FAQ |
Members List |
Social Groups |
Calendar |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
End of an Era...
I am hopping on here to write a short farewell to this sub-forum along with HUGE thanks to all the members knowledge and experience over the years. Anytime I posted a specific issue or question, I always got solid advice. And I probably learned even more form just read along on all the questions posted by others. It means a great deal to me.
I owned my 2 1973 Trans Ams for 10 and 8 years respectively and in that time brought them from basic weekend driver quality cars to solid, no apology resto-mods. Both had full Hotchkis suspensions with subframe connectors and both had very nice FT / Aluminum head / carbureted engines. Green had a TKO-600 and Red had the original 4-speed. I am no mechanic - I figured out as much simple stuff and maintenance stuff as I could and farmed out the heavier lifting to a fantastic local mechanic who I now consider a true friend. At my age, I was ready for a different car ownership and driving experience. I was looking for something with more power, better handling, and ‘new car’ reliability. I had looked at recent Z06 Vettes, GT500 Shelbys, and Hellcats. But I just could never see myself behind the wheel of a new(er) performance car... Instead, I just snagged a 1973 TA with DSE front and rear subframes, Q-link rear, LS9 power and a 6-speed. Build is all done except paint. I decided on Black with Platinum hood bird. Many on this forum will say that’s complete sacrilege, and I get that. No offense taken. And I know there is another sub-forum here for cross-bred power plants. But both my TAs were pure Pontiac - they gave me nothing but pride in ownership and I know they will find great homes. It was bittersweet watching them loaded on the enclosed transport this morning! Now the wait for the finished product begins! Oh well - with winter rapidly setting in here in the heartland, I wouldn’t be doing too much cruising for the next few months anyway! I will post a few pics of the new beast once she arrives - but I respect that’s not what this sub forum is for. |
The Following User Says Thank You to PDC For This Useful Post: | ||
#2
|
||||
|
||||
Whats an LS9?
|
#3
|
||||
|
||||
__________________
1964 Tempest Coupe LS3/4L70E/3.42 1964 Le Mans Convertible 421 HO/TH350/2.56 2002 WS6 Convertible LS1/4L60E/3.23 |
The Following User Says Thank You to b-man For This Useful Post: | ||
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Forged Titanium Connecting Rods it told everything except dyno results , and cost Quote:
Congrats on the New Ride |
The Following User Says Thank You to Baron Von Zeppelin For This Useful Post: | ||
#5
|
||||
|
||||
I guess if I listened to certain people I should sell my 1,300 mile 1979 10th Anniversary with the 403 and auto combination for a song and a dance since it is not a Pontiac.
No. I don't think I will. |
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to napster For This Useful Post: | ||
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Hey, it's all good. I really hesitated starting this thread and alluded to that in the original post. I said I would take no offense to those who don't dig the new car and now its up to me to stand by that. But I have learned over the years that how someone treats you / talks to you has a lot more to do with how that person feels about him or her self than how they feel about you. It's worth a few jabs (from people I've never met and never communicated with?) to hear genuine enthusiasm from the folks that I've really enjoyed getting to know on this forum.
I readily own that I am not mechanically inclined. I've got no formal training, limited experience, and no shop with the kind of tools necessary to do engine-out work - even if I knew how. I have mad respect for the many excellent mechanics on this site and genuine appreciation for the knowledge they share. I'm 53 and have been a Pontiac guy since my very first car at age 15. I even mentioned that in a comment below - stocking the shelves at the local K-Mart to afford a simple re-build of a boneyard 389 and installation of a 3.42 posi. My older brother and his buddies were all Pontiac guys - and in the 80s that was big deal. When life forced me to sell my first Firebird for something more practical, I swore that if I ever earned enough dough for a weekend car, it would be a Trans Am - and my favorite year has always been the 73. Did I 'write a check' for my cars? Yup. And several more along the way. I owned them for 10 years - kept them both 'traditionally' Pontiac - and loved every mile and every smile. I tried to turn every bolt I could teach myself how to turn and did as much of my own maintenance as I could, with a lot of guidance from this forum. Thank God building a car is not a requirement of owning or enjoying one, or I'd be walking everywhere I go. Thank God building a house is not a requirement of owning one of those, either, or I'd be living under a bridge. I totally get belittling 'check-writers' - but who knows, maybe it takes a certain number of 'check writers' out there to make some really valuable Pontiac products financially viable for the aftermarket? |
The Following User Says Thank You to PDC For This Useful Post: | ||
#7
|
||||
|
||||
Its an upside down 6
|
The Following User Says Thank You to dhcarguy For This Useful Post: | ||
#8
|
||||
|
||||
New direct injection?
__________________
468/TKO600 Ford thru bolt equipped 64 Tempest Custom. Custom Nocturne Blue with black interior. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Dude, you sound like your Gramma died. It's okay. You can still visit and contribute any time.
__________________
Green Bay: A drinking town with a football problem. |
The Following User Says Thank You to LStathas For This Useful Post: | ||
#10
|
||||
|
||||
Sounds like bought yourself a little piece of heaven to me. Enjoy it!
__________________
Triple Black 1971 GTO |
The Following User Says Thank You to NeighborsComplaint For This Useful Post: | ||
#11
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
I also get frustrated with my lack of mechanical ability. I have such huge respect - and a bit of jealousy - for the guys on this forum who can dig right in and do all the mechanical work on their own cars. I will be 54 here soon and driving myself crazy in the garage digging 1-2 steps beyond my mechanical ability into a project is losing its appeal! Someone who knows what they are doing could probably swap a roller cam into each of my cars in a weekend and get disc brakes up and running in another weekend. That’s really what they need to take the next step. There is a guy where I live who is probably in his mid-60s, just retiring. He is a life-long gear head and drives a jaw-dropper 69 Camaro that’s been Mini-Tubbed, 4-link DSE suspension, supercharged LS, 4L80E. And from the outside, only the width of the rear tires really gives the secret away. Same with the interior - Houndstooth buckets - just looks like a super clean ‘stock’ 69. He has always been very complimentary of my cars, but he warned me that the day would come when I would want to try to grab the next rung on the ladder. FWIW - stars aligned and I was able to make this move essentially ‘laterally’ selling both of my cars for this one. I’m sure the stack of receipts over 8 and 10 years respectively on my cars would stand up to this build. I try not to think about that! |
#12
|
||||
|
||||
Pretty sure it’s a 638 hp engine.
Not bad for a 376 cube production engine with a factory warranty. More engine specs:https://paceperformance.com/i-625555...bs-torque.html Unfortunately the GM crate LS9 has been discontinued. Back in 2009 they were selling for $21K.
__________________
1964 Tempest Coupe LS3/4L70E/3.42 1964 Le Mans Convertible 421 HO/TH350/2.56 2002 WS6 Convertible LS1/4L60E/3.23 |
The Following User Says Thank You to b-man For This Useful Post: | ||
#13
|
||||
|
||||
You wont catch any crap from me. Sounds like you got yourself a badass ride!
I love the LS platform, especially forced induction ones!
__________________
"Those poor souls have made the fatal mistake of surrounding us. Now we can fire in any direction" 1970 Trans Am RAIII 4 speed 1971 Trans Am 5.3 LM7 1977 Trans Am W72 Y82 1987 Grand National |
The Following User Says Thank You to 72projectbird For This Useful Post: | ||
#14
|
||||
|
||||
PDC,
Congrats!!!! That will be one nice car. Remember, you made this move for yourself and for no one else! You wanted something more than you had and I applaud you. Sounds like one heck of a machine. Enjoy it to the hilt. I remember when my Dad had the Pontiac dealership there was a 1977 Grand Prix that had the two-tone color of black and silver. The top was silver and the bottom was black. A very striking combination. The car also had a red interior and a red accent stripe that went along the split of the two exterior colors. Your car should look great with that color combo. Also, I don't know where you live, but if you want that ride in my '73 it is an open invite you had asked about a while back. |
The Following User Says Thank You to napster For This Useful Post: | ||
#15
|
||||
|
||||
Congrats. If I have any more issues with this pure poncho engine of mine, I am going LS3 for sure. Are you going to be hanging out on the pro-touring forum?
__________________
71 Formula 433, Splayed cap 400 block, 4" stroke Scat forged crank, 6.8 Eagle rods, custom Autotec pistons. SD 295 KRE D ports, Old faithful hybrid roller, Torker II, Holley Sniper Stealth, Tribal Tubes, TKO 600, 3.73 Eaton posi. |
The Following User Says Thank You to Formula8 For This Useful Post: | ||
#16
|
|||
|
|||
Absolutely - I learned from this forum that the best way to avoid repeating mistakes is the search function!
|
#17
|
|||
|
|||
Lame
Makes me sick to my stomach. I guess some people can not figure out how to modernize their old PONTIAC and make a truly cool car. Any Pontiac with a LS or Chevy under the hood IMO is not a real PONTIAC. |
#18
|
|||
|
|||
Ding! Ding! Ding! No more calls, please ladies and gentlemen... we do have a winner!!!
|
#19
|
||||
|
||||
Understand your frustration, specially if you don’t have the mechanical ability do it all yourself. Allot of Pontiac’s out there with BBC and now LS motors. Enjoy
__________________
|
The Following User Says Thank You to Gach For This Useful Post: | ||
#20
|
||||
|
||||
Keep both of them! LS are great engines, i have an LS1 in my 98 formula.
I took out an ls9 with my 70 it took a 462 with 15 psi. |
The Following User Says Thank You to 70 bird For This Useful Post: | ||
Reply |
|
|