1979 Pontiac Trans Am 10 Anniversary 400 4-Speed 20k Original miles. Here Goes...

[FunHuman]

Here it is bone stock! I call it Junior, just like me in HS 1979.
I am starting with the suspension, and I see where it takes me.

In the process of picking suspension (another post) and wheels and tires.
This is a street car and may never see the track.
But the way I drive, I consider every yellow like a white flag and any red a checkered one.

I just want to build it and have fun.
I wish I could get the Trans Am factory wheels in 18x9, I'd love to hide any Mods.

I will update as progress begins.

[ULTM8Z]

Very cool. What are your plans for it?

[ricerscott]

Looking forward to this build! BTW, I can only assume the price on the cars are all accurate...haha

[craulston]

This is very cool. Love the color and the package. Looks like a great find!

[Dodge383fi]

Car looks good. Good luck with it.
Napoli Kia sounds like Milford, Ct. That’s where I grew up. Back then it was only Napoli Pontiac. There was no Kia let alone a section showing the cars you showed.

[BonzoHansen]

Sweet. My absolute favorite 2nd gen. I almost bought one that was painted but no engine/trans/interior a few years ago. Someone beat me to it. Could have bought a nice one years ago for what seems like pennies now, but I was house shopping. Still regret that one a little. Who needs a house lol.

Wait, you are modifying a 20k mile all original TATA? Wow.

[yellow1098Greg]

I’ll look for your suspension thread but I definitely recommend pro touring f body (PTFB)…great stuff and saves money

[FunHuman]

Hi People,

I never got notified of any responses. Yes the prices on the cars are accurate, A LOT!!!
Milford, Ct is the location. 1.5 hours away. No doubt the longest trip for my new ride in a while.

I was torn about doing mods since is it's a survivor with 20k miles basically perfect.
Decided to make it mine with reversable modifications.

I went with the full PTFB suspension to be installed in 18 days, counting the days after I dropped it off at a useless shop and pulled the car.
Today I am picking it up from dry ice blasting the undercarriage. From what I have seen it looks amazing, assembly line fresh.

I am waiting for Ram Air Resto's factory headers and Ultimate dual exhaust system.

The new 18x9 wheels arrived yesterday, searching tires now. I want 295/45/18 rear but may be to be big, I also like 295/40/18, 275/40/18 seems a little narrow.

The car smelled a little musky, so I pulled the interior. Floor is perfect! A couple of tiny surface rust spots I brushed clean and treated.
New carpet, new factory insulation under lizard skin sound deadening, Corbeau front seats I got black because gray was 12 weeks away. I will buy the gray replacement skins.

I have not put the interior back together yet because I am debating what to do for the radio? I know they have the classic car modernized replacement.
Though it does not do much for me, or modern style, maybe a screen over the bottom storage space. Or just get power and audio and sit something in that open compartment.

My biggest decision right now is the rusty muddy radiator fluid. I swapped the radiator with a Dewitt (they changed the lower hose 45% angle) (BAD MOVE) I flushed and treated the system and flushed the heater core directly in both directions.

Still rusty with the new radiator. Ugh, now I am deciding do I swap the water pump and/or do the awful job of replacing the heater core since the interior is out? Dash still in place. I just bought Evapo-Rust Thermocure, supposedly that neutralizes the rust. Thoughts.
Heater core is NOT leaking and the heat works great.

The rusty coolant is bumming me out. I would do the heater core asap if it wasn't such a hassle. When I get the car back today, I will decide.

The Dewitt radiator was $$$, since I had awful installation issues with it. They are giving me a big refund or discount sending it back for a dual fan setup.
Am I nuts going with a dual fan setup? Or just keep it as is.

The engine is running cooler, though I had no issues, just trying to clean the coolant up.

Lastly every time the car is out of my sight, I find another nic, scratch etc. Guy lifted it on the perfect (were) pinch welds!

[andrewb70]

Very cool project.

A 295/45-18 is going to be way too tall. Even a 295/40, which is 27" tall might be pushing it. When I first built my 70 GTO I used 295/45-18s and they looked pretty good, but that was on a bigger car. I later went to the 295/40-18s and that was a really nice tire for the rear.

Andrew

[FunHuman]

Yeah, I thought the 245's were pushing it. The 295/40/18 I like, and I see many T?A's seem to be running them on stock height or lower suspension.
Can I pull that off on an 18x9 rim? I am kicking myself for not going to a 9.5 or 10 inch in the rear. These rims were a fortune!

[Alponcho]

Hi People,

The Dewitt radiator was $$$, since I had awful installation issues with it. They are giving me a big refund or discount sending it back for a dual fan setup.

Am I nuts going with a dual fan setup? Or just keep it as is.

The engine is running cooler, though I had no issues, just trying to clean the coolant up.

I run a 535ci in my 70 Formula, and the factory cooling system (clutch fan, shroud, and aluminum radiator) works fine, even here in the blazing Arizona heat with the A/C on. Having said this, my son and I are putting together an LS swapped 79 TA and will be going with dual electric fans (because of the accessory drive we're running and wasn't sure where the fan would land)

[Vimes]

You can do 285/40R18s on a 9 inch rim. 295s are outside the recommended minimum width of 9.5in, but probably wouldn't be an issue although the sidewalls might bulge a bit. 285s will look fine though, and will still handle pretty well. And, they are 27 inches tall in a Michelin Pilot.

[68Formula]

What a cool survivor car! I think you're doing it right, making changes that are easily reversible with something that original.

Max recommended for a 9" rim is 275/40. Of course many have up-sized it to a 285 (min, 9.5" recommended by tire manufacturers) but I wouldn't push all the way to 295; that's 1" narrower than recommended. You'll lose lateral stability. Besides IIRC, a 295 on the rear of a later year 2nd gen requires modifying the seat belt hump, and rolling the fenders. Too bad you didn't do 10s for the rear as that would have made any size appear wider.

On the front, I think you should be able to get 255/40s with the correct backspace.

[FunHuman]

Hi,
I went with 275/40/18 front (5 inch back space), 275/45/18 rear (4 3/4 backspace) as recommended by Trans Am of Miami.
I wanted the 45's to fill the rear.

I bought Bridgestone Potenza Sport all around.
I hope they are decent, they are selling new 2021 summer tires for 50% off ($159.).
That is a throw away price in my opinion and they get good reviews online.

I pray I like the look, the Billet rims cost a fortune and I don't want to be stupid and buy two new rear rims (18x10 or 11).
I am going to check with the wheel shop on Monday and see if I can swap out the rears, since it is a most popular size (6 week wait).

I am running the OEM radiator for a few day without the shroud for easy access as I treat the cooling system with Thermocure.
Something weird happened as I sat in traffic. The temperature rose approaching 220 degrees at a red light. I said damn I cranked the heat up and started moving.

Suddenly the temps started dropping fast! Back under 190 and it has barely gotten above it again. Down 20 degrees in a city block.
I thought the gauge went bad or something.

I drove it today trying to raise the temperature with no shroud. Barely 200 degrees, the engine may have burped an air pocket or could the rust have really been clogging up the system? The car was not overheating, I just flushed and pulled the radiator when I saw how bad the coolant was.
One more day until I flush it.

Here are a couple of shots of the undercarriage from dry ice blasting. Ridiculously expensive and I know I used the wrong guy.
The price was 35% higher than other quotes and less effective than I was told it would be.

The dust is a mess all over the car. Like red rust soot. I need the car up in the air to thoroughly clean it.
Where the pinch weld looks rusty it is not. That is this film over everything.

The under body looks great though and I am happy aside from the cost.

[DocsTa]

Beautiful car there.
You will love it with the suspension and wheel upgrades and before you know it you will have the bug for more power.

I would recommend checking the steering shaft and box for play and possible rebuilding or changing it out. Although originally tight, as with all components original there are good upgrades that will make a difference.



Here is my resto.