Topic: 1978 trans am

[justin815]

I thought i would start a thread on my car here. I'm planing a lot of upgrades for the car in the future. i figured i'd list them all here so i can keep track of everything and keep everyone updated. i just got the car back from body shop not to long ago and im excited to start working on it. so far other than the body work. i've replaced rims and tires, and welded the mufflers up.

i just got most of the parts yesterday from summit and local parts store for my next project "BRAKES and DRIVE LINE"

New calipers (stock, until the twin piston calipers i want are off backorder)

New rotors (cross drilled and sloted)

New drums

New wheel cylinders

Drum hardware kits

New stainless steal brake lines

New ceramic pads

New master cylinder

New brake booster

ATE super blue brake fluid

New Shocks all around (sensa-trac)

New wheel bearings and seals for all 4 corners

New moser engineering axle shafts

Locking gas cap (guess why i need this)

question: do i need any special tools to change any of these except for the rear wheel bearing puller?

i think while i'm in the axle i'll rebuild the whole thing and put some different gears in it just not sure what kind yet. this is gonna be a fun project not sure when its gonna start because im still waiting on the axle shafts, rear shocks, and brake booster......and in the next week or two im ordering pro touring f-body's Performance front end rebuilt kit and installing that

I'm also gonna do a before and after stopping distance from 60 mph. I'm curious to see how much all this helps

Next I'm either taking the engine and trans out. fixing the leaks, striping the 3+ layers of paint off the engine, and repaint it, or welding some new floor pans in and finishing the interior

here's what i have so far

[T/A Kid]

Looks like you're off to a good start ! Good luck and continue to keep us posted.

[Jolley_Man666]

It looks like you have everything covered, good luck and keep us posted

[PA Formula 78]

Looks like you got enough to keep you busy for awhile.  I won't have time to touch my car for another month or so probably.

[justin815]

got most of the front brakes done today. i also got the front wheel bearings and shocks replaced. im suprised at the difference i can tell already. it stops SO much better, and im not even done with it yet.......while doing all this i noticed i have some play in the passenger side lower ball joint. so i need to get that front end rebuild kit asap

here are some pics
before


painted these

old rotor



done


Worked into the night

had the radio on

[rad400]

Nice job on the frt brakes. good luck with rest of the project.

[kjkjkcjkcj]

wow looks sweet i have never seen a black and white trans am.

[justin815]

thanks guys

when i rebuild the front end im going to take as much apart as i can and paint everything black. i was thinking about powder coat but that might get pricey

[jphillips3333]

Nice dude - love the hurricane shutters in the garage.  Hurricane Charley was an eye opener for us all, huh?

It's been too hot on the east coast to do anything - 95 today.  I'm off to Seattle tomorrow - ought to be a drastic change.

[Justin]

awesome job man. Where did you get your rotors? I'm sure all your hard work will pay off.

[justin815]

Nice dude - love the hurricane shutters in the garage.  Hurricane Charley was an eye opener for us all, huh?

It's been too hot on the east coast to do anything - 95 today.  I'm off to Seattle tomorrow - ought to be a drastic change.

i wasnt here for Charley, but i was about 3 miles outside New Orleans for Kartina. now that was an eye opener, but Florida usually gets it 5 times worse than Louisiana. this hurricane season was a good one though.

the heat index was 95 here. i wish i had AC!!

awesome job man. Where did you get your rotors? I'm sure all your hard work will pay off.

i got them through summit. $200 for the pair. they are cryogenically treated, and zinc coated
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PWR-8202XPR/

[72blackbird]

Those front rotors look decent- hopefully they weren't made in China and cryo'd here. I'm seeing alot of knockoff replacement parts coming from China- pulled the wheels off a '65 GTO I'm working on and the rotors were stamped "made in China".  

Geno

[kjkjkcjkcj]

Yeah i hear ya. i just replaced my rear rotors and I went to 4 different shops before i finally got a set that were made in america.  what stunk is 2 of the shops didn't know where they were made so they had to order them and i had to wait for when they came in to see what the rotor said.

[justin815]

well im now stuck at the axle shafts. i broke the cross shaft retaining bolt! this one's gonna be a pain to get out