Topic: 81 trans am (new member)

[tonysstudio]

Hello everyone, i am a new member (first post) i recently purchased an 81 non turbo trans am with the 301. I have linked my web site where i host my pictures. I was told it had a 301. Well, nothing fit right so i looked it up and it has a 400 motor! Heck yea! I am new to the american car world, i mostly work on hondas. After a few hours with this, I can never go back. My father has always wanted a trans am. I have purchased this car with the intention to restore it and give it to him for a retirement gift. He retires in 5 years, plenty of time to get it going and enjoy it a little. I have had so much fun working on this car. Details are on my web site page. Let me know what you think so far.

http://www.tonysauto.org/transam

[eroc022]

looks like a good project and if you ever need any help or parts feel free to ask...as there are plenty of experienced "birdsmen" on this site...

[Gold78Spc]

Looks good so far !!  Thats a really cool thing your doing for yor dad.  Is it going to be a surprise or does he know your redoing it?

[rkellerjr]

Looks like a great project, welcome to the American Muscle world and also welcome to 78ta.com.  Let us know if you have any questions we'll certainly help out where we can.

[Hitman]

Welcome to the forum.  Nice to hear from the people who convert from Rice to Muscle.  I am sure your dad is going to love it.  Let us know how we can help you out.

[LOMILETA]

As was stated already, Welcome Tony. Also as was stated, (i hate being late) Post up if your in need of help or parts, thats what were here for.

[tonysstudio]

My buddie has always wanted a Honda CRX so when he went out and bought a project, i swapped the engine and got it all done up nice for him. His dad was so thankful cuz he hates working on hondas. Good news is, a few months later i got the trans am. He came by, made a list of needed parts and GAVE me a ton of parts. distributer, shifter, knob, shaker hood, shaker, complete dash, carb, steering wheel and a ton of small parts. This was all just laying in his garage. He used to be a tow truck driver and got a 78 trans am a while back that was in bad body shape. He stripped it and sold the body to the scrap yard and kept all the parts. I got them all.

I have already run in to an issue and will post in trans am information. I guarantee it will make you scratch your head.

[rkellerjr]

wow, why can't I get that lucky!

[tonysstudio]

He knows i bought a trans am but i told him i was getting older and hondas were getting boring. I needed a real car. He told me his dream car was a trans am, so i bought it. He is comming to look at it this week. He is in Cali and im in Washington.

[dblhh]

Welcome to the site. That's great you are going to restore the TA for your dad! Then you'll have the experience and know-how to restore your own TA in the future.

[tonysstudio]

YEP. I want to own a 79 and restore it. My dream car is pictured above by Gold78SPC. What i would not do for an after noon driving that on a nice day. Not hard, just relaxing in the sun!

[tonysstudio]

Well today was a great day!!!!!!!!!!!
We got out there and installed the water pump pulley. I was using the 301 pulley and needed the 400 pulley. That way i could drive the alternator. (i origionaly thought it was a 301 engine) . Got it in, got the correct distributer,belts and IT FIRED RIGHT UP! No issues at all. I got the water lines in, and filled it and topped all the fluids up and i have had it running for 2 hours today total. I have to get the drop down linkage working and a seat in it before i can driver her around but i got it out of the garage, in the street, turned around and pulled in again. Sounds great and no hickups at all. I have video, but have to add it to my web site before i can post a link. Will do so soon!

I cant even describe the feeling when she fired right up......few days and i will be driving her around town (mostly to the auto parts store only).

[tonysstudio]

Here are the videos. 3 quick ones. not great quality of the car running for the first time.


http://www.tonysauto.org/transam/transamvideos/trans%20am%20is%20runnning.wmv

http://www.tonysauto.org/transam/transamvideos/trasn%20am%20running2.wmv

http://www.tonysauto.org/transam/transamvideos/transamrunning3.wmv