Hitman's Pontiac Trans Am Forum
Trans Am Photos => Restoration Projects => Topic started by: 4speed76 on May 10, 2009, 08:07:44 PM
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OK guys and gals, I have owned this 78 formula 4 speed for 10 years now. I bought this car from my dad at 16 and he bought it from the original owner with less than 100000kms on it. It was all original except the paint and in great shape and all it needed at the time was some minor quarter panel work, and I was in love with this car. Being only 16 at the time i sold it to a friend of mine for $500 not knowing any better and he did nothing with it for a year. I then bought it back from him for $300, and drove it to work one last time. I got it back to a friends place and started to tear it apart, tossing everything I thought I was going to buy brand new. WHAT was I thinking? I even started to strip the body down to bare steel, just to have it sit outside for a couple years. Finally I had scraped enough money to get it painted, and had it painted its current color. but when I got the car home I started to see the shody job that they did to it, missing bolts, some spots look like they painted it a sand storm, and when I went back to find this guy he had shut down shop and moved. And I lost the ambition to get it finished, then came my first child so that put a damper on things, then came the house, then our baby girl, which is now going on 2. Then I started to look at some of your cars and projects and got the itch to get it done. Even my wife to be told me that she cant wait till its done, So today I finally cleaned the garage so I can start on it as soon as possible. But I dont plan on putting it back to stock, for I am going to be making a street/strip car. Sorry for the long post I just thought you guys and gals wouldn't mind a good story.
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Looks like a great project, and it has a great story! Can't wait to see more pictures or the progress!
Bill
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I've got a 78 Formula too, welcome to the club. Good luck.
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the floors need work but trunk is solid
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typical toe boards
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I will keep adding pictures as I progress.
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My biggest problem is that I am doing everything but body and paint in a 10x20 garage, should be fun.
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Cool project good luck with it.
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thanks man I have been doing a bit everyday so far after work, but with the wife working afternoons and 2 kids I dont really get too much done. I have the front end off as well as the passenger side door and tomorrow the motor and trany comes out. And try to see how bad the floors really are. This time I am not going to get overwhelmed, small steps at a time.
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Little bit every day is all it takes - looks like you'll get good at welding. Congrats!
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Oh yeah good thing I am a welder by trade
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Oh, you've got it easy then. Break out the torch!
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Yeah unfortunately my 10x20 single car garage doesnt have alot of space. And did I mention its a townhouse? I did buy a little 120v flux core welder so I am gonna do what I can.
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Im gonna keep a close eye on this thread. Ive got a 78 formula too. Good luck
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I will do the best I can Will keep adding pics as I go
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I like when people tell there stories ,I always find them interesting .Thanks for sharing .
Welcome to the site ,and I like many will be keeping an eye on your progress . I envy you having a 4 speed ,sweet!
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Hold that thought!!!!!! I have put in an automatic transmission, as I intend to do alot of Drag racing. So a 4 speed would take too much abuse as well as the clutch. After I got a bit educated on the car itself I wish I would have left it original.
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well I just got done pulling the motor and tranny out. Even pulled the top end of the motor apart. Pics coming later this weekend.
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What were the original colours?
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Starlight black and gold appearance package. It should look exactly like 78formula's car
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Sorry i meant 784mula's car
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so you're repainting it original colours too? There's gonna be enough of us on here soon to start our own Black and Gold Formula page!
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I am thinking about it. Problem is that I have a cowl hood and I am not too sure how I would have it painted to simulate the formula hood. I would love to have a sort of sleeper look.
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Cowl hood might give away the sleeper part pretty quick! Perhaps some sort of GT hood stripes or even TA hood bird?
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hey man great story dont let life get you down. i have 4 kids 3 dogs a mortgage and a wife........i have 4 ta's
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Luckily I have everthing settled down now, except now a wedding next july, but now I have time and ability to devote to the bird
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Get a used formula hood.
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I had one and the intake and carb setup I have wouldn't fit under the stock formula hood, that was without the carb spacer.
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Nice score, and good luck with the project. ;)
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Progress
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more
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!!!!
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I just got finished tearing into the Bird again and the deeper I get The more angry I get. The dead beat that was "supposed" to paint it and put it together had it all put together with missing bolts and nuts, and he had used good old self tapping screws. The only thing he didn't use is duct tape.
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he must have been fresh out from the last car lol.
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I think so LOL. OH well I've learned the hard way. "You get what you pay for." This time I'm having it done right.
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cross your fingers? or are you doing it yourself?
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I am going to be doing the doors and fenders myself at a friends place, I am doing the floors myself in my garage. A guy at work is building a 57 chevy nomad, and he has already spent over 100k on it told me about a custom body and resto shop near by that is doing the body, paint on his car. So I am going to check him out.
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good do your home work ask for refferals they can take a look at. check out the b.b.b. as well.
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Oh I plan on it, I'm not going to get a half a$$ job again.
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Just an update. Went out and worked on the bird today, started scraping all the road grime and undercoating off the R/S rear wheel well and frame rail. Somebody please tell me that it will be worth it. I spent 3.5 hours and barely got anything done. The original owner had it undercoated every year since new and I tell you that it must have been 1/4 inch thick.
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PICs
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inner wheel well
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Frame rail look nice
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The dummy that painted the car before decided to plug that hole in the first pic, by cutting a piece of steel and then not even weld it in. He placed it there and used silicone to hold it in place. The more I dig in the more I am finding. No worries I will not give up.
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Nice work! Well thats ok, i just just found more rust in my supposed RUST FREE car! First in the lower fender now in the passenger rocker! Not to happy about it! Keep on chugging along!
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Will do.
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i have a small hole down towards the bottom front on mine i havent figured if im going to patch it or cut out the quarter and replace both the innner and outter wheel houses because its right on that seam where they are welded together
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I think I am going to put a piece out and patch it. No sense removing the 1/4 it is in mint shape
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this is where i get into moral conflict with myself. 1. thats what i'd normally do 2. its a y82 so i want to do it right and only 1 time and never again. so im stuck saying a simple job could turn out to suck and take a long time but be done right in the end or patch it up and do the best i can with it and hope it never comes back to bite me in the arse
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I know what you are saying Rick. I just got finished scraping the R/S wheel tubs and there is a few spots that need attention. Also did the L/S wheel tub and there is a few more problems than I expected. Fortunately the L/S 1/4 that I am purchasing has both inner and outer wheel tubs so that side is going to be mint. The other side on the other hand has got me puzzled, I think that since it is only going to be a nice looking street/strip car I am going to do the best I can without removing the 1/4.