Topic: 1976 T/A 4 SPEED

[76ta4spd]

OK I guess it is time to start my thread in this category. The interior got partially ripped out today to take a peak under the carpet and clean up a little before mounting the seats and trim. I didn't want to completly rip out the carpet as it would have been more work than what I wanted to do this time of year because of the temperatures. I was really dissapointed as to what I found. The good news.............




The bad news is that it will be needing new floor panel sections in late spring to early summer. The passenger's floor is trashed and I'm sure the driver's sections are going to be pretty much the same. I will have to keep my foot out of the gas this winter to keep the stress zones from twisting but that will probably save me gas anyways. I could have ripped the carpet out and made it a winter project but I don't have any heat in my garage and trying to finish the floorboards with primer and herculiner or POR15 when it's 20 degrees is probably not going to work out very well. It will be FIRST on the list when the temps start to climb again though for sure. I'm not mad about it but I wish the previous owner would have volunteered this information, as I still would have given him the 2 grand he was asking. I didn't get any pictures of it as that would have required pulling up a lot of stuff I am just not willing to buy right now.

James

[Nexus]

You are driving the car all winter?

Tell me winter involes the lack of snow and salt!!

[76ta4spd]

I really wish I could. I know what your going to say, too. Put it away and do it in the summer. Keep it out of the salt!!!!! I know but the truck has to go and I'm not riding my bike in this pathetic weather we have here. I wish there was a way around it but there's not. I have to drive this car this winter. I know the cancer will get bigger before I can replace and coat it but the holes are not huge sections and I planned to replace larger sections anyway since they are not that expensive (just the peace of mind). The panels are bad but not Fred Flintstone bad. I consider anything half the thickness of the original metal the size of the bottom of a soda can "trashed" It will drive me crazy all winter but I don't feel as though I really have an option at this point. I will only be driving the car when I can't get my wife's car (Corrolla AAAAAHHHHHHH). I hate that car but man it's great on gas!

James

[Nexus]

Unfortunetly we to do what we have to do to get by. Too bad though hopefully things work out, and the day comes when you won't have to drive it in the winter.
Winter is what killed by Black T/A you see in my avatar. I bought it off a guy hoping I could save it. Alass I can now only save parts or her lol

[76ta4spd]

This is the only place in the car that has rust in it so I think I have a pretty good shot to make it through the winter with it. I don't know the complete extent to it but either way it has to wait untill I can get the bike on the road without freezing. lol Money plays a factor here too as when I sell the truck, the money goes into the car and paying my uncle back the 2g he loaned me for the car. Another reason for the wait is that I can't just patch a couple holes and put it back together for later. I will have to strip the inside of the car, pull the carpet, original insulation, paint, and bring it back down to bare steel, steel seal it, prime it, herculine/POR15 it, sound deadning material, jute padding, new carpet, etc... Get the picture. It's an OCD thing. Great for restoration but murder on the budjet and time. Takes me forever to do things it takes other people a weekend to do because it MUST BE PERFECT or it will have to be done again. It's such a miserable/enjoyable life lol

James

[Nexus]

ahahaaha I suffer from the same problem...my car has been apart for 9 years but this is probably only the second year of continuously casualy working on it. At least you get to drive yours...lol

[76ta4spd]

Well hopefully I will get to drive it. Keep in mind that it's still in peices right now. The goal is to be driving it in 2 to 3 weeks. We are going to try and get her fired up (1st time in 4 1/2 yrs according to the prev owner) today. She still needs fuel lines. I haven't made my mind up yet on the lones. Prebent or make my own. That's another thread called "NEW FUEL LINES" in the restoration forum in Trans Am Information. Choices, choices. I just got the interior mostly put together yesterday and the engine will be today. Gonna try to get the doors done too if we have time. I will have 3 other people other than myself so it may get done. We'll have to see what happens. The prev owner says the car is "Sick Fast". He failed to mention the cancer in the floorboards so his idea of sick fast and mine may be completly different. lol It does have a Holly carb, Edelbrock intake, and Crane Cams cam in it with 285 on the duration so it MAY have some getup. We will have see about that tho. More coffee and a couple more cigs and it's off to make love...er I mean work on, the bird. lol

James

[Nexus]

aahahah

It's good you have help.  My help is limited right now because I'm trying to repair bent sheet metal and fix what started as a small hole in the floor. There isn't a lot others can do at the moment. Besides I still have to decide what direction I'm going to go in with it

[76ta4spd]

I am going to stop posting in this thread as Hitman has moved my "FOLLOW THE PROGRESS" to this forum where it belongs. If it is possible, I will change the subject to 76ta4spd Follow the Progress as I already have some pictures posted in there. Have to upload the pictures from today. Got the driver's door done and got her cranked today. Man she sounded rough. Will post more info and some new pics in the other thread.

James

[y88rick]

this car does look like someone who is on here's old car for sure.

[76ta4spd]

If it used to belong to someone on here and they recognise it, please by all means, chime in. I think there is a possibility that some of the sheet metal on the front of the quarters may be hung wrorng (or I just really suck at aligning doors). I hope that I'm just an idiot and can't align the doors correctly, considering the alternatives. lol Any distinguishing items, ect? The car was purchased here in MD and went to PA for a while and came back to MD before I bought it. The prev owner is trying to find the PHS on the car. He has it stored somewhere. I can provide more info when I get that in hand.

James

[y88rick]

your doors may not be the issue. Alighn them to the the body and then the fenders accordingly