Hitman's Pontiac Trans Am Forum

Trans Am Photos => Restoration Projects => Topic started by: ryeguy2006a on January 01, 2008, 11:15:07 PM

Title: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed Updated with some new pics!!!
Post by: ryeguy2006a on January 01, 2008, 11:15:07 PM

Hey my name is Ryan, and I have been on this site for a couple of months now. I borrowed money from my dad to buy this car in summer '05 when I was in 11th grade. The car was trailered from Texas by the guy who I bought it for and stored in his garage for a few years, so the body was in excellent condition. I bought the whole car with crager rims for $1000 dollars. I paid him back in the fall and fully tore the car apart and did a full off restoration. I put two new quarter skins on, replaced the driver side front floor pan, and pass. side rear floor pan. I completely wirewheeled the entire underside of the car and painted it with POR 15. I bought a new bushing kit from Classic Industries and replaced everything on the front subframe, and painted it with POR 15. I tore down the 400 engine and was bored over .030 to make it a 406, and it has the 6x heads on it with an Edelbrock Performer intake and Thunder series carb. I panted the T-10 and got new clips for the linkages. Tore apart the drum brakes and painted the springs original colors with new pads, also painted the front calipers red with VHT Heat paint. I am currently getting the doors and fenders aligned and getting that much closer to paint. I recently purchased a 1973 Firebird Esprit that I will be taking most of the interior, including a mint dash!!!!!! Here's what I have so far. And for the future I plan on adding an electric fan, and tremec 5 speed.

http://s105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/?mediafilter=all

Click above for the full list of photos!!   8)

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: turbota400 on January 01, 2008, 11:17:46 PM

Just copy the IMG line under the picture to your posts and they will show up.

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: turbota400 on January 01, 2008, 11:20:54 PM

Nice looking T/A by the way. Keep us posted on your progress.

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: Rick on January 01, 2008, 11:29:33 PM

Looks like a nice project!  Like turbota400 says, just copy the IMG tag on the page with the full-sixe pic and paste it into the posting form here, and the pics will link automatically. ;)

Keep us updated as you go along!  We're looking forward to following your progress! :) :)

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: LonestaR on January 02, 2008, 02:12:12 AM

Nice project ryan, are those quarters repo's or off another ta? Did you por-15 with a brush application?
I have always been interested in Por-15. Anyone know the pro and cons and also how it's  square's up against powdercoating?

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: ryeguy2006a on January 02, 2008, 11:05:58 AM

The quarters were from goodmark, they are just the skins not a full quarter. they were really easy to put on, not much fitting. Yeah I brushed the POR 15 on and it comes out with an amazing gloss finish. It came out so well that I put it on my firewall, with a brush. Haha. Well I'll speak for POR and tell you this,  I put this on my sub frame as well and accidentally hit it pretty hard with a hammer, and it didn't even scratch! I'm all for it, although it's pretty expensive. But definitely worth it. And thanks for all of the responses!!

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: RENOVATIONS on January 02, 2008, 11:51:16 AM

VERY NICE work!! I posted some of your pix for you ;D

Did you create a flange when you mounted your new skins or butt weld them?



(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/100_0029.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/100_0028.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/100_0023.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/100_0022.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/169-6950_IMG.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/168-6825_IMG.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/113-1376_IMG.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/113-1375_IMG.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/112-1297_IMG.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/112-1287_IMG.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/112-1250_IMG.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/110_1056.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/110_1055.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/110_1050.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/110_1038.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/110_1033.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/Jul31657.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/Jul31655.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/Jul31652.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/Jul31651.jpg)

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: rkellerjr on January 02, 2008, 12:40:22 PM

Great project and welcome to TAC, if I haven't already welcomed you.

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: turbota400 on January 02, 2008, 01:34:41 PM

Quote from: rkellerjr on January 02, 2008, 12:40:22 PM

Great project and welcome to TAC, if I haven't already welcomed you.

TAC???!!!!  That's blasphemy!!  LOL

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: turbota400 on January 02, 2008, 01:37:10 PM

Welcome to 78TA, ryeguy!

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: Rick on January 02, 2008, 03:36:18 PM

Quote from: rkellerjr on January 02, 2008, 12:40:22 PM

Great project and welcome to TAC, if I haven't already welcomed you.

HAHAHA!  ROTFLMAO!  Too funny!

That's OK Rich -- happened to me once too...took a couple of weeks to live it down...so join the club! :D ;)

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: rkellerjr on January 02, 2008, 03:39:02 PM

Oh crap, I've been going between the two sites so often lately with several Tech threads I got lost!  Sorry Hitman, please don't pull my posts! 

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: Rick on January 02, 2008, 03:47:03 PM

Not to worry, Rich!  It's actually a lesser offense than going to a car show and NOT taking your camera, and you lived through that! :D :D

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: RRR76TA on January 02, 2008, 06:49:41 PM

Nice project .

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: hdebo on January 02, 2008, 11:47:19 PM

That is coming around just great. I love the shot of your dog in the car.  ;D Keep up the great work and keep the pics coming.

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: Solar78 on January 03, 2008, 12:11:21 AM

Nice Ride!!! Good luck with the resto.....Keep the pics coming....

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: ryeguy2006a on September 19, 2009, 02:44:27 PM

It has been a while since I have updated this thread. I have gotten a lot done on her since you guys last saw it.

I got the cooling fans installed with all custom brackets
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/100_1286.jpg)

We got a lot of the body work done.
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/100_1292.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/100_1291.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/100_1382.jpg)

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed
Post by: ryeguy2006a on September 19, 2009, 02:47:10 PM

Then we moved the car into the center of the garage to start the final body work on it. My dad is doing the work and he said that it should be done and painted this fall. Lets hope it goes that way.

(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/100_1839.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/100_1840.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/100_1841.jpg)
(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m215/ryeguy2006a/Trans%20Am/100_1842.jpg)

Can't wait to get her into some new paint.  ;D

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed Updated with some new pics!!!
Post by: RENOVATIONS on September 19, 2009, 02:50:44 PM

That's really looking great Ryan!  ;D

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed Updated with some new pics!!!
Post by: RainMan on September 19, 2009, 03:15:04 PM

Nice looking project,it looks as though its coming along very well . I think your dog approves too lol

I like the size of your garage ,wish mine were that big

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed Updated with some new pics!!!
Post by: rad400 on September 19, 2009, 08:19:19 PM

very cool project it will look awesome when it is done

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed Updated with some new pics!!!
Post by: Rarebird on September 19, 2009, 08:24:17 PM

Love to see these restoration in progress pics.... its seeing new life being given to a tired bird

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed Updated with some new pics!!!
Post by: jphillips3333 on September 20, 2009, 10:37:14 AM

Nice dog ... great quarter repair work.  It's looking great ...

Title: Re: 1976 Trans Am 400 4 Speed Updated with some new pics!!!
Post by: ryeguy2006a on September 20, 2009, 03:31:55 PM

Thanks for all of the responses!! I'm very excited to finish her up.