Hitman's Pontiac Trans Am Forum
Trans Am Photos => Restoration Projects => Topic started by: eviledolean on September 02, 2015, 02:15:13 PM
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I picked up this 1979 Trans Am last month and plan on restoring it. I unfortunately had to sell my 1979 Trans Am back in 2001 (Original Owner). I finally have something to play with again. Here are some of the original pictures.
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Nice! Good luck with the restore, post pics as you make progress.
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Just got some new door sweeps from F-body. Went to take off the old door trim, and noticed the old is different and uses plastic clips along the outer edge of the door with screws used in the inner side. If you look at the pictures you can see the small place where plastic clips attached????? Do I have non standard Trans Am door?
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Tried to tackle the Passenger door issue where the electric window was not working. I could hear the motor spin. The previous owner had already tried to repair and cut some holes to get to the screws. Crappy job. This is what I found when I took off the two screws. Fist there should have been tree bolts attaching it. Did come as real surprise to me on this Car. Looks like I'm missing the guts...
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Just got some new door sweeps from F-body. Went to take off the old door trim, and noticed the old is different and uses plastic clips along the outer edge of the door with screws used in the inner side. If you look at the pictures you can see the small place where plastic clips attached????? Do I have non standard Trans Am door?
Below are the plastic clips
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Anyone know what this part might be. A brace of some type. Was in the back seat of the car when I got it?
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Bad picture but is it the bottom of the core support.?
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Bad picture but is it the bottom of the core support.?
Here on e more view. Core support? I do know their was damage under the front of the car. Just getting to replace a bent center brace that holds the horns and hood release cable (replacement and old one picture attached)
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Just got some new door sweeps from F-body. Went to take off the old door trim, and noticed the old is different and uses plastic clips along the outer edge of the door with screws used in the inner side. If you look at the pictures you can see the small place where plastic clips attached????? Do I have non standard Trans Am door?
So I dod see where some cars have what is called Weld Stud's the hold the trim. Has anyone ever seen this on a 1979 Trans Am
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someone know how to decipher this body tag.
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Found out the car had the Deluxe Trim package. Pete from Fbody warehouse was very helpful with this and also willing to let me return the thin chrome bread version i ordered for the non bead version and blacked out style which I want. Kudos to Pete, great customer service.
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Bad picture but is it the bottom of the core support.?
Here on e more view. Core support? I do know their was damage under the front of the car. Just getting to replace a bent center brace that holds the horns and hood release cable (replacement and old one picture attached)
Well it is a support bracket under the radiator area. Found a drawing online that showed the exploded view. Still don't know what the part is called, but the number imprinted on it was. 0010 18533. Its pretty bent up, appear to go with the other damage I found underneath.
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You would have to find someone who had a trashed top piece and willing to send youvthe bottom. Some people do sell the bottom. Ill keep a eye out
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Thanks
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I remember I do know somebody, check you pm for his number
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someone know how to decipher this body tag.
One letter indicates firebird not trans Am?
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Nice! Good luck with the restore, post pics as you make progress.
thanks Bman
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Could the seat frame frame be broken? I just replaced the rail because it was broken. Now the back inside rail can not bolt down. the rail is about 2" above the floor. This is the passenger side seat. Plus both the driver and passenger side seat dont seem to be centered when bolted down. It seems they are too close to the door side, leaving al kinds of space on the console side. Can anyone also tell me if seats were interchangeable from the 71 -79 models? I ask because my center console had seat belt guided on them and i understand that wa sonly on 70-71 model trans am's. My seats also don't have a guide on the side?
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Could the seat frame frame be broken? I just replaced the rail because it was broken on both side. Now the back inside rail can not bolt down. the rail is about 2" above the floor
Here is a picture of the broken rail that was replaced. Should this rail only need one spring?
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Finally got new door sweeps, new felt blocks and passenger electric window repaired and restored. Waiting on my door water shields from Eklers, so I can install the new Black Deluxe door panels.. Swapped out the door sills I had with a pair a friend gave me, his had the pressed Fisher Tag on them. The ones I had did not even have that. I think the originals were riveted ones? Will sell the old for $10.
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Got some seatbelt. I was told they would fit a 79 trans am haha. It seem the buckle is slightly larger in the end. Maybe someone can tell me what Car it could be be used in?
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Not much to report on my restore. Been short on funds. Got my water shields in for the doors, hoping to get the new Deluxe door panels installed this month, but still need to fix a couple minor thing on the doors like the passenger lock in missing the lockpaw to secure the lever. Where can I get these anyone know? Such a small thing but hard to find.
My First love, my 1979 HO-racing Turboforce Car.
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Looking for Members Southwest Pontiac Car club, El Paso Texas Area.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/El.Paso.Trans.Am.Club/
http://edozogar.wix.com/el-paso-swpcc
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Hello everyone,
I picked up a 1970 350 Pontiac engine today for $150.00. 255 hp Engine code YU, Head code 11, Block casting 9799916. Engine turns freely and does not appears to have any major issue's. Look like the original intake, no carb or distributer. Ill dig into this week and do basic compression test etc. The top end look pretty clean with the
covers off.
I also have a 76 Pontiac 400 which is in very bad shape internally but everthing else is good like fuel pump, HEI, edlebroke intake and edelbroke 75cfm. Accessiories.
My question is what parts will interchange seamlessly, between these. I don't have much money and a 350 Pontiac engine is better than no engine for now. repairing the 400 will cost me a good $1500 - $2000.
1. will the 400 flex plate work on the 350. I have a th350 trans.
2. engine mounts/brackets, are they interchangeable.
3. 400 fuel pump work on the 350
4, starter from
the 400?
5. Headers swap. My 400 has 6x head, the 11, 70 heads look pretty much the same d port so I think the headers will fit right on also.
6. I also have a Edelbroke Perfomer manifold and 750 cf. card that I think will fit also.
7. HEI distributer from 400 to 350?
Looking for some guidance.
If all fails I'm only out $150 bucks. will lube the cylinders later this week and do a compression test. Then pull off the oil pan to check out the bottom end.
Just looking for cheap solution to get the car running right now, until I can find a 400 or 455 to slap in down the road. any suggestion welcome.
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Well put in a replacement engine for the 400 that was pretty much shot. Its a 1970 Pontiac 350. Ran into an issue where the 70 heads don't have the proper mounting hole on the top to secure the alternator/power steering bracket. Anyone know of a fix or after bracket I can get so I can mount alternator and power steering back on?
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Well put in a replacement engine for the 400 that was pretty much shot. Its a 1970 Pontiac 350. Ran into an issue where the 70 heads don't have the proper mounting hole on the top to secure the alternator/power steering bracket. Anyone know of a fix or after bracket I can get so I can mount alternator and power steering back on?
looks like i found one unwires here with some searching on my own:
http://www.78ta.com/HTAF/index.php?topic=41991.msg428837#msg428837
Don't know how well it will work on a aluminum intake manifold. Don't want to crack the manifold.
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Pontiac 350 slowly coming back together. Got it in and down to final connections like the power steering issue. Then it is try to turn her on time... I keep saying just a couple weeks more and it turns into months. L ::)
SouthWest Pontiac Car Club:
http://edozogar.wixsite.com/el-paso-swpcc
https://www.facebook.com/groups/El.Paso.Trans.Am.Club/
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Well, stuck the radiator back in, connected everything and added water. Surprise, the freeze plug on the back of the passenger head is leaking. Geez, no luck. Should I pull it apart again or just try to replace the frizzed plug in place? Any recommendations?
Attached is a picture of my first car build along with my first ever car race. 60's in Olean New York, Soap Box Derby (Yes I'm old). Had the fastest car and time down the track, but I lacked the driving experience. Never hug the steering wheel coming off a ramp, your face tends to smash into the steering wheel and disorients you. LOL Thats how I lost... I was weaving and crossed the center line by a fraction and got disqualified. Me on the left in Blue car. Still have the Car stored away at my bothers house. Great memories building this!
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Well finally got my new/old 1970 Pontiac 350 I bought for $125 buck w/engine stand to start up today. Well at least for a short while, until we fix the fuel problem.. No fuel to the carb. The mechanical fuel pump lever seemed really hard to press down. I could not even do it myself. Anyway will get a replacement tomorrow and try again. Still need to figure out how to properly connect the 1407 Edelbroke 750cfm throttle cable correctly along with the kick down bracket. May need to fabricate my own bracket.
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70 Power steering brackets were one year only.
You may be able to make a bracket that acts as a spacer to raise your stock throttle/kickdown bracket like the one in pic below.
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70 Power steering brackets were one year only.
You may be able to make a bracket that acts as a spacer to raise your stock throttle/kickdown bracket like the one in pic below.
Sorry, but did not see the picture. Well got the fuel pump replaced. Fuel to the carb is no longer an issue, we got the car started but it would not stay on for more than 30 seconds. Now looking into, timing off just a little or my recently rebuilt carb is not working right? Baby steps as they say. The weather changed on me, cold and wet so I spent some time piecing my old broken AC control unit back together with one a fellow Club member provided me for free.
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(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff292/NOTATA/Firebird/The14Carinterior257.jpg) (http://s240.photobucket.com/user/NOTATA/media/Firebird/The14Carinterior257.jpg.html)
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Where did you get the bracket. Exactly what I need. Looks like it is secured onto the bolt hole on the Edelbroke manifold.
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I made it. It's bolted to the intake and raises the stock bracket so it mounts on my bracket and the elevated mount cast into the manifold.
(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff292/NOTATA/Firebird/20170217_234025_zpsi3xi5thh.jpg) (http://s240.photobucket.com/user/NOTATA/media/Firebird/20170217_234025_zpsi3xi5thh.jpg.html)
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Its been a while since I provided any updates here. Finally got the 1970 350 engine running in my 79 TA. picked up some used wiring harness's for the front and back lights. So you all my light are working except for the reverse lights. Will need a aftermarket fix for the backup lights since the engine has headers and the backup linkage was removed. Don't what I need to do to fix the ignition lock for the shifter. Don't want to accidently start in gear?
Does anyone know if you can buy the brackets that on the driver and passenger seat for the seat belt guide. Not the plastic, my seats don't have the metal bracket for that guide. Have no clue why, obviously not 79 seats. Not that the car is started and I had no tranny fluid. added the fluid, but have a leak. No I know why it was almost empty. Oh well lots of work too. also where can I get replacement side door windows for the 79 TA. My passenger is damager beyond repair. Also were the 79 Bandit edition windows tinted? Ill be going with the Black and Gold theme for my restore.