MY 72 TRANS AM STORY FROM DAY 1 TO NOW
 

I purchase the Trans Am in sept 1984 at 18 years old , my first car. paid $500.and a extra $500 for the mag wheels. Someone before me bought the Trans Am took the motor out to put it in is 76 Lemans and put is 76 Lemans motor (350) in the Trans Am and he sold the Trans Am to my brother in-law brother. I bought the Trans Am a few months later for $1000. Try to get motor running properly but no luck:mad: The owner that sold it the the first guy said the color is boston brown???.

More pictures . Damage to passenger front fender and in gray primer, rear wheels have original flares at the front and homemade flares at the back.
Picture #2 :D
Picture #3 notice where the sticker on inside of trunk lid is
Picture #4 front passenger fender in red primer

Pictures from early winter 1984


Picture #1 Trim #216 (161) standard black interior . ( from fall 1984)
Picture #2 Bill of sale for a 71 Lemans t37 body rusted out but good 350 motor and
transmission. (spring 1985)
Pictures #3,4,5 T37 motor getting a face lift, new gaskets ,paint etc (spring 1985):D

Too bad you lost out on the original engine. I hope you've changed the color -- I like Boston baked beans, but not their color on a car.

Looks kinda like Ponch's car.

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...ta/i026635.jpg

There is a story with that motor that will be told later on when I get to that part of the restoration .

I watched a bit of that show when I was young and I do not remember that car. Weird
Maybe that is why the Trans Am was painted that color by the second or third owner , not
sure

May early June 1985

Picture #19 Clean up front frame and firewall and paint it with tremclad fire engine red
Picture #20 Motor installed in Trans Am :cool: 350 from 71 Lemans T37
Picture #21 Front sheet metal back on
Picture #22a First day back from paint shop :D
Picture #22 Pops looking a the beast:D

June 1985

First three pictures from old work place in Ottawa Canada:D

Last two in front of my parents place:D

June 1985

More pictures from in front of my parents place in Aylmer Quebec Canada

June 1985 and Summer 1986

Summer of 85 drove the Trans Am from early June to last day of october and park the Trans Am for the winter. Spring 1986 found problem with rear frame rails rusted and pushing thrue the trunk , damm air shocks:mad:. Try to buy the whole floor from GM but not available at the time , so I try to repair it but no luck for whatever reason I can't remember.

Picture #34,35 Trans Am at my parents place Aylmer Quebec Canada
Picture #36,37 Summer 1986 rear frame problem:censored: :censored: :censored:
Picture #38 Old gas tank

That body work is killing me....I guess it was "just a car" back then...:)

You are supposed to look at the WHEELS and tires back then, remember??
I let a friend work on my Nova, same results... :)

I hate when that happens....

Those fender flares are, um, far out.... :)

Cool story.

lol...the 80's, glad we've moved on since then...lol.
Its nice that you've got those pics to tell the story with.

NOTHING can ruin your day FASTER! :(

SUMMER OF 86

No more :censored:flares

Here is the reason why those dam flares stayed on when the Trans Am was painted orange/red . Told the shop to remove the flares but was called in to see the flare problem .
whoever made the flares cut and flipped out the rear quarter fender well lip out and duck taped cardboard to it and bondo the whole thing together to make the flares. I told the shop to remove the old flares and make new ones with steel and bondo ,which he did and did a ****ty job with the bondo also he bondo the front nose to the front fender :mad:

Picture #40 Me under the car ,my brother in-law and my little nephew
Picture #41 and #42 Me under the car and my brother in-law
Picture #43 and #44 The beast with no more :censored:flares

SUMMER OF 86

Picture #45 Front nose sanded down because of paint cracked were the paintshop bondo
the fender to the nose :mad::censored::mad::censored::mad:
Picture #46,47 Rear frame and trunk damage (RUSTED OUT):censored::censored:
Picture #48,49 Primed rear end of car:gag:

SUMMER OF 86

More pictures of the Trans Am. the last two pictures show all the overspray in the engine compartment:mad:.the paintshop did not taped anything in the motor area even after I told him to do so, from what I heard he put a grocery paper bag flat on the carb and lower the hood to about 6 inches from close position and sprayed the car . Yes that paintshop was a relative of my best friend, got:censored:on that deal big time

SUMMER OF 86

Start to dismantle Trans Am and get ready for frame work at a shop in Ottawa Ontario Canada

Picture # 55 More overspray !!!!!!
Picture #56,57,58 Inside look after carpet was remove, lot's of white overspray paint
Picture #59a Trans Am in front of the frame shop in Ottawa Canada:D

SUMMER OF 86

Start to dismantle Trans Am and get ready for frame work at a shop in Ottawa Ontario Canada

Picture # 55 More overspray !!!!!!
Picture #56,57,58 Inside look after carpet was remove, lot's of white overspray paint
Picture #59a Trans Am in front of the frame shop in Ottawa Canada:D

SUMMER OF 86


Bought the aftermarket rear quarters ,one rocker panel and two front fenders in the summer of 86. I did not want to see the weld from inside the trunk and I needed the part inside the doors on both side so the quarter were returned. The rocker was also returned because it was one of those that had to be cut in two to fit (universal one) and the front fenders were returned ,the fenders look good from the outside but the part that is inside the hood looked like crap :gag:

SUMMER OF 86

Trans Am back from frame shop. The shop told me to get the new quarters and new valence installed before he finish the job with the frame ,trunk and tubs

Picture #64,65 Old rear valence :eek:
Picture #66,67,68 View of new frame :D

SUMMER OF 86

I think I was miserable the whole time the Trans Am was in that shape. I don't know how many times I ask myself << WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO THAT CAR MORON >>
I did not know anything about the production # of that car or anything else. I did not have a computer or internet at that time hell was the internet even invented back in those days?

Picture # 69 to 73 More frame work view

SUMMER OF 86


Picture #73a Bill for new GM valence :D
Picture #74,75 New GM valence :D
Picture #75c Bill for installation of GM quarters and GM valence :D
Picture #76 View from inside of new quarters installed :D

WINTER OF 86-87

New GM quarters installed and new GM rear valence installed. Now Trans Am is ready to get the rest of the work done

Picture #75a Bill for the new GM quarters :(
Picture #77,78,79,80 View of frame , new quarters and valence :cool:

WINTER OF 87

Finally the GM quarters and GM valence on :D :cool:

WINTER OF 87

Picture #87 View of trunk before the trunk is done :D
Picture #88 Bill for new GM rocker panel :)
Picture #58c Summer of 86 bill for new GM door skins :)
Picture #58d,58e Summer of 86 new GM door skin :cool:

GULP, WOW is all I can say, Did you try to order frame rails? In 1980 I put 2 rear halves on a Camaro at a GM dealership, I know they were GM parts.??

Hi formulabruce

In early 1986 I tried to buy the complet floor from GM but the dealership I bought all my GM parts from told me it was not available,I don't think I tried to get the rails or any other parts separately maybe I should of tried it that way. The Trans Am needed more then just frame rails, all around the rails inside the trunk it cracked and was rusted, if I remember right it was at the seam that it crack , leaf spring were done so I added more air to the airshocks and next thing I know everything is damage,cracked with the rust that was there it all let go. The trunk itself was pretty good except for the sides of the trunk where the frame rail is under

The good old days... when you could just buy all that sheetmetal from GM. I'm sure it seemed very expensive then.... but would be WAY more now.

That's a pretty serious looking rear frame you had built.

Looking forward to seeing more...

SUMMER OF 88 :cool:

In the early spring of 88 I got the back end all finish, trunk, tubs, floor etc. Summer of 88 bought a 76 gold Trans Am for $500. car had a 400 motor ,auto, AC ,power windows ,power trunk. dismantle the car for parts,traded the 400 motor at 99 926 miles with auto trans and air breather w/scoop for getting my Trans Am totally sandblasted . Primed Trans Am body shell with epoxy primer. Dismantled front suspention,sandblast prime and paint front suspension piece by piece. Painted steel part of dash black with suede finish.

Picture #88a,89,90,91,92 Pictures of front frame, cowl all painted

SUMMER OF 88 :cool:

Pictures #93 TO 97 Pictures of front frame painted orange/red and inside body shell
in black primer :D

SUMMER OF 88

Pictures #98,99,100,103,104 View of Trans Am in black primer and last two pictures painted the orange/red color that I'm not finding the damn # :( , that is the color the Trans Am was suppose to be. That"s not pink in those last two pictures ,for some reason the pictures turned out that way.

SUMMER OF 88 :)

Picture #105.107,108,109,110 Inside shell all painted orange/red ,new GM rocker panels
also installed.

SUMMER OF 88 :cool:

Picture #111 Top view of painted shell
Picture #112 View of inside shell under dash area
Picture #113,114,115 View of rear end installed back in Trans Am, rear end was rebuild
and new set of leaf spring. the whole underneath was painted and
undercoated

SUMMER OF 88

Picture#116 View of rear end installed
Picture#117 View from under Trans Am
Picture#118 View or front leaf spring anchor point
Picture#119 View of rear end with new overloader shock :gag:
Picture#120 View of inside left side wheel well

SUMMER OF 88


More pictures of under the car with the new frame. Yes I know!!! those shocks are not staying on the Trans Am, I bought those in the winter of 85-86 to replace the air shocks because the air shocks were pumped up to the limit ,leaf spring were done so I thought to help the weak leafs all just add overloaders.But after finding out about the damage in the back frame area that all changed. Now with new leaf spring and those shocks I can't even bounce the damn rear end of the car way to stiff, don't want the 4x4 look want the NORWOOD look and this will be more like the monster truck look :eek: so the shocks are gone. :) I may have to even replace those new leaf spring or maybe just remove one leaf out , the leaf spring have 5 leafs on them now.

SUMMER OF 88

More pictures of under the Trans Am and of trunk lid. Picture #129 notice where the sticker is on the inside of the trunk lid on my 72 Trans Am. I never even thought of sticker location or any thing like that before I looked at this forum. Man this forum is so freaking going to help me in the restoration of my Trans Am . THANKS A MILLION GUYS

SUMMER OF 88

Pictures of trunk lid and doors after sandblasting and primer. The doors had the old skins remove and shell sandblasted and new GM skins put on :D

SUMMER OF 88

Doors and hinges all painted that orange/red color. Will be doing work in the garage today and will try to find the paint # of that color

In late summer of 88 I changed job,so the Trans Am was brought back to my parents house and the work on the car slowed down to a crawl. The summer of 89 I was working on mounting brackets for the rear seat bottom and someone stop in to ask me if I needed a motor for the Trans Am. This guy was the brother of the guy that bought the Trans Am for the motor and trans only and put is motor in the Trans Am to sell. Yes this guy was the guy with the 76 Lemans (post#1) This guy was actually a friend of my older brother and sister . I ask the brother to see the motor and he said no problem it's about 4 houses up the road, walk over and the brother said you could have the motor,transmission and the 76 Lemans for $300 :D I'll take it :D :D So the same day I pick up the car motor and trans . In the glove compartment I found several papers about the Trans Am ,1981 appraisal papers and repair bill for the motor. several years later I found out about the trans was matching # to my Trans Am but the motor was not, actually the motor was a 1974 400 motor. With the papers in the glove compartment of the 76 Lemans I was able to find the guy that sold the Trans Am to the guy with the 76 Lemans. I'll call this guy the second owner of the Trans Am, he told me that the motor bills are for the original motor 455. In 1994 I got the motor 400 overhaul by a machine shop and was told that those bills match the work on the 400 motor. :confused: The second owner said that he never changed the motor :confused: The people that maybe know what happen to the 455 ,the 76 Lemans guy passed away and the guy that done work on the motor also passed away. The strange thing about the motor is in the appraisal papers it said the motor was rebuild and on the second appraisal paper it mention in the motor section 8 cyl 400 km maybe or did the guy know it what a 400 :( So now somehow I have to try to find the first owner and maybe he knows what happen to the 455. I know the second owner still has some books and pictures of the Trans Am that he's suppose to give me, he lives about 2 miles from my place

From 89 to 1994

So from 89 to 94 I didn't do much on the Trans Am . In 89 my boy was born and later on bought a house ,split up about couple of years later .In 94 put in new black carpet,installed all of the inside back in the Trans Am.

From 94 to 2006 In about 96 met my futur wife ,got married ,bought a new house ,sold that house and in 2006 bought this place . Hit the jackpot with this house, the garage alone is 1440 square foot with a paint booth ,down draft system,all the florescent lights with chrome square like mirrors around the walls,in floor chains for frame work,heated,alarm, huge compressor, air lines everywhere, all drywall. So now since we been here, done all kind of renovation to the house inside and outside and some in the garage.


Picture #145 Second owner motor repair bill

Picture #149,150 My bill for the 400 motor rebuild in 94

Pictures of what the Trans Am looks like now summer 2010

Picture #151 Back quarter is rusted thrue even do the Trans Am as not been on
the road since the mid 80's

Picture #152,153 Inside look

Picture #154 Rusted out lower door shell

Picture #155 View of how the rear frame is connected to front frame

WOW!

That's pretty impressive rust on the door.
Don't think I've ever seen one quite that bad before.

Me neither.

Bummer... I was hoping this story was going to get to a "happier" ending. :(

I admire your dedication to hanging on to this car. I have a couple of friends that have had the same car(s) for 25-30+ years.... Me? I've had so many cars... I lost count years ago.... wish I still had them though..

This is the only area that has rust on the Trans Am. The car was park outside with a blue plastic (poly) tarp and at one point a mouse got inside the rear quarter and the bottom of doors and made a :censored: nest with dog food and insulation . I have 79-81 doors with good bottom for repairs , is 79-81 doors (bottom part) the same has 72. has for the rust on the quarter I will repair with lower quarter patch panel, the rear valence will be homemade patch panel . I guess nobody makes patch panel for rear valence

The story will be getting better for the Trans am because late last summer I started to restore it again :) ,this time as original has possible except maybe for the damn :censored: rear end of the Trans Am . I :censored: regret doing that to the back end of that car, but at the time it look like the right thing to do I guess ?