1977 Trans AM build
05-25-2014, 06:45 PM
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1977 Trans AM build I've been posting for the past month but I thought I would formally do a newbie post with some photos. I've had the car about a week and have put about 100 miles on it and it is a fun car to drive. The car came out of Oklahoma.
The Gentleman that was having it built up loves LS1's and also has a 2000 Camaro that the putting down 650HP to the rear wheels. He wanted a weekend family cruiser so he purchased the car this past December with a non-numbers matching Pontiac 400. My last car I did the purist thing:
http://1970gto.webs.com/
Here is a video to original engine in the TA:
So that was pulled and a low mileage LS1 from a 2001 Trans Am was sourced out.
The car already has the floor pans cut out and replaced with year one metal, it already had 17" snowflakes, and the interior was all mostly new too...
So once they had the engine they put in a Texas Speed MS3 roller cam kit with matching push rods and valve springs, Texas Speed LS6 ported Oil pump, LS2 timing chain. Pacesetter long tube headers ... new gaskets ... the factory overdrive transmission was used and a new circle D 3200 stall converter was install ... then on down the line ... new balanced drive shaft, new 3.73 posi gears. The engine was tuned for a streetable tune with about 400 HP at the rear wheels.
The gas tank was swapped out to for a EFI one with a drop in fuel pump.
All of the factory gauges work even the speedo (converter box). and right before shipping the car to me the car's drum rear brakes are swapped out for disks.
The car was painted ... my guess ... about 10 years go and it has plenty of chips, and small scratches, cracks but the car was being built to be the family weekend cruiser
overall it is night and day driving it compared to my old GTO...
The Gentleman that was having it built up loves LS1's and also has a 2000 Camaro that the putting down 650HP to the rear wheels. He wanted a weekend family cruiser so he purchased the car this past December with a non-numbers matching Pontiac 400. My last car I did the purist thing:
http://1970gto.webs.com/
Here is a video to original engine in the TA:
So that was pulled and a low mileage LS1 from a 2001 Trans Am was sourced out.
The car already has the floor pans cut out and replaced with year one metal, it already had 17" snowflakes, and the interior was all mostly new too...
So once they had the engine they put in a Texas Speed MS3 roller cam kit with matching push rods and valve springs, Texas Speed LS6 ported Oil pump, LS2 timing chain. Pacesetter long tube headers ... new gaskets ... the factory overdrive transmission was used and a new circle D 3200 stall converter was install ... then on down the line ... new balanced drive shaft, new 3.73 posi gears. The engine was tuned for a streetable tune with about 400 HP at the rear wheels.
The gas tank was swapped out to for a EFI one with a drop in fuel pump.
All of the factory gauges work even the speedo (converter box). and right before shipping the car to me the car's drum rear brakes are swapped out for disks.
The car was painted ... my guess ... about 10 years go and it has plenty of chips, and small scratches, cracks but the car was being built to be the family weekend cruiser
overall it is night and day driving it compared to my old GTO...
Last edited by Amigo-2k; 05-25-2014 at 06:52 PM.
06-01-2014, 12:05 PM
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Very nice car my friend. Same car I was lookin into building. Do you know what engine mounts you are usiing? What AC bracket are you using and did you have to cut the frame to fit? How did they get the stock shaker hood to fit did they mak a special bracket for it? you might be able to make it functional if you wanted. Thank you
06-01-2014, 04:40 PM
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No clue on the engine mounts ... it looks like the mounts on the car bolted to the existing ones. The AC compressor is mounted low on the engine, and no cutting was done (I've seen LS3 mount the compressor this way. The stock shaker can was cut down and then it was mounted to the top of the engine. I don't think it would be possible to make it work again due to being cut down.
The shop that did the build is in Oklahoma (and of course I don't have the name ...).
The shop that did the build is in Oklahoma (and of course I don't have the name ...).
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06-01-2014, 08:49 PM
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This one was done very professionally it is a very clean installation. If you can mount the AC low without modification to the frame it solves a lot of problems and expense too. You could use the Fbody PS pump and water pump and mount a standard alternator up high on the right side with a cheap bracket and use the existing alternator wiring. The exhaust on these cars can be a pain how is the gound clearence on the headrers? Are you running dual mufflers or a single dual in dual out one behind the rear? Going over railroad tracks you can rip the exhasut off if the clearence is not good.
06-01-2014, 10:21 PM
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here is a photo that shows the location of the ac compressor (this is not my car ... in the photo there is no belt on it ... also the engine in the photo is an LS2) .... here is a link to the car in the photo: http://www.oldtownautomobile.com/inv...l=1&CarID=1067
Ground clearance is horrible ... headers are good but the mufflers are to low (2") I have a set of new coil springs (meant for F-bodies with LS1's) sitting in my living room and the rear will come up after I (well my mechanic will do the work) pop out the 2" lowering blocks.
it has a cool stance, it doesn't have any tire rub, but it is not safe to drive with 2 people in the car ...
Here is the best functional shaker i've seen (other then the one on the Year One Bandit cars);
Ground clearance is horrible ... headers are good but the mufflers are to low (2") I have a set of new coil springs (meant for F-bodies with LS1's) sitting in my living room and the rear will come up after I (well my mechanic will do the work) pop out the 2" lowering blocks.
it has a cool stance, it doesn't have any tire rub, but it is not safe to drive with 2 people in the car ...
Here is the best functional shaker i've seen (other then the one on the Year One Bandit cars);
Last edited by Amigo-2k; 06-01-2014 at 10:32 PM.
06-03-2014, 07:13 AM
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Thank you for posting up the pictures. Looks like the engine was a factory installation fits perfectlly in there.Definately do something with the exhaust system and muffler clearence. Pypes, Inc has a new system for these cars a dual in dual out crossflow muffler that fits behind the rear and exits in the stock location. A bit pricey but worth a look. Thank you.
04-28-2021, 12:40 PM
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I thought I noticed your TA tag was in Oklahoma. Who did the work/swap for you?
John
jbv66stang@yahoo.com
John
jbv66stang@yahoo.com
