wildjeff

iTrader: (1)

I finally started restoring my 83 T/A. I've been looking for an 1983 L69 T/A for the last five years and I finally found one on eBay last October. It spent most of its life in California and the body is virtually rest free, but not without its issues. Overall, the car is very original and complete. That's a good. The bad is that it's been pretty beat up cosmetically. The interior shot, although I believe the plastic panels are salvageable as they are not scratched or broken. The exterior has been hit a few times but the damages only Sheet metal.

I'll be updating my progress on my web site at http://www.82firebird.com under 'My Restoration'

Here's what I'm starting with.

wildjeff

iTrader: (1)

This is one of the problem areas. At some point to shock mount had broken and whoever tried to fix it welded a washer above the body and below the body. And their welding jobs bits. The rest of the frame is in relatively good shape with little rust.

3.8TransAM

Sounds like a plan man!

I hope its what you really want before throwing that kind of serious money into it. But I do understand where your coming from :-)

Just do me a favor and when u say restored, it will be restored as it came from Pontiac and/or has lite mode like GTA rims or done up suspension, but exterior and interior still look vintage Pontiac.

later
Jeremy

1982TA

iTrader: (1)

Good luck, nice to see people starting to restore the early thirdgens. I myself am starting a restoration on my '82 TA. So far I have just been in the process of collecting many interior, exterior, and miscellaneous things here and there before they are impossible to find. I'm trying to keep everything pretty much OEM or NOS if possible as far as interior and exterior. I'm also trying to piece back my Crossfire Injection system, but use it on my existing 406 block but keep it stock appearing, including all smog equipment. I was lucky enough to find a TA with a pretty descent interior to begin with but after finding some pretty hard to get NOS pieces, I'm really motivated to make this car look new again!

wildjeff

iTrader: (1)

When I say restored I mean back to as close to original as I can make it. I even have some NOS OEM fabric I’m going to use it to have replacement seat covers made. The fabric itself was serious money so I’m past that point.

I look for parts in the following order:

1) NOS parts
2) New GM parts
3) Wrecking yard – only good usable original stuff
4) Aftermarket

The one exception will be the wheels, I have a set of Ronal “Firehawk” wheels I’m going to put on but I will have the originals available if needed.

I got the car back from the body shop. They measured the frame and it checked out great (don’t want to put a lot of money into a car with a bent frame). They also fixed the shock mount and a few other small things. I will be doing the sheet metal body work myself.

The problem area is getting parts for the interior, 25 your old plastic is challenging to find in good shape.

Anybody know where I can get a center consol that has the fake screws intact and undamaged? All the ones I’ve come across have had them stripe because someone though they where real.

1982TA

iTrader: (1)

I too am looking for one of these...good luck! I've come across very few in good shape, and if I wasn't an idiot, and tried looking in the shop manual before I tried to replace my window switches, mine would be in pretty good shape! Yes, I too thought the screws were real and pretty much mangled them

For me, I'm just planning to keep the interior as stock as possible, however I'm not even going to attempt to find original fabric for my '82. I am definatley not going to use the after market "PMD" seat covers also...the fabric just looks bad (velour??). I found a shop that has fabric that is VERY close though, and has the same ribbed type pattern in it. I will probably go with that. There really isn't a whole lot I need for interior though, mine is in pretty good shape. It's just the little things that need replaced. I did manage to find an '82 shift **** and button NOS though. VERY happy with that and it was only $61 total I did find a place that had a NOS upper console, however when I called they already sold it

86NiteRider

iTrader: (10)

Just stay on it. Since you own the car, over a period of time you will accumulate the parts you need or desire for your car. But OEM is disappearing fast.