[Toecutter]

Didn't see a general newb section, so I will start here. My name is Mark, I am the owner, operator, driver and janitor for a little forum in South Texas, called Texasdragracing.com. And I am also an avid Pontiac fan. I was recommended over here by my buddy Abel, who posts on here as Ryche400.

Up until now, I hadn't signed on because my Trans Am is a 2000. But we picked up a 1980 Trans Am for my wife this past weekend. So yeah, I am going to have A LOT! of questions as we restore the car for her and get it ready for her to drive and enjoy. Here are a few pics from our personal collection. I will post up pictures of our 1980 later today.

This is my Ram-Air and Ryche400's classic.


This is a pic of our project Malibu Wagon. Going to have a 408 small block with a TH400 and a lot of nitrous when it is done.


This is our 1967 El Camino. Nothing special, just an Elky with a 305. For right now, it's got a TH400 also. But the 4.10 gears in the 12 bolt are killing us. So my friend is rebuilding a nice TH700R4 for it.


Thank's for the space and I look forward to spending some quality time here.

[erikgto]

Welcome to the board!!!

Your friends silver T/A looks a little like mine (also silver)
Post picts of you toy soon!!

Can't wait to see it......



erikgto

[bonneville Joe]

Welcome to the madness. Always room for a fellow Poncho fan....

[Toecutter]

Thanks guy's. Already started some work on my wife's car. The previous owner told me the car shut off on him while it was running. And he was never able to get it restarted. He told me he thought it was the timing chain. He even gave me a new chain for the 403 Olds in the car.

I took the dist. cap off and spun the motor over and the rotor turns fine. Only thing I found is that it looks like someone took the PC distributor, gutted it and that is what they were using. Tomorrow, I will check for spark. If we have spark, then the carb is coming off for a good cleaning, some new spark plugs are going in, some fresh fuel and we are going to give it a go. Cross my fingers that it fires up.

In the mean time, here is something you all might be able to help me with. The ignition lock cylinder is stuck forward. I cannot get it back to lock the steering wheel. He also gave me a new lock cylinder with keys. Does the lock cylinder go out like this? I turned the column collar and nothing happens. Anything else I should check?

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Ignition switch may have come apart and want let the key turn back. Could even explain why the car quit like it did.

That is the ignition switch under the dash, bolted on the steering column.

[Toecutter]

Originally Posted by "QUICK-SILVER"

Ignition switch may have come apart and want let the key turn back. Could even explain why the car quit like it did.

That is the ignition switch under the dash, bolted on the steering column.

Well, I found the problem why the ignition lock cylinder won't turn back. It seems it was the lock cylinder itself. Pulled out the old one and it's jammed up. Got the new one already. But, now I created another problem for myself. I dropped a little clip inside the steering column. So I took it apart even further. Now, I can't put it back together. The teeth on the slide don't line up and to top it all off, I can't find the stupid clip that fell in......

So, I am going to go at it again today. Might have to pull the entire column out so I can work it on my bench. Might be easier that way. I hope. Might as well grease up the bearing while I am there and see what else need's replacing.

[Toecutter]

Well, I finally got everything put back together in the steering column. Went ahead and lubricated everything that needed it and we shouldn't have to mess with that again for a long time.

Now, time to figure out why the car won't start. It turns spins over just fine. So tonight, we are going to check for spark. It looks like the previous owner was doing the same thing because the car has a new igntion switch, cap & rotor, spark-plugs, and it looks like they already tested the module. He also gave me a new timing set and a new fuel pump. I am willing to bet it's the pickup coil in the HEI.

Wish me luck. Hope to have it up and running by this weekend.