Chad's 1981 Trans Am

[Chadman27]

Spring pockets need to be relocated inboard. The pieces from DSE are really nice, since all you have to do it notch the frame for clearance and bolt up to the preexisting bolt holes. The piece has new bolt holes and threaded inserts for when you re-use the leaf spring pocket mounts over the lower links.


Here is the notch and cavity (this pic is actually prior to welding in the frame reinforcement plate, but you get the idea).




Here is the spring pocket fully welded from the inside...







I thought I had more pics from the underside showing the notch and all but apparently I never took those so I won't be posting that. I could always take one and post if someone needs to see it for their project.

Another note, if anyone is going to run a cage, the fact that these spring pockets actually notch through the floor pan is a great benefit, as it allows the 6x6 plates a good spot to weld onto. When I eventually get to the cage install you will see this. Nice little bonus... and although rare, sometimes thing DO work in your favor...

[Chadman27]

At this point I paused on the rear and started working the sub-frame in the hopes to get it out soon for blast and PC. Here is the coil-over conversion kit from Custom Works. For anyone wanting to run coil-overs and can't afford the high dollar sub-frames out there, I highly recommend these. The owner of Custom Works was AWESOME and even talked to me for 45 minutes on the phone to share his knowledge and give advice.

I also have the Custom Works 2G bar at the front of the sub-frame to stiffen things up even further partially welded in which you will see in a few of the pics as well. This takes some sheet-metal massaging to get the radiator braces notched to have it up as forward as I wanted. There are is some variation in this area between 70-81, so if you want to do this, do prior to removing the front clip, little advice.


Basic setup w/ Double Adj. AFCO shocks. DSE used to use AFCO's back in 2011 when I ordered, so this worked out well to keep all the corners uniform...




Stock vs coil spring...




Original shock locator...




Locator cut and smoothed out... You'll notice the factory "tangs?" hanging down from the ID of the pocket. I'm assuming these were here due to the stamping process and assisting in holding the coil centered. Regardless, they gotta be cut and smoothed over to allow the shock to articulate during full stroke.






Tangs trimmed and smoothed off...






Coil-over mounted up and checked for clearance...




Tacked in...



Welded and smoothed in...






Did a little frame stitching while there...





Anybody got advice on the frame stitching? I've heard some say doing the whole thing is a no no, others says its stronger/stiffer... I know not to put to much heat and move around to prevent any warping. I still have to finish this job so any input is welcome before I choose one route and follow through with it...

[Chadman27]

Had some free time here so I figured I'd add some more of my "previous" progress, so here goes... Here's finishing up the upper link and shock mount brackets:


Rear frame notch for the upper bracket recess...




Notch fill plate welded and smoothed in...




Mock up of upper-link/shock bracket...




View of both brackets..




Flat doubler plate prior to bending/contour matching...




Doublers ground and bent to match rear seat pan...




Doubler tacked...




Doubler fully welded (pre-smoothing)




Inside floor pan doubler plate fully welded (pre-smoothing). Anyone who has installed this might notice the piece of angle welded to the pan and the doubler. For some reason my rear sheet metal had a bulge located there, it looked factory. Dunno if this is a late 2nd gen deal or what, but I had to relief cut the sheet, pound it back, then weld it back up and grind it smooth. After it was all said and done, there was a small gap where the bracket is radiused. Although you only have to plug weld the doubler on the top and outer edge, I wanted some extra insurance and welded around the top and to this pan.

[Chadman27]

Installing transverse tube...


Squaring to the brackets (gravity)...




Trunk pan reinforcement...




Complete...

[Chadman27]

Last remaining quad-link brackets installed, everything ground smoother, temporarily primed...

[Chadman27]

Last post for the night... Here's my rims (delivered about a week ago). CCW Classics: Rear 18x12 w/ 335. Fronts 18x9.5 w/ 275. Powdercoated satin centers, polished lip.


Tires mounted...




Rear face...




Rear "jacked" into wheel well...




Wheels mounted to the axle...




Quadra-link test fit (this is actually before my previous post of the finished setup...)




Different view...




Different view...

[Ripper]

Great welds and great project!

You should be just fine with that frame stitching you did. There's no reason to weld it all up. It won't be stiffer, just heavier (more welds)...

[Chadman27]

Great welds and great project!

You should be just fine with that frame stitching you did. There's no reason to weld it all up. It won't be stiffer, just heavier (more welds)...

Thanks for the compliments and information guys!

[FirebirdSteve]

I'm rather partial to the 81 TA.....

[LeighP]

That is really nice work!

[tazzz25906112]

Very cool build right there,,,, just subscribed

[brownz]

Chad,

just a bump for ya

[Chadman27]

Haha, thanks Brandon - putting the pressure on me now! I've tried to update every now and then over the past months and the pictures fail... I'll try and update this weekend :-)

[keithq69]

Great build, I'll be following along also. Great work on the suspension.

As far as the welding on the subframe goes, some say to stitch it because if you get a crack in the weld it will only run to the end of the stitch, if it's fully welded it can travel more.
Not sure if that's the case or not, I'm sure there are some professional welders here that can chime in.

My 11 year old son just bought a 1979 Formula for his first car.
I've got an LQ9 6.0L for him and a Ford 9", he has 5 more years to save his birthday money.

Cheers

Keith.

[Chadman27]

Nice job Keith, you get cool dad points!

and interesting thought, I didn't consider weld crack initiation/propagation!

[AM PSYCHO]

Rims are lookin pity goo!

[WS6]

Looking good!

[wheatie8252]

Do you have anymore updates on your TRANS AM!

[Onebad78ta]

nice,,,what motor are you gonna run

[Chadman27]

Hey guys,

Its been several months since I've been to the forum and I just saw the posts from a few days ago (ironic). I do check in from time to time though. The car has been in a storage since Q3 of last year while I am in the process of moving and getting into a new house. I've been spending lots of time throwing money at my 2000 Formula Firebird that I autocross trying to keep it on the road (installed new clutch, rebuilt 12 bolt, new k-frame (old one sheared at a weld), and dozens of other small jobs).

In regards to the T/A though I have made lots of progress since my last posts. What usually happens is I don't update this post for a while and then it becomes a big undertaking to post everything I'd like to. The more I don't update, the easier it is to blow it off the next time, LOL.

Regardless, here is the list of some things I have completed since my last post, at least from what I can remember... it has been a while.

- Door Bars for cage fit and weld installed
- Door swing-outs with ball-lock pins fit and weld installed
- Halo bar fit and weld installed
- Shaped A-Pillar bars with re-bar, new tubes bent to match (hated the A-Pillar bars from kit)
- A-Pillar bars fit and weld installed
- Gussets welded to A-Pillar to form into dash
- Gussets, front speaker sheet metal plugs body filled in and smoothed
- Engine bay bars flanges fit and welded to subframe
- Engine bay bar firewall reinforcement plates welded to firewall
- Submarine belt mounts welded to floor pans
- Firewall smoothed
- Fabbed recessed rear speakers pans to fit 6x9s under the package tray
- Fabbed 10" sub box mounts (hidden in trunk, under package tray, removable)
- Sectioned dimple die rear firewall fabricated (doubles as reinforcement, amp mount, part of sub mounting)
- Mounted RF miniture amps against dimple die firewall
- Cut and weld installed Heidts rear driveshaft loop to fit stock frame rails
- Fabbed battery quick disconnect onto rear roll cage bar and push/pull calbe through tail light
- Rear seat delete with mounts for "freezable" tubs for food/drinks/tools/cleaning supplies
- Nitrous bracket mounting platform for 2x 10lb bottles (center of rear seat)
- Recessed and reinforced rear seat pan for bottled space
- Raised, bead rolled, filled rear seat pan for tighter exhaust clearance
- Installed Aeromotive phantom in tank pump in narrowed fuel tank
- Trimmed, heatgunned (reshape plastic to fit against A-pillar bars) dashboard, fabbed covers to run vintage air ducts to factory vents
- Mocked up dimple die A-Pillar gussets to A-pillar (still need to fab)
- Hydraulic master cyliner mounting bracket weld installed
- Fabbed and welded fuel sending unit access port in trunk
- Removed factory door bars (~20 lbs per door)
- Installed internal/external trunk battery terminals
- Patched factory 4 spd trans shifter hole
- Ground/clearanced DSE Lower Ctrl Arm for AFCO coilever shock lower adjustment knob
- Mocked up rear and front suspension to get rolling chassis (preparing for transporting to storage)
- T56 Magnum mocked up on old ZZ4 to check floor clearance***

*** I have a brand new QUICKTIME SFI bell housing for sale used during this mockup - its for SBC/BBC to T56/Magnum)... Here is the skinny: I got this because Butler advertised the IAII blocks as having bolt patterns for SBC/BBC and Pontiac bellhousings. In my stupidity, I forgot the Pontiac block starter hole is on the drivers side, which the SBC/BBC is obviously on the passengers, OOPS! I plan on putting this up in the FOR SALE section once I pull everything from storage.

OneBad78ta - The plan is for a Butler Performance IAII block based engine, setup for pump gas. I spoke with them a few years ago and ran some numbers, but have not moved forward since then in that regard.

As far as pics go, if anybody wants to see anything specifically I'd be happy to post it up, so just ask. I know I use this site a lot for ideas and things to do... so if I can pay it forward at all, that's what this is all about. Heck, maybe it will show you what NOT to do .

Later!