94 trans am gt m6
 

Ok, got referred to this site from slow-v6 at a meet a few days ago, so im copying what little build thread i have to this site with a few changes.

Around 5 years ago when looking for my first car, i asked my uncle if he would sell me his trans am, it was definite no, so i ended up buying a 87 monte carlo ss, new paintjob, vortec 350 and a built trans, spent alot of money on it. But it wasnt the best daily, the t-tops leaked even with new weatherstripping, horrible wind noise, it screamed on the highway even with stock gearing and the mileage was terrible. Around a year ago he tried to sell me the car, i was very interested, took a ride down to Marlboro Maryland (where the cigarettes come from, he actually lives across the street from the ranch that had the horse used in the commercials) But anyway, the car was looking beat, needed alot. He was asking like 2 grand, and i had just put a bunch of money into the monte, and i was adding up things it needed and they were adding up quick. So i passed on it, and about 3 months ago he was going to donate it to charity but decided to give it to me.

This was not the menacing batmobile that i saw when i was a kid, it VERY rough. We went about 2 and 1/2 hours from nj to maryland to pick it up, it didnt run, needed a battery atleast, had been sitting for about 5 years. So a 500 dollar flatbed charge later and it was at the dealer where my dad worked. Interior has some rips, but mainly just stitching was split in some areas. But the body was rough, paint coming off the drivers fender (thank god its plastic) and some paint starting to go on the DS mirror. Dirty, filthy, in the jams and everywhere with dirt.

I was on disability when this all took place, So while i was getting surgeries and resting dad kept me updated, needed a fuel pump mainly, and my uncle kept cranking it which then killed the battery, so a cash for clunkers battery went in along with the pump, started right up. Then changed the oil, ran it for a bit and changed it again just to make sure it was clean. The tires were some nice michelin pilots on the swirled 16x8 wheels but were over 10 years old and fell apart when put on the tire machine, they were swapped with some gently used firehawks my dad managed to get off a firebird that was getting new tires at the dealership. Next, new brake pads and rotors went all around. We really just needed to find a day to take it home carefully with no legit tags, regi or insurance. Butttttt, the dealership had problems with guys going in a cutting out cats and guess whos cat got picked after the 3rd or 4th hit on the building, mine! So a magnalflow cat was ordered and installed and then carefully driven home so it wouldnt be vandalized again. The car sat while i recovered, then when washing my daily (87 monte ss) i washed and surveyed what the TA had to offer.

took this very horrible picture of the washed t/a and monte
http://i48.tinypic.com/2vjd84h.jpg

WARNING TRANS AM/FBODY JOKES BELOW
So i was at a cross between the two cars, couldnt keep both really, trans am had 150k on it in rough shape, but i couldnt keep driving the monte, like i said the A/C was horrible, the t tops leaked and i got horrible wind noise, all which were impossible to fix completely. The trans am had everything a new car was, 4 wheel disc, fuel injection, doors that actually seal, t tops that didnt leak, and an actual air conditioner and not a mouse breathing on you for a high fan setting. But like i said i didnt like the trans am at first, while recovering from surgery i was bored, my car was in the dealer for a new trans so i hopped in my transgender (what i call it) i got in, it was small, im 6ft 270lbs and im used to the fit 4 adults interior of my gbody. The powersteering was heavy, not the 1-fingered steering i got with my gbody. Also as i put something down on the passenger seat im like looking at the floor at the ugly engineering flaw that is the catalitic converter hump. So im like, who cares, i wanna drive, just around the block, I had minimal time driving stick but the t56 was gentle, didnt get out of 3rd or a bit over 35mph but i liked it. Pulled the car back in the driveway, fiddled with the flip up lights, one which made a nails-on-a-chalkboard noise for about 15 seconds before it realized that the lights were indeed flipped down, and there was no need to run the motor anymore. I popped the hood, ive seen pictures but this was indeed a horror story of an engine bay. 150k on it and i was going to stick my hands in that and work on it? I closed the hood, went inside and then convinced my dad with number white trash jokes and facts why we should sell it and possibly turn a profit.

My dad picks up cars like stray dogs and just wanted to throw more money into it, the plug that clears the code so you can bypass the skip shift for the t56, a new compressor so the car could actually hold freon, i just wanted it gone. A few days ago my dad is taking the plates off of his car and putting them on the TA. "lets take a ride into philly"(20 minutes away) so i get into the transgender and we set out, we take turns driving, hitting exit ramps way better than my monte ever did, even with aftermarket suspension. No more lame 200R4 with no clue what gear it should be in, no windnoise on the highway, and if it rained that day not a drop inside, also 1900 RPM AT 80 MPH!!not mention just the fan blowing on me with no freon was better than my monte AC with freon. Suddenly i wanted the transgender, i wanted to drive the trans am with the t tops off, own a meth lab, impregnate my girlfriend of 2 weeks and just move away because i had a transgender.

So thats the story, I insured it, got i inspected and have been driving it every day since. Eventually the monte will be sold to fund the parts the transam will inevitably need.
http://i48.tinypic.com/28amjxc.jpg

Another small update, changed the rear fluid, changed the trans fluid, new window motor, window button, door lock actuator, plugs and wires coming soon when we do the a/c compressor. Also picked up these ws6 wheels to replace the swirlies, going with some sort of 275/40 allseason and painting the wheels silver or something.
http://i47.tinypic.com/2zgf90g.jpg
Oh and a hurst shift knob woohoo
http://i48.tinypic.com/14obnm1.jpg

wait... are those 17's?

if they are. DO NOT PAINT THEM SILVER they are from an 02 ce trans am... you can sell them and get silver ones if that is your desire, but dont paint those

i thought they were from an anniversary, but the paint seems to be a homemade job

If you want to trade from some chrome versions of those, I have them in a 16" set.

Nice story, good luck with the car. There's a couple resident lt1 lovers here, should be able to help you with any issues you run into.

Gonna have to pass on that, trying to get away from any kind of 16x8

Totally fine. Congrats on the acquisition. Glad to hear that you dig it, and despite what the internet says, a LT1 F-body can be a fun car, especially with a 6-speed!

Welcome aboard, and hope to see some progress and updates on this thing!

welcome and congrats....i love the lt1, its still a small block! mines alot of fun, even with 204,xxx miles

yeah im hoping the motor lasts me, ill have decent money for a nice motor but me and my dad are tired of fooling around with the monte, put a 350 in, then did heads and cam on it because the heads were machine improperly, then it blew a ring and ended up putting a second 350 in. (bad engine builder)

Little update with no pics sadly, i painted the rims, got them stripped and did 2 coats aluminum etch, 2 coats duplicolor silver rim paint and 2 coats duplicolor clear for rims, they're rough to the touch, but i suppose thats what you get when you strip them and dont powdercoat. Still waiting on my 275/40 cooper zeon rs3-a's from tirerack, should be here this week. Also waiting on my rear center decal from ws6store. Also i cant post in the classifieds yet due to my post count im assuming, but i need the exhaust hanger that goes from the t56 (not sure if auto/manual makes a difference) to the exhaust, I lost it when my cat got stolen and i cant find new ones anywhere. Actually I did manage to get one picture of them.

http://i45.tinypic.com/2ez319l.jpg

Shouldn't have painted those wheels man.

the wheels were not the collectors edition rims if thats what you were worried about, the black paint was cracked and poorly masked around the lip, the person i send my wheels to be stripped said there was just alot of paint ontop of poorly prepped surface.

got the rims on, and snapped a few pictures with my crappy digital camera.

http://i45.tinypic.com/30t6tr7.jpg
http://i49.tinypic.com/w89j5f.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/2ai31ix.jpg
http://i48.tinypic.com/2wdveci.jpg

Much better with thise rims on it ..

yup you really cant go wrong with them, might like the silver over the chrome even. Traction has improved slightly, cant really tell with such cold weather.

Well alot of work went into the trans am today. Did sparkplugs, wires, a new a/c compressor and dryer, new PS pump and a new serpentine belt went on. Possibly the most horrific tune up ive been through. We did everything at the dealership with a lift and it still took forever. Had everything back together and forgot to plug in the AC compressor. So out went the alternator again and when the alternator went back in the plug is half broken so I need to put a bit of tape or something to keep it together for now. Also rockauto gave us the wrong ac delco wires and we had to go find some autolites. Also had to travel out of my way to get the PS pump because it was kind of heat of the moment decision. But at the end of the day the car started again. Had a huge vacuum leak initally but we found out the intake elbow is kinda eaten up and bent outa shape. Might look into getting a 1le or something.

woohoo gotta love a unexpected optispark failure! Last few days getting a missfire, today it got really bad and scanned the car. DFT 16 or whatever which is the low pulse from opti. Wanted to buy car parts for christmas but not these parts I had in mind. New delphi opti and waterpump is going to be around 450. Parts should be here friday hopefully.

Check the opti harness, too. Especially since you were messing around near the alternator and AC compressor...

what would i be looking for? burnt wires or unplugged things?

well the opti should be here anyday now, going to put it in this saturday. also pulled the trigger on the TSP rumbler and 4" corsa clones. those should arrive after the new year. and hopefully everything gets done before i go back to school. Going to look just like this hopefully.

http://i45.tinypic.com/vqqe5i.jpg

Still a little bit confused on installation. I know since im a 94 i have the single cat, if it were say a 97 the cat ends the same as an ls1 car, making the catback a direct bolt on. But since its a single cat system ive heard you need either a s-bend or extra length of the tubing. Im taking it to an exhaust shop anyway and im sure they can do it. Just wondering what really needs to be done for my exact year.

I Have taillights for sale if you want the car to look just like that picture

SLP sells the s-bend pipe. The ls1 catback will bolt right up to this. Just google some pics, I'm sure there are some around. A competent exhaust shop can easily handle the install.

could never find it on the site even with the part # some say they were discontinued. But i can just get a 3" U-shaped bend. But on the other hand if i get the kit i could save myself the cash of taking it to a shop. Actually ive found it on one site, 125 bucks yikes, like half what i paid for the tsp rumbler. Going to get a few estimates on how much this would cost.

Thats a sexy exhaust!