T/A

[Blake Noble]

http://eastky.craigslist.org/cto/1491820220.html

Hmmm ... depending on what the seller means by "needs interior redone" ...

[SAmadei]

http://eastky.craigs...1491820220.html

Hmmm ... depending on what the seller means by "needs interior redone" ...

At $1800, I think it needs interior everything.

Still, it looks like a great deal... take a magnet with you.

Edited December 4, 2009 by SAmadei

[Blake Noble]

At $1800, I think it needs interior everything.

Hopefully it's about in the same shape as the Regal.

Still, it looks like a great deal... take a magnet with you.

One step ahead of you on that one.

[A Horse With No Name]

If it's solid...dammit man...I think I'd be $1800 poorer.

So I'm assuming the interior gets redone in Pink in a Barbie theme when you finish the resto...

Chris

[Blake Noble]

I'm going to call the seller and see if he still has it. If so, I'm going to check it out tomorrow and take it from there.

So I'm assuming the interior gets redone in Pink in a Barbie theme when you finish the resto...

Gotta have something to match that bikini -- wait ...

[Camino LS6]

That car looks really decent!

Told you to have patience!

[Blake Noble]

That car looks really decent!

Told you to have patience!

I guess when impatient people give up on something they really want, good things happen.

I contacted the seller and he still has the car. When he repainted it, he also did the necessary rust repair (fingers crossed it isn't all Bondo). He did say that the interior needed just about everything but a lot of it could be reused, like the seats.

I'll either trade the Buick to it or just take a small personal loan out and use the Buick as collateral. I'm sure the Buick is worth $1,800 and I won't have much of a problem paying the loan off early.

Edited December 4, 2009 by whiteknight

[Camino LS6]

Best of luck to you on this one.

[Blake Noble]

Best of luck to you on this one.

Thanks Camino.

[A Horse With No Name]

Keep us posted with lots of pics!

Chris

[Blake Noble]

Leaving in just a bit to check it out. Hopefully the seller is willing to hold the car until my loan is secured (should be Wednesday).

[Blake Noble]

I'm going to have to think about this one.

So where am I to start when it comes to listing everything that's wrong with or odd about this car? Let's see ...

• The interior is trashed and the seat frames are just about the only thing I can possibly salvage.
  
• The new paint wasn't exactly as great as the photos made it seem.
  
• The rear cross member was turning into a big piece of Swiss cheese.
  
• I'm not even 100 percent sure it was a Trans Am. I checked out the title and it was registered as a Firebird, leading me to think maybe it was a clone. That would be odd, though. It had all of the Trans Am-specific kit and a 403 ... base Firebirds didn't have 403s. I think Formula models did, however. Perhaps that was what the car originally was?
  
• The car was originally Lucerne Blue with a blue interior.
  
• The T-Tops were out of either a Z/28 or a '77 - '78 W72 Trans Am. I couldn't exactly tell.
  
• Trans Ams had power windows. This car had crank windows. Maybe it was converted?
  

On the brightside the 403 ran great and held oil pressure at 40psi. The seller also repaired all of the body panels and floor pans with metal. He just didn't touch that rear crossmember.

Edited December 6, 2009 by whiteknight

[Intrepidation]

You get what you pay for.

[A Horse With No Name]

Hence my suggestion that you keep the Buick and save cash for a 'bird. It's the only way to get a better car. Right now, I am going to pay off my Miata before I buy another car, and I am going to get a cash downpayment.

But I am going to buy a $24,000 car...

Chris

[Blake Noble]

http://lexington.craigslist.org/cto/1455983855.html

This is $700 fat ones extra, but at least I can guarantee that I tell the interior is far more intact than the $1800 dollar special from that tiny thumbnail. I e-mailed the seller, I just hope he still has it. If it's still around, I'm going to check it out Monday evening. It smacks the roof of how much money I can secure to spend, but like Dodgefan said, you get what you pay for. If $700 extra will bring a T/A with a better interior ... well, it's a no-brainer.

EDIT: It seems this car also has crank windows ... maybe power windows were optional and were only standard on W72 cars? I'll have to look into it.

Edited December 6, 2009 by whiteknight

[A Horse With No Name]

Why not save cash and spend $6,000-$10,000 and buy a really nice car?

The $1700 car will take $10,000 by the time you go through it.

Wait for a second gen T/A until your in just the right position to buy just the right car.

Just my two cents!

Chris

[Justin Bimmer]

Maybe you should invest in gold bars.

[SAmadei]

• The interior is trashed and the seat frames are just about the only thing I can possibly salvage.
• The new paint wasn't exactly as great as the photos made it seem.
• The rear cross member was turning into a big piece of Swiss cheese.
• I'm not even 100 percent sure it was a Trans Am. I checked out the title and it was registered as a Firebird, leading me to think maybe it was a clone. That would be odd, though. It had all of the Trans Am-specific kit and a 403 ... base Firebirds didn't have 403s. I think Formula models did, however. Perhaps that was what the car originally was?
• The car was originally Lucerne Blue with a blue interior.
• The T-Tops were out of either a Z/28 or a '77 - '78 W72 Trans Am. I couldn't exactly tell.
• Trans Ams had power windows. This car had crank windows. Maybe it was converted?

I figured the interior was gone for that price... but most parts are available.

If it is a TA, it should have a VIN that starts 2FW87. I could see the state mislabelling it a Firebird, as they officially are "Firebird Trans Am"s. A 'K' would denote the 403. I didn't see anyhing in the Standard Catalog that power windows were standard on the TA. Of course, in this case, I would say this car might have had a door swap, rather than being converted to manual windows.

Shame. Probably still a deal, but a lot of work.

[Justin Bimmer]

I think the T/A in Smokey & The Bandit had roll-ups.

But seriously, I really want a 77 TA too.

[Blake Noble]

I think the T/A in Smokey & The Bandit had roll-ups.

I've watched that damn movie enough to just about know what color underwear the cast had on. Sad, I know. The S&B T/A used for interior shots had power windows.

But seriously, I really want a 77 TA too.

As much as I do?

I figured the interior was gone for that price... but most parts are available.

If it is a TA, it should have a VIN that starts 2FW87. I could see the state mislabelling it a Firebird, as they officially are "Firebird Trans Am"s. A 'K' would denote the 403. I didn't see anyhing in the Standard Catalog that power windows were standard on the TA. Of course, in this case, I would say this car might have had a door swap, rather than being converted to manual windows.

Shame. Probably still a deal, but a lot of work.

The state mislabeling the car could be another possibility, yes.

I don't think the car had a door swap. The console was the original console and there wasn't an empty hole for the power window switches.

I've located an entire interior for sale for that particular Trans Am, should I decide to buy it. Depending on if the guy still has it and what his asking price is, maybe that $1800 T/A with the Swiss cheese rear cross member could still have hope. I'll give it a through re-checking before I slap the cash down.

I'm still going to check out the T/A in Georgetown, though.

Edited December 6, 2009 by whiteknight

[Blake Noble]

Why not save cash and spend $6,000-$10,000 and buy a really nice car?

The $1700 car will take $10,000 by the time you go through it.

Wait for a second gen T/A until your in just the right position to buy just the right car.

Just my two cents!

Chris

Perhaps if I luck-out this round I'll take that approach.

However, I would prefer if there would be some work left to do to the car. I have a far stronger emotional connection to the Cutlass than I do the Regal because of how much time and money I put into it. I don't have anything really invested into the Regal aside from a cheap engine, a few random interior bits, a handful of curse words, and a few hours working on the engine swap (which I had help with). In all honesty, as much as I like the Regal, if someone walked up to me and offered the right cash price for the Regal, I'd sell it on the spot. The Cutlass I wouldn't sell if I was dying of cancer and had to pay for chemo. That sort of connection is an important thing to me. So you can imagine I would want that sort of deal with the T/A.

Edited December 6, 2009 by whiteknight

[A Horse With No Name]

I can respect that, I felt the same way about my 71 Chevelle.

However, I waited until I found "just the right car" a car that had been owned by an elderly couple from Iowa and had been taken care of with no real rust, etc.

Love that you love the TA so much...it is one of my fav. cars!

[Blake Noble]

I'm going to make a $2500 offer on this if I check it out tomorrow. This has been for sale for about a year now, so hopefully the seller isn't firm on the price anymore. It's also a bit of an odd ball as far as T/As go; it's a WS6 Trans Am with a 6.6L delete option, basically. According to a few websites, about 8,605 L37 '79 Trans Ams were built and who knows what small fraction of those cars had the WS6 package like this one. I've only found another car similar to it, but on a website and never in person.

It would be something else if this car was a 301-powered (L37) '79 Trans Am SE. They built just 573 cars optioned like that. Again, I've only seen one on the internet and it was for sale.

If I buy it, I know where I can buy a '79 model 403 for an engine swap for $150 bucks. Alternatively I could perhaps turbocharge the 301, but for a substantially higher cost. It all depends on if the seller will let the car go for a much cheaper asking price, if I buy the car, and if I want to keep the car all original once I have it.

Edited December 7, 2009 by whiteknight

[A Horse With No Name]

I like the blue car you just posted better than most of the stuff you posted so far.

Sweet!

Chris

[Blake Noble]

I'm going to check it out after my eye exam.

If that car doesn't pan out, I've located a '78 through TAC that's in need of rust repair (there's rust on just about every body panel). However, it's a numbers-matching car with a Pontiac 400, 80 percent of the interior is salvageable, the car has been prepped for storage, so measures have been taken to stop the rust from progressing further, and it runs and drives. Asking price is $1,995. I'll post a few pics for you guys to crawl over later.

Edited December 7, 2009 by whiteknight

[Justin Bimmer]

after my eye exam.

Hmmm, maybe this has been your problem all along.

[Blake Noble]

Hmmm, maybe this has been your problem all along.

Perhaps. I had to bump my contact prescription up a slight notch.

I'm going to see what I can do about buying that '79 301 T/A this week. The seller said he would let the car go for $3100 and while you might not believe it, it is by far the most solid Trans Am I've looked at and actually, as it turns out, worth the asking price. The body is still 95 percent metal. The interior is still 90 percent there and all of the gauges work. If I re-bleed the brakes and tighten one loose lifter down, it's actually solid enough to drive anywhere. This has been the only Trans Am I've checked out that the seller was confident enough in the car that he let me drive it around town a bit.

I can also confirm the car is most definitely an original WS-6 car. The door handles had the "4-Wheel Disc" scripts still on them.

The seller is also a T/A aficionado like myself. He's owned three of them and currently has a '78 T/A SE in his garage in immaculate shape.

Now it's time to see what I can do about parking it in my driveway. Then it's time to paint 'er black, redo the interior in black and saddle, and swap that 301 out for a 400 or 403.

Edited December 8, 2009 by whiteknight

[Blake Noble]

If the paint is decent why the hell would you repaint it the same color? Don't you still have unfinished stuff with your FIRST car?

The car is Nocturne Blue and the paint has completely oxidized.

Yes I do, but small things that bear very little importance and that are nothing to stress about (a rear bumper and door panels are all that I have left to replace).

Edited December 8, 2009 by whiteknight

[Blake Noble]

If there's no clearcoat on it (which there probably isn't), you might be able to bring it back with a very light buffing.

That would be worth a try, but I've never had much success in reviving oxidized paint with buffing. Of course, I was using cheap wax.

[Blake Noble]

New development: http://lexington.craigslist.org/cto/1455983855.html

That car is only $1800 now. If it's almost as solid, it's obvious which car I'm going to buy.

Edited December 9, 2009 by whiteknight

[A Horse With No Name]

Still like the blue car better.

Chris

[Blake Noble]

It's coming down to either the white or blue car. I'm also expecting to sell the Buick here soon, so that just adds to the bank account.

Thing is, though, where the white T/A is only $1800, it leaves some money left over that can be used to start fixing what needs to be fixed ... or I can pick up a cheap V6 fourth-gen car for the hell of it.

Edited December 9, 2009 by whiteknight

[A Horse With No Name]

Here is my advice, for what it's worth. Buy the blue car, fixit up over time, leave it blue and keep the 301. It's unique...a black 2nd gen T/A isn't all that unique.

Then save your money and buy either an LS-1 4th gen or a new Camaro with a V6 and an autotrajic and call it quits.

Chris

Buy the blue car...that one is tempting even me...

But keep it Nocturne blue, etc.

Chris

[Blake Noble]

This is getting pretty insane. I now have leads on two more Trans Ams: one is a really nice Calfornia car (that I'm not sure how I'm going to obtain because I know it's going to be out of my price range, although I haven't had a price given to me yet) and the other is an $800 dollar project that needs floor pans but is otherwise complete.

And I have been wrong the whole time: these cars are here in KY, and in numbers.

[A Horse With No Name]

I'm going to get off of the computer and go to bed, because it has been a long, long day....

But let me say this one more time. Slow way down...slow way the f@#k down....think hard about exactly what you want this car to be done...

Don't buy a rusty car. You won't save any $. Take this from a guy who loves vintage Mustangs...which rust pretty much if you look at them for too long. I found a fully rust free fastback 66 Mustang, which was the car I wanted...by looking and waiting.

These cars are available in numbers, but the right car will take some looking. Be Patient!

Chris

[FAPTurbo]

I still think you should stick with the 4th Gen if you gotta have a Firebird. In the future, your wallet will thank you.

Edited December 10, 2009 by Captainbooyah

[Blake Noble]

Well, I can confirm I'm not buying any T/A in this thread.

I have one that isn't listed through Craigslist in mind. I found it last night, checked it out this afternoon, and hopefully the Buick will be sold tomorrow so that I can buy it this coming week. It's a '77 T/A with a '73 400 and a four-speed, an original black-on-black car with a rare rear seat console option, and exactly what I'm looking for. It has minimal body rust and one spot that will need to be patched forward of the corner of the driver's side dash. The seller will also give me any patch panels I want from his '79 parts car, which will be few I'm happy to say. I get this particular hunk of Trans Am for $2,000.

More on the bizzare option this T/A features:

Of all the neat features ever to grace a Trans Am, the rear seat console has to be one of the best. Ahead of its time, the option had a short lived lifespan, seven production years; 1971-1977. When introduced, the rear seat console gave the rear passengers a center armrest as well as a place to put the inboard seat belt buckles. In 1973, outboard retractors eliminated the buckles with adjusters. Now the belt webbing was not long enough for the new buckles to fit in the console pockets. While the rear seat console no longer had a functional purpose, the appearance factor was well worth the small cost. In hindsight we can say this, but the reality at the time must have been different. Usually GM will eliminate an option when it falls below the 5% penetration level. This means in 1977 there was a likihood of only around 7,800 rear seat consoles being ordered (accross the entire Firebird line), so the rarity of this item (as a percentage level) is nearly equivilant to a 1970 Ram Air IV!.

http://www.2gta.com/

Edited December 13, 2009 by whiteknight

[Camino LS6]

Sounds interesting.

[Blake Noble]

It's also not the hairy beast I thought it would be to drive. Aside from the lack of window felts making the windows rattle over every bump, it was a breeze to drive around the seller's town, quite civilized.

Edited December 13, 2009 by whiteknight

[A Horse With No Name]

...and I was saying what about waiting for JUST THE RIGH DAMN CAR...and you found it.

SWEET!

Chris

[Blake Noble]

...and I was saying what about waiting for JUST THE RIGH DAMN CAR...and you found it.

SWEET!

Chris

Here's the thing, it's been for sale on 78ta.com since September. It's been right under my nose this entire time.

For the money, I simply can't beat this car, especially considering all of the parts and the patch panels that are included with it (the rear-seat and trunk are loaded down with spare stuff).

It also has the Hurst/Hatch t-tops instead of the Fischer or Cars and Concepts or American Hatch t-tops. The interior is considerably more usable than any other car I've looked at as well, only needing armrests, a headliner, a dash cap, and the cover for the rear parcel shelf to be presentable.

The white '79 that was also for sale in the area was a total let down. I'd rather spend the extra $200 bucks and get the better car.

If you want to take a gander at 'er, here's the link. Scroll down for the pics: http://www.78ta.com/smf/index.php?topic=18384.0

Edited December 13, 2009 by whiteknight

[A Horse With No Name]

Exactly what I had in mind for you.

I hereby wish you a 19 year old version of Sally Fields for the front passenger seat.

[Blake Noble]

Exactly what I had in mind for you.

I hereby wish you a 19 year old version of Sally Fields for the front passenger seat.

That would make the package complete.

This car is a 4-speed. The Bandit T/A was presented to be an automatic, meaning Burt Renyolds didn't drive a stick. Because I could own and drive a 4-speed black on black T/A, does that make me more manlier than Burt Renyolds?

This car could also whoop the snot out of any stock '77 T/A with the better '73 400 in it, even if it was a W72 car with 220 horses.

Edited December 13, 2009 by whiteknight

[A Horse With No Name]

Unlike the stock 77 or 78 TA you could whip and chain the MINI Cooper S in that leather collar.....

hmmmm....

Chris

[Blake Noble]

Unlike the stock 77 or 78 TA you could whip and chain the MINI Cooper S in that leather collar.....

hmmmm....

Chris

I would be afraid the Mini would like that ...

[A Horse With No Name]

Getting back to the T/A...Hell yes!

More pics when you get it home. I may just have to drive south to see this baby for myself.

Chris

[Blake Noble]

Well never mind. The seller found an e-mail I sent him before I called him and sent me an e-mail just 30 minutes ago that said he's changed his mind on selling it.

F. U. C. K.

What a goddamn let down. I should have expected something like this to happen.

Edited December 13, 2009 by whiteknight

[A Horse With No Name]

Patience, grasshopper.

Good to know THAT particular TA is in good hands...

Onward and upward!

Chris

[Blake Noble]

Here's another great '77 T/A 4-speed car for only $2,500. But it's in CT.

[A Horse With No Name]

So save a few bucks and road trip, right?

Still unhappy about a 69 Mach 1 I didn't buy that was in San Diego, and a 70 Graber Orange Mach 1 351 4V car ("Cleveland Cobra Jet") In St. Louis I didn't buy.

This is what I am saying...a little extra effort will get you a lot more car.

Chris