What did you do with your Trans Am today?

[SMWS6TA]

It's not a bad idea to put in new O2's after a new tune or if it was running untuned for a while. Hell how old are the O2's? They may be do anyways.

I had my rear O2's deleted in tune since there's no need for them with my exhaust setup.


Also did you have them tuned with the ac running as well? If not when you run it at idle it will stall out. I have to play with my gas pedal to keep it running at a light if ac is on.

[Whamhammer]

It's not a bad idea to put in new O2's after a new tune or if it was running untuned for a while. Hell how old are the O2's? They may be do anyways.

I had my rear O2's deleted in tune since there's no need for them with my exhaust setup.


Also did you have them tuned with the ac running as well? If not when you run it at idle it will stall out. I have to play with my gas pedal to keep it running at a light if ac is on.

These O2's were on the car when the new engine was tuned, not sure if he did any tuning with the AC on or off but the issue is most certainly there when the AC is off, didn't really drive it too much with the AC was on, as until last month, the AC compressor was dead and the lines had holes in them. The AC was working when I took the car back from the engine though.

It smells horrible when its cold, a bit better when its warm, but I would think it would not be so heavy smelling.

I guess is its time for four new O2s then!!!

I am also wondering if the throttle body is showing its age, I have cleaned it all out, but after 221k miles, I am sure the blade bushings have seen better days. I have been thinking of getting an 80mm throttle body, just to have a little more air opening and for all new moving parts, I dont think there is a rebuild kit out there.

[SMWS6TA]

order pretty much all new steering components for the 78 as well as new front brake kit. Just need to get the control arms, knuckles and few other pieces cleaned up so I can paint them. once that's done then I can put the suspension back on the subframe and get it back on the car.

[Whamhammer]

I received the AAC carpet for Gracie, and am going to take the interior out, clean the floor pan, lay down some Fat Mat, and lay in new carpet.

I am hoping to really make some progress on working with the car, this winter and spring.

[SMWS6TA]

lay out the carpet in a warm room. the warmer the carpet is the easier it is to handle it. when you go to cut the shifter hole out do minimal cuts. open as little as possible till you fit it all around. Same as with seatbelt and seat holes. you should have about 4-6" of excess around perimeter. You also need to take out center consul and mayber shifter.

[Whamhammer]

Finally got the carpet out, I found:

1) deadbeat mouse that never paid rent (was dead)
2) 3.5 crayons and a kids menu from Outback
3) Six pennies

And two rust holes in the floor pan, in both back seat foot wells.

Going to call a local shop and see how much to out some patch panels in.

[SMWS6TA]

Finally got the carpet out, I found:

1) deadbeat mouse that never paid rent (was dead)
2) 3.5 crayons and a kids menu from Outback
3) Six pennies

And two rust holes in the floor pan, in both back seat foot wells.

Going to call a local shop and see how much to out some patch panels in.

That's good and bad news. The 78 has some serious body work I have to do. Floors, Drv's side Qtr panel, and the rear deck lid needs replaced. I just ordered new fenders. Currently I have the sub frame off and stripped down, wired wheel it and cleaned. Put on a couple of coats of Por15. The front suspension is completely torn down. I need to find a place hat can finish media blasting it so I can paint it too before I install new bushings. I also have all new steering linkage as well as a new reman gear box upgraded to quick turn. I'm fixing to order a new radiator core support. Next will be the floor pans and hood. I got a lot of body work but to be honest don't care. It's all stuff you have to deal with on a 2nd gen anyways. I already have on hand the drv qtr panel and the rear deck lid. Just waiting on my buddy (he's a welder) to make room so we can start working on the qtr panel.

[Whamhammer]

That's good and bad news. The 78 has some serious body work I have to do. Floors, Drv's side Qtr panel, and the rear deck lid needs replaced. I just ordered new fenders. Currently I have the sub frame off and stripped down, wired wheel it and cleaned. Put on a couple of coats of Por15. The front suspension is completely torn down. I need to find a place hat can finish media blasting it so I can paint it too before I install new bushings. I also have all new steering linkage as well as a new reman gear box upgraded to quick turn. I'm fixing to order a new radiator core support. Next will be the floor pans and hood. I got a lot of body work but to be honest don't care. It's all stuff you have to deal with on a 2nd gen anyways. I already have on hand the drv qtr panel and the rear deck lid. Just waiting on my buddy (he's a welder) to make room so we can start working on the qtr panel.

Sounds like you have a project ahead of you, are reproduction body parts widely available for those years?

I have had a heck of a time finding sheet metal parts for Gracie.

I just finished using a Dremel, and cutting out as much of the rot on the driver's side floor pan that I can, it looks like water had gotten in, at one point, and stayed in the rear seat footwell, near the drain hole, and ate from the inside, out. The hole is a little bit bigger than the palm of my hand on the driver side, and the passenger side has only ate through a small enough portion to push a pen through and run it about three inches length, so maybe I am getting off lucky? I know my drivers wheelhouse is needing replacing too

[SMWS6TA]

where do you live? I live deep in Satan's ballsack know as lower Alabama on the Gulf Coast. it is humid all the time and rains a shit ton but we don't have that much rust issues.

Surprisingly there are a lot vendors with 2nd Gen body panels. But they all get them from same 2-3 repop makers. I've been ordering my stuff thru Jegs and Classic Industries. only thing that sucks hard is the truck shipping fees. $150/ part non-waiveable. Now because I order both fenders at same time I got charged for only 1. I think they boxed them together. when it comes in I'll find out.

[Whamhammer]

where do you live? I live deep in Satan's ballsack know as lower Alabama on the Gulf Coast. it is humid all the time and rains a shit ton but we don't have that much rust issues.

Surprisingly there are a lot vendors with 2nd Gen body panels. But they all get them from same 2-3 repop makers. I've been ordering my stuff thru Jegs and Classic Industries. only thing that sucks hard is the truck shipping fees. $150/ part non-waiveable. Now because I order both fenders at same time I got charged for only 1. I think they boxed them together. when it comes in I'll find out.

I live in Maryland, rust can be a thing up here. Up until a few years ago, the car was an outside stored, daily driver; it also sat a bit during the engine swap because of unexpected delays in parts.

[SMWS6TA]

check your rear hatch seal. water may be intruding from there besides the window seal gaps.

[Whamhammer]

check your rear hatch seal. water may be intruding from there besides the window seal gaps.

I've checked it before, and it seemed to be OK.

I have finally gotten a hold of a shop that was recommended to work on the rusted panels, and he sounds like he has worked on far worse headaches than mine. When he does the work, I am going to have him see if he can see a path of saturation.

I know the quarter panel had been replaced at some point in the past, perhaps it was not properly sealed somewhere that I cannot see it.



I will say that this has been a good opportunity to work on reconditioning the interior parts, however. I have soaked all of the nuts and bolts in a Solo Cup of Evapo-Rust and put some soaked paper towels on some rusted metal on the seats, and the Evapo-Rust has done a bang-up job of removing rust and oxidation.

I have also ordered a new interior screw set, a new repro console lid, a new lower shifter boot (original is torn). I am getting a special iron that melts small metal braces into plastic to reinforce broken plastic, and I am fixing the center console, under the cupholder, some brackets for the sail panel trim, and the trim panel that holds the power seat buttons on the drivers seat.

Perhaps, if I am lucky, I will have a 220k+mile old WS6 , that looks like its less than 80k miles old.

[SMWS6TA]

rear seats are either t tops, rear hatch, or window seals. 1 other possibility is the weight of the window has wallow out the mounting of the window motor that supports the actuator causing it to sag down. Have no idea why gm thought it was a good idea to have thin fiberglass support heavy windows

[Whamhammer]

rear seats are either t tops, rear hatch, or window seals. 1 other possibility is the weight of the window has wallow out the mounting of the window motor that supports the actuator causing it to sag down. Have no idea why gm thought it was a good idea to have thin fiberglass support heavy windows

Good news is that I have a bunch of replacement weatherstrips for the car, including the rear hatch seal. I figure once the real body work begins, the guy will be able to trace back to the root cause, and go from there.

I finally got in touch with a shop that will actually work with rust repair (all the shops are slammed with insurance collision work, and not enough labor available for them to be interested in “less-than-gravy” income) , sent a few pictures of the rust areas and he said he would be able to work with it, but not until late February.

I wanted to get him to take a real look at it, to ballpark the cost, but the day that we set had a full day of snow, so that fell through. My foot surgery is this Tuesday, so it will be about a month before I will be able to drive so I will have to wait.

I did order some Bosch 13111 and 13444’s for when I can wrench on it in the Spring.

I am going to put some Fat Mat on both sides of the now ex-rust holes to seal them up for a bit, and will drive the car one more time before the surgery, to get all of the fluids moving, rust off of the rotors, and keep it in good running order before its month-or-so long rest.

[SMWS6TA]

I'm still on the mend from my rotator cuff surgery. just got out of the sling. pt is a must but it's going slow for me this time. still hurts and feels like my bicep has a vice clamp pulling down. but it is starting to be less painful and I'm able to move around more. just have to go at slow.


78 update. the front suspension pieces have finally been blasted, just have to clean them up and then apply por15 on them, then I can start reassemble them. I bought a 20ton press from Harbor Frieght that was fun putting together with one arm.

[SMWS6TA]

I've been also amassing parts. Got a new radiator core support and both fenders for Christmas. I've got a complete bushing kit and body mounts, replacement steering linkage as well as an upgraded quick turn steering gear box. the subframe has been cleaned up and had por15 applied.

[SMWS6TA]

Wx has finally come out of Artic temps to the 79's this week. Started painting the suspension parts.

[Andymalibu]

Flushed the brake fluid and clutch fluid. Looked somewhat nasty!

[Whamhammer]

Gimped my way to the car i the garage last week, opened the door, and no lights or anything. Looks like the battery flipped me the bird.

Bought a trickle charger and will try to charge it back up.

I probably wont be able to start driving again until mid-March?.. yay!!!

[SMWS6TA]

Been slowly working on the 78. Got the sub-frame in and and today finally got the springs (<<< ), front shocks and steering linkage in.