Well...
It's been a long road. Got this car in 2012 and what started out as a relatively simple carb rebuild turned into a full fledged nose to tail frame on restoration.

Things done- front to back
Wonder Bar
Be Cool radiator
Dual fans
New power steering box
L98 bored 30 over
Vortec heads
226/234 camshaft
Dyno Don 1-3/4 inch headers
Rebuil E4ME with a little help from Cliff Ruggles
Custom PROM from GMCOPO
ZZ4 knock sensor
New front springs
New motor mounts
All new Moog front suspension
TKO-600 5 speed
Aluminum Driveshaft
Rebuilt rear end Moser 28 spline Eaton Posi 3.73 10 bolt
New carpet
Refinshed/refurbished Recaro leather seats
Painted all trim to original colors
Newport Retrosound radio and amplifier
Kee audio speaker mods
New weatherstripping
Dynomat interior

 

 

Before





After

 

New TKO 600 from Fortes <br/>Good Trans....not exactly a bolt on affair though





Opps... Forgot to put the cat back in...hate when that happens!! ��





Carb runs pretty good.... Even with a 226/234 cam

 

 

Next year
1) Paint job
2) Lowering springs

 

Looks really good. I like the car a lot. Especially the originalish looking engine bay.

 

Thanks!

I really wanted to pay homage to the first and second gen Birds with the Pontiac blue paint with the dual intakes, I also tried to use as many GM parts as possible where it enhanced performance, like the serpentine belt, vortec heads and GMCOPO prom..... Kind of like how it may have been ordered at the time perhaps

 

Beautiful

 

Great looking car. I know it's an SBC, but I love the Pontiac blue paint!

 

great thread. love the modifications.
good call on the lowering springs next year.

perhaps when the time comes we might have a discussion about you purchasing my 12" Baer front kit (its like new and i only put about <1000 K per year on the car ['89 Formula 350]). i need to step up to a 13" kit as i have recently upgraded to 17" wheels.

 

Sounds good Linson

 

Thank you for the kind words!!
As you know, it really means a lot to hear after all the time and $$$ put into this project!

 

Bump!!

 

What happened??? What is new??

Looking good so far. Love the recaro seats.

 

Honestly, just a shameless plug for COTM consideration...Since it does qualify this month.

 

It's certainly not Perfect or Concours but I am very happy with it

 

I'm jealous of your interior and functional cowl. I love the charcoal interior I have aesthetic wise, but it freakin' cooks you in the summer.

 

Thank you!!

 

What if ???
John Delorean was Prez of Pontiac.

Here is my take on what he'd do with the 1984 TA.


It's October 1981. The first third generation firebirds are being sold and the reports are coming in from critics and new owners alike, the car NEEDS more power. The cross-fire 165 hp 305 has left pontiac fans wanting. The common phrase "All show, no go" comes up quite a bit to describe these cars. But this lack of power predicament can be traced back to the oil embargo, insurance coverage problems, and EPA regulatory cursing for the last 10 years.

John Delorean, President of Pontiac Motor Co. sat down with his design team for Pontiacs F-body to discuss this issue. Having designed the Firebird himself, Mr Delorean took the lackluster performance of this new generation of Firebird very personal, some would call it borderline obsessive compulsive.

"I was driving my 1982 Recaro TA around Oakland the other day and a Datsun 240ZX blew my doors off!!!! That is completely unacceptable!!!" Mr. Delorean said.

"I know that the Turbo 4.9 was our last V-8 motor, I want to build something better, something that will be a limited edition for 1 year only. And I want it for my 1984 model year. " "it is up to you to design an engine that will give me 400hp/tq and it will need to be fueled by the CCC quadrajet carburetor to get the Engine to pass those damn EPA regs!" I want this next engine to be the Super Duty 455 of the 1980's!

So the idea of the SD355 HO 1984 Y84 Trans Am SE was born!

They started with a 350 roller small block design that was reserved for the future C4 Corvette.

The ideas of the engine specific design was done with engineers from other parts of GM. Some GMC truck motor engineers have been working on a new swirl port cylinder head design called "Vortec". It's strong mid range torque capability makes it ideal for spirited streetlight to streetlight driving. It was years ahead in its design and was a stepping stone to the design of future GM V-8 small blocks that were to be built well into the 21st century. These cylinder heads were able to flow air much more efficiently than current stock and aftermarket heads of 1981.

The next was the cam design. Aggressive cam profile was the rule. 226/234 112 were the most aggressive cam specs that the team figured can work with the Computer Controlled qjet.

The Computer had to be reworked to accept a wider timing range, this new computer would also help the performance of the lesser powered L69 305 which was a common option and suitable replacement for the cross-fire injected 305. The new ECM consisted of 350 knock sensor and module, specifically designed PROM and the new computer itself.

New lower control arms, panhard bar, inner and outer subframe connectors, adjustable shocks, wonder bar, 4 wheel disc brakes, aluminum driveshaft, beefed up T-5 and 10 bolt rear end with larger axles and alloy cover helped keep the car together.

Gold laced 16" wheels that were going to be rolled out in 1986 were to be rolled out for the 1984 TA SE.

And of course, Recaro seats.

 

Beautiful ride, lovin it

 

Nice work!

 

those recaro seats look amazing

 

Great looking car. Love the engine bay!

 

 

 

 

Your car looks awesome! I'm doing an LS swap on my 1984 Anniversary Trans Am. I'm trying to keep everything else stock, though. I even had the T56 transmission modified to accept a cable speedometer. I don't want to change the gauge cluster.
I was able to find foam inserts for my recaro seats. Who did you use to refurbish your seats? They look better than new.

 

Thank you!

I went to a local guy here in Woodstock,IL.... Cassin Customs

 

These Recaros came out amazing! Where did you get them restored? mine are the cloth tan/grey ones. I would like to fix em up!!