New '78 T/A Project

[Torquedork]

My friend and I picked up a '78 Trans Am Gold Special Edition sitting up in the high desert!

The car looks to have about "Every" option you could get on a T/A including the WS6 package!

The only bummer is the Old's 403 engine. We may be limited on the engine in California based on the year.

So, What to do???

1. Restore???

2. Mild Pro/Touring package???

3. Major Pro/Touring setup???

What do you guys think????

This project will be a part of an upcoming book on 2nd Gen Firebird and Camaro Performance covering many Pro/Touring Mods from mild to wild. We want to thank our sponsors for helping bring this car back to life.



Back Home


Also found this interesting!
The guy had a whole bunch of AMX's over a dozen 2 seaters and later!!

[Swiftandswank]

Sweet car, I love the SE TA's. Did it come with the gold t-tops?

[LeighP]

Pretty rare bird.....a Y88 that was numbers matching would be something I'd think hard about restoring.

[TekkarEdorf]

Very nice Y88 I wouldn'mind having one, either pro-touring style or original But if you go pro touring, maybe not go so far that you can't take it back to stock?

[Torquedork]

Thanks,

Yes only 800 plus made and this one has about every option you could get. We found the original window sticker and it totaled $9,100!

We are thinking along the lines of a level one P/T car where you can take it back.

[coolwelder62]

Good lookin car.

[89 RS]

Great find. Lot of cool cars you found there also.

[ArtosDracon]

I would do bolt-on only upgrades to something like that. It'll be more fun with the upgrades, but probably worth more all stock, so keep everything.

[Takid455]

What to ask your self... long term plans if any??

While it is an SE, the 403 is on the lower end and can be found. Totally done restos may clear mid 20's after putting 40+ into it.

If my car I would shelve the engine and trans to build a nice powered driveline while the #'s stuff rest safe. Then upgrade the suspension and items that can be reverse easily. Even weld-in SFC can be removed w/o being noticed. Could even go as far as adding a simple 4 pt bar similar to the Hooker Show bar of yore.

Most of all here is what you need to ask yourself

What do I want?
Investment or fun?
Flip it or long term ownership.

[Torquedork]

The plan is to do some mild mods to the car like I mentioned a Level One P/T car. We are a little limited on a '78 in California emissions wise unless we dump gobs gobs of money into for a modern LS engine but don't think that's a good idea. The car won't stay went finished. Tore the engine down yesterday and it was ROUGH but saveable.

Thinking of maxing it's potential yet still can easily put it back. Didn't pay much for the car and it's fully optioned and not one dent on it so even the bodywork will be an easy task.

Who make the 17 inch Snowflakes????

[2timegoldtransam]

Year one makes the 17 inch snowflakes.
Acouple people on ebay are selling them om there also

[Torquedork]

Here's the Ugly engine teardown. It looks like it was removed in 1992 and sitting out! Arrrgh!

[John Wright]

How about the late second gen camaro on the left?...gonna PT that baby too?

[Torquedork]

How about the late second gen camaro on the left?...gonna PT that baby too?

Wish we could do them ALL but no more Room!!!! He also had a '75 Formula there!

As you can see in my Signature below, I'd like to take one of the 2 Seater AMX's we found and P/T one in a combo of Pewter/Charcoal

[tylers88]

How about the late second gen camaro on the left?...gonna PT that baby too?

That Camaro looks exactly like the car I want to start with to build a PT/summer daily out of. A solid Z28 with ratty(decieving) looking paint

[JayR]

I would do exactly what Freiburger did in Hot Rod with his disco era Z28 over the last year. The entire parts list and a step by step instruction manual is right there at your fingertips and it's even CA legal and runs like stink and gets 25 mpg. If the last year of Hot Rod isn't beside your toilet, it's online and even at the good old-fashioned library depending where you live. For wheels, definitely a set of Rushforths!

[Torquedork]

1. Switching a loaded one of 800 Trans Am Gold Special Editions to an LS style drivetrain is not in the cards here. Don't think GM Performance will be shipping me a Crate Motor for free anytime soon

2. Based on the budget and potential value of the car when finished, it's best to keep it a Level One P/T project that can be easily returned to stock.

Anyone ever tried to remove the "Boat Anchor" Syndrome from a California 403 Olds Engine?

[Torquedork]

Well we finished up a '66 Chevelle and started tearing down the '78 T/A. Now if we can just get "Goldberg" to come over and lift the body off the Subframe!!!! Hee Hee!!

[LeighP]

Getting right into it....good stuff!
403's can be made to haul fairly well...they have their limits, but are good street engines. A different set of heads will help.
Check these guys out...they know 403's and what works....
http://www.jsmachineoldsmobile.com/

[Torquedork]

Getting right into it....good stuff!
403's can be made to haul fairly well...they have their limits, but are good street engines. A different set of heads will help.
Check these guys out...they know 403's and what works....
http://www.jsmachineoldsmobile.com/

Thanks for the information. We may be having a chat with them. I would say limits would be an understatement looking at the block design and the webbing. Yikes!