Hitman's Pontiac Trans Am Forum
Trans Am Information => Trans Am Information => Topic started by: st louis ta on April 30, 2011, 09:21:22 PM
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New to the forum, name is Rob and I just bought my first TA. Got one earlier this year off the west coast. Platinum, w72/ws6, original motor/tranny and some original interior. Mostly in good shape with one decent repaint. Of course being a new owner I'm sinking money into it, wanted to keep it under 25k but that isnt going to happen. Motor was pulled and will be rebuilt with a hotter cam, HO manifolds from Ram Air Resto and a Magnaflow exhaust system. Wheels being refinished, some body & trim work along with some interior parts. Having most of suspension replaced along with tranny rebuild/shift kit.
I have been scanning the net and did a search on this forum along with TAC(that is a different forum right?) on the correct font for a 78 TA. I have posted my car below which I have read is the decal style from 77 but was used on some 78's. I know the other font(block lettering)seems more common. Does anyone know the whole story, guess you can put on what ever one wants but I'm trying to be period correct with the car. I am the 4th owner and can't trace back. Thanks guys
(http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i376/stlouista/2011-3-17064.jpg)
(http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i376/stlouista/2011-3-17065.jpg)
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Looks like a nice car. Would love to see more pics. The hood bird is correct but the lettering should be the square lettering like a 79. 77 was the last year for the lettering u have. When i get home i can post u pics of my silver 78 i restored with the correct decals.
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did a search on this forum along with TAC(that is a different forum right?)
Yes, different site and forum.
I have posted my car below which I have read is the decal style from 77 but was used on some 78's. I know the other font(block lettering)seems more common. Does anyone know the whole story, guess you can put on what ever one wants but I'm trying to be period correct with the car.
The change in the style of lettering for the name decals was a change in '78 (somewhere around mid '78 like so many other small changes) so the style you have could well be "correct"...knowing the build date of your car might help narrow it down a bit more.
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i have a 78 with the exact same decals, different color of course, but the same style, and from what i understand is right for the car.
i believe only the w72 cars got the decals on the shaker, which yours seems right there as well.
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beautiful color combo you got there. if i remember right, i think the change was mid year 78. i remember reading an article or post about this & john witzke said mid year was the change to block lettering... same with the black tail light bezels changing from body color.
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looks good , other then the placement of the decal on the shaker. it should be about 1.25" in from the rear . not the center.
the 78 L78 and Y88 got the new style lettering .. the 78 W72 got the older
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thank you so much TA forum members, you guys are on the ball. Just watched Cup race from Richmond on dvr and decided to check and see if any responses. It would seem they are correct, I am going to buy a new set of scoop decals and place them further back toward windshield as noted. I will get more pictures posted soon. Below is a rear shot, got the build sheet but not sure where to look for when it was manufactured? Tail lamps are body colored so its adding up that this was an early 78. I think they put the pontiac in the wrong spot but not sure I will mess with that. I keep coming up with things to spend money on. I listened on line for months on exhaust systems and decided on the header back Magnaflow 2.5 inch system due to deep rich sound. Also bought the Pypes 2.5 stainless tips though will sand and buff the name off them.
(http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i376/stlouista/2011-3-17066.jpg)
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That's a nice TA good buy..
JOSH
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in the upper left of your build sheet is the month and day. the pontiac is fine.
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got the build sheet but not sure where to look for when it was manufactured?
It's on your build sheet but also on your cowl tag:
http://www.78ta.com/cowl1978.php
I think they put the pontiac in the wrong spot but not sure I will mess with that.
Looks right to me
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Very nice T A!
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Darn nice looking car. The top front left nose area should not have "trans am". You didn't post a picture but I thought I'd throw that out. It's a common mistake on 78's. As is the shaker call out. As far as I know, only the W72 got a shaker call out in 78. And, you have the correct T/A 6.6 call out for your car.
Do you have the unleaded fuel decal on the rear bumper by the filler tube?
Is it an automatic or a four speed? These cars weren't available in California new in 1978. Where on the West Coast did you find it?
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Do you have the unleaded fuel decal on the rear bumper by the filler tube?
now days it should read ( COIN OP )
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Nice car you got there :)
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thank you so much TA forum members, you guys are on the ball. Just watched Cup race from Richmond on dvr and decided to check and see if any responses. It would seem they are correct, I am going to buy a new set of scoop decals and place them further back toward windshield as noted. I will get more pictures posted soon. Below is a rear shot, got the build sheet but not sure where to look for when it was manufactured? Tail lamps are body colored so its adding up that this was an early 78. I think they put the pontiac in the wrong spot but not sure I will mess with that. I keep coming up with things to spend money on. I listened on line for months on exhaust systems and decided on the header back Magnaflow 2.5 inch system due to deep rich sound. Also bought the Pypes 2.5 stainless tips though will sand and buff the name off them.
(http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i376/stlouista/2011-3-17066.jpg)
if you heat up your shaker decals with a hair dryer for a few minutes and carefully wedge a razor blade under the decal you can slowly pull it off and reapply where needed, i did it with mine with no problems. once in place i heated them again and made sure they tacked well.
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You can't do that if they have been on there for a while or if it was freshly painted. For the little amount of coin I'd just get new ones and redo it if it bothers you. For reference here's my '78 ws6/w72 car with factory paint and decals.
Notice the placement of the scoop decals about 1" from the edge on driver's side.
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b86/ponchonutty/My%20Firebirds/003-2.jpg)
Less than an inch from edge on passenger side.
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b86/ponchonutty/My%20Firebirds/002-2.jpg)
Notice the Pontiac name is about 1" from the Trans Am name.
(http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b86/ponchonutty/My%20Firebirds/008-2.jpg)
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Car at body shop so can't check on the unleaded(can't remember seeing) no decal on front bumper. I will try the heating trick to remove and move shaker decal. Have original build sheet in very fragile shape, below is copy of build sheet--how do you the date in corner? Boy finding the vin on the block took some scraping. Car is fairly loaded except T-Tops, gonna order the PHS docs.
(http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i376/stlouista/2011-5-12003.jpg)
(http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i376/stlouista/DSC01855.jpg)
(http://i1090.photobucket.com/albums/i376/stlouista/DSC01859.jpg)
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You have an earlier 78 because during the model year they limited the W72 engine to four speeds. That's an original EGR valve too. Don't throw it out. It has some value. You're missing the choke shield.
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/\/\/\ditto/\/\/\ It'd have a WC stamped somewhere around the serial numbers and different heads if you had a w72 motor.
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Are you guys saying its not a w72? Build sheet says w72, auto, ws6. I did find the #4 on the bottom of a small ridge that protrudes from the head. Sorry i'm new to this.
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you have a great rear gear in your car says 3.23 that is perfect. are you rebuilding engine to more than w72 specs, if so i would not think having a w72 would matter much.
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also be careful that chain doesnt brake off your blue vacuum switch on the front of the intake. very hard to find and very pricey for what it is. your carb also needs a secondary choke pull off and its bracket.
nice 400 bub, you still have some very hard to find parts on it. keep them.
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you have a great rear gear in your car says 3.23 that is perfect. are you rebuilding engine to more than w72 specs, if so i would not think having a w72 would matter much.
correct , a mild build on a 400 would be better then 220hp . it more so to say I've got one bragging rights . all W72's got that gear.
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Are you guys saying its not a w72? Build sheet says w72, auto, ws6. I did find the #4 on the bottom of a small ridge that protrudes from the head. Sorry i'm new to this.
Looks like a W72 engine to me. 4Speeds correct on that vacuum port. Treat it carefully.
On the choke shield, I think Fbody sells a repo.
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Are you guys saying its not a w72? Build sheet says w72, auto, ws6. I did find the #4 on the bottom of a small ridge that protrudes from the head. Sorry i'm new to this.
could you do another pic of the front area of the block. your block vin is a match to your sheet production # so Id say your good. also if you ever have the oil pan off I could tell ya if its a W72 too. also part # on the cam . the carb # the block casting # all kinds of ways.
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Notice that the tail light bezels are body color not black. This car was assembled in December 77, which would have been around five months into the model year.
Just from the engine appearance, it looks like a low mileage car. The transmission probably needs a rebuild. The transmissions didn't last too long.
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The transmission probably needs a rebuild. The transmissions didn't last too long.
the 350 in the W72 was diffrent from the L78 th350 RPO code is diffrent. and was better. how much? dont know..
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i was just confused with the 4 speed limited post early in model year. Where numbers state that it was made in Dec? I did drop the tranny off and a highly recc shop, $525 to rebuild with shift kit. Motor to be rebuilt with a comp cam and should put out on the dyno 325-340hp, estimate is $4000 and they aren't doing the RR work. Got a body shop that the family has been in the GTO business since the late 60's putting motor back in along with other work. Dropping a lot in this car but want to be happy with it when done, been saving up for many years. Engine has 63xxx on it. Will post more photos soon.
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I found an original choke shield in my stash!
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Upper left on the build sheet has the date. Yours looks to be 12/06. The cowl plate will give similar information. Just check out this site for data to decode the cowl plate.
The W72 cars got some different transmission parts but the 350 is basically junk in my opinion anyway. All the ones I've had needed a rebuild around 70K miles give or take. Even my four speed needed a rebuild at 70K. Just poor quality or design I guess. GM was more interested in selling cars than in making them last.
The more I look at the engine, the more I like it. Did you take the compression before you decided to tear into it? How many miles are on that car? It looks like it was very well cared for. You've got a great, great car there.
I just noticed that you have the wrong wheels on the car. You should have gray 15X8 snowflakes rather than rally wheels.
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it has the 15x8, car in background is a different ride. I am having them redone too. 62xxx miles, just had it pulled and sent over to the performance shop.
can someone post pictures of the items i'm missing: choke shield, secondary choke pull off and bracket? Other things to work on is gremlin in the power door locks and replacing scratched passenger window, bought some new felt pads/guides.
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(http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab27/4_SPEED/PARTS/009-13.jpg)
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The egr baffle should be all cad plated those look like some one painted them, just to let you know. I just did my intake like you did, one day it will go back on. The blue egr switch is the hard one in nos to find.
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yes I painted mine like that , it looks better then rust.
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s
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Note that you have the correct bolt for the choke shield. Make sure you keep it. The secondary choke pull offs aren't required, if fact, Cliff Ruggles suggests that you don't install them. But, if you want one, they sell them new here:
http://www.carbkitsource.com/carbs/catalog/Pontiac/index.html
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the heat shield is repoped now by Fbody. I dont remember the price , but more then 50.00
the Eastwoods cad paint is OK. it looks good from 10' . I used it a few times.
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Doug, I think that choke shield should be a semi gloss. At least that's what mine looks like it was painted with and it's the original paint.
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it is now, I had all my engine brackets powder coated semi blk a month ago. now if I can ever get the body done , I can get to work on the go fast parts of the car.
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it is now, I had all my engine brackets powder coated semi blk a month ago. now if I can ever get the body done , I can get to work on the go fast parts of the car.
Geez, why do I doubt you? You're the best!
By the way, I'm not sure if that's a heat shield or designed to divert air away from the choke to keep it from cooling.
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I ordered the2 sets of the pull offs at a gm dearer, there gone already? I think I remember the 2 carb springs to be blue for the larger, and yellow for the smaller?