The Gold Car has a new caretaker
 

I am so completely stoked...Back when I was 15 years old in 1978 I would spend summers at my grandparents in Hart County, Ky. My grandfather was a subsistence farmer and raised 5 kids on whatever he could squeeze out of 114 acres. Four of the kids were boys and they all became engineers. A Phd Chemist, a Phd Nuclear, a Masters Metallurgical, and a BS Metallurgical. Growing up they all had to share a bed. My dad was the eldest and the first to die when I was 9 in a hunting accident. My mom was a saint (and still is), but I was angry ass as a teenager because....In the summers I got sent to the farm to give me and mom recuperation time.

It was great for a young boy. I spent summers fishing the local ponds, working the hay wagon on neighboring farms, shooting groundhogs, suckering and cutting tobacco, and smoking cigarettes in the caretaker shed of the Aetna Grove Baptist Church cemetery. My grandfather John Henry Bennett was my best friend. He was also a Pontiac man. In the summer of 1978 his 1974 Catalina needed to go to his dealer in Munfordville, Kentucky for service and a tune up. At the dealership in the showroom was a gold Trans Am. It was love at first sight. I took back to the farm with me a 1978 Pontiac sales brochure and every night I would lay in bed and look at that car and try to figure out what would be required, and how long it would take, to save enough money to buy it. At the end of the summer the brochure came home with me, but eventually the dream faded away and was replaced by other dreams.

As it turned out it would take 36 years before the dream became reality. Many cars have come before it, why I am not sure. I could have bought one long ago, hard work, determination and luck eventually meant that money wasn't the issue. I have the Green Truck, Red Car, Yellow Car and Black Car, but I never really chased the Gold Car. It seems sort of like one of those facebook romances between men and women who knew each other in High School and 30 years later connected on facebook. It started out innocently, but quickly became an obsession as they remembered what they wanted so long ago.

Well I wanted a Gold Car long ago, and now I have one. It should get delivered in the next 7 to 10 days and I can't wait. ....It's got all the good stuff - Y88, W72, WS6, M21, 3.42 Posi, tilt, gauges.....It a 53K survivor with original paint and pristine interior. It needs some work, mainly under the hood. There's something funky about the dark blue paint on the intake, and the guy who checked it out for me said the right side head also was that same dark blue. We'll see, it'll be part of the adventure and I look forward to that

Here's some pics....


http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...psf526b7b7.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...pse04b0d36.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0618aaba.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...ps09fa1627.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...psf7452252.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...ps06118345.jpg

Congrats!
Looks great!


:)

subscribed ;-)

Congrats Bob! I've been following your black car in the 70-73 section. I spend more time there than here, however that may change now! Just as I posted about Bruno's car, when it comes to 78s, Y88's w/400/stick and WS6, are the king! Looking forward to this thread.

Nice buy! Congratulations !!!


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Thanks for all the encouragement and congratulations. I'm really nervous and excited about the car. I've never bought a car sight unseen before, well the Black Car was somewhat sight unseen, but of course that was a little different with NJSteve and all. This car was on eBay and I posted a request in the Lobby here asking if anyone in the Portland area could inspect it for me. Within 15 minutes I had a PM from a very generous member.

The car came from an estate and the seller is a high end antique dealer in Portland. This car was owned by the son of a family he did he lot of business with. The son had died 15 years ago and the family had parked the car in a climate controlled garage and left it there for 15 years with 53K miles. Ultimately the antiques dealer ended up with it in February of this year. He had a mechanic go through it. Complete brake job, flush and fill all fluids, boil gas tank, replace fuel lines and sending unit, rebuild carb, tune up, et cetera. He also had the car detailed inside and out.

Well, my volunteer PY inspector went and looked the car over and drove it. He reported back that the paint and interior were great, but that the clutch was horrible, the brake light was on, and the car seemed to run rough. I decided to pass. Pretty quickly I started getting non-buyers remorse. After two days I was convinced that I had made a mistake. I called the seller and before I could even start talking about a purchase he thanks me for having had someone come and look at the car and identify the clutch and brake light issue. He had immediately sent the car back to the mechanic and gotten both items fixed.

I talked to the mechanic the next morning and he said that he had found a broken spring in the pressure plate and ended up installing a new clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing. The brake light issue was the proportioning valve. Once again my volunteer PY inspector agreed to go and drive the car. This time his report was much improved, with him reporting that all problems were fixed and that car ran and drove very well. The only negative item was that the tires seemed flat spotted. The deal was struck with the seller and the title arrived yesterday. I'm not sure exactly when the car will get here, but I can't wait to see it in person and get started...

I have already gotten a quote on repop Polysteel Goodyears and will order them as soon as I get confirmation from Smallhurst the tire dealer. The driver door keeper which holds it open is broke and will require attention, and the mechanic did not replace the shocks and that will need done. I would like to get the shocks ordered so I can replace them while the car is on the lift with the wheels off for replacement. Does anyone have a good recommendation for a WS6 car?

Here's the original ebay ad for the Gold Car. Happy Fathers Day guys and thanks again for the all the kind comments.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pontiac-Tran...US_Cars_Trucks

Shocks
 

Ok, so I searched this section of the Forum and while not unanimous, a majority recommended the Bilstein shocks. I've got a set ordered and soon on the way from Summit Racing. One of the advantages of where I live in WV is that standard shipping from both Jegs and Summit Racing arrives the next day. Pretty cool.

Now for another shock question....What is the correct factory color for shocks on a 1978 TA? Even though they won't look completely correct, I would like to paint the Bilstein shocks to make them appear more original. I appreciate the help.

:D.

???? I can tell your excited. BTW I would have just gone with something like monroe sensi-tracs or similar as that was close to stock, unless your headed to watkins glen


ah, see you fixed it...nice car!

Semi-gloss black...............for WS6 shocks...

FWIW.....in the past I had bought some decent AC Delco shocks for that application.

Have no idea if they are still available.....

Yeah, I still have the Black Car on the brain...It will take a while to retrain myself to remember that there are F-Bodies from years other than 1972.

I don't see Watkins Glen in my future, but I'll try to drive to Krogers and Dairy Queen in an extra spirited fashion on the weekends. At 51 years old I'll probably never buy another set of shocks for this car, so at least I shouldn't be disappointed...

Good deal. I remember, when I was younger, a guy across the street bought one of those new. Always did like those. Who knew they would turn out to be somewhat rare. And, the `78, 3.42 gear vs. the 3.23 for `77/`79.

just got on here a bit late. but that is one beautiful car. congrats on the purchase.

Thanks MC, I'm really excited and cannot wait to see the car. It was supposed to load today and transit to WV will take 6 days. Regrettably I will be out of town on business all next week and won't get to see it until Friday night or Saturday. I hope it looks as good in person.

Smallhurst has shipped the Polysteel tires, and I have already received the "correct" body side molding for a Y88 from Hitman's site. The car was not ordered with molding, but at some point aftermarket screw on channels with black rubber were added. I don"t think it's possible to remove the molding and simply patch the screw holes, but that would be ideal. Assuming it's not possible, I will add the stick on molding with tan inserts.

Enjoy the suspense....it's a good thing and your new toy is well worth the wait.

A couple things to entertain your brain while waiting......if you like.

About 5 years ago,I thought I was going to "freshen up" one of the 78's engine compartments........I stalled on the project when I realized that NONE of the 5? available "so called" correct engine paint rattle cans were close enough to use on an original appearing car....hopefully that has changed....if you do some research,let us know what you find.....

Also,if you haven't already,you may want to look up Randy Combs....

He can do an AWESOME job of freshening up your gold engine turned gauge bezel.

Sc*ew you, really, buzz off, I hate you... :D

Seriously, I love the car and am about as jealous as I can get. The identical car with an automatic was my first real car, I loved that car and miss it.

Good call with the Bilsteins, they perform so much better than the stock shock, you will be happy.

Congrats!

Oh no! Here we go again! ;)

Dave - thanks. I loved your intro - caught me a little off guard. I thought "oh Sh_t, what did I do now..."

No worries, I won't get carried away again....,but now that I think about it....

Well the parts are rolling in, but the car is not...

The car is now on the truck and rolling around Washington state as the transporter fills his truck. The new estimated time of arrival is Friday or Saturday of next week. This actually works pretty well since I will not be returning from my trip until next Friday. However, I was hoping that My Pal Dave could get the tires switched over next week while I was gone so we could jump right into the shocks and tire installation once I returned. Oh well...He did say the car was totally bada_s and in great condition. I got all puffed up, but my wife said the driver probably tells everyone that same story. She's only mildly tolerant....

Meanwhile the Polysteel tires have arrived and are ready along with the body side molding. Has anyone ever installed the 3M adhesive backed molding from Hitman's site or elsewhere? I have some some Probond Adhesive promoter I would like to use, but I wonder what experience other people have with the installation. Also, what is the correct cut on the ends where it transitions from each fender to the door? Is it a 90 degree cut, or should it be beveled to 45 degrees or something? Help....

I also ordered a bunch of other crap today for underhood cleanup. New radiator cap, correct heater hoses and tower clamps, and fuel line with foam insulation.

Give me help on the molding please. Here's some pictures.

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...ps99pjntav.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...psus6irw3w.jpg

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/...psj7qdpk59.jpg

thought the molding came with pre-made ends