79 Trans AM 6.6

My friend just got a 79 Trans AM 6.6 it looks really really nice and I kow it can take my little civic


but are they really fast or not

how fast are you expecting. if the side of the shaker intake it says 6.6 litre it has an oldsmobile 403 motor in it which stock pushes 185 hp not a huge number but 320+ ft/lbs torque. if it has 6.6 t/a it has the pontiac 400 motor in it which pushes 220 hp and more torque and if its got the t/a u can expect ur buddy pickin up t and a, yes its a fast car.

Actualy if it's the T/A 6.6 It's more like 300+ hp and much more torque; those years the advertised HP and Torque were drastically under-reported because at the time insurance prices were determined by Advertised HP

They also liked to keep their horsepower numbers below what the Camaros advertised...

"Fast" is a relative term. 1/4 mile? Not a chance. It MAY go mid 15s if truly "stock". But top end? You may never find it...
Now, start making changes. Gears first. 14s. Trans and traction equipment, low 14s. Now, start making chnages to the engine. I know of at least one 403-powered T/A that goes in the 10s. That's a rare one, but doable. 400? Average street performance build goes 12s. Hot rods make 11s all week. Know of MANY in the 10s. Those 10 second cars are NOT for the faint of heart(:-

your honda doesnt stand a chance,just statin a fact

Want to beat ANY manual shift civic with the T/A 6.6 four speed? Just tell them you will run them in top gear from 30 MPH to 140 MPH. There will be no takers. Torque wins every time! The first time my wife rode in my '79, I did that (not racing) and going through the 60 MPH range, she was already reaching for the passenger grab handle...

So your sayin that my 76' 6.6 pontiac 400 has more then 185 horse it just says it has 185 cause they wanted to get out of paying high insurace?

They also liked to keep their horsepower numbers below what the Camaros advertised...

funny how Firebirds were always faster, Pontiac makes/made some great engines.

Yes, the T/A 6.6 makes more then the advertised 220, much, much more, ask anyone who has the T/A 6.6 and took it to a dyno, I've heard 325-350. Not sure what the figures are for the Olds 403 and the Regular Pontiac 400.

But yeah, I dont know where these cars top out. When I was driving my car from LA to NY I raced a '96 M3, I have an Olds 403 with an out of tune carb in desperate need of a rebuild, I had no problems keeping up and pulling away above 3.5krpm (my speedometer only goes to 100, I had the needle come back around to 0 and then some, musta been over 150 mph) Granted at that point in time my exaust was not attached from the headers on back.

Speaking of Insurance, tell you freind to get Hagerty Classic Car insurance, I pay $119.00 USD a year with no mileage limit. Also classic cars tend to be emissions and inspection exempt. Makes the car that much more affordable.

WOW! I got a quote for $219 a year...thats super cheap. How can they afford to be that cheap?

1) they get contributions from people
2) they dont expect you to use the classic car as your daily driver, only to go to shows, club meetings, and pleasure driving. Every other comapny that Gives classic car insurance gives you a mileage per year limit, but Hagerty doesnt have one, so you can drive it as much as you like. Hagerty is also the cheapest classic car insurer.

They allso offer exotic car insurance, my freind is paying ~$450.00 a year for an '87 Porsche 944 Turbo, and he's 18 living in NYC.

The price is mostly affected by the "agreed upon value" the you enter, I insured mine for $12k this year, but I'l up that next year due to my restoration.

3)There is also a "Hagerty Protection Network" membership included in that fee, there are 2 different levels of it, basic is $15 and the premium is $50, good stuff, read up on it.