Hi,
I just like to show you what kind car is "full" modified Trans Am.

I'm sure that this is not "possible" in U.S or some other country, except here in Finland. Here is very good reason why to build car like this. But that thing I tell you later if it interests on you.

Just look and wonder. Don't laugh, at least very much because I just like to drive with this.

http://www.saunalahti.fi/~saparti/po...saminponu.html

I'm sorry that page is not translated to english, but images should tell you enough.

And why I wrote this message to board "Appearance and Detailing"? Reason is simple, from images you should see how happened the painting operate, and how much it changed car layout. I think that painting was worth of it, and because I took a different color than usually, it shows better on town.

Sami

 

Looks very interesting. Makes hauling parts pretty easy.

 

That poor car. Its interesting somebody would put that much time and effort into a fbody but i dont understand why they didnt buy a truck.

 

Are thirdgen's that common over there?
I've seen more crazy thirdgen things come from that side of the pond...

Like that $7000 evolution body kit. Is there really a market for something like that in europe? What made a bunch of red-blooded small sports car driving europeans want to modify thirdgens? I think it's great, personally, but why?

 

Well I am not from Finland But I am from Estonia wich is south of Finland about 80 miles away. And here are about 30 of thirdgens here, but I am guessing about half of them are broken down.
It is sad -wery sad! That also makes the parts for our cars expensive and hard to get (I have been waiting for over a month for a gear box pad ) And the junkjards are out of the question!

 

There is a very good reason why car should be a registered to "truck". Reason is money.

I didn't build those modifications, company which carry that car over 15 years a go here in Finland, did that. Here is part from my friend message
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That car is result of Finlands car taxes..

Until few years ago we had 0% taxes for cargo cars (pick-ups, etc.) Compared to "normal" cars which are taxed about 90%-120%. So anyone could figure that buying Camaros or Mustangs is beyond avarage person in Finland. For example a new Camaro costs about $55000 in here Finland. And for more, income taxes are quite big also, if income is $35000, taxes are about 32-35%.

Even more funny is that you can not put "stiff" cover on top of trunk, it is viewed as if pickup suddenly becomes normal car, and car tax is then put in action,.. and more, you can't even drive that "new car" as it is treated as really new car. It has to fill all current regulations of new cars (airbags, etc)

And even more After importing used car, you are not allowed to change more than 35% of car parts or else it is again treated as new car.. if you swap engine and tranny it is already 25%.. eh.
Wellcome to Finland
--------------------

Now still that this car is nearly 20 years old. It costed to me, only 1/3 of that, what reall Trans Am would cost.

So, car looks weird, and there is only front seats, but technically it's same than real Trans Am. Same results from quarter mile or any circuit. Except with a back hood it could be even faster

And not only car price. The insurance is allmost 50% higher for those real trans ams, than for my "truck" Trans Am.

Those reasons are main reason for that, why most older american cars here are Caprices or Chevy Vans. 10 years a go, it was possible to carry caprice without taxes, if back seat will removed. There was enough big trunk to make it to cargo car.


So, what you think, is that over 100% tax fear?

 

And I thought Massachusetts had some ridiculous tax laws. Remind me to never move to or even visit Finland.

 

well now its understandable... thats kinda kewl, someoen wanted their thirdgen bad enough to make it into what they could afford to keep.

 

Wow! That's a new one. Never would have expected that. Good body work.

 

Thats really gross, thats like that Monte with the whole half car half truck thing, gross.

 

I'm usually pretty open minded about this kind of thing, but that poor T/A is just horrible looking! I think I would be moving out of Finland!

 

Kevs86TA and RSFreak: Yes, but you forgot one point. With original T/A you should allways win your street races because car looks fast, really fast, propably faster than it really is. And sometimes could happen thing, that you loose your race against some ugly VR6 Golf. It's not a shame to loose race with truck, but with a sport car against "family" car sucks. (I think that golf is not a sport car still that quarter mile is 15.5, but it don't look like it)

And now when car is "equal" with GTA performance, (higher camshaw, carb, pistons etc.) would be nice to beat those original Firebirds with this truck In this small town, I've been seen three other Firebirds, all of them are real T/As, and sounds that they are with standard poor 190hp.

I've been allways think, that car should be at least that fast, how fast it looks a like. That is why I like U.S cars so much, there is enough big engine to get enough more power, if original is not enough.

 

That may be true, but its still ugly...

 

thats hardcore to the bone!

Like it or hate it, for you to go that far and do that much work so you can have the car you want... you sure have my respect as a true third gen. car lover