10 Seconds' 78 Trans Am Project

[10Seconds]

Well, I have decided to post here about my current project, a 1978 Trans Am that I am modifying / restoring. I have been posting about it over at www.transamcountry.com, but over the past few weeks, have been spending a lot of time over here reading and decided to post on it here as well. Especially, since most of the guys there are more into 'factory correct' resto, not that theres anything wrong with that, its just not what I am doing with this car. It's kind of funny, but I already feel like I know some of you guys just by reading so many of the threads here.

Anyways, I will post here over the next few days to get the project caught up to date - I am 2 years into in now, so bear with me as I try and fill you guys in.

[10Seconds]

I have wanted a 1978 Trans Am for about as long as I can remember. I have looked for one off and on for years, but have never pulled the trigger on one. Finally, while surfing online ads I found one that I thought might be it. It was a Martinique Blue 1978 Trans Am with the 400 Pontiac, 4-speed, Hurst hatch roof combination. I went to Chicago and bough the car and trailered it home to Tulsa, OK. I finally had my dream car. Of course as time goes by, you begin to see the car for what it is. The car had a ton of rust, the interior was shot, you could almost put your foot through the floor, the corners of the dash were rusted out, hot air rushed in from the engine through the dash and the hole around the shifter, the A/C didn’t work, the roof leaked. The car ran strong, but I was afraid that if I really hammered it, I could rip the car apart.

I knew that there was a lot that I wanted to do with the car to ultimately make it my own. I was never interested in a straight factory correct restoration. I wanted a car that could make a good ¼ pass and cruise around all day if I wanted. I wanted a car that would outperform any of the new factory muscle cars that the automakers were starting to dish out. I wanted it to retain the classic styling that I fell in love with, but I wanted a new car. Now this type of build has become popular and become known as Pro-Touring or a g-machine. While I wont take my car on a road course – there is not even one near me – I am building it with that level of performance in mind.

I kept the car in the garage and drove it occasionally for about 3 months, before deciding to bite the bullet and tear it apart.

Here is how it looked when I first brought it home.

[10Seconds]

Once tear down began, it became apparent that I would need to source a parts car to rebuild the TA since so many of the panels were in need of replacement. I found my parts car in a 1980 Indy Pace Car Edition Turbo TA, which was acquired for $1500, complete less the turbo, but disassembled.

Here is the gutted interior - the floor was so bad, you could, and I did, step right through it. Fortunately for me, the prior owner had thought enough to cover these holes with dynamat.

[10Seconds]

After acquiring the parts car, one of the initial priorities was to combine my 78 TA and the parts car I bought to end up with a solid, rust free trans am. This was begun in (late summer 2005).

Goal one was to eradicate the rust – we started by patching the corners of the dash. Somehow I cant find the pictures of this right now. As things progressed, the donor car gave up most all of its body panels at least in part – including the rear quarters, inner front fenders, rear filler panel above the deck lid, deck lid itself. The bottoms of the doors were rusted out, and it was easier to swap them over as well.

I also got a lot of surface rust ground off and got the car into primer the easy way, yup with a brush and roller.

The tail panel was pretty shot on the 78 TA too, but since the 80 model had a different tail panel, this panel was purchased as a reproduction piece from Goodmark.

If anyone says the replacement panel is a direct fit, they obviously never met my car. The panel was about 3/16 too narrow L to R and the gas filler hole was in the wrong location. I had to made this modification to get it to fit.



Overall thought, its a pretty good fit and since I am not going for an "original" restoration, it will suit my needs just fine.



Other that that, all of the exterior metal is original GM, just from various different cars – the interior will have some fabricated parts, including the floorpans and the divider between the passenger compartment and the trunk.

One of the decisions that I made at this point was that I would switch roofs from the Hurst hatches that the 78 came with to the Fisher T-Tops that the 80 came with – I always did like the larger tops, and since I already had both anways...

[awr68]

Welcome!! Another great build started!!

[AndyB]

Very nice project you have there, keep the pictures coming. My first car was a 78 with the ws6 package and four speed in the same color as yours. They are great looking cars. Good luck with the project.
Andy

[jonny51]

Welcome aboard,nice project! I am a member over at TAC as well.

[Bandit Ls-1]

lmao! hey man same thing with me...i post over on transamcountry too but ever since i found this site ive strayed away from T/Acountry. i posted about my build of my ls1 79 T/A build and basically every1 frowned upon me asking me why i would do such a thing on a 2nd gen....lol those guys love those stock 2nd gens. i love the styling on these cars but the horse power is not their so i just want to build my own car. but your car looks pretty sweet my car has t-tops and my floors were gone! from the pics of ur floor pan its nowhere near as bad as mine were, looks good dude. i cant wait to get home and finish mine, dam you college! lol

[ProdigyCustoms]

Wow, My first new car (first new car) was a 78 martinque blue, gold bird, blue interior. Nice color although I would not do the powder blue interior now. Cool build, I am watching with envy as I am dying to do one. I need more time in the day.

[Speedster]

Nice to see another bird being given "the treatment". Keep us posted as you progress. That looks like a great project you have there.