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I thought I'd throw this up in here since the car isn't quite finished yet (but are they ever?). I figured that I'll show the steps it's gone through since I bought it last April. Pretty much run-of-the-mill swap stuff really but this is the first car that I'm having my hands in building. Most of the past ones I've had were either bought "race-ready" or I just "footed the bill" and drove them.
First is a picture of how it looked the night I drove it home from southern IA. I picked it up for $2800.
As you can see, very much stock! 43K original miles on it. Bone stock 305 with a 4 barrel.
The very first thing that I decided the car needed was some different wheels. I decided on Wheel Vintiques chrome rallies. 15x6 in front and 15x8 in the back. Definitely helped out the look of the car, I think, and the vinyl top didn't seem to bother me as much anymore after adding the wheels.
The next step involved replacing the stock transmission with a rebuilt/built TH350. Also added a 2400 converter at this time. It is kinda funny how the car drives with the higher shift points and probably 2.41 or so stock rear end gears. Under regular acceleration it doesn't shift into drive until 50mph. It'll obviously drive much better this fall when the entire rear end is swapped out for a complete 8.5" from a '85 Grand National.
Even before doing the transmission swap I had decided to go with a 406 since my friend had a good 400 block sitting in a hay barn. And since he's a mechanic with his own shop and had a buyer lined up for the stock 305 from my car, we just decided to trade engine for engine.
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More to come tomorrow night....
First is a picture of how it looked the night I drove it home from southern IA. I picked it up for $2800.
As you can see, very much stock! 43K original miles on it. Bone stock 305 with a 4 barrel.
The very first thing that I decided the car needed was some different wheels. I decided on Wheel Vintiques chrome rallies. 15x6 in front and 15x8 in the back. Definitely helped out the look of the car, I think, and the vinyl top didn't seem to bother me as much anymore after adding the wheels.
The next step involved replacing the stock transmission with a rebuilt/built TH350. Also added a 2400 converter at this time. It is kinda funny how the car drives with the higher shift points and probably 2.41 or so stock rear end gears. Under regular acceleration it doesn't shift into drive until 50mph. It'll obviously drive much better this fall when the entire rear end is swapped out for a complete 8.5" from a '85 Grand National.
Even before doing the transmission swap I had decided to go with a 406 since my friend had a good 400 block sitting in a hay barn. And since he's a mechanic with his own shop and had a buyer lined up for the stock 305 from my car, we just decided to trade engine for engine.
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More to come tomorrow night....
I know I'll be up at Car Craft for sure this summer. Hopefully some of us that are a little further south will roll up for some Outlaw get-togethers as well
2001 Trans Am All Motor 9.75 @139mph
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