Home Page
What's New Page
Contact Page
Favorite Links
Custom Page
Custom2 Page
Custom3 Page
Custom4 Page
|
|
|
Articles page
The Last Trans Am
The Last Trans Am,
A Tribute to the Last American Muscle Car
by Matthew Burns
Imagine walking out to your car on a beautiful day when the sky is the perfect shade of blue. You start your car and the exhaust has a low toned rumble that sounds like distant thunder. You slide your gear selector of the transmission into the appropriate gear and push the gas pedal down until you get to the right speed. Then you mash down hard on the gas pedal, the thunder of the exhaust gets louder, the earth is now churning beneath you, faster and faster, you notice the seat is getting more and more firm on your back. The excitement is the reward you have earned by using this power at the discretion that you see fit. Whether you are in the habit of getting places quickly, or if you just like to do burnouts in parking lots. If you like the idea of something being specifically tailored to give you a mind numbing rush that forces a smile on your face, and suspension that makes it handle like a slot car, the firebird was designed with you in mind.
Car and Driver magazine stated the following humble words "It will not pass this way again." The car of subject was the 79 Pontiac Trans Am. It was like the car of cars. The Trans Ams and Firebirds were, to say the least, very well built cars; they had (and have) adequate performance. They couldn't perform as well as the legendary T/As of the 60s and early 70s. That was due to the fact that there was at the time; a more pressing concern of pollution and fuel efficiency than in the 60s and early 70s. Even throughout all of the performance clippings the big bird was having carried out on it's proud feathers, the soul still lived on.
The performance of the big bad T/A was hampered by C.A.F.E., and I'm not talking about the diner either. The Corporate Average Fuel Economy act was put in effect, that put a big dent in the big inch T/As performance. The big Olds 403 could be substituted for the new little inch 301 for 100 dollars of credit. But the Trans Am could still be had with 403 Olds, which were all mated to automatics and were still very popular. The last of the 400 cubic inch engines were built up in 1978, and then the tooling was disbanded. Only a small amount of the high torque (320 ft lbs.@ 2800 rpm) 220 horsepower 400s would be put in the 79 Trans Am, and they were all bolted to 4 speeds. The 301 could be had with either a 4-speed manual or 3 speed automatic. The 4-barrel fed 301s were only rated at 150 horsepower@4000rpm and 240 lbs torque@2400 rpm. Not really bragging rights, but still enough to fry the hides off of the tires.
As the saying goes If you go down, go down in style, a new front clip was fitted on the bird. A pair of grilles mounted in the bumper pad extensions replaced the traditional grille between the headlamps. The grilles were matte black and the park lamps-turn signal lamps were put in the upper outer corners. Four rectangular headlamps were placed in recesses in the fascia. For better aerodynamics, the front end was now less flat and more tilted back. Throughout all the changes the Pontiac crest still rested proudly in the aforementioned fascia. A new deeper front spoiler was now made of a more flexible material. The new spoiler could better handle the abuse of curbs, stones and driveway dips. The spoiler not only looked good but was also a big part of channeling cool air into the radiator.
At the rear of the car, pads emerged from the bumper to look like that of the front. The spoiler was a bit bigger and squarer at the bottom of the corner pieces. The lights had a blacked-out look until they were turned on then they glowed red. The license plate was moved from between the tail lamps to a recess in the bumper cover. The aforementioned tail lamps now stretched from corner to corner, in the middle a hinged fuel filler door camouflaged with the tail lamps.
Most of the new model budget was quickly gobbled up by he new look. But by no means was the chassis left untouched. The car handled like it was on rails. And it should have handled well now that the old WS6 package (which included p-metric p225/70r15 that gripped the road on all 4 corners) was now standard. The 8-inch snowflake wheel was now the only available aluminum wheel you could get. The hub centers were changed from metal to plastic. If you deemed necessary, you could still get the Rally II wheels. The new WS6 package now included 4 wheel disk brakes that stopped you like a dog on the end of its leash. For some strange reason the decal that proved the 4 wheel disks was placed on the door handles.
The 301 had better chassis balance because it weighed about 100 lbs less than the big Pontiac or Olds motors. But the most popular combination was the 403/auto combo. Over 94,000 403 powered Pontiacs rolled off assembly line. Most of the 403 combos had 2.73:1, 2.56:1 or 2.41:1 geared differential that in turn made the Firebird seem weak. Even the high torque 400 did poorly in the mile, a not so glamorous 15.3 seconds @96.6 mph. But on the open road the Firebird performed well, to say the least. During a road test; Car and Driver Magazine pegged the tach at 5400 rpm (which is pretty good for the long stroke 400 with a 5000 rpm redline) and 132 M.P.H. was produced. While to some these numbers may not be all that impressive, keep in mind this is from a car that came from the showroom floor with no modifications. Albeit some, but (very few) of todays cars can top that with ease this was pretty good in 79, and this was still quite enough to plant your butt to that very comfortable bucket seat and suck your brain through the back of your head.
Even if the weakening effects of C.A.F.E. took a big bite out of the f-bodys feathers it was still a Firebird, and Firebirds were still pretty cool. To celebrate its 10th birthday, the Trans Am got pretty classy. The 10th anniversary edition would turn heads in a serious manner. This T/A was really awesome. If bright silver and charcoal two-tone paint wasn't enough, red, silver and charcoal stripes accompanied the paint. On the hood, the biggest bird in T/A history was placed. And if that still wasn't enough to set it apart from the crowd polished dished wheels rolled on all fours. To top it all off, mirrored T-tops were there too to give you the ultimate feeling of the wind in your hair. To create that wind the 403 or the 400 was shoehorned in the fender wells. This all called for one awesome ride that anyone could take pride in. The interior of this 'bird was finished in light gray/silver hue. Silver leather was wrapped around the seats. Thicker carpet was laid for a sound deadener. Power windows, power locks, a trunk opener and the new WS6 package were included. The price for this thrill ride ,620, unfortunately only 7,500 of these birds were made.
Nothing could compare to the chassis of the 79 firebird, there was no equal to even attempt to challenge the canyon carving abilities of this f-body. When compared to the Corvette, the Capri and even its cousin car the Z-28, hands down the Trans Am had far better road manners than the others. With bigger stabilizer bars and higher-rate springs, better shocks, and less weight over the nose, the result was glued-to-the-road great handling performance. In the dash amongst the gauges, comfortably rested the R.T.S. badge that let you know Radial Tuned Suspension was there to keep you on the road during those tight curves and corners.
The Trans Am was one hot item; they were being sold almost faster than they could be built. Since everyone wanted one, the body quality suffered. Fit tolerances of body panels and paint quality were to say the least poor. But despite poor body quality they were still a Trans Am and the Trans Am was still a just about the greatest car of image that could be bought (at the time). Nobody really cared about the fit tolerances they just wanted a Trans Am. Even though C.A.F.E. took a big bite the T/A still flexed more muscles than the others.
While the little inch 301 doesn't have a lot of low-end torque, it can rev high, really high. Unfortunately the high winder was short lived and never gained the reputation as its same bore-stroke cousin the Chevy 302. The Chevy however had more interchangeable parts than the black sheep Pontiac 301. As a result of the 301 being short-lived, performance parts are quite rare. If you aren't sure what motor you have, the 301 is quickly identified by the oil filter, it sticks straight out of the passenger side of the block while others the oil filter is straight up and down. Even though these Pontiacs were severely underpowered they were easily modified to suit your needs.
If you choose to modify your engine, all it takes is a healthy camshaft, some headers, a new intake manifold and some roller tipped rocker arms. If you really want to get fancy, take the engine apart; install higher compression pistons with chrome-moly piston rings. Bore out the cylinders and add the above listed parts. If you were to choose to modify your 'bird, don't leave out the drive train. The Turbo Hydromatic 350 transmissions shifted pathetically in stock form; they got the job done and that was about it. When an automatic has a soft feeling shift that is actually worse for the transmission. So a good choice is to install a shift kit. The T.H.-350 however is a very strong unit. With some relatively easy modifications the T.H-350 can handle about 500 horsepower. However you must keep in mind that not all Firebirds came equipped with the TH-350, you must first find out what transmission you have. Unfortunately I cannot list all the possible ways to tell the difference between transmissions.
Although GM has a reputation for making feeble differentials, the 8.5-inch diameter ring gear 10 bolt differential can be built up to handle about 450+ horsepower. In order to build the differential, straight-cut ring gears will be needed. When you get a new straight-cut ring and pinion, you might as well make them a lower gear ratio to aid in the acceleration. A good all around ratio for daily driving is about 3:1to3.5: 1, your fuel mileage will suffer a little, but when you make 400+ horsepower, you can't expect good fuel mileage anyway. If you have all that power at your toes, a positraction or limited slip differential will be needed. Since a differential is designed to allow the wheels to turn at different speeds, without a posi or limited slip, all that power will make the wheel with the least amount of resistance just spin. New stronger axles will also be needed, without them the stock axles will snap like a toothpick under the neck-snapping acceleration of brute strength and you will find yourself going nowhere in a hurry.
As I said before, the performance didn't come again for quite a while. The next year (1980) the only available Pontiac motor was the 301.The Chevy 305 joined the line up, and it lasted all through the 80s. A motor with more than about 300 cubic inches didn't appear until the late 80s. Then the 350 and 305 were the only available V8 engines. You didn't have the availabilities like you did in 79. In fact the only V8 that was available in the early 3rd generation f-bodies was the 305. Mainly because the small block Chevy was the only V8 that would fit between the 3rd generation f-bodies fenders. The 403s and 400s wouldn't fit very well, not even the short deck 301 could be wedged in. The 301 was supposed have a smaller block, but believe me they were still a big hunk of iron. The 3rd gen f-bodies also had weak drive trains that would scatter like a handful of marbles behind the 400 or 403, and weak motors that didn't suck you to the seat as well. Plain and simple there just isn't any comparison to the 79s.
"CAR AND DRIVER guys were right about the performance edge of the T/A. It didn't pass this way again for many years. And when it did, it just wasn't the same, but everyone still knows the name when you say Trans Am. The new T/As can now perform better than the old tired but true gaudy Trans Am. They can accelerate better, they get better fuel mileage, they can handle better and they have a higher top speed. But the '79s were simpler. They have no fuel injection or, for that matter, not even an E.C.U. so they can't perform as well (in stock form), but like I said they were simple. You could modify them or do basic maintenance yourself. The new T/As have a pile of wires that looks like a bed of snakes that only a rocket scientist can do anything to. With all the new performance gains the new 'bird has over the old ones, something just isn't right. The Firebird line can only sell about 60,000 cars now, when in the old days nearly 200,000 examples were sold in 79 alone. Maybe it's the massive cubic inches, maybe it's the style, maybe it's the laymen's simplicity or perhaps it's the weather or global warming or something like that. Whatever it is, the Firebird just isn't what it used to be. The Firebird is now on a fast descent, and it will be put on hiatus or may even become extinct. Even so, the mighty Firebird may be gone but not forgotten.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Are you a Hotrodder?
Often times when you build a hot rod, you might go over board. If your not sure whether or not this is the case, here is a list of ways to tell.
1) If you have ever been caught doing 100 M.P.H. in a 35 M.P.H. zone, and you talked your way out of it by "popping your hood"
2) If you have ever passed someone and sucked their windshield out.
3) If your secondaries never close.
4) If you use NOS to go get bread and milk.
5) If you have ever put an 871 blower on a lawnmower.
6) If you don't have to sign your tickets.
7) If the local highway patrol had to buy a Ferrari to catch you.
8) If the highway patrol complains because you out ran their Ferrari.
9) If your exhaust system is illegal in 48states.
10) If you think 4-inch exhaust is too restrictive.
11) If 2 blowers on the same motor isn't enough.
12) If th-400s and 9 inch differentials are too weak.
13) If you think a Chevy 540 is an awfully small motor.
14) If the last time your "significant other" drove your car they had a triple coronary.
15) If your neighbors use your fuel pump to drain and fill their Olympic size swimming pool. in seconds.
16) If Exxon and Goodyear send you holiday cards.
17) If the local parts house named their new wing after you.
18) If Exxon and Goodyear give you discounts.
19) If the local parts house and tire shop are the 1st 2 numbers on speed dial.
20) If you think natural aspirated motors are blaspheme.
21) If you don't like side view mirrors because they won't stay on the car at 180mph.
22) If you floor it and you go back in time.
23) If your traffic fines keep the local economy going.
24) If your traffic tickets take up a whole room at the courthouse.
25) If you are no longer welcome to run in the HOT ROD power tour.
26) If your no longer welcome to run in the silver state challenge.
27) When you white smoke the tires the fire dept thinks the whole town is on fire.
28) If nobody in town will drag race you any more.
29) If the city council had a drag strip built to keep you off Main Street.
30) If a 16:1 compression ratio is too low.
31) If your car won't even idle below 2000 R.P.M.
32) If you try to drag race the neighbor kid on his bicycle.
33) If every thing you own has a flame paint job, even your house and toilet.
34) If you need new tires as often as you fill your tank.
35) If you white smoke the tires getting out of the driveway.
36) If you wear your fire suit to work.
37) If you have pictures of your motor in your wallet.
38) If you hold the towns record for longest peel mark.
39) If pure octane makes your engine ping.
40) If your motto is mufflers are for wimps.
41) If the government finances your insurance.
42) If you had to get a radiator off of a tank.
43) If the highway patrol named an offence after you.
44) If you have ever invented an offence.
45) If the highway patrol knows your cam specs.
46) If too fast is a relative term.
47) If you think less than 8 cylinders is blaspheme.
48) If the highway patrol officer pulls you over to talk about engines.
49) If you consider shifting gears a hobby.
50) If you worship the all mighty piston.
51) If your lawnmower has an E.T. of 9.4 @ 158 M.P.H
52) If you removed your door handles to save weight.
53) If you put a fiberglass hood in your wife's Honda.
54) If no pizza shop in town will hire you as a delivery boy.
55) If you think imports are the antichrist.
56) If you think turning an impala into a low rider is blaspheme.
57) If you shaved off your window tint to save weight.
58) If you count your car as an independent when you file your taxes.
59) If Goodyear named their new line of tire after you.
60) If you consider a knocking rod as a midlife crisis.
61) If you completely built a car out of new parts from the companies you see ads for in automotive magazines.
62) If you are addicted to acceleration.
63) If you laugh madly at the words "four cylinder."
64) If you put a small block Chevy on your kids go-kart.
65) If 20 inch wide tires are to narrow.
66) If your blender is set up to run on NOS.
67) If your dryer has a supercharge on it.
68) If you started out with a fiberglass hood. and now your entire car is fiberglass.
69) If you have ever done a wheels up launch at a stoplight.
70) If you think single exhaust should be illegal.
71) If the inch length of your exhaust pipes is in the single digits.
72) If you have ever seta ¼ mile record on main street.
73) If your camshaft is illegal in all 50 states.
74) If your valve springs can double as suspension components.
75) If you have devised a way to put four 4 barrels on a 350.
76) Instead of gas mileage you measure it as gas footage.
77) If you flood the town when your radiator hose breaks.
78) If you flood your engine and it is considered a statewide fire risk.
79) If you crack your oil pan and the government compares it to the Exxon Valdez.
80) If you think 400 horsepower is Childs play .
81) If you have ever built a straight 6 that would out-run a big block.
82) If you can't grasp the idea of fuel economy.
83) If your motto is "women want me, tires fear me".
84) If you have never driven your car below 40 M.PH.
85) If you floor it and the square corners of your body panels start to melt.
86) If you have ever floored it and had a quarter panel fly off.
87) If your torque converters stall speed is set at 10,000 R.P.M.
88) If your motor quits making power at 13,000 R.P.M.
89) If your motor starts making power at 8,000 R.P.M.
90) If you put a big block Chevy in everything, even your swamp cooler.
91) If you use 10w 30 to get an enema.
92) If you think about emissions testing and you wake up in a cold sweat.
93) If a cracked block gives you nightmares and insomnia.
94) If you have ever tried to get a rebuild kit for a hair dryer.
95) If you if you read your kids bedtime stories about how to do engine swaps in f-bodies.
96) If you can't sleep without first listening to your idle lope.
97) If you have ever stored your motor in your bathtub.
98) If engine grime under your fingernails is soothing.
99) If you have ever tried to get an overhaul kit for a model car.
100) If you think front wheel drive is the antichrist .If you crack your oil pan and the government compares it to the Exxon Valdez.
|
Are women really from Venus? heres how to find out (no offence ladies)
All Women are from Venus
There is a basic rule to remember when you deal with women, no man on the planet can figure out how they operate. But here is a little bit of wit, facts and questions.
1) Why does it take 2 hours to drive to the mall (which only takes 15 minutes) and buy a tube of lipstick?
2) Why do women pluck all of their eyebrows then draw them back in with an eyebrow pencil?
3) Why cant women put the toilet seat UP for men?
4) Why does "we need" always mean, "I want"?
5) If a man likes to see a woman in skimpy underwear, he is labeled pervert, but if he doesn't, (because he doesn't want to be labeled as a pervert) he is assumed gay, why?
6) Why does "sure or go ahead" mean "no don't do that"?
7) Why do women always remember the little things like drinking out of the jug (years ago) but they can NEVER remember good directions-to their own house?
8) The garage is for the hotrod; use the kiddy pool and a bar of soap to do laundry.
9) If a man works hard he never has any time for his wife, if he doesn't he is a lazy boob, why?
10) If a man cries he is a wimp, if he doesn't he is insensitive, why?
11) If you say "nice dress" you're a sexist, if you don't say anything it's male indifference, why?
12) Why do women need new shoes-when they already have 40 pairs?
13) "If you don't know then I wont tell you", this doesn't make sense to me either.
14) "Put that (500 lb) houseplant there-no wait-over there, you know by the thing," sound familiar?
15) "I want new curtains" means "we need" a new house, I'm getting tired of this one.
16) "Do you love me?" either means I wrecked your 68 Camaro or "we need" something expensive.
17) "Its your decision" or "do what you want" means I will be mad (and not just say so) for a month.
18) Short shorts and porno were designed with (straight) guys in mind, they will look and they can't be stopped.
19) Why does "I'll be ready in a minute," mean I'll be 25 minutes?
20) Anything said more than 8 days ago is void in any argument.
21) If a man gets a promotion first it's favoritism if a woman gets a promotion first its equal opportunity, why?
22) If she makes a decision without you she is a "liberated woman" if you make a decision without her you are a chauvinist, why?
23) If she has a headache she is tired, if he has a headache he is grumpy and he doesn't love her anymore, why?
24) WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL WITH TURNING 30?
25) Why do women spend 35 minutes putting on make-up just to go to the movies, its dark in the theater anyway no one will see them.
26) Why do women wear short skirts and skimpy shirts, and then get mad when a man looks at them?
27) Why can women spend on a sweater, but a man can't spend on a drill.
28) Why do women tell you what you don't want to know, but don't tell you what you want to know.
29) If women mumble something and then say "nothing"-why did they say anything in the first place?
30) Why does a woman say "what are you thinking about?"-and then not listen to a word you say?
31) CHOCKLATE IS SNACK FOOD!
32) Crying is, was and always will be a completely inexcusable form of blackmail.
33) "Do I look fat in this?" means TELL me I'm beautiful.
34) Why is it that when a woman is right and says "I told you so" there is nothing wrong with that, but when a man is right and says, "I told you so" he is acting immature?
35) Why can a woman stare at a man's butt, but when a man stares at a woman's butt he is a pervert?
36) 70 percent of Sunday is dedicated to cars and sports, get used to it.
37) Out of 24 hours of the day, why do women have to use the can the same 10 minutes you need to take a dump (and why do they wait until you just got sat down on the commode to tell you they need to use the bathroom)
38) Why do women ask loaded questions (you know, the ones with no right answer) then pout and sulk when you say the wrong thing (like "am I beautiful?" if you say yes you are either lying or you want something, if you say no you are an insensitive bastard, and if you ignore the question you don't love them any more. you see this is a no win situation)
39) If women want something why don't they ask instead of using hints?
40) Men won't notice your new haircut and they never will.
41) A mans urinal is everywhere, if you haven't seen a penis by now you never will.
42) What's with the wicked mood swings? (Sure men change their mood, but it is for a reason)
43) To a man wrinkles don't matter.
44) Why can a woman carry a purse that weighs more than a Volvo, but they can't open a jar of pickles?
45) Why can a woman giggle, but when a man giggles he is acting childish?
46) What is with the shell shaped pieces of soap they accomplish nothing, and they don't even take car grease off your hands that good?
47) Why do women put up "pretty things", they just end up broken or torn down anyway?
48) Why does she ask you to take out the trash in the last 10 minutes of the super bowl?
49) Why can she sit in a closed room with fingernail paint for hours on end but she says that gasoline stinks?
50) Why is it that the only place they want to ask you a question is when they are standing in front of the TV?
51) Why can a woman talk on the phone for 3 hours and honestly say she talked about nothing?
52) Chick flicks are corny.
53) Why do women speak in riddles?
54) Why does "I'm not yelling" mean I have my period?
55) Why does yes, maybe and no all-mean no?
56) Why does "I'm fine" mean "I'm mad?"
57) Women don't lie they just leave out the important parts.
58) Why can women talk about their period, but men can't talk about their balls?
59) Why is it that if a guy works out to stay in shape he is selfish and vane, but if he doesn't he is a pig?
60) Men only spend 60 percent of the time thinking about porn and nudity, they spend another 25 percent thinking about cars and 15 percent goes to the other stuff, you know the little things.
|
|
