I just joined up after hearing about this forum on TGO. My name is Chris and I am from Andover, NJ. I own a 1984 Dark Sand Gray Metallic Trans Am. It came from the Norwood Ohio factory, delivered to a dealership in NJ the car still has the dealer sticker on it. (the dealership just closed this past fall). Dad bought a 77 Firebird new with a 301 and a four speed. Was wrecked four times. He rebuilt it three times. The final incarnation of that car was a Black and Gold TA clone, with a twist. It had a 10th anniversary TA interior and it was going to the paint shop to be painted the Black and Gold bandit color scheme but in Charcoal Grey with silver striping and the 10th anniversary birds. Was totaled for the last time a week before it went to paint. The car that followed was a 1978 Esprit that Dad swapped in the interior from the previous car (the machined gauges, Formula wheel, silver Leather) and was blue. Had a 305 and an automatic. Sold that one, and bought the '84 TA that I have now in 1990. The TA had the L69 305 HO backed by a T-5 with T-tops. The engine blew up in 2002 after a decline that was never solved until I took it apart. In 2004, I was searching through the classifieds and Dad saw what I was looking for. Told me to stop looking through the paper and fix the one outside. Deal was I do all the work (he helped out because he likes cars as well) and it was mine. The engine was swapped out for an 87 LG4. The only thing that was still of the LG4 when I was done swapping everything was the Block, heads, valve covers, internals and intake manifold. Everything else on that engine now is from the original L69. I still have the block from the L69 to rebuild it if numbers matching becomes a big deal with these cars. The problem was the rocker twisted off the spring jamming it. Because of the jam the pushrod was snapped and the lifter was sent out of the hole. I finally succeeded in getting the engine in the car and got it cranking when Dad died suddenly of a heart attack. A few of his friends asked me about the car and I told them I would finish it. It was not going anywhere, and it probably never will now. Now in my senior year of college, I am an Auto Restoration Major. I am hoping to get the car running this spring/summer. I have been crossing out issues because the car won't start. Currently it is popping out the exhaust but it won't run. Unless someone comees up with a bonafide definite fix for it I am gonna take it down to the local mechanic and have him get it running for me. Hoping to get it to Hershey for the AACA Fall Meet. And if it runs I will have it at the Fbody Nats at Island Dragway, paint falling off the car and all.
