1978 Pontiac Trans Am - Show Me the Way

This "Vulgar Display of Power" is an example of what can be achieved with a '78 Trans Am by a true show car nut

By Jesse L. F. Freeman, III

Believe it or not, not all hobbyists are into drag racing or restoring their Pontiacs to 100-percent concours condition. While some feel the need for speed regularly or to perfectly recreate what was originally done at the factory, others feel a more expressive static effect is in order, to get your attention. On the latter side is 36-year-old Brett Sandidge and his wild '78 Bird. Although he has managed to put just as much green into his machine as myriad hard-running Pontiac racers and concours connoisseurs alike, Brett rests a bit easier knowing he is not likely to break anything in his competition circles, nor will he have points deducted for incorrectly coded spark plug wires. You see, Brett's T/A was made for the professional show car circuit.

Call it a trailer queen or whatever else you'd like, but don't sell Sandidge or his '78 short. He has no fear of breaking open the toolbox to tweak his ride and every season he's out there representing Pontiacs in show arenas. Of course being a Pontiac, you can believe that this '78 ain't an all-show and no-go endeavor. The extreme stance and rollcage bears evidence that this is not a run-of-the-mill Trans Am.

As a resident of and laborer for the city of Pontiac, Illinois, Brett was lawfully required to buy and make this Trans Am his first car, keep it all his life, and making it one of the most rockingest, kick-ass T/As in the Midwest region--even if he had to tear it all down and recreate it 2 or 3 times. Ok, so I'm stretching the truth a bit on the lawfully required thing, but all the rest is true--honest!

In 1985, at the ripe driving age of 16, with his driver's license smelling lamination-fresh, Brett graduated highschool and plunked down $4,000 for this one-owner '78 T/A. The Pontiac originally sported a very '70s Chesterfield Brown hue over Buckskin interior. Having sat for about 4-5 years at that time, the F-body had clocked few miles and blushed with minor surface rust. After receiving many expensive estimates for simple resto bodywork, Brett decided to modify his prideful Pontiac instead.

According to Brett, upon his first visit to a local car show, he saw the light and the "endless possibilities of what could be done." Typical engine appearance enhancements and "tri-spinners" on the stock wheels were about all teenager Brett could afford. A brutal winter led to the T/A's hibernation in his parent's driveway.

After the typical youthful job bouncing, Brett landed a position at the local GM dealership. Making friends quickly with Pontiac fan Mike Ehrhardt, a painter in the body shop. Sandidge had the chocolate T/A dipped in #86 Flame Metallic Red with yummy Kandy Apple stripes. Easy to remove and install engine compartment brackets and hinges were chromed. "I left everything else alone since the car had only 43,000 miles on it, and the interior looked and smelled brand new," Brett recalled.

It was "Trans Am Summer" for Sandidge in 1989. He explains, " I hit the streets with a new paint job, new wheels, and an AM/FM cassette radio. Yeah I was cool." 15,000 miles were racked up cruising the shows but so-so show results would force Brett to push the envelope just a bit further. Over the winter months of 1989 into 1990, the engine and tranny came out for some detailing. You know, nothing special--just a few odds and ends to tie up.

The 400 motor needed some more oomph anyhow, so it was stripped down and freshened up by part-time stock car racer Rich Harlan with new bearings, new oil pump, '70 GTO heads (2.11/1.77 Manley valves), and a Milodon gear drive timing set. Being a show car, the Edelbrock intake, Moroso oil pan, Holley 750-cfm carb, and 90-gph fuel pump were all treated to a chrome-plated or polished finish. Taylor Pro Wires and an MSD HEI distributor light up the ACDelco R45TSX spark plugs. And just in case the motor alone could not beat the competition, a 75hp shot of Compucar Nitrous was installed.

LoKo Performance of Chicago ceramic coated the entire Vance Miller at Bernie's Automotive (Pontiac, Illinois) exhaust system, consisting of Hooker Super Competition headers, dual pipes, a pair of Flowmaster mufflers, and 3-inch exhaust tips. Friend, Steve Roberts, treated the low mileage, stock Turbo 350 to a TCI tranny cooler and a B&M Transpak shift kit and an 11-inch torque converter with a 2,200-2,400-stall speed. Every related clamp, hanger, and casing was polished or painted--show car, remember?

"After stripping [the subframe] by hand, Mike spritzed it Kandy Sunset Orange and then sprayed the engine bay Kandy Apple Brandywine," said Brett. Humbled by a did-not-place in his first showing after the "detailing," Sandidge tended to some bugs and hit the 1991 show circuit with a vengeance. This time around he picked up quite a few trophies and awards.

But unfortunately that winter, Sandidge lost his employment with the GM dealership and almost put the T/A up for sale many times. That was until he got his new job with Pontiac--the city. Making up for a year of strained income, he attacked the T/A with gusto. Realizing he never used the A/C, the right fender was pulled and the entire A/C system was yanked, replaced only by a smooth J&B Microfinish (Pontiac, Illinois) billet cover on the firewall. Brett explains, "I then added a set of remote dual oil filters, because I was getting tired of partially taking down the header just to change the oil filter. Amazed with the room I now had, I added some small things to the T/A for the new show season."

By 1993, the buckskin interior was showing its age and was in need of a complete black facelift. Tired of the tan, Brett gutted the interior, sending the dash to Just Dashes of California for a black reskin. The floors were protected with rubber coating--Brett added the insulation while the rubber was still tacky for better adhesion and sound insulating . Corbeau Avanti seats were bolted in atop a new black carpet kit from ACC. Brett elaborates, "Jon Bourne of Climax Audio & Custom (Chenoa, Illinois) helped me redo the interior panels in a tweed-like material, while Ken Hillyer of K&S Upholstery (Streator, Illinois) redid the rear seat in the matching Corbeau material. I then put Jeff Bertrand of J&B Microfinish to work on making me many billet aluminum pieces for the inside. Jeff made me dash pieces, door handles, a vent cover kit, door sills, a switch panel, and foot pedal kits."

This show time around, Brett cleaned house, bringing in a few Best Interior awards. He was quite pleased, but just a little bit short of the point of wanting to leave it alone. All the years and miles of driving to car shows had taken their toll. So, in the summer of 1994 the T/A's subassembly was again disassembled for a gunmetal gray powdercoating makeover by House Of Powder (Standard, Illinois). Oh yeah, while he was in there (you know to give it some "pop") he had J&B Microfinish make a one piece firewall; and being that the T/A was in the shop, the paint was stripped down for--uh, you know--a full body repaint. Buddy, Rick, primed and sanded the car until it was smooth as glass, and then applied PPG Viper Red, clear, and Red Pearl paints.

Moving to the next stage Brett reports, "That fall, John Wargo, from The Custom Shop (Flanagan, Illinois), and I got to talking about graphics on my Trans Am. I decided that was what I needed to win. I gave him an idea of what I wanted and he put it to paper." Needless to say that winter, the freshly painted T/A was back under the (spray) gun for a "graffik attack." Four clear coats later, adding a set of Centerline Warrior wheels created the wicked looking Trans Am officially known as "Vulgar Display of Power." With the invitational opportunity to show at the 35th Annual Chicago World of Wheels, an instantly gratifying Second Place plaque win expanded the addiction to indoor shows for Brett.

Touring the 1996 shows for the first time with trailer and more energy than ever, Brett came home with Best Paint and Graphics and Best Use of Polishing and Plating awards from The Street Machine Nationals in South Bend, Indiana. But more significant by far is the '98 Trans Am Nationals First Place and Best of Show wins against 466 Firebirds, Trans Ams, and Firehawks. "I felt that was a major accomplishment for myself, and everybody who had helped me over the years."

Scooping up a few more First and Second Place wins at the Madison, Wisconsin, World of Wheels show, Brett rolled out of the winter of 2000 with Competition Engineering wheelie bars and a redo on the interior. He also had a rollcage from Jeg's welded in and color-matched. A Sony CDX 2250 headunit, Kicker 6.5 coaxial speakers in the lower kick panels, and kicker 6x9 subs in the rear shelf make for some serious sounds. The Rockford Fosgate 404 DSM amp was also dipped and reassembled. Stinger Roadkill sound deadener was installed to quell metal vibrations that could resonate from the potent stereo sounds (135.9 decibels). This system was good enough to garner a few wins at the United States Autosound Challenge (USAC).

Winter 2001 brought Crane pushrods, a Comp Cams camshaft (.470/.470 lift, .231/.240 degrees duration at .050) and roller rocker arms for the engine and soft ghost flames painted on the nose of the T/A. That show season (act surprised now, okay?), Brett cleaned house with a bunch of First and Second Place wins to end up with a Second Place total points standing in the World of Wheels (WOW) International Division.

Brett Sandidge's dedication to his hobby has saturated every nook and cranny of his Trans Am. The rewards continue and this T/A a fine representative of the model's marque and his hometown: Pontiac, Illinois.

1978 Pontiac Trans Am Firebird Drivers Side Front View

SPECIAL THANKS
Brett would like to thank the following people and companies for their support in keeping his T/A a consistent winner:

* Rich and Joe Harlan of M&H Sales (Pontiac, Illinois)
* Jeff & Becky Bertrand of J&B Microfinish (Pontiac, Illinois)
* Joe Boune of Climax Audio & Custom (Chenoa, Illinois)
* John Wargo and crew from The Custom Shop (Flanagan, Illinois)
* Rick Lotshaw (Streator, Illinois)
* Rebecca, Adam "boy", Anna O'Neal and Scott Brownsey

1978 Pontiac Trans Am Firebird Interior View Passengers Side

Last and nowhere near least, in memory of his parents, Gene and Sug Sandidge who passed from cancer. Brett and his friends of Midwest Thundercar club, through an annual car show at Pontiac city park, raise funds to fight cancer. This year's show is scheduled for August 15, 2004. You can find more information about the event and see more pictures of Vulgar T/A at his Web site: www.geocities.com/midwestthundercc/index.html Finally for your enjoyment, here are a few before photos.