[SD455DJ]

Sorry in advance that this story is a little long winded, but...this past month Dan and I were asked to help with the settling of the cars & parts collection of the estate of a long time local Pontiac enthusiast and friend, Mike Calvaruso, who passed away recently (at only 61 years old) from colon cancer (get your colonoscopies regularly if your 45 or older!). Mike’s only daughter was left with pretty much everything except the loose (huge) collection of parts and tools that he willed to his best friend (since high school). The estate executor called our local POCI chapter president to ask who in the club could help them sort through everything (parts) and establish values for the two 1978 Trans Am’s he owned. The president recommended Dan and I to help, so we got the call and were happy to help. The daughter was unsure whether to sell them, or keep them, as she knew how precious they were to her dad and that was important to her. She didn’t want them to go to just anyone, especially someone that would just flip the cars, or didn’t treasure them like her father.

Mike bought his first 1978 TA off the new car lot at Orson E. Coe Pontiac-GMC with the standard drivetrain (180 hp 400/TH350/2.41 rear) in June 30, 1978, a year after he graduated from high school. It was too late to order a 1978 TA with the WS6/W72 options and he didn’t want a ’79 TA, so he took what he could get so late in the year and was lucky to find one locally in the color (Martinique Blue) he wanted. He got a great job at the local GM stamping plant right out of high school (1977) and saved his money for a year to buy his first new car. The Martinique Blue TA (03B build date) was equipped with the deluxe light blue velour interior and a host of other creature comfort options (A/C, power windows, cruise control, AM/FM stereo, Hurst T-top Hatches, etc.) was driven only on sunny nice days all these years and has only 28,043 original miles on it presently. To improve its look Mike swapped on a set of 15x8 snowflakes to replace the bland looking 15x7 snowflakes originally on the car. The car was ‘rustproofed’ at the dealership and they did lay the undercoating on thick…but, there is no rust anywhere on the car. Mike called this car “The Girl” because it was a cushy automatic TA with a host of creature comforts.

Mike always wanted a WS6/W72 TA in Martinique Blue and eventually found one to purchase in 1986 on the east side of the state (MI). It was a mildly modified car that actually had an HO Racing Turbo-Force turbocharger system on it along with a few other custom enhancements like gold 50th anniversary striping, a Hooker chrome roll bar, chromed power brake booster/alternator/fender reinforcements, Pioneer stereo system, etc. The car was profiled in the 1983 Pontiac Annual magazine with the original owner back in 1982. When Mike got this TA he decided to pull the original (albeit modified) 400 out and build a new killer street engine and turn the TA into a street brawler. With the help of Pontiac racer and friend, Marty Palbykin, they built a 455 to SD455 specs with the SD rods that were in the turbo’d 400 engine, forged domed SD455 pistons (HO Racing?), SD455 heads (F163) and exhaust manifolds, along with a 7044270 (2473 SF) SD carb that they found for the build. The Q-jet went on a new Warrior single plane intake manifold (Doug Nash copy) with a K&N air filter on top. Since the Warrior intake positioned the carb thru the shaker scoop opening in the hood, they crafted a neat bolt-on TA shaker-style hood scoop to retain a close to factory stock look. They backed the stout 455 with a Richmond 4+1 5-speed trans (with .77 overdrive), steel flywheel and Hayes B&B (leg-killer) clutch/pressure plate. Mike added other enhancements such as an electric fuel pump, braided fuel lines, bolt-on sub-frame connectors, and 15x10 Mini-Lite style Western Wheels with 50 series TA Radials. This TA was Tuff-Coated when it was new and that stuff is still sticky! It was never driven in the winters either and has only 27,489 original miles. It is factory equipped the TA Special Performance Package (WS6 - Trans Am Mark IV Package is the other PMD name) with the W72 220 hp 400 engine, M21 B-W 4-speed, 3.42 rear, deluxe light blue interior, Fisher Body T-Tops (04C build date, 5 weeks after the automatic car with the Hurst Hatches), and the AM/FM/8-Track stereo radio. Mike called this TA “The Boy” because it was rough and tumble and had a manual transmission with the leg-killer heavy duty clutch.

After helping the family the past several weeks, the daughter decided to keep her dad’s automatic TA (The Girl) and offered the hot-rod TA (The Boy) to Dan and I instead of going through the hassle of selling her dad’s pride & joy. She got to know, like, and trust us and wanted us to have (buy) the car, sooo, it is now in Dan’s possession (he recently sold his ’74 Formula 455 to Rocky Rotella which made the necessary room for this TA). The original block (.030 over), 6X4 heads, carb and distributor, scoop assembly, and 15x8 Snowflake wheels came with the car. All that’s missing is the original cast iron intake manifold (but have the EGR system!) and the front timing cover. It’s Dan’s goal to return the TA to its original WS6/W72 glory one of these days, but for now, to have fun with the TA the way Mike built it! The only difference is that it will be wearing the original 15x8 Snowflakes it left the factory with. Dan will be burning rubber and banging gears in Mike’s honor!

Rest in peace Mike, you are deeply missed by your family and friends!

Dennis