ronsws6

iTrader: (1)

Well almost..
I'm getting older now (36) and so is my 2000 TA WS6. I have loved it, and it has been the third f-body I have had. It was/in in need of repair and my friends and my girl have ragged me about it for a while now. My girl suggested "Hey you can afford any car you want, why don't you get yourself a mercedes?" I told her I could never be happy with one unless it was an AMG.
Then an idea hit me. My TA doesn't exactly fit me any more, but I love it. I wanna build a TA as if AMG did it. I wanna build a refined, comfortable, Powerful, Fast and rock solid TA that makes you say whoa! Right now it's a loud burbling hot rod that sqeaks roars and will fly, but isn't nice/pretty or comfy.
Let me tell ya what I'm starting with and what my plans are so far, then feel free to pipe in with any ideas.
NOW:
It's a pewter WS6 with a big dent in the quarter panel. 165/k on the body/suspension. With TT2's (one bent rim)
Its got a freshly built ls1 with about 10k on it with mildly ported heads a TR228/228 cam, SLP tuned length headers, with true duals, no cats and dumps at the wheels after bullets. It's loud as HELL inside the car! It's got afresh built auto with a yank 3000 TC and broken tranny mount. Torn drivers's seat and tired carpet in the ebony interior, blown factory speakers.
Plans:
Exterior I've got an appointment to go to the body shop to fix the dent and do the blackbird stripes and rear tail blackout. (Ive always liked the blackbird look but have never seen a pewter one) I'm gonna get a new rim to replaced the badly bent one. Peeling the aged tint and new 20% High quality tint going back on.
Engine/Drivetrain Polished aluminum intake, swapping a smaller cam that's a little more civilized but powerful. Maybe a TR 220/220? Custom dyno tune. A poly trans mount. I'm gonna put the cats back on and take the exhaust out the back with some nice quad tip polished tips. Should quiet it down right?
Suspension I ordered a set of bilsteins and I already have the SLP/Eibach springs. Got a bmr adj panhard rod, strut tower brace, LCA's and relocation brackets and box subframe connectors.
Interior I ordered a JVC BT1 Head unit with bluetooth and custom install kit, polk seperates for the front and coaxials for the sail panels. a JBL single 10" sub in the back. AMP rack with dual Kenwood amps (all hidden in the rear well). Fat-Matting the entire interior and using open cell foam to make the interior snug and quiet. New carpet and Lloyds mats New interior panels to replace the cracked ones.
Now the seats and and plastics I'm hung up on. I'm sure on Katzkin, but dunno what color scheme. I love tan leather. So I'm thinking black with tan inserts for the leather with tan door panels, but I want something special for the interior that keeps up with the sophisticated but sporty theme I'm after. Maybe blck with steel grey...I'll probably post to the appearance forum and try to see if anybody can help.
So any ideas? What would you do to make an AMG out of a TA?

FWIW, I know it's not entirely possible.

CTSV_510

iTrader: (1)

I know this doesn't answer your question and you seem to be stuck on your T/A, but you should consider a cadillac.

BadA$$

iTrader: (4)

...Build your T/A, sounds like you have a good "starter" list jotted down
I like tons of cars, (AMG...drool) but you sound like you are not ready to get rid of the T/A, honestly.
I would also start thinking of getting an after market hood, nothing gody, but different. A different hood would make it feel more like a different car!

Pretyflywiteguy

how bout brakes and leather wrapped interior parts, (dash, doors, center console etc).

isn't that one of their specialties? (brakes?)

SSrussman

iTrader: (2)

I would say since your so stuck on a AMG car why not just get one....a 04' CL55 AMG is one badass car and I can vouch for that personally as my neighbor had one and got a brand new M6 when they came out and he wished he would have kept the mercedes....just telling you from what I know and most people will not know they just got their *** kicked by a AMG car until they are behind you ..


Good luck with whatever you do though...sounds like your trans am is more of warbird than a firebird at this point , ahh j/k on that ..

TransAm7779

iTrader: (3)

Sounds like a pretty good list so far. What about suede inserts on leather seats?

Detoxx03

iTrader: (14)

I would love to see what you are coming up with. I would look into the Strano springs, try fitting a double-din unit, some ccw's for the wheels, toning down the exhaust and adding the quad tips will help acheive you goal. Good luck

SOMbitch

iTrader: (8)

09 Caddy CTS-V. 556fhp IMHO. 12.4 1/4 with a 4.0 0-60 to go along with it. The 6 speed tranny is computer limited to 191mph IIRC. Yea the AMG is sexier but you'll prolly have more fun in the Caddy cause there are a lot more cars that will try ya Not sure which AMG you are looking at but I bet the Caddy will punch it in the nose for a lot less skins (but both are outta my league so I honestly don't know)

ZexGX

iTrader: (28)

Get a used 2000-2002 E55 and call it a day. It'll probably be cheaper to buy than upgrading your TA.

If you go ahead with it... I'm sorry to say but you're going to have to use rubber trans and engine mounts, otherwise you will feel the drivetrain inside the car and it won't feel at all like a Benz... That said I haven't been in an AMG Benz, so perhaps they are a little bit rougher and prone to driveline vibrations than a standard vehicle. Even the newish (05+) SL500's seem incredibly smooth and refined/controllable with no driveline vibrations/noises. Many of the control systems on MBZ cars are now done by wire, which leads to a somewhat "disconnected" feel that you just don't get with F-bodies. User preference I guess.

You may want to use Strano springs instead if you can get a hold of a set.

Try tan leather with black inserts. If you really want to make it special you could fab up some custom door panels and use nicer switches for window/mirror/lock controls.

ZMONSTER!

iTrader: (9)

Wow, just fix your TA!

BYE RICE

iTrader: (2)

AMG would put an LS9 in it.
They also would insist that all the interior trim pieces be made out carbon fiber & actually fit together perfectly..As well as cover most of it in top quality(Connelly?) leather.The power window motors would be re-engineered to always work & be totally silent.
The car's exterior would have to be glass-smooth & fitment issues ironed out...The pop-up lights would be refined so that none of the frame work or wires would be visible..The gears would also be upgraded so they wouldn't shear & leave you with a stuck headlight.
The rest of the driveline would be upgraded to reliably handle the LS9's power & the brakes would be ZR1 units..So would the wheels.
It would be a cool car for sure.

RsSean

iTrader: (27)

Hell that sounds like a idea. Warp the dash in that fine leather and stitch it the way Mercedes does and find some seats on ebay and mount them in your car. See if you can convert thr front of the car to a mercedes front end but leave the rear as a Trans Am. You would have AMG T/A that would be awsome.

SOM02WS6

Your TA IS NEVER GOING TO BE AN AMG! If thats what you want buy that! They are two totally different classes of cars..........

Mr.Powers

As for drivability... Do an Air-ride suspension. They perform well and will ride very comfortably. bret at ridetech can give you more info. I would also send it to DSE and let them redo the entire front suspension. (This is if i had money to blow. I once thought of what i would do to it to make it rediculous.)

The interior will cost you.... alot. prolly 10k if you wanted a full Euro look.

Engine upgrades... it would likely be SC'd... It would have a ton of power, but be docile when you needed it to be as well. 3.73 gears... and a strange 12 b

JScamaro

iTrader: (6)

I would say just buy another car but still keep the TA. Your TA is never going to be a Cadillac or Mercedes.

7plagues

iTrader: (1)

Make sure you make it a Bi$#@ to work on too, thats a necessity. At least thats how my roomies C32 is lol. Other than that AMGs are baller.

JD_AMG

I'm sure you know an Fbody will never be a MB AMG, they are just too different of cars, but I see what you are trying to do, make it more of a comfortable and fast GT.
With your suspension you are headed in the wrong direction if you want that "german sports sedan" feel. For starters, the strut tower brace does nothing, and SFC's are arguable when it comes to handling, and they seem to transmit NVH into the cabin more. Relocation brackets are great if you want to just drag race, but they hurt your handling, and your LCA's might too (see binding).
So you have 165K miles on the car? Have you replaced any bushings?
If you ordered bilstien HD's I'd return them. While they are ok shocks with stock springs they were never meant for lowering springs, you can do much better.
What mods do I suggest?
Something like this:
http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...ID=0&ModelID=8
Although you might want to stay away from rod-ended suspension pieces because of noise and more harshness.
Don't forget brakes too. A set of brembo blank rotors and hawk hp pads will suit you just fine.

Texfinn

iTrader: (39)

This guy speaketh the truth.

You want an AMG? Go buy yourself one. No matter what you do to your F-body will never get you anywhere close to the overall refinement and finish an AMG has.

But if you are set on the F-body being one: good luck.

ronsws6

iTrader: (1)

I have the bilsteins that are made to match slp eibachs (the firehawk package) I got the STB going by past experience with other cars have responded when cornering. The LCA's are brckets are because of the bad wheelhop I get when hard acceleration is called for. The SFC's are a stretch, (honestly not something I want, but several others swear by them, but I have been in doubt about them for a long time. I put the rear ones on today and am very pleased. And the poly tranny mount.
FWIW AMGS are not as comfy as mercedes in my opinion. They feel much more connected to the driver than a mercedes and yeah a little more vibration in the cabin but not much. I don't want poly mounts, but I'm through my third rubber tranny mount. The vibration seems no different, but I will not use poly engine mounts. I have avoided solid rod ends and honestly would rather use rubber, but I realistically know poly is stronger. I am saving any stock parts replaced untill I am sure I can tolerate the new LCA's and such.
Basically I am trying to make a TA as comfy and and luxurious as possible while still being as much of a fire-eater as possible.
Thanx for the ideas. Keep em coming!

JD_AMG

You might want to search the suspension forum, If I remember right the SLP bilstiens are no different.
Regardless if you are going for handling there are better shocks out there (and shocks are the most important part, go cheap here and you will ultimately get cheap results).

The wheel hop can be fixed with good shocks.