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#1
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My new 78 TA project.
I just realized I never posted pics of my new project TA. It's a 78 W72 four speed with a 3.42 rearend. It came from the plant Platinum silver with Carmine cloth interior but had a complete color change to Mayan Red a long time ago. The body VIN is on the WC block and on the BW T-10 trans and the rearend is date coded correct and has a good bit of options. The carb is original and I just had it rebuilt and reinstalled it. The car runs and drives really good and seems to have been left all stock from what I can tell. I painted the Vector wheels gold and added some new Cooper tires. The wheels I've had since 1978 and have been on 4 FBody birds and 2 Z28's and 1 69 Vette I always pull them off before I sell a car. After my daughter's wedding in a couple of months I'll do a complete restoration job on this car. Y'all have been a big help so far and I look forward to doing alot more brain picking with the great group on this site. Here are some pics.
Last edited by Gen2guy; 03-21-2020 at 06:09 PM. |
#2
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A few more pics.
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#3
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Great car, nicely optioned!
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62' Lemans, Nostalgia Super Stock, 541 CI, IA2 block, billet 4.5" crank, Ross, Wide port Edelbrocks, Gustram intake, 2 4150 style BLP carbs, 2.10 Turbo 400, 9" w/4:30 gears, 8.76 @153, 3100lbs |
#4
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Thanks Gary it's a really good car to build back to what it once was. 99% of the parts that you can't see in the pics are in the trunk ready to be refurbished.
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#5
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very nice car! may i suggest going back to the original silver when you restore it? IMO, silver with red interior is one of the best looking color combos for these cars, & original color almost always is worth more $$.
but i may be a little biased since my first t/a back in highschool was a silver/red W72 WS6 4speed T/A with fisher t-tops. bought it from a friend that shelled out the 4 speed & pulled the 400 to rebuild it but found a 455/TH400 from a wrecked 74 t/a for $500 that he installed instead & let the 400 block sit outside for a couple years... then threw the dang thing away!! then when searching for another one to restore 20+ years later i found a black on red 78 W72 WS6 #'s matching & planned to do it silver like my old beloved t/a but when i saw it was low miles & original i decided to keep it black because of what i sad above that its probably worth more in the original color. so my vote is to go back to the original color of platinum silver! |
#6
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Vector wheels?
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Skip Fix 1978 Trans Am original owner 10.99 @ 124 pump gas 455 E heads, NO Bird ever! 1981 Black SE Trans Am stockish 6X 400ci, turbo 301 on a stand 1965 GTO 4 barrel 3 speed project 2004 GTO Pulse Red stock motor computer tune 13.43@103.4 1964 Impala SS 409/470ci 600 HP stroker project 1979 Camaro IAII Edelbrock head 500" 695 HP 10.33@132 3595lbs |
The Following User Says Thank You to Skip Fix For This Useful Post: | ||
#7
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Yes Skip I've had them since 1978 and when the Dukes of Hazzard came on in 79 all of us that had them painted them black. I just painted them gold for this TA
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#8
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Quote:
Well 78w I've struggled with that since finding out it's a code #15 car. I had four criteria in what is my last TA build and ownership because of my age 1. Mayan Red color 2. W72 engine 3. Four speed 4. Hurst hatches 5. Rust or nearly rust free. My goal was to build a Mayan red TA with all the gold accents both on the exterior and interior that are found on the SE Trans Am's in other words a Red Bandit TA. This will be the first FBody that I haven't restored back the way it left the plant. |
#9
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#10
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Last edited by Gen2guy; 03-22-2020 at 09:57 PM. |
#11
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I was considering one of those Z28’s when they came back out. Glad I bought my TA. The 77 Z28’s were pretty much a decal package.
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1977 Black Trans Am 180 HP Auto, essentially base model T/A. I'm the original owner, purchased May 7, 1977. Shut it off Shut it off Buddy, I just shut your Prius down... |
#12
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The 77 Z28 would have never come back in 77 if it weren't for the success of the Smokey and the Bandit movie. Once the Chevrolet brass saw the TA sales take off they felt they had to do something. The LM-1 350 is the same engine that was in the Caprice and all the other 350 powered vehicles. They had only 175 hp you had to have a 4-speed to have any kind fun, they were real pigs. At least the TA looked 100% better and the RTS Suspension was a hell of alot better than the Z28 suspension. 77Trashcan they were 100% a decal package.
Last edited by Gen2guy; 03-22-2020 at 10:02 PM. |
#13
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Next time you pull those wheel off....I might be game
__________________
"At no time did we exceed 175 mph.” Dan Gurney's truthful response to his and Brock Yate's winning of the first ever Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining Sea... Still have my 1st Firebird 7th Firebird 57 Starchief |
#14
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#15
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Hey 69 they are making them again and you can have a new set sitting on your door step for $550 I've had this set since I was 18 in 78 I just can't part with them.
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#16
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What I meant was, when you sell the car & move the wheels to the next one, I might be interested in the Bird!
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"At no time did we exceed 175 mph.” Dan Gurney's truthful response to his and Brock Yate's winning of the first ever Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining Sea... Still have my 1st Firebird 7th Firebird 57 Starchief |
#17
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i like some of other peoples red cars, but that would be my last choice for most muscle cars, all personal preference i guess. |
#18
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Lol oh I totally missed that one 69, no this Bird is a keeper.
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#19
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#20
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Looks like a nice solid project. Your car paint it they way you want. Deviating from original isn't going to hurt the value, it may increase it (resale red). I could take or leave a silver car, and my wifes least favorite colour for a car is silver. She still hasn't gotten over the '93 grand Cherokee-yes it was silver!, LOL. The only silver car she has ever taken a liking to is a Tenth Anniv. car. We saw one at a show and she said 'for silver, that one doesn't look too bad'. Just so happens that's what Im restoring now.
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