So my first build didnt go very well, lol basicly the car i bought to build from was rusted out. (here is the link to the old build)https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/memb...1-z-build.html So now im starting over with a new car. Its an 86 trans am with nothing but an empty shell. It was previously owned by 86TA355SR. Here are some pics and current progress pics...

Here is the car when i got it home



all of my crap that needs to go into it lol



Barely fits in here





the 383 going into it (yes its dirty, i came out of my k5 blazer)





started on getting some electrical stuff working



Then put in a tail light harness and t/a tail lights



some carpet





My favorite part



and some random crap out of the car

 

Hey I know that old ride!

Subscribed.

Keep us posted.

 

So today i got a lil bit more work done. I got the engine in, and got the pedals mounted, hole cut for the shifter a did some more more wire straightening. Here are some pics.

 

I can't believe how fast it is coming together!

It looks good with the third pedal under the dash! A lot of fun ahead.

 

Thanks! Im sort of just quickly putting it together so i can enjoy it some before the summer is over. Oh yeah!, any car with a manual transmission is always fun
I just installed the new clutch in it. Maybe before the weekend is over i will be able to start it up.

 

Nice project! Sad for the 91'... but its part of the game! I hope this TA will burn some rubber soon!

 

Thanks man! Yeah the 91 was a bummer, but what the hell its just money right? lol Just got done getting the trans in, and got the engine harness made up and installed. Hopefully before the weekend is over ill be able to drive it outside and wash it.

 

It's burned a lot of rubber in its life! It had a wicked 355 recently and an even meaner blown 383.

Love the effort you are making to put it back together. I wish I would have had time to restore it like you are, I always loved the base model Trans Am.

This is cool, I check daily to see your progress. Did you hear it run over the weekend? What's in the 383 you put in?

FYI, I saw a guy on CL that is around your area, he is parting out a white 87 GTA. Not sure of your parts situation, may be able to get some stuff cheap from him.

 

Nope, didn get it running yet. I have gotten some exhause done, dist. in, fuel lines ran, trans, driveshaft and torque arm in, and some other piddily stuff done. Hopefully ill get it running sometime soon.Here is some info, its a 3970014 block .030 over, 400 crank, head work including 2.02 valves, comp extreme energy cam, and a high volume oil pump.

 

It runs!!! And sort of moves, lol Good enough to put it outside for a lil bit to help get the engine in Dillon's aka (82z28 wrencher) car. But, its progressing nicely. Then engine sounds healthy and the weak *** 9 bolt LS is junk!!! LOL

 

Congrats!

Glad it has brought you enjoyment.

 

Did a little more work today, I got the way bars installed, rear shocks changed, put gear oil in the rear end, took the pump out of the gas tank and put in a homemade (sp)? carb'd pickup. Wired the electric fans, and drove it about 2 miles down the road. < i need one of those smilies but with only one line behind it lol

 

 

Looks like the car is coming along nicely. Like the wheels in black, did you paint them?

 

Yes i did, I dont like the wheels at all, but thats all i have for now, so i decided to paint them semi gloss black.

 

Havent updated in a while. Nothing big has changed on the car except the wheels, and a whole bunch of piddily odds and ends.

 

looking good, why not keep the other wheels???

 

well, the tires on the other wheels were junk, and these camaro wheels had decent tires, so i just put them on for now. Eventually i would like to get a set of gold crosslace wheels for it.

 

I was just thinking about you....

I was in Chicago yesterday and found a set of 4 GTA gold wheels for 150. Located in Palantine, not sure how far it is for you. I thought about buying them at that price just to have an extra set.

Did you get the interior finished?

How do you think it drives?

 

Sent you a PM, with wheel details.

 

The interior is still not 100% finished but its all in there, It drives pretty good, but it needs alligned, it has too much toe out so it kind of wanders around. Still not bad tho. The ride is pretty stiff and bumpy, but i think those drag struts are the culprit. Power wise its pretty quick and the ability to smolder the tires off at any givin point is fun too.

 

Wow, that is odd. Maybe something moved...it only had 4K miles on that alignment when I sold it. I don't doubt you at all, you know what you are doing, just surprises me that it would need an alignment.

Did you get the headliner in? Keep up the pictures, love this.

Congrats on the gun metal GTA, look foward to seeing more of it.

 

no, i havnt gotten the headliner in yet, being as i dont have one, lol

 

 

I forgot to update this thread with an update of what happened to this car. Sadly it was totaled in the late fall tornado's that came through Illinois. Ill upload a pic for your viewing displeasure.

 

I haven't been on the site much this year. Sorry I missed this thread.

As a past owner, I am heart broken to see old "Trigger" (as my dad called it) has finally met the end of the road.

I was really pleased when you got it-really enjoyed the build thread. It meant a lot to me somebody was still wrenching on it.

For over 20 years, I was its keeper. During that time, I worked on it, cursed at it, and had some of my best memories from it. 5 trannys, 3 rear ends, and 3 motors were in it. Yeah, we had a lot of fun together!

To see it like that-well, I feel like a big piece of my heart is gone.

The irony of this all-we had a tornado less than a mile from our house a few weeks ago. Makes you think about what really is important in life...

So, here is to all the memories! The countless 5L Mustangs it smoked, LT1s and I'll never forget the look of the new WS6 owner when I left him sitting. You can't buy memories, and this car will forever be in mine.

Hope your grey GTA is getting some donor parts from it. Keep us posted.