2000 Trans Am WS6 rebuild

[84ta406]

Well some personal things have come up in my family and I have finally decided now is a good time to rebuild my fathers Trans Am. Was involved in a accident about 2 years ago. Recently his cancer has become really bad and I know he would like nothing more than to see the car going again.

Not really sure where to start but so far Ive started redoing the rear suspension With UMI LCA's and I plan to swap in a BMR torque arm I was going to use on my car. Might swap my adj. LCA's if I need to. Lakewood rear shocks and the stock springs. Eventually I plan to swap in the Moser 9" rear.

The car is completely stock aside from a K&N and a SLP lid. So Im putting my magnaflow catback on it for now to give it some grunt and I have some Dynatech headers to go on.

On the to do list is:
-Windshield
-Fender
-Door
-Front Upper and Lower control arms
-2 Salad Shooters
-1 17" wheel for the front
Thats it for now.

Heres some pics how it is now..
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/v/t1.0-9/p417x417/483912_10151090948549410_760253463_n.jpg?oh=771011 d403d646199397ebe1522c01d4&oe=54CF6BB9&__gda__=1418491561_9860fa3b7ecb1bcbec945ecf8cef891 f

https://scontent-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/406182_10151090954594410_1441300535_n.jpg?oh=61d39 f62a5dd08392cdd448fc577424e&oe=5494DFCD

[Video]

Damn...good luck with that man. Looks by the rocker panel near the back is jacked up as well? Door and fender are easy enough, what to do about the part behind that door though.

[84ta406]

Im not sure what I am going to do about that part right now. I know a few body guys and Ill see what the best option is for it.

[ILuvPizzaTimes10]

i say get a donor car and swap over all the good stuff. like motor trans etc from crashed car. cheapest way out. and you wont have a once bent car. just what i would do/ have done.

[84ta406]

Yeah I know. Its just not the same to me. Sentimental type thing.

[My84Z]

Wish you would have done this a couple months back i had a whole car!

[ILuvPizzaTimes10]

Yeah I know. Its just not the same to me. Sentimental type thing.

Ohh i get the sentimental thing. i still love and miss my T/A But i had to be smart. 5k in body repairs. or 2500 for a mostly solid donor car..... i didnt realize the car was as bad as it is. and Johns right he just literally cut a T/A in half 2 months ago! and if i can get the chrome 16's i have in VA before you get something else there yours if you want? they have tires on them from 03. so they dont hold air very long Buy i did drive the car with them. all 4

[84ta406]

Lol well I didnt have much choice in the matter.. Hoping to get the car rolling in the next few weeks and then bring it up to my house and put it in the garage to work on it.

Honestly if it came down to 2500 for a shell and 5k for body work on his car I would gladly pay the extra. The car means more than most people can understand and honestly while Im not rich its only money.

[ILuvPizzaTimes10]

i edited my last post.

[84ta406]

That would be great man! Ive got my thirdgen 16s on it right now but they dont clear the front brakes. And they look wicked awkward in the rear. I have 255/16 et streets anyways.

[84ta406]

Picked up a set of both sides, upper and lower control arms for just the shipping cost. Also picked up a Trans Am steering wheel airbag. John has a fender for me as well when I can pick it up.

I went over there friday and put the jumpers on the car and it fired right up after sitting this long. Runs really clean for something with old gas. Theres a rattle coming from somewhere, probably the leaking PS pump.

Not sure if the link will work but: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152692777234410&l=9080854216705583625

[ILuvPizzaTimes10]

sounds like one of the idler pulleys rusted from sitting. probably the ac idler/tensioners

[84ta406]

Yeah one of the pullies was shot before the accident, squeeled like a MoFo. Sounded like it was something plastic though which is why I guess PS. Almost sounded like a acorn bouncing around in the intake lol but everything looked clean, no signs of mice or anything.

[ILuvPizzaTimes10]

yeah remove the belts and start it up. noise gone? spin pulleys see which one.

[84ta406]

I had planned on it this week. Was kind of a spur of the moment thing to try and start it. Ctrl arms should be here wed. And the tq arm should be a quick install. Then its just removing the driveshaft and see how it rolls.

[Z28]

I hope you have plans of putting on a frame machine, that pretty good damage on the rocker. Hopefully you can get this thing where it needs to be!

[KLAB]

Nice project, I'm sure he will like to see it coming together. I have salad shooters, and a complete stock low mile rear suspension I'd sell for cheap if you wanted to just replace the stuff and not go aftermarket. I also have 4 KYB shocks assuming those got wacked too..

:klab:

[84ta406]

I may take you up on the salad shooters. I already have the suspension parts though. I took mine off and to put on his before the accident and bought all adjustable stuff for my car so I have two complete setups at my disposal lol. Ill let you know about the shocks this week though as I tear things apart.

In all honesty the pictures look worse than the car really is. From underneath you would never know it was in a accident. Motor and trans are MINT. Have a GMPP Ls6 clutch to swap in too.

[Z28]

Yeah but I have seen it in person that's the difference lol

[84ta406]

Yeah I know. The rocker panel is what worries me most but if they can rebuild boomers car this car will be ok lol

[Z28]

Nah man you'll be fine, we get cars hit harder than that at my work all the time just make sure you send it to the right people

[84ta406]

Took the belt off and fired it up again. The odd noise is gone so now I know its not the motor. Kind of idles real low but with everything wrong Im sure thats the reason.

Started taking apart the hub assembly. Got new upper and lower control arms. New ball joints etc. To put in. Torque arm is in now. Everything out back looks to be pretty square. Gonna bring home the alignment equiptment and check it all.

Not too much to report in but Im slowly pecking at it. Goal is to have the car at my house garage in two weeks where Ill take off the old fender and door.

[ILuvPizzaTimes10]

nice!!! low idle with belt on alt or off?

[84ta406]

Seemed low last week and today. Like 650 rpm with the clutch in and like 500 in neutral. I ran it today with no belt on but I had it jumped to another car the whole time so it was seeing 14v ish. Gonna try and charge the battery for good and see how it goes. Could also use some fresh gas and such.