I suggest this... (78 may have crack-prone head) (archive)

1980-81 are surely reputed to be the best years. The crack-prone head was replace with a head with thicker walls and the major culprit (thermal reactor exhaust manifold) was gone. I think this happened in the 1979 model year for sure....

What about the trans... Auto or 4 speed. Again, there were a lot of auto trans in that year, and it's about a 120k trans. There were more manual cars in the 80-81 era and they were five speed trans, with OD as the fifth gear for better economy.

If you are fixated on this car, due to cosmetics, which is certainly a reasonable consideration, at least make sure about the thermal reactors and the early head. You can certainly replace them, but at 2950, your at a top dollar and will spend a lot more changing the head and exhaust unless you are an adept Do-It-Yourselfer. Being a Do-It-Yourselfer is about the only thing that makes these cars bearable for most of us, because the shops charge a fortune (Min $70 per hour) and the R&R on the head is 12 hours alone. I don't care what any "master" mechanic tells you about cutting that time in half. If a qualified shop does it, they go by the flat rate book... 12 X $70 = $640 off and on. Add for parts. Head and gasket.

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