is in good shape too.
My automatic Z-34 was okay, but felt like driving any other car. However, there is no comparison with the 5 speed. One beautiful thing I absolutely love about it is the broad torque curve, which goes through the entire range. It was designed to compete with the Taurus SHO and Dodge Spirit, modeled after Earnhardt's race car. Manual transmissions became rare and instead of getting a newer car with all the bells and whistles I have always preferred to drive this one. The 5 speed cars are so rare that many people don't even realize they made them. My experience is that some cars require starting in first and working up to second...and so forth. That is not the case with this one. It prefers higher RPMs.What this means is that when starting in first, the RPMs go up quickly from the torque, you have to shift to second. Therefore, you can actually usually start the car off in second a lot of the time. I know very few cars with the ability to do that. They also stopped making engines like this in cars like this.
My 5 speed was my daily driver for years and it is still driveable.Right now it is being stored at a friend's house. The AC has beenupdated to use R-134A and it works.As my mechanic can attest,I have put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into this car...plus invested thousands in her both financially plus many hours or manual labor.I have always tried to use genuine GM and Delco parts for almost everything that has been done to this car, especially in recent years. The car is currently in North Carolina (along with set of original wheels with great tires on them...which I am including in this auction).The only challenge I have ever had with the engine was intake manifold gaskets and I had those replaced, along with plug wires and plugs. It has actually been a very reliable car over the years. I think having the original Slick 50 in it has definitely helped with that. I use synthetic blend oil also.
Most recently, I replaced the entire hydraulic clutch system (pressure plate, disc, throw out bearing, clutch master cylinder, clutch slave slave cylinder), which cost me thousands in parts and labor. This was about 20 years since I put in the first clutch plate.A few years ago I also paid a couple thousand for an extended Powertrain Warranty (covering engine, transmission, powertrain) that is valid through December 19, 2017. For a long time the car has had a challenge shifting 1st to 2nd when cold. This gets better after warmup. I honestly do not know what it is. However, recently on a plane I sat next to someone who produces one of the TV shows for Velocity TV. He said it sounds like I need to change the transmission fluid and told me that switching to Red Line synthetic fluid would probably take care of this. However, Ihave not tried thisyet(pic attached to the auction).
There is no doubt about it...this is one fun car to drive. As I am writing this I find myself reminiscing about the good old days. You will get a chance to see what I mean for yourself if you win the auction.Bet it would feel great to be behind the wheel again...stickshift in hand with the Kenwood radio on and listening to the custom exhaust and cruising down the road...great memories...I have had this car for a long time and if I had a place to store it and support from her would continue to keep it. I would have no problem hopping in it and driving it hundreds of miles across country if I actually had a place for it. I am sure you will feel the same way I do about it once it is in your driveway. As you can see, the headliner is also in great shape.My biggest challenge has been the paint de-lamination due to age. The car does need a paint job, which also contributes to why I am asking such a low price.
I got a job in another state which required me to relocate, so I put my stuff in a storage facility and also took the car elsewhere to store it. Now I live in a quiet housing development with no room in the garage, and my fiancee, who has no interest in cars, wants it gone...which is why I priced it for quick sale.I realize the car is worth a lot more than I am asking...especially considering how much I have invested in it. The truth is that I really miss driving the car, and there are people who are really surprised I am selling it. However, at this point in my life my priorities have changed, I don't live in a place where I can work on it anymore, and the time has come to sell it to someone who will appreciate it for the rare car it is.
Here is a list of what upgrades/repairs/enhancements that have been done thus far.
1) 1994 suspension parts with larger roll bar and springs2) Front and rear disc brakes3) Parking brake cable4) Hub sensors5) Rear calipers6) New Tires (both sets of wheels) - Can see in pics7) Intake Manifold Gaskets8 ) Clutch Master cylinder (recently replaced)9) Clutch Slave cylinder (recently replaced)10) Clutch disc (recently replaced)11) Clutch pressure plate (recently replaced)12) Clutch throw out bearing (recently replaced)13) Shift cable bushings14) Brake switch15) Driver and Passenger Metal wrap-around window moldings (replaced due to cracking)16) Side Mirrors (replaced due to paint fade)17) Dual Flowmaster 3 chamber mufflers (can be seen in pics)18 ) Free flow catalytic converter19) Custom dual exhaust work with resonator to get rid of "tinny" sound and bowtie tips20) Platinum plugs21) Plug wires22) Hypertech chip23) K&N permanent filter24) Rear stripe (was replaced after pictures were taken)25) Kenwood deck with removable faceplate26) Kenwood multi-disc changer in trunk27) Fold-down rear seat (factory did not fold down)28 ) Oldsmobile wheels with custom caps29) R-134A air conditioning conversion kit30) Original Slick 50 with PTFE in engine for over 20 years...has helped the engine last years with no problems31) AC Compressor32) Alternator33) Battery34) 1994 seats with stronger side bolsters
Here is a list of what remains to be done at this point:
35) Good paint job (due to de-lamination from age) as seen in pics36) Interior carpet replaced (in good shape but new one would be better)37) Challenge shifting transmission 1st to 2nd when cold...gets better after warm up (it was suggested to me that changing to red line tranny oil may fix this)...Workaround is to skip 2nd and go to 3rd because the engine has plenty of torque.38) B pillar pieces with handles need to be replaced due to de-lamination and age as seen in pics39) Remove old tint due to age
This has been a great car for me over the years. I have never regretted getting rid of my automatic Z-34 with less miles for this one. The shifter fits snugly in my hand. I will definitely miss it and would love to see the car go to someone else who is going to value and appreciate it for the piece of machinery it is, and take care of these remaining items to get the car in tip top shape again...possibly even enter it in car shows. If you want to learn more about the car I definitely recommend looking at some of the good youtube videos. Just do a search for 5-speed Z-34 (or Z34).
The holidays are here...give yourself or someone who loves rare classic cars a great gift.

On Dec-16-17 at 07:36:11 PST, seller added the following information:

Just to clarify, this auction includes both the car with wheels and tires on it, plus the four factory wheels with very newer tires on them (estimated 80% tread).
People keep emailing me and asking me the lowest price I will take. The lowest price is now posted to alleviate any further confusion. The "buy it now price" was reduced from $3500 and the reserve price was $2300 for the original ad. The reality is that with the condition this car is in the parts alone are definitely worth more than I am asking for the entire thing. It is priced extremely low now for quick sale.