I got her in early January 2010, she's a 1986 Trans AM, 305 TPI, auto with t-tops. It's got it's problems, as seen here. I had plans to sell my it but a friend talked me out of it so I guess I should get to work on it...







So here's the list (and this was just to get it ready for G15, I have a lot planed for this car in the future, but I don't have the time or money to have it all done my May of 2011):

Phase I
Paint hood vent red DONE!
Oil change DONE!
Fix driver's rear brake DONE!
Change out spark plugs and wires DONE!
Change out driver's side headlight assembly DONE!
Change out Driver's side door pin
Replace cracked parking lights DONE!
Replace fog light assemblies....$67.58
T-top weatherstripping....DONE!
Window weatherstripping sweep set....$67.85
Starter.... DONE!

Phase II
Insurance....DONE!
Initial Registration fee....DONE!
New license plate....DONE! (will say "LTL DMON")
Mechanic check up (possible broken motor mount)
Fix Rust DONE!
New windshield DONE!
Replace side windows....$400
Replace back window....$???
New rear view mirror....DONE!

Phase III
Tint....$180ish
Replace all seats DONE!
Head Unit/Speakers + install....$440/??? + ???
2-way alarm system....$700 (probably more due to crappy wiring)












If anyone has any advice or suggestions, I'm all ears, this is my first project car and I am no mechanical master.

 

This is how she sits now...

I took the interior apart








Found some rust, but all very minor...








Short Seafoam video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ALGZmFY4cQ

 

I was wondering when I would see a thread about your car. I'll be following the build, nice solid looking t/a. If you need any help, or more parts, just let me know. I'de be glad to help out.

 

I will defiantly let you know! Thanks for all the parts, I still need lots of stuff: seats (backs need to be split) color doesn't matter too much s they will be reupholstered eventually, steering wheel, center piece for the back tail lights, I would also love to get my hands on a cold air intake, and those turbo wheels as well.

Maybe one of these times I'll be able to pick up some part from you with the T/A.

 

The only thing I have that you need is a center section for the taillights, I may have a couple of those. I havent gotten anything new from when you picked up some parts last time. I'de still like to see the T/A. When I find the center I will snap a pic and see if its the kind you need, most likely, I will just let you have it. lol

Keep updating the thread! :P

 

This is a stupid little thing, but it's what came to mind looking at the gutted pics...

Make sure the little plastic tab on the neutral safety switch is as deep as it will go into it's slot on the shifter. I bebt my brackey some to make sure - mine slips out on occasion, and drives me crazy! The next time it does it, I'm going to wrap it with some aluminum strapping to lengthen it maybe 1/4 inch so it won't slip out again.

 

HEy man were are you located in tampa??? BTW have some black cloth seats not needed anymore since I have some leather seats...car looks great...good luck w/ the project

 

Oooooh, 86....good year! LOL. Looks like a real clean starting point. Nice score on that one! Best of luck with it, and I'm sure if any questions come up, the guys and gals on here can help you out.

BTW your "project cars" pic with the saying is now my background......maybe it can give me motivation to finish my restoration seeing it every day on my computer, lol.

 

In the Lutz/Land O'Lakes area... PM me some pics of those seats and we'll see if we can't work something out.


Haha! Funny you should say that, I've been following your build (loving it by the way)... it really has spurred me into making my T/A better.

 

Glad I can inspire someone! It's not easy and it sure is NOT cheap but coming on this forum and knowing a lot of people have thier eyes on the build keeps me going. It was my first car when I got my license at 17. Now that I'm 25 I love it just as much still, if not more, and could never see giving it another home! Talk to ya later.

 

So, took some of the old coolant out, was not pretty, I'm guessing the PO used pond water...

 

meh I've seen much worse. Lots of the newer coolants you buy today that are designed to be mixed with any type coolant look like that out of the bottle. I'm sure a system flush won't hurt anything though.

 

greetings ive saw you over on forever pontiac

 

Hey, I saw you today! I gave you the "Rock-on" hand gesture in my vert, lol.

(Sorry for off-topic)

 

That was you lol sweet man...yea gotta give the wave...finally found a proud 3rd gen owner (sorry of topic x 2)

 

Not at all, it's good to hear from other 3th gen owners in the area.


Hey, what's up?

 

So, I, with some help from CharcoalBird, changed out all the spark plugs and wires (waiting on a timing light), as well as a broken O2 sensor, and radiator cap. I changed out the driver's side headlight motor, and no dice... it still won't go up, but it will go down.

Now once we got everything put back together we started it up. The car ran poorly, the check engine light came on then turned off, the exhaust smoked like crazy, which it hadn't before, I had to feather the gas to keep it from stalling out. The car also made a ticking noise at idle that went away when I revved the engine. After the car was shut off smoke began to come out of the engine bay, I open the hood and and found smoke coming from under the engine on the driver's side. The spark plug wires were checked and none were touching anything hot. Any ideas?

 

I'll look at it again next time i'm out there. I'll also bring some more tools. Since we replaced the O2 sensor and weren't able to tighten it very well...it could have just been coming out from there. Your woman hands couldn't twist it by hand, and I didn't try. Same goes for the ticking. I will also look for my timing light, it's here somewhere. BTW, I won't be able to go yard hopping tomorrow.

 

Probably a good thing, do want you trying to blow up my car again.

 

You want me to blow up your car? I'll let you do that by continuing to allow you to work on it.

 

nice car... looks like it'll be keeping you busy! And I love that demotivational poster! XD

 

Ah, the joys of not proof reading.


And yes, she is keeping me very busy.

 

Update time... The interior is changed out and looking good, I still have to put in the HU, speakers, center console door panels, and headliner. I still need to put in the weatherstripping, inside and out window sweeps. We finally got the car running better when... the starter gave out. *doh* Other problems include the tail/break lights stopped working (don't know about the reverse lights), they are all new bulbs which worked a few months ago. Also the left turn signal light stays on no matter where the turn signal lever is, and the turn signals also don't work... and the work continues.

 

Get some pics of the interior up! lol

And when you figure out the turn signal problem could you post why they were doing that? My T/A's turn signals left arrow stays on with the headlights and wont work with the headlights on, and blinks very slowly with them off, kind of good to see that I don't have a one-of-a-kind problem, lol.

 

I'll get right on that... just gotta fine my camera

You have no idea how glad I am to hear that I'm not alone in this problem as well!!! Before this problem, my turn signals would blink extremely slow, like they would go on and stay on for a few seconds then go off for a few seconds, I looked that up and there is a part to fix that, a flasher... electronic is better it's an $8 item from rock auto I hope will fix this, I'll let you know...



Nice to see you in a Bird, how's it treating you?

 

Yeah, I just don't feel right not driving a bird. I treat her better than she treats me, but I still love driving it, haha.

I wasn't sure that it may just be as easy as swapping the flasher out, but it would sure be nice if it was that easy!

 

no,you dont have a one of a kind problem,you have a ground problem,i think its a green wire and it is attached to the radiator brace

 

I found the problem with my turn signals!!

I thought that you would like to know what was wrong with mine, and hopefully its the same thing with yours so you can fix them. I checked the grounds on both sides of the radiator like David mentioned and they were both good. So then I pulled my bulb out of the front turn signal housing and it flickered on/off, so I checked to see if the bulb was loose or anything and it wasn't, and when I wiggled the wires it flickered again. It turned out that the black wire (ground) that goes into the bulb housing seperately from the other 2 wires became fragile and lost its connection. Mine just pulled out and it was a spade connector that was folded over, and the part that folded over just broke off when I touched it. I ended up flipping the wire around the other way and pushed it back into the housing and now my blinkers work and the arrow is no longer lit up when my headlights are on!

Just thought you'd like to know, so you have something to check on now.

 

Awesome! I'll have to look into that.

 

I am new to thirdgen.org. I recently bought a 1986 Trans Am automatic, with the 305TPI, and t - tops. I will get pictures up soon, once I start my own thread. I am looking for people with parts, or great places to find parts. Solid car for the most part. I am ready to bust some knuckles! Thank you for any input, and I hope I can get advice and much needed information from anyone willing through the course of my restoration.

 

I haven't up dated in awhile, but this is how she sits today...

 

She's looking good! I see that you're also rocking the Camaro shift ****... so am I lol.

 

Thanks, the Camaro shift **** fits better in the hand rather then the T handle.

 

I definitely agree, I never liked the awkwardly-shaped t-handle.

 

I have an '86 T/A too and I prefer the T-handle to the Camaro ****.

 

car is looking great...seats look great just need to redo that back one ... or find another black one....actually upset i never saw it in FL lol thats awsome CB was able to help out...ill be keepin up on this thread

 

If I didn't get those seats from you I'd probably still have the old ones... they were so nasty...

 

^glad u were able to use em u think u can redo that back seat urself???

 

That is an 86?, I thought because of the change in federal laws all 86s except convertibles had the high mounted center stop light at the top of the hatch?

That is how mine is.

I also thought all 86 TAs had the wrap around spoiler.

 

I tried to talk her out of it, but she likes the pedestal spoiler more than the wrap around so we just changed her entire hatch. That is why there is no 3rd brake light or wrap around spoiler. The one she had on there was no good anyway, so she would have had to replace the spoiler. Luckily we found another red car at the junk yard so it matched perfectly. I like the wrap around better.

 

I love the wraparound myself, and would never want anything else on my bird. But everyone likes different things I guess! My 86 TA no longer has the high mount stop light either....sort of against my will since I accidentally smashed the original glass. Now I just have a 91 style hidden 3rd brake light with the newer wraparound spoiler. I almost like it beter now because of the clean look. Guess it was an accident that worked out for the better in the end lol.

 

My wrap around rotted away, so right now I have no spoiler, but when I get around to painting I will spring the $500 to get the fiber glass reproduction.

 

'86 did have the high mounted 3rd brake light on the top of the hatch. If that car doesn't have it, the previous owner removed it or replaced the hatch with a non-brake light one.

 

I removed it, this was take then day I got her...



And now...



I didn't like the wrap around spoiler, and the fact it was black so I switched it out with one from the junk yard.

 

Wrap around looked a lot better.

 

Whatever!

 

This has got me thinking about a paint scheme for the T/A...

 

Your thinking of adding the graphics too?

 

^^^paint would be insane!!! interesting to see how the orange flake would turn out

PS
WRAP AROUND x2

 

I'm a pretty big fan of orange personally!