just got a 79 trans am now i need help

duckhead4life · #1 07-22-2002, 02:48 AM

ok i will just start from the top. i have always been a import type of guy until i rode in my buddies camaro which is an 83 with a 383 stroker in it... i think. any ways that car hauls ass like you wouldnt believe. anyways he moved out of the state and we keep in contact through e-mail and he convinced me to try out a little american power. so i gave the 2000 civic to the wife and went out and bought myself a 1979 trans am. i am going to try to be as complete as possible but if i am off a little on the numbers i am soorry. the guy i bought this car from has actually sold me two cars. 79 and a 78 trans am(78 is just parts car). car has in it right now 403 olds which is 6.6 liters and the auto transmission think it is the turbo 350. this combo runs but very badly. needs total rebuild. (which i was going to do anyway) also coming with the car is a 400 6.6 liter and also a turbo 350 and 400 automatic transmission. which all need to be rebuilt. my question is that i need web sites and all of you alls professional advice on what i should do and how to totally restore this trans am. car is also in very bad condition. everything except interior. i plan on doing it all. suspenion, wiring basically the works. i also wont to go with the standard transmission if it will give me better performance than the auto. sorry about the long post but i need heelp badly. any help would be appreciated or should i just sell the car and get something else that is better. thanks in advance.

duckhead4life · #2 07-22-2002, 03:00 AM

ok i bought the car off of ebay and here is the link to it. hope this work

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...DME:B:EOA:MT:2

duckhead4life · #3 07-29-2002, 10:01 AM

could some on please help me i have not gotten one reply.

ajop41 · #4 08-18-2002, 11:57 PM

At least it is a WS-6. The anemic 403 has to go. You will need some extra parts to convert to 4 speed. How much rust? I am assuming that you can correctly identify the true Poncho 400 in the 78. There is plenty of good stuff out there. Get yourself a Year One catalogue. Be happy to give some advise where I can. The tranny, bell housing, and cross membter should be easly enough. The clutch linkage a little tougher. You will need to cut a hole in your floor for the shifter. Needs to be in the right place. Too bad the 78 parts car is not a 4 speed. On the positive, side, the 79 black SE was THE nicest TA since 73. Graphics from Phoenix Graphics will help out. Watch the kick panels and around the rear wheel wells for rust. High Performance Pontiac did a great job of showing the DIY group body panel replacement. Pontiacs are THE best on the street. The long stroke, high torque engines in the early GTO's were easier to drive fast by the average driver and a good wheel man could make them stand on their head! If you need engine work, be careful to only take it to someone who knows pontiacs. A normal chevy valve job will slow you down! Good luck. If you send me your email, I will send you some good links. I only answered because you had so little traffic and I can't stand to see a good TA be ignored.
Joe From Calgary, AB

DeViL · #5 08-19-2002, 04:01 AM

that thing is trashed. You got a lot of work on your hands with that car.
97,000 miles, well might as well throw that engine away. Not like it was worth a damn if it was in good condition anyways. Once your done with it though that will be once nice looking Firebird. Those 2nd gen styles just kept looking better each year.

formula747 · #6 09-18-2002, 09:02 PM

i have a 79 formula w/ 403 which i'm restoring to factory specs.
also looking to buy a 72 formula in the far future.
but anyways, pick up high performance ponitac...good mag.

it depends on what you want to do with the car. if you want to go original rebuild the 403 and repaint it correctly. it looks as though you have a somewhat rare t/a. but if you want something fast, build up the 400 you got with the parts car and throw on the 6x heads. the 403 will only get you low 15's to high 14's. which is not much considering my 90 civic with b16a dohc vtec runs high 14's as well. but nothing is better sounding than muscle. tell me what your plans are, then i'll give you some more detailed advice.

duckhead4life · #7 09-26-2002, 12:19 PM

hey i just picked up a 455 and a th400 tranny out of a 76 grand prix lj. now it is time for modifications. i am going to supercharge this engine. the only thing i have to do is get the compression down as low as possible. and build the bottom end. any suggestions on parts and such.

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