Meet...The BEAST. 1973 Trans Am turbo .... to feed my appetite for vettes/porsches

[Rumblin70SS]

Silly......I know the history of my rods, and they have less than 2000 miles on them and very few passes at the track. lol. And I got "rid" of a set of REAL Super Duty forged pistons...lol...nothing to sneeze at.

No, I cant start mine up right now, but considering yours was not running for over 20 years I think I can get some leeway to be off the road a few months And driving it 2 miles to a show doesnt quite count when you admitted that to take it the 25 minute drive to the nearest dragstrip you'd trailer it..... LMAO







I'm waiting for a really good one to come along by the way. I know your standards, and you know mine. Seriously.......we do have fun.

I still don't like the rods.....but I did what I wanted to do, so you can do the same! LOL



Remember, this is partially about economics........it costs less to trailer the car to the track then it does to drive on race fuel!

Its all about fun! When it stops being fun, its time to move on to something else!

< glad you posted this guy.....he looks like you.....lmao!

[aronhk_md]

Finished pulling the motor today. Entire front end is off the car now too......so its all open and very easy to work on. With the tilt front end going on....hopefully it will always be that way from now on. Friday I need to pull the rotating assembly out and give the crank, piston, rod, etc to the guy who will be re-balancing it with the new pistons. New pistons are 180g lighter each. Would have pulled it all out this evening, but I need to go get an engine stand so I can turn the thing over.

I'll say one thing......my garage is a mess!

Some pictures of my new monster C&R radiator. Its a dual pass unit, 31x19x4....and has attached to the front of it a HUGE oil cooler which I'll use for a transmission cooler with a thermostat. I picked it up on ebay for $207. Some good deals on ex-nascar/racing C&R radiators on there if you keep your eyes open.

Also a pic of continued work on polishing the manifold....

And pics of one of the new (to me) pistons.

Got my new EFI manifold today too.....but its going to be put away until I can afford the conversion...lol







http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/g...s/CIMG1576.jpg

[aronhk_md]

Well, the rotating assembly is being balanced and hopefully can start going back together next week. In the meantime I continue polishing the heads and intake. I wonder if I should attempt the timing cover at the same time. I also started smoothing the block out, removing seams, casting flash, etc. Might as well make it look more attractive. The inside of the block was smoothed by Mark when he assembled it last time....looks nice.

I am going to pick up some etching primer to do the block first, and then I think its going to get House of Kolor Galaxy Grey paint. Not sure yet though. Theres a deep dark royal blue I like too. I have a small Iwata spray gun I've never used, and I think its going to get my first try at painting on the block.

On another note, a guy stopped by to look at the neighbors truck for sale and ended up buying the Centerline copy 15" wheels that were on the car. So it has no wheels. Sure.....I could get my friend Tony to muscle it around on his back, but I'd scare all the ladies pulling into a cruise night like that. So I think I've found a set of wheels. They are 18x9.5 with a 5.25" backspacing for now. The price is as cheap as I've seen for anything at all and they are real german made 2 piece wheels with a removeable center. I might even send them out later and get the centers done in satin black like the 2nd pic, and if I really like them I may just widen the backs when its time for bigger meat back there.

[Doug1]

Well, the rotating assembly is being balanced and hopefully can start going back together next week. In the meantime I continue polishing the heads and intake. I wonder if I should attempt the timing cover at the same time. I also started smoothing the block out, removing seams, casting flash, etc. Might as well make it look more attractive. The inside of the block was smoothed by Mark when he assembled it last time....looks nice.

I am going to pick up some etching primer to do the block first, and then I think its going to get House of Kolor Galaxy Grey paint. Not sure yet though. Theres a deep dark royal blue I like too. I have a small Iwata spray gun I've never used, and I think its going to get my first try at painting on the block.

On another note, a guy stopped by to look at the neighbors truck for sale and ended up buying the Centerline copy 15" wheels that were on the car. So it has no wheels. Sure.....I could get my friend Tony to muscle it around on his back, but I'd scare all the ladies pulling into a cruise night like that. So I think I've found a set of wheels. They are 18x9.5 with a 5.25" backspacing for now. The price is as cheap as I've seen for anything at all and they are real german made 2 piece wheels with a removeable center. I might even send them out later and get the centers done in satin black like the 2nd pic, and if I really like them I may just widen the backs when its time for bigger meat back there.

Is that manifold a Northwind? I one all polished up on the motor I have for the Triple Threat car. I like those wheels. Pretty cool IMHO.

[ed1le]

Sweet build...grew up riding in my Dad's 70 T/A so the 70-73's have always been a favorite of mine!

[ccm399]

I gotta say those wheel are pretty nice... I'm gonna have to google those.

Chris

[aronhk_md]

Thanks guys....I'm kinda liking them too. Especially for the price...lol. Doug, that IS a Northwind manifold I'm in the midst of polishing.....cant believe how much material needs to be removed to get past the casting flaws! lol

Thanks Ed.....they are a fav of mine too.....can ya tell???

Chris, Ronal is no longer in the US so technically these arent available any longer. The guy has some though, including larger quantities of ones that will fit C5, C6, and 3rd/4th gen F bodies. I'm lucking out getting a set of 4 in 18x9.5 witht he BS I need.

Does anyone know how to photoshop? I'm wondering what the wheels will look like on the car.

[ccm399]

It's not very good but....



i couldn't find a pic with the correct perspective and I am not very good at transforms so the rear looks a little off. Oh, and I did not take the time to edit the Ronal out of the wheel spokes but hopefully that gives you an idea of what it will look like. I kninda made an educated guess as to the proportions too, they are larger than the 15's in your pic though.

Chris

Chris

[aronhk_md]

Chris, no thats perfect! Gives me an idea what it will look like! Thanks very much for taking the time to do it...I really appreciate it. I think it looks pretty good. Now I just need to get some of these projects done on the car so the motor will be ready to go in when its done. If the weather would just warm up a little...lol

[LeighP]

Good looking wheels....I'm liking the charcoal grey centres myself.

[aronhk_md]

Yeah I think I like that too Leigh. He sent me that pic as an example but didnt have any to sell me with those centers....he said thats actually satin black....looked like charcoal to me too...lol

[ccm399]

Glad you liked it Aron. I would have tried the grey ones but the perspective was way off and as I mentioned I am not very skilled at a transform like that. I need to spend a little more time on PS! If you find a pic of the grey ones like the silvers post it up.

I think they look really good!!! Although I like the Grey ones too.

Speaking of cold... what's the temp up your way? We are having a "heat wave" around here meaning it was actually above freezing today!!!! Actually it has been WAY cold for weeks, mostly single digits at night and barely into the upper teens during the day.

Chris

[aronhk_md]

I have no skill AND no photoshop to get skill with...lol. Unfortunately thats the only pic he had with the charcoal centers. I do think they'd look better on the TA. When I dont have so many other things I need maybe I'll get the centers powdercoated and the rears widened.....again if I end up really liking them.

Not quite that cold here Chris....its been low 30's in the day and teens at night. Still cold. And really the whole winter has been 5-10 degrees colder than normal so far.....starting back at the beginning of Dec. We are finally hitting 40's in the day today and the forecast says the next 10 days too.......HEAT WAVE!!!

[T_Raven]

Man your car looks bad a$$ with that hidious 80's paint job lol. I think it'll look awesome with those wheels

[aronhk_md]

LOL....that my friend is a 1970's paint job. 1973 to be exact. The guy who bought the car new painted it almost immediately. In fact, I saw another 73 trans am with another custom paint job very similar on the cover of one of the magazines from back then. The car has the guys name and his shop painted on the back panel in between the tail lights. You might be able to see it a little in this pic.

I can't tell you how many people have said they love it.....that I should leave it. But its quite worn now, and since the tilt front end wont match its going to have to be re-painted when I can afford it.

[T_Raven]

Yeah it looks pretty awesome. If someone did a paint job like that now I'd think they were crazy but to have an old one is pretty cool.

[aronhk_md]

Thanks.....even though its not my thing really I am sad to see it go. It says Can D Am by the air extractors on the fenders......and I have the original Wisconsin license plate that says CANDAM.

[cdoggy81]

BTW, what color do you want to go with in the end?
Hell, for $250-$350 take it to Maaco & get a "feel" for your new color before spending the big $$$...

[aronhk_md]

That would be a thought if they didnt overspray stuff so badly when doing the real cheapies. Hell, their $1000 paint job can be good if you find a good Maaco AND spend some time stripping, removing trim, and prepping the body yourself. Just thinkin its a lot of work and I really only want to do the work once.

For colors......thinking House of Kolor Tangerine or maybe their Galaxy Grey.

[Doug1]

Their Tangerine would be an eye catcher for sure.