3800 1981 Trans Am...possibly

  • Thread starter imported_Theautoguy
  • Start date
I

imported_Theautoguy

Guest
The wife gave me the go ahead to make an offer on a first generation Lightning tomarrow. As such, I will need to get rid of the Trans Am, I can't have five vehicles and it's the least useful at this time.

transam1.jpg


It is an 81' with a big block 400, bored .030 over, estimated around 1500 miles on the motor.
It has a Borg Warner Super T-10 4-speed with a new clutch, pressure plate & bearing on a resurfaced flywheel with about 600 miles on it.
New tires
New brakes
New battery
New front shocks
New carpet & sill plates
New clutch linkage
New headers
The floors, trunk, doors, rockers, quarters, etc... are all solid (southern car)
Very very little surface rust, one or two places
It does have a few door dings and several scratches, it could use some blocking and a new coat of paint but looks pretty good on the street
It runs great, rides even better and sounds mean as hell

It's a great driver and looks good cruising the street! I've had it out several times this year. It pains me to part with it but I WANT A LIGHTNING AGAIN!

Photos can be seen at http://home.insightbb.com/~theautoguy/Cars.html

I'm looking for $3800'ish as it's in much better condition than most other 2nd generation f-bodies around here and it's gaining in value.

Post or P/M me any questions as I'm sure I forgot some details.
 
I

imported_Ron Vogel

Guest
I'll ask around, but have a few ??'s. Was this an original 301 turbo car, I didn't think they put the 400's in anything later than '79? Is it a 403, or a real Pontiac 400, and what year is the motor? If you rebuilt it, what year is the crank? What heads does it have if a Pontiac 400? If you don't know, look at the heads right above the outlet of the middle two cylinders, the casting # should be a two or three digit number; ie: 4X, 6X, 16, 72.
BTW; all Pontiacs are the same block 326, 350, 400, 455. The only "real" big-block was the 421/428, but they only had large crank journals, everthing else the same.
 
I

imported_Theautoguy

Guest
Ron, I'm impressed, most people don't know the production specs. I'm not the ultimate expert but I do know more about the these cars than I do about others. It wasn't a turbo car but it did have the 301 in it, it had a spun bearing. The rear end is a standard issue, drum brake, one wheel wonder. It now has a "real" pontiac 400. I bought the motor rebuilt out of a vehicle that it was transplanted into. The motor originally came out of a 75' Trans Am and has the 6X heads. Before I dropped it in I flipped it over and checked the crank assembly. The bearings were still working off the break-in glaze, it has a dbl roller timing chain and .030 pistons. I tossed on a new high volume oil pump since I was in there, an ounce of prevention...
 
I

imported_Ron Vogel

Guest
I used to have a 400 race motor before the aftermarket jumped on. If you didn't build it yourself, you needed to find the better OEM stuff, so it forced me to learn about them. I had a '75 block bored .060 over and journals bored to accept the 428 crank, Speed pro pistons, '69 RA3 heads #16, mechanical cam/roller rockers, oil restrictors in lifter bosses .520 lift/305 duration, Nash intake manifold, 750 dbl pump w/milled choke horn & other goodies, Hooker headers, locked down HEI driven by MSD ign computer to a 6al box. The whole thing was backed up by a built turbo 350 w/3500 stall, to a Chrysler 8 3/4" rearend with 4.30 gears posi. To make matters worse is the shebang was not even in a Pontiac, it was in a '79 Olds Cutlass! It was pretty quick, but it never went to the track, I primarily street raced it. My best estimate would be that it was in the mid 11's.
 

rob

TCG Elite Member
Dec 28, 2008
1,237
0
I love it! I have a 10th anniversery TA that needs a resto..If I didnt I be over there with the $$$$. I have all kinds of poncho parts aswell.

I like it. I may see if I can unload my TA and get yours cause I want to build one and im not doing it to a 10th with a four speed. So Im probably going to put it on the market....Its not what I want anymore but I want a 4-speed. So if you still have it for awile I'll get back to you.

Nice car. I want it.
 
I

imported_Theautoguy

Guest
Tomarrow's my birthday, I'll be in and out until 3:00 when I'll be there the rest of the night. Sunday I'll be going to Byron and Monday I'll be recouperating from the weekend at home. You're welcome to come by tomarrow after 3:00 and check it out, perhaps to pop a beer or two as well. Other than that, just give me a day's notice and I should be able to accomidate. I do have a guy from NJ that's supposed to be very interested but we still haven't talk money yet so it's still available.

My Info:

Don Wallin
474 Chicory Street
Machesney Park, IL 61115
815-636-9695

Machesney Park is a few minutes North of Rockford, somewhere between 1-2 hours outside of Chicago off I-90 depending on where you're from, MapQuest it.
 
I

imported_Theautoguy

Guest
Unfortunatly, I seldom get the opportunity to go anywhere other than work, school and the home stores! I would love to make it out to the Chicago area to meet more people in here but time has become scarce. I'm sure I'll be able to make a mod day or two before the end of the season and we can put a few back then but as far as getting together in Chicago to look over the Trans Am, I won't have time for a while. Besides, I'm aiming to place an ad locally early next week.
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 90 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant. Consider starting a new thread to get fresh replies.

Thread Info

  • I
    Created
  • 10
    Replies
  • 649
    Views
  • Participants list