Like I said I'm looking at buying a 89 trans am. It's five speed. Guy claims it has a 350 bored .30 over 327 vette heads a 500 duration 225 lift cam custom crank and a 750cfm Carb. Haven't seen the car in person yet but from the picture he sent me it looks like a tpi not a Carb I'll try to post the picture. BTW I'm buying it for 850 bucks. Also if what he is saying is true what kinda power should a build like that produce. And I didn't think trans ams came 5 speed unless it has the 305.

 

 

 

There we go. Looks like tpi to me.

 

You're right. 5-speeds didn't come with the 350 motors. Unless he converted which is highly unlikely. That very well may be a 305. If you don't know any better anyone can say anything they want about the internals. I'd be very weary about a 5-speed being behind 350 bored .30 over, big time. I'd definitely look out for a chopped up harness, or tons of connectors not plugged up. Could have been a TPI since it's very common that they are converted to a carb. For $850 that's a hell of a deal, but also raises a lot of questions. Go over the car completely for any rust, see how well the engine runs, go through the gears if possible. Check the engine oil, coolant for anything that looks off.

I personally wouldn't worry about power until you figure out what's really up with that engine and if all that is true, I hope that T-5 is semi built! Either way, best of luck and hopefully some others can give more insight on this.

 

The Console cover is bent from the lip, and it could have been a TPI and converted to carb but I'm thinkin it was Throttle body and converted to carb. In '89 the base trans am came standard with a 5.0 throttle body v8 and had a choice for an optional 5.0 TPI. & I don't know if its just the angle of the pic by that carb looks tiny I can't see it well. & IF that is a 350 its not original, the 350 you NEVER was available with a 5speed. Get the Vin and post it I can help you decode it. Oh and also B4 buying you shoukd have Run a Carfax for all you know you could be buying a Lemon

 

Doesnt look to be a radio in there

 

Last thing b4 I log off, the throttle body t/a had 170hp & 255 torque which is the L03 engine, If it was the 5.0 TPI & converted to carb then it has 225hp & 285 torque with the 5speed that's the LB9. if it has a 350 swap then it could be 240hp and 320 torque. I'd run a FINE tooth comb In Under Out and Over it.

 

The guy says it needs a starter and a fpr. (Fuel Pressure regulator.) I asked him bout the motor and what I previously posted is what he told me.

Why would you be leary about a 350 bored .30 on a five speed?

I haven't purchased it yet. But my intentions are buying a project to turn into my weekend play toy.
I have a 92 v6 automatic that I use for a daily

 

I would be Learly cause the t5 wont be able to hold up to a 350 that has internal work done especially if got some good hp an tq numbers it would tear up the t5 to pieces

 

Oh ok. Well like I said its gonna be a project so if the motor is built like.he says it is and i have to tear the tranny down and build the tranny so be it.

How hard would.it be to put a t56 6 speed in it?

 

Since the pedals are already there, not hard at all. That's normally the toughest part when going from a auto to manual. But it wouldn't be too bad. Just a few odds and ends. I haven't done this swap but have read bits about it.

 

If in fact the motor is built like the guy says it is and the tranny went untouched would a t56 be a good upgrade?

 

T56's are behind LS1's and such. I've seen one that put almost 500hp to the wheels and only thing that was done to the transmission wise was a upgraded clutch and quadrant.
With that 350, if that's what it is, I think you'll be fine.

Are you able to hear the car run?

 

I'm going to look at it in person on Friday. I'm going armed with a can of starting fluid and hammer and pry bar. The hammer and pry bar to smack the starter to see if i can get it to turn over and starting fluid to spray into the intake to see if it will fire.

He said its carbed so it should have a fpr correct? I thought a carbs fpr is the floats.

 

You're on the right track, always go prepared.

from my understanding carbs don't normally have regulators cause the pump only puts out so much for a carb. If it came factory with a TPI then you'd definitely need one as the TPI puts out roughly 40psi while a carb only calls for about 7 I believe. But if it was TBI and all he did was go to carb I don't see why you'd need one unless the old one went bad. I don't recall how much a TBI unit needs pressure wise either sine it has 2 injectors.

 

It deffinately seems like something looking into imho. A f body trans am for 850? Yea i don't think I wanna pass this up. Working on it is no big deal to me. I work on cars for a living and i have almost every tool imaginable and i can use the lifts in my shop

 

Not trying to steer you away from it by any means! Any with it being a project, I say go for it. These cars are becoming rare and that's a 5-speed. I say as long as it isn't a rust bucket and in your eyes it has potential, go for it.

I picked up a non running 87 GTA a few months back for $700. Digital dash, 350, the works. All stock. Sat for about 10 years so it needed some good loving. $2,000 later and it's now my daily, and a reliable one at that. These cars can be a pain at times but when they run, they run damn good. I'm on my 6th one now and it's the only make/model I've owned.

 

I picked up my 92 v6 auto firebird for 400 Sat for a year. Vats system went bad. Guy thought it was the starter. Fully loaded with t tops. And t tops dnt leak. Only thing I've done to.it is gut the cat and out a dynomax single in dual out muffler on it. Drive it everyday. No issues. Till the ignition switch went bad fixed that and also put a 160 degree t stat in. Gets decent gas milage as well.

 

Ever since having my firebird i wanted a trans am. But wanted 5 speed and only.the 305 came five speed. And now I found one I can afford. So I'm jumping on it. Around here a running trans am sells all day for between 3k and I've seen 8k for a 100% original mint conditions gta

 

That's what it's all about. I guess a thirdgen isn't for everyone huh? A little time and sometimes money can go a long way.

When you do get out to see the car, definitely take some pics if possibly. And don't forget to grab the VIN so you can come back here and decode it.

 

I would take pics but my phones camera stopped working and.I.don't.have a digital camera lol

 

Ok here's what you do ........ Get a new Camera Phone

LOL.

 

My guess is its a 305 TBI 5speed with crappy heads but better than the TBI swirl ports.
If the pix are what your looking at its not TPI at all, nor is that a carb. Its a TBI.
Check the 8th digit of the VIN that will tell you the org motor for the car. It wont tell you if something has been swapped tho.

 

And just look at all those short pieces of wire joined with dozens of butt connectors. Not even heat shrunk or the same color. If (and it's more like when) it develops some electrical issues... Man i'm gonna be pitying you lol. I'd go over that car's harnesses very carefully, look for split loom that has been replaced and the backyard DIY's best friend aka black electrical tape.

 

That doesn't look like a carb to me, it looks supiciously like a TBI unit. There is no reason a carb would need wires. That looks like a pair of fuel injectors. It looks pretty close to my L03 with some new valve covers and the paint removed from the intake. I would get the casting numbers from the engine and heads.

$850 is not a bad deal if the rest of the car is solid. Just know going in if you want performance, you get the L03 knowing it is going to cost you money to replace it or a LOT of money to upgrade it.

 

Does that crescent wrench come with it as well thats laying on the valve cover right behind the alternator?

 

Hard to tell but it looks like a TBI to me too. Hard to pass it up for $850 if its in any kind of shape at all. Good luck and post some pictures