You'd think I actually like Trans Ams

**Toophless** · 05-22-2013, 02:44 PM

Hi. I'm picking up a '98 Trans-Am convertible tomorrow after work. Not sure why. Not sure why it is my 3rd Trans Am. I've had about 30 cars and 1/10th of those are Trans Ams. Is that weird? I think so. I liked my '88 GTA pretty well. I liked my '78 403 (olds) wielding slug. I'll probably like this car too. I've had two mustangs and I hated those. I've had a lot of cars I've loved and never replaced. Why do I keep doing this to myself? The price is right I guess. Wife wants a convertible. It fits the bill.

My plan is to keep this one daily drive-able, but set up to be at least mildly competitive for autocross (at the local level) in C Prepared. I built the '78 to run in CP from the ground up. It did well, but it sucked on the street. I'll keep the door panels and back seat in this one.

Anyway. Hello.

DAMN! There is something stinky in my computer room. Probably thrown up cicadas. Don't get a puppy in a bad cicada year like this. Stupid puppy.

**KahanaReef** · 05-22-2013, 03:17 PM

Welcome to the site, congrats on the T/A and... puppies are not stupid

**pajeff02** · 05-22-2013, 05:11 PM

Welcome! They haven't hit up our way yet... just a matter of time.

**2002ssslp** · 05-22-2013, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by Toophless

Hi. I'm picking up a '98 Trans-Am convertible tomorrow after work. Not sure why. Not sure why it is my 3rd Trans Am. I've had about 30 cars and 1/10th of those are Trans Ams. Is that weird? I think so. I liked my '88 GTA pretty well. I liked my '78 403 (olds) wielding slug. I'll probably like this car too. I've had two mustangs and I hated those. I've had a lot of cars I've loved and never replaced. Why do I keep doing this to myself? The price is right I guess. Wife wants a convertible. It fits the bill.

My plan is to keep this one daily drive-able, but set up to be at least mildly competitive for autocross (at the local level) in C Prepared. I built the '78 to run in CP from the ground up. It did well, but it sucked on the street. I'll keep the door panels and back seat in this one.

Anyway. Hello.

DAMN! There is something stinky in my computer room. Probably thrown up cicadas. Don't get a puppy in a bad cicada year like this. Stupid puppy.

Don't piss off Dena by talking smack about Puppies. lol

**KahanaReef** · 05-22-2013, 07:56 PM

**konigandy6** · 05-23-2013, 05:24 AM

Welcome to the site, Tom!

I hope everything goes well with your T/A transaction. Get some pics up when you can!

**Toophless** · 05-23-2013, 07:07 PM

Picked it up this evening. Drove it a bit before the rain hit. Seems like the more power a car has when I buy it, the more likely it is to rain on the day I buy it. Anyhoo... it's stout enough (for now). New tires on order. Perusing the sites for suspension and brake parts... as well as all the little parts that need reconditioning/replacement. Research, then re-research.

Wishing there was OpenECU support like the Subaru STi had.

Can't wait to piss-off the course workers at the next auto-cross.

- - - Updated - - -

Picked it up this evening. Drove it a bit before the rain hit. Seems like the more power a car has when I buy it, the more likely it is to rain on the day I buy it. Anyhoo... it's stout enough (for now). New tires on order. Perusing the sites for suspension and brake parts... as well as all the little parts that need reconditioning/replacement. Research, then re-research.

Wishing there was OpenECU support like the Subaru STi had.

Can't wait to piss-off the course workers at the next auto-cross.

**pajeff02** · 05-24-2013, 02:43 AM

Highly recommend UMI Performance for your suspension upgrades. I run their LCA's, panhard bar, tunnel mount torque arm, 3 point SFC's, K-member and tubular front control arms on our car. They make their stuff right here in Pennsylvania. Check out their new roto-joint rod ends.

**konigandy6** · 05-24-2013, 05:10 AM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

Highly recommend UMI Performance for your suspension upgrades. I run their LCA's, panhard bar, tunnel mount torque arm, 3 point SFC's, K-member and tubular front control arms on our car. They make their stuff right here in Pennsylvania. Check out their new roto-joint rod ends.

Spohn is not bad either. All my stuff is either UMI or Spohn.

**Toophless** · 07-29-2013, 05:16 PM

Just a few pictures to show the progress:

Pretty much as I brought it home. I'd painted the chipped center caps on the C5 rims duplicolor bedliner black. Still had goofy 5% tint on the windows:

Couple shots with the bird:

A shot with a better set of C5 rims:

And ready to take 1st in CP on dry-rotted tires:

**Toophless** · 07-29-2013, 05:24 PM

Went with KYB 8 ways in the front, regular KYBs in the back. Rear sway. Front strut tower brace and front sway endlinks (as the OEMs failed under removal) (snap). Trailer hitch for when I can afford slicks. A few aesthetic upgrades like sun-visors that aren't floppy and did the "free-mods" plus the SLP intake, K&N filter and the silicone throttle body inlet for a gain of +10 street cred and unlocking stage two vinyls.

Next step is slicks. By then the engine should detonate so step 3... profit. Step 4... rebuild. I like step 4.