New guy w/ Trans Am here

[Takid455]

Hello all
Saw your page here and figured this is more suited for my style. Got tired of being 'correct' or numbers matching. I want be different and enjoy my car as well as keep up with or beat a Z06...a 911 would be a far reach. any how, it appears that Chevy seems to be the majority here primeraly from 1970 and earlier. anybody here have a 2nd gen f body here that is not a chevy? Not to harp on anybody, just to find some similar vehicle for ideas and suggestions like can I fit a t56 tranny in a 78 t/a. heard a viper tailshaft w/ a gm unit would work, can anybody confirm this? anybody know of a IRS for sencond gens that does not require major modification?

Some pics of the, need to update the pics.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v235/Takid455/1978%20TA%20%20gold/

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

nice TA

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2006/07/old-1.jpg

[formula]

:cheers: welcome aboard! Can't help on the t56 or the IRS as I've gone TKO and four-link, but it sure is nice to have all the second gens we can get around here. There are actually a fair number of us sneakin around here!

[Takid455]

thank you for the complements. one day it shall look like that again, hopefully better. slightly different gold and black on the bottom as opposed to brown. maybe a pearl effect if i can get it to look good all complemented by a nice set of 18's by axis (penta), kenisis (k28) or kre (540). we'll see. always open to comments and suggestions so fell free to speak your mind.

[F70t/a]

Badass bird man, welcome:machine:

[JoshStratton]

Hello all
Got tired of being 'correct' or numbers matching.

Welcome aboard and ditto! I parted out what I didnt want off of my numbers matching 79 400 4 speed TA. Its always nice to have more here!

[restomodbird69]

welcome

[71Formula]

Welcome aboard, I assure you there are more than a few second gen F-bodies on the board. I have a 71 Firebird Formula, but I can't help you with the t56, I am going manumatic with a 4L80E instead. Never really been a fan of IRS, and I don't beleive anyone has a bolt on IRS for seconds gens... yet.

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Welcome to the site.

[Zee]

Welcome aboard!!! Not only quite a few second gens but several 2cd gen birds as well.

[BonzoHansen]

Lots of firechickens around here. :)

welcome!

[formula]

by the way, you might want to research some of the higher-end solid rear setups before you set your sights on IRS. Lateral dynamics has a kickass 3-link setup that most aftermarket IRS setups would be hard pressed to outhandle.

[Steve Firebird]

Welcome lots of Pontiacs on this site.

[71FirebirdLS1]

nice bird! got the frame-off resto and everything. did you put a 400 in it?

[Takid455]

thank you for the complements and greetings.

A 400 is not in it. The car came with a 474 TBI motor. that motor will be in it for now until i put a smaller displacement twin turbo motor in it.( years to come)

[BEEBE]

Nice to hear you want to keep true to the pontiac roots, not that there is anything wrong with other makes of engines, im just partial.

Looks like you have a nice project on your hands !! Looks good.




https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19799
Here is a link of a few pictures of my 72 bird and some recent mods.

[EFI69Cam]

Hello all
Saw your page here and figured this is more suited for my style. Got tired of being 'correct' or numbers matching. I want be different and enjoy my car as well as keep up with or beat a Z06...a 911 would be a far reach. any how, it appears that Chevy seems to be the majority here primeraly from 1970 and earlier. anybody here have a 2nd gen f body here that is not a chevy? Not to harp on anybody, just to find some similar vehicle for ideas and suggestions like can I fit a t56 tranny in a 78 t/a. heard a viper tailshaft w/ a gm unit would work, can anybody confirm this? anybody know of a IRS for sencond gens that does not require major modification?

Some pics of the, need to update the pics.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v235/Takid455/1978%20TA%20%20gold/

ATS, a sponsor, has indicated that they can build t56s with different parts. The viper tail housing would bring the shifter forward, but so would the aftermarket version. Either way, swapping the housing would entail swapping the shift rail as well.
Give Tyler a call, I'm sure he can hook you up.

[torval]

Welcome aboard! Not a bird, but a 2nd gen anyway. My dad has a 78 bird, sittin in the trees up in ND I'm tryin to get him to part with....he aint budgin (yet)!

[Bill Howell]

Welcome,
Matching numbers cars have their place, but the ones on this site are much more fun...lol
Looks like you are well on your way, keep it up.:cool:

[Takid455]

seems like the fellows here, like myself, seem to want to enjoy their cars and have fun. i'm sure i will be communicating with some of you soon and often.

I have spoken with trevor at ATS a few months back about his aluminum hub/ spindle setup he has that i will get soon since he has made the steering arm for second gens. We did discuss the T56 meger and came up with some good ideas/ solutions. I may have G-force in PA do it if I decide to build it to handle an abundance of power. if I do a regular merger, i may have my local trans guy do , has he is very familar with them. we'll see as time goes on.

to all i the mean time, enjoy and have fun.

[Bandit]

Welcome!!
I drive an '80 TA, and I totally agree with you that numbers matching gets tiresome. I really pissed off some off the hardcore Pontiac guys by stuffing a BB Chevy into my TA. My response to that is "Dude, get over it." Not that I don't appreciate the effort and cubic dollars it takes to pull off a concourse resto, but most of the guys I know who own these cars, really baby them. I chose the TA because I love muscle cars and always have, but I wanted to drive really hard, both around corners and in a straight line, and I realized that the 2nd-gen F-body had the potential for serious performance. (I went with the Pontiac simply because I prefer the body style slightly over the Camaro, but they are both sweet.) I looked at the factory setup and thought "I can do way better." I plan to upgrade just about everything from stock, and then beat the heck out of it!! All for less money than "restoring" it!
P.S. I humbly disagree with you that "A 911 is out of reach", if you had half the cost of a 911 to spend on your TA, you could hang with just about anything out there!!
Also...may I ask why you want to go to a T56? If it is to save some cash, I understand, otherwise it's hard to beat a Tremec TKO. Incredible strength and perfect shifter location etc., best of everything.

Looking forward to hearing more about your screaming chicken!!

[Takid455]

bandit - i like the t56 as parts are readily available and maily the fact that it has 2 overdrives. i am sstill debatting that issue.

[Bandit]

I went into my trans-swap project thinking that I had to have a 6-spd, but then I changed my mind. A 5-speed is lighter and cheaper. Top speed should still be well over 150mph and gas mileage will be way better. The extra overdrive would be basically useless as far as I can see, at least for my application. (I should be doing 75mph at like 2K rpm!) The only reasons I could see for the extra gear would be for the "wow" factor or if the car has REALLY steep gears.
How much power are you pushing, and is the car going to see strip duty? If you drive anything like I do, I hope you don't grenade the T56!
Of course, it's your car and I'm sure whatever you decide will be a big improvement!!:)

[WhiteG240]

Wow, more and more 2nd Gen Firebirds/TA's are showing up. Nice Car. I have a 74 Firebird Formula that will go under the restoration knife this winter.

Hmmm... I see that you are in NJ. Where is Lansing NJ?

[BonzoHansen]

Hey you NJ f-body owners... www.njfboa.org

[Takid455]

white g240 - Landing is exit 30 of 80. lansing is in michigan. i'l have to correct that typo

[Fawkes]

<delurk>Another 2nd gen Bird owner here ('80 Esprit). I've swapped in a 400 Pontiac in favor of the original 3.8 Bufford V6, and am still running the TH350 behind it. I'll either swap to a 5-speed later on, or keep it an auto but move up to a 4-speed version.

It's nothing to look at right now, but I am making progress again.</delurk>

[lawbreaker2]

70 T/A here, Wecome aboard:woot:

[Roadrage David]

welkom . dispite what others say about dollars beeing needed to make a fast Injun mill, they just didnt do there home work properly . those days are long gone. big cub pontiac performance is the same price as chebby big cubes performance. and you know the old pontiac slogan ... horse power sells engines , but torque winns races!!!!!!!!!!!!.....

[Fawkes]

horse power sells engines , but torque winns races!!!!!!!!!!!!.....

:twothumbs Prozacly!

[Takid455]

I will be attending the Trans Am Nationals next week aug 25-27. If any of you guys are going, let me know and we could meet. if you are unfamiliar with this show, is all pontiac f bodys and a cruise in a old city. very cool and exciting. you will however get bored of looking at SE and SE clone cars. dont get me wrong, I have 2 and think they look awsome, but when there are 2 of them, they kinda blend together. maybe I'll see some of you there:git:

also this weekend there is a mustang vs fbody challenge at Island raceway located in Great Meadows, NJ.

[Bandit]

I was at TA Nats in Ft. Walton Beach, FL a couple of years back, it was like I had died and gone to heaven!!

Can't go this year though, unfortunately.
Where is it going to be held at this time?

Anyway have fun!!

Paul

"I only take my hat off for one thing, and one thing only"

[Munch69ProTour]

white g240 - Landing is exit 30 of 80. lansing is in michigan. i'l have to correct that typo

What exit....

:rolleyes:

Only in NJ.

Welcome to the board!

[a73formula]

Its great to see all the 2nd gens on hear. I just got done installing the gw upper, lowers, and coil overs along with the lowered rear springs. Next up is the exhaust and finish plumbing the fuel line. I also went with the tremec and the swap was a piece of cake. Good luck on the project.

[Takid455]

73 formula - i am doing the same front susoension as you . did you get your lower control arms direct from GW? what coil overs did you use? i have a set of aldan eagles that I intend to install. they all fit well? pics? which tremic did you use? what gears are you running in the rear? debating over going 2.xx gears in the back and tremic or 3.xx and go with a t-56 for highway cruising.