[72TAMAN]

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

[72TAMAN]

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 I'll take it 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. The second owner said that he never changed the motor 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

[72TAMAN]

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

[72TAMAN]

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

[2manyT/A'S]

WOW!

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

[keith k]

Me neither.

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

[71GP76TA]

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..

[72TAMAN]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

WOW!

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

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 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

[aronhk_md]

The whole rear tail with the rear valence repro is available for $400 plus something. The later doors are not the same if you mean to bolt on another door. If you are just welding in the lower part of the door, then yes that part is the same. The early doors had a slightly longer handle and the opening for the handle. I believe someone said the striker plate portion is different too? It was a recent thread in here with this info.

[72TAMAN]

Originally Posted by keith k

Me neither.

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

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 rear end of the Trans Am . I regret doing that to the back end of that car, but at the time it look like the right thing to do I guess ?

[72TAMAN]

QUOTE=71GP76TA;4233475]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..[/QUOT

The Trans Am was my first car and will always be mine, for whatever reason I will never sell the car. It changed name once because of a separation,for about a year or so .Look now I have all the place in the world to work on it now so I'm glad it was never sold. The car parks in the paint booth and when I want to work on it it's not a problem anymore

Originally Posted by aronhk_md

The whole rear tail with the rear valence repro is available for $400 plus something. The later doors are not the same if you mean to bolt on another door. If you are just welding in the lower part of the door, then yes that part is the same. The early doors had a slightly longer handle and the opening for the handle. I believe someone said the striker plate portion is different too? It was a recent thread in here with this info.

Yes I would be welding the 79-81 bottom of door only to the 72 doors

Is this what you or talking about the rear tail with rear valence. The one on the Trans Am is new ,well 26 year old but never on the road ,so I don't think I will replace the complet thing except for the rusted part

[

[aronhk_md]

yep.....thats it. Looks like you already have one....lol

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by aronhk_md

yep.....thats it. Looks like you already have one....lol

As I understand it,the one in the picture was installed on this car 20 some years ago. (and has now developed some rust problems}

[aronhk_md]

Oh! Well, that sucks. Mice seem to know better than to mess with mine....lol

[1971WARBIRD]

if you ever want one, i have a complete 72 HO carb to oil pan sitting here, not cheap but what can i say. i have a 72 Lemans i could always use it in, but would rather see it in an HO car.

[72TAMAN]

PM sent

[72TAMAN]

April 2010

Picture #156 right side front leaf spring hanger
Picture #157 left side view of frame
Picture #158 underside of trunk area
Picture #159 left side rear valence
Picture #160 rear end view

[72TAMAN]

April 2010

Picture #161 stupid rear sway bar mounts will be replace with proper ones
Picture #162 Homemade traction bars to be remove for ever
Picture #163 View of rear valence
Picture #164 view of rusted around rear
Picture #165 View of underside trunk and rear mount for left leaf spring

[72TAMAN]

April 2010

Picture #166 view of rusted part of rear valence
Picture #166a,167,168,169 view of inside trunk with new carpet

[72TAMAN]

April 2010

Picture #170 view of underside of package tray , defroster area
Picture #172 view of underside of trunk lid
Picture #173 rear view of Trans Am
Picture #171 view of wiring location in trunk
Picture #174 rear right quarter view