beautysMistress

Hey all. My mom gave me her 83 transam back in mid 90's. Alaska wasn't so good to the car and its now pretty rough on body..
I parked it in 2003 and it has sat until I have (maybe) enough money to make her look and run well again.
Imagine my suprise when I tried to move her she woudn't budge. Now I don't know alot about cars but figure maybe after sitting 13 years something happened to the transmission. The engine will start. Yippeee (after a new battery and jump)
Trying to find out what kind she has so can replace. the local shop said they would do rebuild it for 2300 bucks.. seems I should be able to buy one already rebuilt somewhere and replace myself.. with the help of friends of course.
it is an 83 trans am with a 305 fuel injection. Automatic transmission and I think posi traction.
Any help would be appreciated. Hoping to find one already up here or will ship if I have to.. to bad it won't fit into flat rate box!

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

Will the car roll in neutral if you push it ? Your description is pretty vague much beyond that it sat 13 years and now it "wouldn't budge" ???

After 13 years i'd expect the rusted lumps that used to be your brake rotors have finally become one with whats left of your calipers & brakepads and maybe that's why it wont budge ?

beautysMistress

Sorry for the vagaries. It will roll and did back up a couple feet then quit. Also moved forward a few feet ..it was on a very slight incline. I just assumed it was the transmission. But I will double check the wheels roll ok. Thanks

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

Ok , so it did roll a couple of feet in each direction and it was stuck after that ? The thing here is that while 13 years of sitting most certainly could have allowed some seal to dry out enough to cause a bad enough internal leak , or some valve/checkball/etc to become stuck , it's not really all that likely . The far likelier cause is the brakes being rusted to death from the 13 year sit , especially where you cite the poor condition of the body due to the climate of Alaska being car unfriendly . Are we talkin mad rust here ? As in the body is all rusted up due to , and I'm just askin here cause I don't know , possible use of whole bunches road salt deicing chemicals that literally eat cars ? Cause if it is rusty as Hell , and your transmission is full of fluid , my bet is gonna be your wheels are stuck .

Not that replacing totally rotted together brakes is all that easy or cheap , but it would sure be cheaper and easier than replacing the transmission to find ya got one (or more) wheels bound up solid from rusty brakes .

PS , In the northeast coastline State of the continental US where I live , road salt use in winter is SO excessive that I have seen cars parked in winter , left till spring/early summer and not be able to roll because of stuck brakes ......

beautysMistress

Hello, thanks for the replies,
I will check that the wheels roll before doing any transmission work. First I have to get it from Ninilchik to Anchorage.
The car was driven its first few years in Fairbanks where they use alot more salt than Anchorage does. And in Ninilchik it is never used.
That said the body is in rough shape. At one time you could see the road through the driver side floor board. Had a plate welded in before it was parked.
Thanks again.
I'll take some photos when I get back down there and let you all know if it was the wheels.
cheers
Flash