Ive been lurking here since I bought an 85 Camaro dirt cheap that had engine knock and a mouse problem. I ended up giving up on that project (Despite my best efforts, it always smelled like mouse) but Ive been thinking about another since then. Then driving down a backroad into town the other day I came across a project too good to pass up.

1986 Trans Am, 5.0TPI, 700R4, T-Top, WS6 with 88K original miles! To make a fairly log story short, the owner was the son of the original owner who cherished it but was a bit of a drunk. It sat in his garage for years at a time, the last time going up on jack stands in '98 because dad wanted to paint all the underhood brackets. They neve got done but the car sat in pieces, in boxes for years. Four years ago dad handed the keys and title to the son, then shortly after, took his own life.

The son had mixed feelings about the car and dragged it around with him but never registered it. It sat outside here in the Oregon weather and wasnt getting any attention. The son had managed to put it all back together but in meantime had a couple kids and ultimately decided to sell it for family reasons. Thats when I saw it sitting in a field for sale.

My plans are to go through it pretty thoroughly and change out all the fluids including a complete fuel system, brake system, cooling system and trans flush. I did a compression test prior to purchase and it was 170 +/- 5 across the board.
I'll update this as I get a bit deeper into it but here it is before and after a good bath.



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So, I trailered it home, because it had a bad miss and the plates have been expired since '99. Its does start and run though at this point and Im confident the motor is fine, just need my attention.

I gave it a good wash and got most of the moss, mildew and dirt off the outside of her and she was already starting to look a ton better!









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The really special part of the car is how MINT the interior is. The following pictures speak for themselves, but this is before so much as a vacuum on my part. Say what you will about the color option but I like it. Really brings me back to the era the car is from.
































NEEDS:
Headlight motors rebuilt
Tuning - its not running right, has a bad lean backfire
A/C recharge (R-12)
Brakes soft - flush may fix em
Hood and hatch struts
Further detailing

 

So after a good bath I limped her into the shop and started trying to figure out what was making her run so crappy. It would start right up though it did sort of struggle to turn over kind of like the timing was too far advanced. When started it was popping out the exhaust and smelled very lean.

I disconnected the timing control wire and hooked up the timing light and the timing was WAY WAY off...in fact it was so off as to not even show in the range of the timing indicator? I thought this was odd so I double checked which plug wire I was on and discovered in that process that someone had mixed up the #1 and #3 wires at the plugs. I swapped the two wires to the right plugs and she ROARED to life and sounded great! Nice steady idle and I was able to set the timing correctly to 6°BTDC.

I still need to do some additional fluid flushes including the trans and brakes but I did take her for a little trip up the street and back and she runs and drives pretty good! Its definately something I can work with!


I did a little clay bar work and started working with my favorite Meguiars detailing products. Here is a little teaser of how that is coming out so far...

 

Where in Oregon did you come across this?
What did you pay?

 

The car was originally sold in Albany and lived most of its life in Corvallis, then ended up in Philomath with the son (where I found it).

I paid 2K for it. Maybe a bit much but I see 2K worth of potential in it for sure.

 

I think 2k was more than a fair price given the condition of the vehicle and the mileage. I would have expected it to sell for a bit more around the 3k mark.

 

Well let me re-phrase that. I think 2K was a little much for what amounted to a non-running car that hadnt seen attention in 14 years...

Its more than fair considering the "diamond in the rough" factor. Ive yet to find so much as a dimple in the body or a chip in the hood/bumper. Its got zero rust, dry interior (almost impossible to believe in Oregon for a T-Top car), and the motor and trans now feel like they wont be giving me any further trouble.

I think I got a steal!

 

You sure did get a steal. I forgot that It's a WS6. I'd say a fair price for it in the current condition would be in the 4k range if not a bit more, the only thing hindering a higher asking price possibly being an auto 5.0 (I know a 5.7 with manual wasn't a factory option but just saying nowadays a manual transmission will bring a higher asking price with a performance oriented vehicle). But still a very nice find none-the-less.

I would give the taillights a good polish if I were you and that thing will really stand out!

 

Very nice! Definately worth the 2k you bought it for.

 

I'd say you got that for a real good price. I've been trolling around on Craigslist and stuff and thats the best car i've seen for around 2k

 

fully agree. I think this car is a bit a compromise performance wise and not "the Holy Grail" of barn finds F-body wise, but with gas prices going up who can afford to put their foot into it much anymore anyway? I see this car as a survivor, cruiser, and local car show candidate (unrestored, unmolested original), and something to take to the beach with the tops off this summer.


And dont worry. Im a semi-pro detailer/restoration specialsit by trade so all those details like tail light plastics will get done! I just placed an order for more microfibers and compounds.



This car was never even put on CL. The seller simply parked it in his yard with a sign on it. I had seen the car prior to its sale and almost went and knocked on the door to ask if they would sell it. When I saw it with the sign on it, it was just luck that I got to it first.



lets see if this works...

http://www.facebook.com/v/348477465191644


(thats just steam/condensation btw, not smoke)

 

Said video unavailable. But nicejob, I never see any >.>

 

ok try this instead:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd82l...ature=youtu.be

 

Wow, nice car. Really cleaned up unexpectedly nice. I happen to like the color combo. Dont usually like red but with the grey, it makes it pop. Props for the find.

 

So...What a week. My power went out thanks to a freak snow storm and have been out since Monday night. I finally got some short bursts of power today so I made use of it. I managed to sort out a headlight problem that had one light dim and the foglight glowing inexplicably but it turned out a ground was off and that was easy fix.

The headlight motors are a different story. Two of the related relays are bad. I took them apart to find them full of water and sludge and corrosion. Someone didnt reinstall them back on thier hangers so they were upside down, allowing them to collect water. I will need to place those. I did manage to test the motors though and one os good while the other is going to need a new internal relay/brush set. The motor itself works fine.

I did finally get the timing sorted out. Its spot on now. I also found that someone epoxy putty'd the overflow outlet onto the radiator filler neck. That got cleaned and properly soldered into place.

Once the headlight motors are sorted out the last thing on my list is to install some sort of sound system as its completely missing.


Sorry no updated pics of the exterior as having no power has left any sort of detail work abandoned for now. I did order the new Meguiars microfiber polishing system to try out on this car. Report of how well it works will follow

 

Found my twin!!!!

 

Nice save Facime!!!!If you going to go original on the sound system get in touch with a member on here,his name is My82Roc he has all you need to bring it back to stock.
Good Luck.

 

based on your specs Id say EXACT twin! (down to the gear ratio)

What are the last 6 digits of your VIN?

 

225813, my car is a Norwood car.out of curiosity do you have a pic of your RPM gauge.

 

Nice find!! For 2K, I think you stole that.

 

I dont have a pic but I can confrim its identical.
Mine is a Van Nuys car #200196

 

Your RPM is orange at 5-5500,for sure.

 

yessir, went and looked to be positive. Yellow crosshatch from 5-5.5

 

1985 vs. 1986 305 TPI cams:
1985 305 TPI
215 HP / 275 Lb.Ft.
Tach: Yellow 5000
Red 5500
Lift:
Intake .404
Exhaust .415
Duration:
Intake 320
Exhaust 320
Theirs something about your tach,I'm not 100% sure but that is supposed to be the engine with the hotter cam.

 

All 305 TPI (LB9) motors (1985-1992) came with one of two basic cam grinds. An easy way to identify the type of cam on an LB9 car is to look at the tach: the lesser cams have a yellow line at 4500 and red line at 5000; the hotter cams have a yellow line at 5000 and red line at 5500. This info is from TGO.

 

Is there an RPO code or anyother way to verify that?

 

U21 for the cluster gauge,I've seen some 86s on here with with the same engines (LB9) and they had the 45-5000 RPM gauge.

 

I do indeed have the U21 code

 

i love the look of this TA...nice find!!!!

 

while the weather still isnt really cooperating Im still managing to make headway on the detail work on the car. The paint was heavily damaged by the lichen/moss growth. Its taken a little more work than I hoped, but every bit as much as I suspected to get to a reasonably defect free finish. Im still working on some spots and have a little touch up painting planned for a chip or two but overall Im kind of amazed at how nice the original paint is after all these years.















This picture I call: "Snowbird"

 

Looks like a steal for the price! I love red interior... I will be slowing going back to red. I am bored with black, at the time I just couldn't find/afford any decent red interior parts... **** star red interior FTW!

I would have given 2k for that car all day.

 

[QUOTE=Facime;5220516] Im still working on some spots and have a little touch up painting planned for a chip or two but overall Im kind of amazed at how nice the original paint is after all these years.
You might want to checkout Dupli.Color Perfect Match spray paint no.WA8554 it is Identical to my car witch is the same color as yours.What I did was,I sprayed some in the lid and applied it with a artist brush to the little chips and small scratches that I had and it covered it perfect,you cant tell where you touched up.And it is a good match to touch up under the hood also.You can buy this at Pep Boys or Advanced Auto.
Your car is really looking good.
I changed my wheels yesterday,so where not twins no more

 

That's a beautiful bird!!! the interior is awesome!! And for $2K that's a steal!!

 

yeah the previous owner passed along several cans of duplicolor car color spray cans. There are only a few small chips that annoy me and alot of that is because its so perfect otherwise that those defects stand out. I can manage the touch up no problem.

Still to do:
remove rear wing to polish underneath it
polish door jams and remove hatch to clean hinge area
detail interior
flush/bleed brakes

 

I wouldn't remove the wing!!! it is a real possibility that you will ruin the clips that hold the wing to the sides of the hatch AND THEY ARE VERY HARD TO FIND,take it from someone who knows

 

The Dupli.Colors code 8554 is the same as our RPO code.

 

those clips are very hard to find. If you really want to get under the wing i have some tips for you

1. Get extra clips before you do it.
2. Chances are the wing may fall apart if you remove it. so if it were me and i was going to take it off i would have the fiberglass one hawks makes to go back on. you have to remember its rubber, and most of them are cracked and warped and they have never been taken off. so your really taking a chance
3. My last tip, DON'T DO IT!!

 

Gorgeous car!! Ive seen that interior only once in person and it was on a 48k mile car in a junkyard that had been totaled. The interior however made it into another third gen locally so it was saved. I have a soft spot for the red interiors.

A bit of advice for you...those red carpets show LOTS of dirt. I would get a hold of a set of GM floor mats for the interior to keep that carpet protected.

 

Thanks for the advice but the wing has to come off to get restored. It cant remain the way it it. Also, its not in anwhere near as bad a shape as you might think. Remember, this car sat in a garage in a mild temperature climate for most of its life. If the wing is unsavable, so be it.


I have some floor mats that came with the car, I was only showing it without then in so you could see it. Im thinking about buying some realy NICE ones in dove grey to match the seat inserts, with the embroidered
bird in red to put in just for shows.


Exterior detailing is complete now and Im moving on to the underhood next. Its already super clean and this thing has never leaked a drop of oil so mainly Im dealing with some mild dirt buildup and oxidation.

The hardest part I fear is going to be getting every single hose and clip and nut and bolt routed/replaced and looking like it came off the factory line. My one gripe with this car is that the PO took alot of it apart the first time for his own cleaning/painting/detailing, and then someone else put it back together. Im sure they made some mistakes.

After that, most of the interior will come out. The carpet will get my special love* though it really doesnt need it, and the seats are coming apart for dry cleaning and one trouble panel will be replaced using fabric from the seatback.

The very last thing that will recieve attention will be the underbody and wheel wells which will get a good cleaning and then a touch up undercoating where appropriate.


The goal with this car is not a full restoration but rather to strip as many miles and evidence of any previous owners as possible within budget before doing a few shows this summer to promote my business.

 

Beautiful car, she really cleaned up well and the condition of the interior is a massive bonus. Very nice find, and excellent price.

 

awesome car, i cant believe the paint cleaned up so well, and the interior is great

 

If the car gets repainted, or the wing, it's gotta come off

I can't remember, what do you do unbolt it and push forward to release the clips or squeeze it ?

-- Joe

 

Just push forward and lift it up.

 

It's a shame the previous owners didn't appreciate what they had...obviously you have!...well done sir!!!

 

Very nice TA. It's amazing what a bit of TLC will do. Looking Sweet!

 

Did you sell this to someone you were sure wouldn't neglect it again?

 

I did. He was a slightly younger man than I, but he fell in love with it immediately. He told me he planned to make it his weekend warrior and it would be garaged again as well. He really seemed like a proud papa when he drove off in it.

 

You sold the TA already!!!!

 

I did indeed. It really didnt take me long to realize how much F-bodies are outdated, ill-tempered, overweight, squishy, and poor handling. It looked good, and sounded even better, but I wasnt looking for a garage queen.