I have a 1989 Turbo Trans Am that my father bought new. It has been sitting for about 20 years. Both front brakes are locked up. I opened the bleeder on the driver's front caliper. Little dark fluid came out, but the wheel was free. I was unable to bleed the wheel even using vacuum. The brake pedal is pretty stiff. I'm thinking either the master cylinder or the proportioning valve is stuck. I'll power bleed it once I figure out what's blocking the fluid. Any suggestions on which master to get, as well as which brake hoses? What about pads and rotors? I looked on Rock Auto, but with it being the same as 1LE, it seemed there's a good chance to get the wrong parts.

 

I'd start by changing the 5 rubber hoses. Sadly, they normally are the 1st to go. Nothing but china parts anymore unless you get lucky and find NOS or go stainless braided.

 

I haven't looked. Ordered three: rear axle to body and front calipers. Where are the other two?

 

Rear calipers to hard lines each have a rubber hose

 

It was both front hoses. Regular non 1LE hoses are too short (19" vs 21 1/2" for 1LE) but will bolt on in a pinch. I wound up with the proper hoses from an eBay vendor for $36 for the pair. I also bought rotors and pads for the front. TireRack had Stop Tech drilled cryo rotors for $160 for the pair, so those'll go on after I get a few miles on the car.

 

Good to hear, keep the stock rotors, they don't warp as bad as the aftermarket ones do

 

Sounds like you have it handled. Can we see pics of this one family car?

 

Sure! It's no show car. It was a daily for about 10 years mostly spent outside for almost 50,000 miles, has some hail damage, paint delamination on the roof hoop, and the interior isn't awful but it needs some help. I'm touching it up, because I'm ready to enjoy it. I'm aiming for mid 11's then I'll get it painted and install the door decals, but I'm probably going get the Hawk's wing and 17" wheels before then. My father bought it new in late '89 for $29,000. It sat on the showroom for a long time before he bought it as a company car. The trans locked up the governor almost right away and was never quite right until a shift kit and small stall were installed, and the gas tank started leaking when it was a year or two old. Everybody says it's the same size tank, but the car lost 30+ miles range when it got the warranty tank. Maybe the sending unit got bent? He bought it from his corporation for $7,000 three years later. Technically I'm the third owner, but have been driving it since it was new. He had a GN as a corporation car before that. I had talked him into buying both when I much younger man. He died in 2003 from lung cancer at 67, I got the TTA and my brother got the GN, which was worth more than the TTA at the time.

 

Thanks. That don't look bad at all. It looks very similar to mine; definitely a driver too.