JT

iTrader: (1)

It will be best to post that ad in the Classifieds (Interior Parts For Sale). Besides, few people will look into this thread for parts. They'll look in the Classifieds.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

What usually helps sort out what's right and wrong are dealer brochures from the year of the car. Some tell you what colors were available with what other colors. 1985 should also have a SPID label in the glovebox that might go into specifics of the color for the aero package. Right off hand I can't think of any books in my library that really specify what colors were available with what... There's less info available for the Firebird then the Camaro, while the Camaro White Book shows things like that, the Firebird Red Book is lacking.

The charcoal aero package is probably correct, but I can't provide you any documentation to prove it.

ville_valo_05

yeah the problem is that my whole interior was gutted before i got it back lol, i'm in the process of talkin to the guy that had it, his son needed the parts and i'm tryin to figure out if the sticker is still in there

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Just in case it wasn't clear... the Upper/Lower color split is right down the high point of the door. The best example as mentioned earlier was the 82 Indy 500 pace car.

ville_valo_05

ok well thank you for clearing that up guys, made life alot easier knowing this is the original color so when i go to repaint i know what to get

ville_valo_05

ok so i have a motor a friend is giving me i just have to go pick it up, it's an 87 305, it should work shouldn't it?

Drew

iTrader: (58)

1985 would have been a 2pc rear main seal, 86 up are 1pc. The flywheel is different, everything else is the same. Also an 87-up motor will usually have different intake bolt angles then 86-early heads, and centerbolt valve covers instead of perimeter bolt.

ville_valo_05

so what exactly would i have to change to make it work in an 85 tpi?

Drew

iTrader: (58)

How many of the 85 parts are you trying to bolt up?

The 85 flywheel won't bolt on an 87 engine. You'll need a 153 tooth flywheel for a 1pc rear main seal crankshaft. The 85 intake won't bolt up to 87 and later heads, without drilling/slotting the center pair of bolt holes in the intake on both sides. Or you can bolt 85 heads on the 87 block and the intake would bolt up. Of course you'll want to run the casting numbers AND the stamps on the block to make sure you know exactly what it is before you get too crazy.

JT

iTrader: (1)

A copy of the 1985 Firebird brochure was available online. Although there was for the standard/option features, the colors weren't included. Browsing the brochure, there was no "gold" Firebird/Trans Am with black aero. There was a black Trans Am with gold aero though, which we know was available.

What else would be a verifiable option?

The SPID certainly would answer the question, but since it's apparently gone, I don't think even a PHS/GM packet would tell the aero package as they don't contain every RPO code and I believe just the primary exterior color would only be the included aspect on that.

It looks like it could be correct, but my 1985 documentation does not support it existing.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Are the ground effects in question the same color charcoal as this yellow 85 T/A? It doesn't have any documentation either...

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...-yellow-t.html

JT

iTrader: (1)

I checked Compnine, but since they only have exports, they show only 23- 1985 Trans Ams in Chesnut metallic. All 23 have the WW5 (chestnut aero).

The 1985 Pontiac worksheet shows that Yellow (50) would have came with gray metallic aero.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

On the yellow car, the gfx look almost purple, and the gold T/A in this thread they look almost black, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were both "gray metallic".

ville_valo_05

standing next to the car they are black, not a hint of gray in them, it also has the digital fade graffic in between the two

i'm planning on using the original heads and my tpi setup, but even with the larger flywheel it should still bolt up to the torque converter on the 700R4 right?

IMissMy86TA

Dude I feel for you. I had an 86 TA in HS and saw it years later. It wasnt this bad, but the lady shure let it go! I ended up buying a like new one but that was many years later. I would save my cash and busy a nice high mile one if I were you. You got an expensive road ahead! it will cost much more to restore it than that car is worth.. JUst my two cents. Wish ya luck!

naf

iTrader: (7)

"Flexplate' will be the same size, it just mounts to a different crank snout (one piece vs. two piece rear main seal on the motor).

I'd prefer the 87 shortblock over the 85. Roller cam over flat tappet.

Slotting the intake mounting holes isn't too big a deal. Easier than swapping heads imo.

ville_valo_05

well i the 87 heads are just sitting on the motor at the moment and my 85's are in good shape, but outta curiosity how would i go about slotting the intake holes?

naf

iTrader: (7)

Check the casting numbers for both heads before you decide which to use. Post them here if you need to.

There are a few threads here and there that show how much to take out of the manifold. If you're not comfortable you can get a shop to do them...probably still less than the cost of head gaskets.

My 85 that I'm still finishing up:

Drew

iTrader: (58)

What is the 87 engine out of? If it's a Camaro/Firebird engine it's a roller cam, and should have the right size flexplate/flywheel to work with your existing starter. The flexplate off your old engine won't bolt on 86-newer crankshafts, the bolt pattern is different.

Depending on what the engine is out of, there's potential that your old heads are better then the 87 heads, assuming your heads are OK (flat, no valve damage, etc). The heads will swap fine, or you could get an 87 up TPI baseplate. You can use a drill and a file to slot the center pair of bolt holes but it's a pain in the ***. If it were my car, I'd just get an intake to match the heads, or use heads to match your intake. FWIW I've done it all three ways on different cars, and just getting the right intake is the easiest.

ville_valo_05

i'll aske the guy when i talk to him later about the casting numbers but he says it was a crate motor and i believe he said it came out of a camaro, as for the starter and all that good stuff i'm buyin new form autozone, i work there and i get 20% off and parts for this car are dirt cheap as far as that stuff is concerned, hell a brand new starter ain't but 74.99 before my discount, just have to buy it all one piece at a time when i get to that point, my next paycheck i'm gonna be putting the carpet in it after i put some bed liner in the floor to help prevent rust

Drew

iTrader: (58)

You can throw one of these cars together so it'll sorta work with whatever mismatched parts you can come up with. But they go together and work a lot better with a lot less headaches if you make as few changes as possible.

You can use a 168 tooth flywheel, with a different starter, and it'll bolt up and just barely clear a 700R4 bellhousing, but you'll need different bolts, different shims, the dust cover won't fit anymore, etc etc etc. It's easier to just get the right flywheel.

But really, it's all just speculation until you know exactly what you're trying to put in.

ville_valo_05

well the motor has the flywheel on it, pretty much the only thing i have to buy for this motor in a gasket set and a set of piston rings, he has everything else for it, except of course the bolt on acc.... such as the alt and starter and all

ville_valo_05

these are the seats i bought that wouldn't work

navy02ws6

Don't remember the condition, but there is an 86 T/A at the pull-a-part in south Atlanta that had the slightly darker (than my 91) gray splitback rear seats as of last week. I remember the lower cushions being shot, but I want to say the splitback part might have been cleanable/reusable. Already nabbed the overhead console and trunk divider out of it

ville_valo_05

man i'd be all for it but i don't know about driving four hours just for a split back seat lol, i don't know exactly what kinda camaro these came out of but it seems that i can't get rid of them

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Early 80's, with the custom cloth interior... That pattern was used in 84 in both the Z28 and the Sport Coupe. Might have been used in 83 also, by 85 that striped pattern was history.

ville_valo_05

well if you come across anyone that needs em you know where to find me lol, would anyone know if my 85 tpi setup would work on the 87 manifold?

Drew

iTrader: (58)

The 85 runners and fuel rail will bolt right up to an 87 base plate. Just make sure if you buy a later intake that it's from a Camaro/Firebird and not a Corvette. The Corvette used the early bolt angles and a different EGR system.

ville_valo_05

ok sounds good, i'm sure i could find one

ville_valo_05

as far as exhaust is concerned i had a flowmaster 40 under there before but it's gone now, thinkin bout a cherrybomb glasspack.... any opinions or ideas on how it would sound? never heard one on these cars before

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

Glasspacks will be at the bottom of most peoples list as far as good options.

ville_valo_05

i'm not a big fan of them either but a flowmaster like i had was perfect, but they are alot more expensive than it was when i bought the old one lol

AmorgetRS

iTrader: (6)

You can go with the single in/out and save yourself some descent money. That is what I have on my 91 GTA

ville_valo_05

yeah i an't tryin to go outrageously obnoxious loud i just want it to sound good and be heard in a crowd, my flowmaster was exactly that, but it was a single in duel out with an offset inlet, 2in.

ville_valo_05

ok so much for rust free work... i found through rust about 4 inches long and about a quarter inch wide on the weld where the firewall meets the floorboard on the passenger side, i'm thinkin that at one point the heater core was leaking in this car because it's still in there

ville_valo_05

could someone please help me id this engine? the casting numbers are 14093627 i'd greatly appreciate it

Drew

iTrader: (58)

14093627...305...87-94...2...Roller or flat tappet cam, one-piece rear seal

What are the casting numbers on the heads?

ville_valo_05

364484 and 384434

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Are the heads setup for perimeter bolt valve covers or centerbolt? Most 80's-90's cylinder heads have an 8 digit casting number, and 87-up they should be centerbolt valve covers.

The closest number to the ones you posted is...
354434.....75-79...262/267/305...60cc chambers
If those are the heads you've got there, you'd probably be better off with almost anything else.

ville_valo_05

woul dthose heads work for the time being with my intake and all?

ville_valo_05

those are the only numbers cast on there

ville_valo_05

would there be any other numbers on there besides those that could help me id them?

ville_valo_05

i faound a nice set of heads on an 88 trans am in a junkyard would i be better off using those or just reworking these?

Drew

iTrader: (58)

The numbers you're looking for would be between the rockers under the valve covers.

If they're 354434 heads, then they're not correct for the block and they're a pretty awful head even for a 305. Technically they would work, in the sense that everything should bolt up and run. But any 82-86 thirdgen 305 head would be an upgrade. 87 up heads have centerbolt valve covers and typically different intake bolt angles.

ville_valo_05

yeah i went out and looked, it has perimeter valve cover setup, it's missing the rocker arms too, i'm thinking about the 88 heads i found at the junkyard, they look to be in good shape they still had the valve covers on them when i popped the hood, lucked up and found a perfect dash pad for 10 bucks, the front face trim for the gauge cluster for 5 bucks and a perfect tailight set for 20

ville_valo_05

any ideas on how i could make the solid backrest setup work on my car that had the splitback?

ville_valo_05

ville_valo_05

ville_valo_05

ville_valo_05

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