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devildog214
08-11-2013, 11:40 PM
9/29/12

Around 5 years ago when looking for my first car, i asked my uncle if he would sell me his trans am, it was definite no, so i ended up buying a 87 monte carlo ss, new paintjob, vortec 350 and a built trans, spent alot of money on it. But it wasnt the best daily, the t-tops leaked even with new weatherstripping, horrible wind noise, it screamed on the highway even with stock gearing and the mileage was terrible. Around a year ago he tried to sell me the car, i was very interested, took a ride down to Marlboro Maryland (where the cigarettes come from, he actually lives across the street from the ranch that had the horse used in the commercials) But anyway, the car was looking beat, needed alot. He was asking like 2 grand, and i had just put a bunch of money into the monte, and i was adding up things it needed and they were adding up quick. So i passed on it, and about 3 months ago he was going to donate it to charity but decided to give it to me.

This was not the menacing batmobile that i saw when i was a kid, it VERY rough. We went about 2 and 1/2 hours from nj to maryland to pick it up, it didnt run, needed a battery atleast, had been sitting for about 5 years. So a 500 dollar flatbed charge later and it was at the dealer where my dad worked. Interior has some rips, but mainly just stitching was split in some areas. But the body was rough, paint coming off the drivers fender (thank god its plastic) and some paint starting to go on the DS mirror. Dirty, filthy, in the jams and everywhere with dirt.

I was on disability when this all took place, So while i was getting surgeries and resting dad kept me updated, needed a fuel pump mainly, and my uncle kept cranking it which then killed the battery, so a cash for clunkers battery went in along with the pump, started right up. Then changed the oil, ran it for a bit and changed it again just to make sure it was clean. The tires were some nice michelin pilots on the swirled 16x8 wheels but were over 10 years old and fell apart when put on the tire machine, they were swapped with some gently used firehawks my dad managed to get off a firebird that was getting new tires at the dealership. Next, new brake pads and rotors went all around. We really just needed to find a day to take it home carefully with no legit tags, regi or insurance. Butttttt, the dealership had problems with guys going in a cutting out cats and guess whos cat got picked after the 3rd or 4th hit on the building, mine! So a magnalflow cat was ordered and installed and then carefully driven home so it wouldnt be vandalized again. The car sat while i recovered, then when washing my daily (87 monte ss) i washed and surveyed what the TA had to offer.

took this very horrible picture of the washed t/a and monte
http://i48.tinypic.com/2vjd84h.jpg

WARNING TRANS AM/FBODY JOKES BELOW
So i was at a cross between the two cars, couldnt keep both really, trans am had 150k on it in rough shape, but i couldnt keep driving the monte, like i said the A/C was horrible, the t tops leaked and i got horrible wind noise, all which were impossible to fix completely. The trans am had everything a new car was, 4 wheel disc, fuel injection, doors that actually seal, t tops that didnt leak, and an actual air conditioner and not a mouse breathing on you for a high fan setting. But like i said i didnt like the trans am at first, while recovering from surgery i was bored, my car was in the dealer for a new trans so i hopped in my transgender (what i call it) i got in, it was small, im 6ft 270lbs and im used to the fit 4 adults interior of my gbody. The powersteering was heavy, not the 1-fingered steering i got with my gbody. Also as i put something down on the passenger seat im like looking at the floor at the ugly engineering flaw that is the catalitic converter hump. So im like, who cares, i wanna drive, just around the block, I had minimal time driving stick but the t56 was gentle, didnt get out of 3rd or a bit over 35mph but i liked it. Pulled the car back in the driveway, fiddled with the flip up lights, one which made a nails-on-a-chalkboard noise for about 15 seconds before it realized that the lights were indeed flipped down, and there was no need to run the motor anymore. I popped the hood, ive seen pictures but this was indeed a horror story of an engine bay. 150k on it and i was going to stick my hands in that and work on it? I closed the hood, went inside and then convinced my dad with number white trash jokes and facts why we should sell it and possibly turn a profit.

My dad picks up cars like stray dogs and just wanted to throw more money into it, the plug that clears the code so you can bypass the skip shift for the t56, a new compressor so the car could actually hold freon, i just wanted it gone. A few days ago my dad is taking the plates off of his car and putting them on the TA. "lets take a ride into philly"(20 minutes away) so i get into the transgender and we set out, we take turns driving, hitting exit ramps way better than my monte ever did, even with aftermarket suspension. No more lame 200R4 with no clue what gear it should be in, no windnoise on the highway, and if it rained that day not a drop inside, also 1900 RPM AT 80 MPH!!not mention just the fan blowing on me with no freon was better than my monte AC with freon. Suddenly i wanted the transgender, i wanted to drive the trans am with the t tops off, own a meth lab, impregnate my girlfriend of 2 weeks and just move away because i had a transgender.

So thats the story, I insured it, got i inspected and have been driving it every day since. Eventually the monte will be sold to fund the parts the transam will inevitably need.
http://i48.tinypic.com/28amjxc.jpg

Sahara54
08-12-2013, 07:22 PM
So what is your plan for the car?

And as far as the meth lab, preg GF and blasting Bon Jovi, I figured you wanted that before just being from New Jersey...



J/k

Neil350
08-15-2013, 07:52 PM
It looks like a solid car and being stock it's a nice starting point. It's a lot nicer to start with a factory car that's just got a bit age than a car with age and that's been modified and hacked up.

popo8
08-16-2013, 11:13 PM
I remember this story from like a year ago.... Am i having de-ja-vue?

MEMBER @ LTXtech.com

devildog214
12-22-2013, 04:01 PM
Hey I'd figure I'd update it since its come such a long way. Cars been doing good, put a lot of money into it but most of that was my choice. Also if anyone is familiar of the facebook page "LT1 FTW" I've been given partial control of the instagram account LT1ftw_ if anyone cares to follow. Anyway here's over a years worth of progress...

http://i47.tinypic.com/2zgf90g.jpg
9/21/12 Picked up these sweet ws6 17x9s for only 200 bucks, wont be keeping them black, maybe a silver or dark grey. Going with some sort of 275/40 allseason. Also going with just a stock clutch, few little bits came in the mail for me like the power window switch, motor and lock actuator.

11/5/12 Ok a nice update, painted the ws6 wheels. Used 2 coats aluminum etch primer, 2 coats duplicolor silver rim paint and 2 coats duplicolor rim clear. theyre a bit rough from getting stripped and even after paint they are still rough, but i did save alot of money over powdercoating. The tires are cooper zeon rs3-a's 275/40. I think ive narrowed down my exhaust to the TSP rumbler with corsa clones.

http://i45.tinypic.com/30t6tr7.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/w89j5f.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/2ai31ix.jpg
http://i48.tinypic.com/2wdveci.jpg

devildog214
12-22-2013, 04:04 PM
12/20/12 A few updates misdiagnosed a misfire and eneded up putting an distributor and waterpump in the car (a 400 dollar parts bill) I ended up with a TSP rumbler exhaust which is uses a Dynomax bullet muffler and is 3" until the tailpipes. Finished it off with some stainless steer 4" corsa clone tips. http://i49.tinypic.com/15635lw.jpg

Also did a 1LE elbow (rubber elbow that comes off the throttle body) since mine was pretty beat up, it doesnt have the intake silencer and is said to be a bit better flowing. While i was there I put in a SLP air foil, for 30 bucks it gives a solid 2whp by diverting the air into the dual throttle bodies instead of the air hitting inbetween them. Adding it to my order gave me free shipping so it was worth a try. Looking to do a short throw shifter and CAI next.

3/14/13
Well was cruising craigslist and found a black ws6 hood about 50 minutes away from me, what are the chances? There's some scratches on the hood, but hey my stock hood has been blasted with rock chips anyway. Picked it up for about 400 and had it installed today, definitely a reproduction and we aligned it our best, i just found out you can adjust the headlight buckets and fenders so maybe that will help. The hood had been sitting outside for quite a while so i hit it with a power washer real quick but after returning home its still filthy and needs a real wash.

http://i45.tinypic.com/29c1ism.jpg

4/01/13
Got a WS6 airbox this passed saturday for 225 bucks about 1 hour and 40 minutes in Delaware. Took my dads 00' DTS for ultimate road tripping with 3 of my friends. Found out its legal to have an open container and have passengers drinking in DE so we hit a liquor store up and they had all the fun while i drove. Pics coming soon, it needs a new filter and i wanna paint the "PONTIAC" and "RAM AIR" back in its original silver.

4/24/13
Ok another update, finally got a filter for the air box, my silver ram air decals came in but I've had yet to put them on. I ordered a pro 5.0 shifter, I absolutely love it, not much shorter than the stock one in length which I love, shifting is a breeze and the 2-3 shift is no longer a pain in the ass.
http://i37.tinypic.com/11gt2e9.jpg

The buried treasure i found in the console 2 dollar bills and some old postit notes and receipts.
http://i34.tinypic.com/vijfix.jpg
Installed on a test run. Only took about an hour and a half surprisingly just me with no experience doing it, set up the 2 little bolts, i guess they adjust how far the throw is and it works great.
http://i33.tinypic.com/oe6u9.jpg

devildog214
12-22-2013, 04:05 PM
5/06/13
Did the wheels today and yesterday, for my first time using plastidip I think it came out good. I used a trigger attachment to the spraycan the second day saving my fingers and encouraging me to go a little heavy. I didn't use alot of dip strangely. It came with 4 cans of black and 3 gloss and I honestly ended up using half that, all my friends who plastidip say they've done more with less, who knows. They look good, you can kinda see that on the hard to reach spaces its not as black and is actually a bit transparent but hopefully the glossifier is covering where I missed in black. My rim paint was trash anyway so Im not too worried. Starting to be a true believer of plastidip, between the 2 cars Ive owned I had to refinish 3 sets of wheels, usually I would get the wheels stripped or blasted, then aluminum etch primer, then duplicolor rim paint (color) then rim paint clear. Worked good until my ws6 rims, used the wrong wheel cleaner or perhaps using cleaner too soon after painted and they were pretty much ruined. Lets see how plastidip holds up Im going to just use soap and water on them. (as of 11/1/13 plastidip is "eh" in terms of longevity, they still gloss up nicely only when you hit them with tire shine since plasti dip is rubber based, also dont plan on using a tire mounting machine or hit any curbs)
http://i40.tinypic.com/5tt3rp.jpg
http://i40.tinypic.com/35cist3.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/11boys5.jpg

5/09/13
did some basic maintenance today, polyurethane trans mount, tailshaft seal and an oil change, just hit 160k a few days ago.

8/07/13
Well finally got around to fixing up my interior somewhat for only a couple hundred dollars i got back a half-decent interior, sewed the split seams as best as possible (leather was really dry and brittle even with moisturizing) cut and replaced the typical wear on the drivers bolster and the typical rips on the top of the backseat. Beats paying 500 for new upholstery plus labor.

http://i42.tinypic.com/r8wap3.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/2h69gu0.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/296jg2e.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/j60sv9.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/2ak9rw9.jpg
http://i39.tinypic.com/ab486.jpg[/QUOTE]

devildog214
12-22-2013, 04:07 PM
11/2/13
As a professional iphone photographer I give you a nice fall shoot of the car
http://i42.tinypic.com/j14ivk.jpg
http://i40.tinypic.com/n19jlg.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/s27e6g.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/13z2wyr.jpg

11/17/13
Well a bit of an update, my paint guy says january for the bird, also me and my dad are going to be removing and installing the panels to save myself about 350 bucks so I can't complain too much. Oh and I'm ditching my WS6 wheels for something a whole lot nicer...

http://i41.tinypic.com/4q33w4.jpg
That's right Firehawk wheels, in Chevy drag! Story is the guy bought these for his C4 vette new from American Racing 9 Years ago, I research a bit and AR either made these wheels for SLP or got the rights to reproduce them or something? Correct me if I'm wrong. So yeah they still look great after 9 years no pitting or curb rash anywhere barrels need to be cleaned up but thats it. I'm guessing these are chrome? I know real firehawk wheels came painted, polished or chrome and these look pretty shiny so Im guessing chrome. Oh and the real kicker is I picked these up for 375 bucks, Craiglist is a love-hate relationship but after this I made out great for once. WS6 wheels will be dismounted and sold if anyone is interested.

devildog214
12-22-2013, 04:24 PM
11/24/13
well got my centercaps and mounted them the next day, I love em, best investment yet.
http://i39.tinypic.com/8ytfu0.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/hu1ruh.jpg

Also I did a 97 and up console swap. Ebony console out of an 01 5speed v6 camaro, got tired of downing my drink before I got in my car since the center cup holder is useless and the cup holder in the passenger door isn't the best. Also it was nice to have a working console lid and an extra outlet, had to splice in new connectors since they were newer style lighters a little fyi but not a big deal.
http://i41.tinypic.com/1pcsh4.jpg

Few more pics of the car now, paint is scheduled for january 15 hopefully.
http://i39.tinypic.com/dboyv8.jpg
http://i40.tinypic.com/2v93f43.jpg

popo8
12-23-2013, 08:10 AM
Nice write up... Ty for the update. Some great work on the leather for sure... And loving the new wheels!

KEEP us updated after paint.

LTXtech.com is my drug.

devildog214
12-24-2013, 12:32 AM
definitely! the leather is holding up somewhat. And hopefully this paint goes through, the guy does good work, did my gbody and is the bodyshop for the dealership my dad works at so I'm sorta holding out for him. Just been having alot of delays with the paint so we'll see.

devildog214
05-28-2014, 06:09 PM
Well the last few months the paint finally got done and I couldn't be happier. FYI the front and rear bumpers, side skirts, hood, sail panel and both front fenders were painted. I clay barred and waxed all the old stuff, I'm not too comfortable on my paint correction abilities especially on questionably thin clear coat, so no real compounding. Added a GTO 5.7 badge where the WS6 badge would normally go, picked up a FREE set of honeycombs off a v6 car that was destined for the wholesaler and now I'm waiting for the paint on the hood to clear to add the silver "ram air" decals and it will be complete.

http://i61.tinypic.com/119c94i.jpg
http://i62.tinypic.com/2dqojo6.jpg
http://i61.tinypic.com/i2nhuc.jpg
http://i60.tinypic.com/a5jn6v.jpg
http://i61.tinypic.com/2u57rzo.jpg
http://i60.tinypic.com/2q3yz2r.jpg

popo8
05-28-2014, 08:22 PM
Looks fantastic man!!!!

LTXtech.com is my Drug...

jlo
05-28-2014, 08:35 PM
Car looks great..Good job.:claps:

devildog214
05-28-2014, 11:44 PM
Thanks! now its time to enjoy. With my shoestring budget I really should be preparing for more high mileage repairs instead of ogling over springs and shocks and gears. Ive been needing a new throwout bearing since I bought the car, so a new clutch will go in as well, also my 1-2 syncros are kind of going, so I was thinking of a full rebuild. Either send mine out to get rebuilt or do some sort of core charge, local to the PA,NJ,DE area would be a plus to eliminate shipping, any ideas?

Featherburner
05-29-2014, 03:42 PM
Bob Hanlon is where I go. http://www.hanlonmotorsports.com/?q=node/2

popo8
05-29-2014, 06:28 PM
Bob Hanlon is where I go. http://www.hanlonmotorsports.com/?q=node/2

He def knows his manual trans. Hes real close to my work.

LTXtech.com is my Drug...

devildog214
05-29-2014, 09:49 PM
thanks I was looking at tick performance at their back rebuild (1000) plus viper 2nd gear and new bearings comes to around 1300, I'll see what he's asking.