94 trans am im keepin it!
09-09-2012, 10:35 PM
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94 T/A resotration and modification- New Wheels Well a few months ago I posted about getting my uncle's 94 trans am M6 and thinking about what to do with it etc, I was going to buy it off him but he ended up just giving me the car, and I knew why. This was not the menacing batmobile that i saw when i was a kid, it VERY rough. We went about 2 and 1/2 hours from nj to maryland to pick it up, it didnt run, needed a battery atleast, had been sitting for about 5 years. So a 500 dollar flatbed charge later and it was at the dealer where my dad worked. Interior has some rips, but mainly just stitching was split in some areas. But the body was rough, paint coming off the drivers fender (thank god its plastic) and some paint starting to go on the DS mirror. Dirty, filthy, in the jams and everywhere with dirt.
So while i was getting surgeries and resting dad kept me updated, needed a fuel pump mainly, and my uncle kept cranking it which then killed the battery, so a cash for clunkers battery went in along with the pump, started right up. Then changed the oil, ran it for a bit and changed it again just to make sure it was clean. The tires were some nice michelin pilots on the swirled 16x8 wheels but were over 10 years old and fell apart when put on the tire machine, they were swapped with some gentry used firehawks my dad managed to get off a firebird that was getting new tires at the dealership. next new brake pads and rotors went all around. We really just needed to find a day to take it home carefully with no legit tags, regi or insurance. Butttttt, the dealership had problems with guys going in a cutting out cats and guess whos cat got picked after the 3rd or 4th hit on the building, mine! So a magnalflow cat was ordered and installed and then carefully driven home so it wouldnt be vandalized again. The car sat while i recovered, then when washing my daily (87 monte ss) i washed and surveyed what the TA had to offer.
took this very horrible picture of the washed t/a and monte
WARNING TRANS AM/FBODY JOKES BELOW
So i was at a cross between the two cars, couldnt keep both really, trans am had 150k on it in rough shape, but i couldnt keep driving the monte, the A/C was horrible, the t tops leaked and i got horrible wind noise, all which were impossible to fix completely. The trans am had everything a new car was, 4 wheel disc, fuel injection, doors that actually seal, t tops that didnt leak, and an actual air conditioner and not a mouse breathing on you for a high fan setting. But like i said i didnt like the trans am at first, while recovering from surgery i was bored, my car was in the dealer for a new trans so i hopped in my transgender (what i call it) i got in, it was small, im 6ft 270lbs and im used to the fit 4 adults interior of my gbody. The powersteering was heavy, not the 1-fingered steering i got with my gbody. Also as i put something down on the passenger seat im like looking at the floor at the ugly engineering flaw that is the catalitic converter hump. So im like, who cares, i wanna drive, just around the block, I had minimal time driving stick but the t56 was gentle, didnt get out of 3rd or a bit over 35mph but i liked it. Pulled the car back in the driveway, fiddled with the flip up lights, one which made a nails-on-a-chalkboard noise for about 15 seconds before it realized that the lights were indeed flipped down, and there was no need to run the motor anymore. I popped the hood, ive seen pictures but this was indeed a horror story of an engine bay. 150k on it and i was going to stick my hands in that and work on it? I closed the hood, went inside and then convinced my dad with number white trash jokes and facts why we should sell it and possibly turn a profit.
My dad picks up cars like stray dogs and just wanted to throw more money into it, the plug that clears the code so you can bypass the skip shift for the t56, a new compressor so the car could actually hold freon, i just wanted it gone. A few days ago my dad is taking the plates off of his car and putting them on the TA. "lets take a ride into philly"(20 minutes away) so i get into the transgender and we set out, we take turns driving, hitting exit ramps way better than my monte ever did, even with aftermarket suspension. No more lame 200R4 with no clue what gear it should be in, no windnoise on the highway, and if it rained that day not a drop inside, also 1900 RPM AT 80 MPH!!not mention just the fan blowing on me with no freon was better than my monte AC with freon. Suddenly i wanted the transgender, i wanted to drive the trans am with the t tops off, own a meth lab, impregnate my girlfriend of 2 weeks and just move away because i had a transgender.
So thats the story, this week im looking at insuring it, checking a few things over on it and getting it on the road. Going to eventually sell the monte (vortec 350, UMI suspension, recent painjob, etc.) For parts that will inevitably go into the transgender when it breaks. Also sorry about the novel and only 1 pic, acutally heres another pic when it first got dropped off at the dealer.
So while i was getting surgeries and resting dad kept me updated, needed a fuel pump mainly, and my uncle kept cranking it which then killed the battery, so a cash for clunkers battery went in along with the pump, started right up. Then changed the oil, ran it for a bit and changed it again just to make sure it was clean. The tires were some nice michelin pilots on the swirled 16x8 wheels but were over 10 years old and fell apart when put on the tire machine, they were swapped with some gentry used firehawks my dad managed to get off a firebird that was getting new tires at the dealership. next new brake pads and rotors went all around. We really just needed to find a day to take it home carefully with no legit tags, regi or insurance. Butttttt, the dealership had problems with guys going in a cutting out cats and guess whos cat got picked after the 3rd or 4th hit on the building, mine! So a magnalflow cat was ordered and installed and then carefully driven home so it wouldnt be vandalized again. The car sat while i recovered, then when washing my daily (87 monte ss) i washed and surveyed what the TA had to offer.
took this very horrible picture of the washed t/a and monte
WARNING TRANS AM/FBODY JOKES BELOW
So i was at a cross between the two cars, couldnt keep both really, trans am had 150k on it in rough shape, but i couldnt keep driving the monte, the A/C was horrible, the t tops leaked and i got horrible wind noise, all which were impossible to fix completely. The trans am had everything a new car was, 4 wheel disc, fuel injection, doors that actually seal, t tops that didnt leak, and an actual air conditioner and not a mouse breathing on you for a high fan setting. But like i said i didnt like the trans am at first, while recovering from surgery i was bored, my car was in the dealer for a new trans so i hopped in my transgender (what i call it) i got in, it was small, im 6ft 270lbs and im used to the fit 4 adults interior of my gbody. The powersteering was heavy, not the 1-fingered steering i got with my gbody. Also as i put something down on the passenger seat im like looking at the floor at the ugly engineering flaw that is the catalitic converter hump. So im like, who cares, i wanna drive, just around the block, I had minimal time driving stick but the t56 was gentle, didnt get out of 3rd or a bit over 35mph but i liked it. Pulled the car back in the driveway, fiddled with the flip up lights, one which made a nails-on-a-chalkboard noise for about 15 seconds before it realized that the lights were indeed flipped down, and there was no need to run the motor anymore. I popped the hood, ive seen pictures but this was indeed a horror story of an engine bay. 150k on it and i was going to stick my hands in that and work on it? I closed the hood, went inside and then convinced my dad with number white trash jokes and facts why we should sell it and possibly turn a profit.
My dad picks up cars like stray dogs and just wanted to throw more money into it, the plug that clears the code so you can bypass the skip shift for the t56, a new compressor so the car could actually hold freon, i just wanted it gone. A few days ago my dad is taking the plates off of his car and putting them on the TA. "lets take a ride into philly"(20 minutes away) so i get into the transgender and we set out, we take turns driving, hitting exit ramps way better than my monte ever did, even with aftermarket suspension. No more lame 200R4 with no clue what gear it should be in, no windnoise on the highway, and if it rained that day not a drop inside, also 1900 RPM AT 80 MPH!!not mention just the fan blowing on me with no freon was better than my monte AC with freon. Suddenly i wanted the transgender, i wanted to drive the trans am with the t tops off, own a meth lab, impregnate my girlfriend of 2 weeks and just move away because i had a transgender.
So thats the story, this week im looking at insuring it, checking a few things over on it and getting it on the road. Going to eventually sell the monte (vortec 350, UMI suspension, recent painjob, etc.) For parts that will inevitably go into the transgender when it breaks. Also sorry about the novel and only 1 pic, acutally heres another pic when it first got dropped off at the dealer.
Last edited by devildog214; 11-18-2013 at 08:10 PM.
09-09-2012, 10:57 PM
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hah nope i cant wait for it to get it on the road. Plans are just to drive, maybe find a fender that still has black paint on it, when these used tires wear out i want the optional 17x9's with 275s all around. Eventually the motor will get tired, ill go to my enginer builder with some of the money from the monte and get a nice reliable build, some lt4 stuff, stock/stock modified or lt4 heads, intake, hotcam. Suspension from strano, i hear clunking from the bearings in the diff so might do 3.73s while im in there. I havent decoded it, but it probably has 2.73s.
09-10-2012, 02:45 AM
#4
I dunno how much lurking you do on here but I can tell you what a lot of people are gonna say. For the heads, either port and polish the stockers or get Lloyd Elliots or some AIs. For the cam, CC503 or custom grind or something along those lines. At least, that's the way it seems to go whenever someone mentions LT4 stuff around here. Stock intake manifold is fine. Flows the same as an LT4 manifold and is a lot cheaper since you don't have to buy it, haha.
If it came stock with the T56, you have 3.42s. If it came w/ a 4L60E, then you'll have 3.23s. That's assuming nobody has messed with the rear yet, which seems to be the case. The factory tach is garbage, but my 95 Formula M6 w/ 3.42 rear gears runs about the same rpm as yours at 80 mph.
If you go H/C, I'd suggest replacing the rear w/ something a bit more sturdy instead of rebuilding the stock glass 10 bolt if you play rough on it. For the skipshift, just deal with it for the time being then when you start upgrading and get a tune, get it tuned out.
If it came stock with the T56, you have 3.42s. If it came w/ a 4L60E, then you'll have 3.23s. That's assuming nobody has messed with the rear yet, which seems to be the case. The factory tach is garbage, but my 95 Formula M6 w/ 3.42 rear gears runs about the same rpm as yours at 80 mph.
If you go H/C, I'd suggest replacing the rear w/ something a bit more sturdy instead of rebuilding the stock glass 10 bolt if you play rough on it. For the skipshift, just deal with it for the time being then when you start upgrading and get a tune, get it tuned out.
09-10-2012, 06:51 AM
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thanks, yeah these lt1 parts are much more expensive then my gen1 parts were ever. Stock port is more my budget, ill do that along with the cam but thats really until i feel the need the stock motor needs a rebuild. If it is 3.42s like you said i might just keep that ratio i kinda like it on the highway. Should get about 5-7gs from my monte down the road if im lucky but want to try and not let the trans am suck all of it up.
09-11-2012, 01:36 AM
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Ordered a hurst shift **** (a real shifter may come later) and keeping an eye out for any type of f body 17x9 wheels. Also should be insured and driving by the end of the week.
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09-11-2012, 07:26 PM
#8
Man, You got problems lol. You got a 6 speed trans am for free, and you thought it was junk. It may not be gold, but the pictures I see of it it looks to be in good shape as far as the body goes.
Good luck with it. Id take it off your hands in a heart beat.
Those paint problems are minor compared to others too lol.
Good luck with it. Id take it off your hands in a heart beat.
Those paint problems are minor compared to others too lol.
09-12-2012, 10:42 AM
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yeah you cant beat free really, right now with the few things it need and the flatbed fee im about 1200 into it, new compressor is coming along with plugs and wires, and of course it needs a few window/lock buttons that are broken, and atleast 1 window motor. And yeah i did hate it at first, small cockpit, small enginebay, alot of miles, i have nice relative new paintjob on the monte, a new 350, new trans so really the only thing that has high miles is the rear, but people thought i was crazy driving it everyday, in the snow, in the rain,getting 16mpg if i was lucky, not garaging it etc. Yeah i guess when i was younger i didnt care, but it needs to have that owner that thinks its going to barret jackson or something.
09-16-2012, 01:03 PM
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Well yesterday i got it registered and insured and went through an entire tank of gas driving it everywhere, The majority of the day was rough driving, stalling, bucking, etc you name it. But at the end of the day on my ride home at 3am everything went great, it finally clicked. It was a bit hard to learn on, the clutch is on its way out and grabs very high, so its time to order another one. Along with the clutch we're doing the pressure plate and throwout bearing for good measure. Looking on rockauto for stock clutches they offer a normal clutch for about 250 bucks or so and a kevlar clutch for around 400, i see alot of people using the LS7 clutch but with a few google searches i see that it isnt just a direct bolt in and a few things will have to be changed, mainly the flywheel and throwout bearing. Haven't really looked into aftermarket clutches, the car wont see h/c until the engine needs a rebuild, if anything Im keeping it simple with wheels/exhaust if anything. So not making big power for a while, also im new to driving stick and its my daily so a stiff clutch wouldn't be best for my commute. Just wanted to see if anyone would answer this question in my build thread rather than make a new thread about it.
09-21-2012, 03:44 PM
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Picked up these sweet ws6 17x9s for only 200 bucks, wont be keeping them black, maybe a silver or dark grey. Going with some sort of 275/40 allseason. Also going with just a stock clutch, few little bits came in the mail for me like the power window switch, motor and lock actuator.
09-21-2012, 04:25 PM
#13
Its always good to get a free car especially a 4th Gen F body
You will like the way it handles on the 275/40/17's it will stick much better in the corners.
BTW I am 6'2 265lbs and these cars fit me like a glove I have had 5 4th gens and still own 2 of them.
You will like the way it handles on the 275/40/17's it will stick much better in the corners.
BTW I am 6'2 265lbs and these cars fit me like a glove I have had 5 4th gens and still own 2 of them.
11-05-2012, 08:23 AM
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Ok a nice update, painted the ws6 wheels. Used 2 coats aluminum etch primer, 2 coats duplicolor silver rim paint and 2 coats duplicolor rim clear. theyre a bit rough from getting stripped and even after paint they are still rough, but i did save alot of money over powdercoating. The tires are cooper zeon rs3-a's 275/40. I think ive narrowed down my exhaust to the TSP rumbler with corsa clones.
