Ron designed a custom radio-delete...
Ron designed a custom radio-delete plate adorned with a Trans Am decal and installed an Alpine head unit (with tilt face) and mounting plate in the center console storage tray.
They sent the body to Buster's Auto Art of South Boston, Virginia, for chemical stripping, bodywork, and paint. The shop replaced the front fenders with donors from a '74 T/A, repaired the right lower rear quarter-panel, and prepared the T/A for painting with PPG DP 90 epoxy primer, followed by bodywork, PPG K36 acrylic primer, blocking, and PPG Deltron DAS 3021 tintable sealer.
They sprayed the T/A with three coats of PPG Deltron DBC Cameo White base and three coats of PPG Deltron DC 4000 Urethane Clear. The finish was baked at 140 degrees for 22 minutes in a 1.2-million BTU downdraft spray booth, the body was reassembled except for spoiler, flares, and airdam, and allowed to cure for two weeks. Then, progressive wet-sanding with grits of 1,500-2,000, and final polishing were performed, followed by the application of reproduction decals.
The Engine
"The original engine was damaged in 1974 due to a racing mishap, so the second owner found a date-coded two-bolt main YC block and installed it," Ron says.
An Alpine five-channel amplifier...
An Alpine five-channel amplifier is mounted safely in the trunk so it doesn't detract from the T/A's classic interior.
Randall's Racing and Machine, located in Chester, Virginia, bored the 455 0.030-over to 462 ci and machined the block for four-bolt main caps. The company also polished the crank, and employed Eagle forged connecting rods and Speed-Pro forged pistons. The 197 round-port heads were updated with Manley stainless steel 2.11/1.77 valves, Harland Sharp 1.5:1 roller rockers, and Comp Cams double springs and pushrods. A Bullet hydraulic flat-tappet cam featuring 231/239-degrees duration at 0.050, and 0.485/0.507-inch lift was chosen in favor of the stock 068.
The original aluminum intake was bead-blasted and left natural, and an MSD ignition system featuring a Pro-Billet distributor, a 6AL amplifier, and a Blaster II coil is complemented with Taylor 8mm wires and AC Delco R45S plugs. Subsequently located, the original (code 7041270) carb was rebuilt and reinstalled. Other mods include a Desert Cooler four-core radiator and a Flow Kooler high-volume aluminum water pump.
Exhaust gases are evacuated through reproduction H.O. manifolds, sourced from Ram Air Restoration Enterprises (RARE), mated to a 2.5-inch Pypes exhaust system with an x-style crossover and single high-flow transverse muffler.
As was the case with '71 Trans...
As was the case with '71 Trans Am "All Systems Go" featured in the Nov. '08 issue, the dash on this T/A was signed. This time it's "Carol;" the last time it was "Linda."
Power is transferred from the engine to a 2400-stall converter in the original and rebuilt Turbo 400 (code PQ). Standard Parts of Richmond, Virginia, shot-peened and balanced the original driveshaft, and installed HD U-joints. Ron swapped the factory 10-bolt rear with a Moser 12-bolt with 3.73 gears.
Suspension And Brakes
The Henaghans replaced the front-end wear items and detailed the original upper and lower control arms, power-steering box, and factory 1.25-inch sway bar. They upgraded to QA1 12-way adjustable coilovers and Poly-graphite bushings. Out back, they restored the original leaf springs and added new bushings, and installed QA1 adjustable shocks. The 0.875-inch factory sway bar was also reinstalled.
Bolting in Power Stop cross-drilled rotors and GM calipers in front, and Wilwood cross-drilled and slotted rotors, and four-piston calipers with integrated parking brake in the rear resulted in shorter stops.
Conclusion
Where many Pontiac collectors would bring a '71 Trans Am back to factory-correct condition, Ron decided to enjoy the T/A his way. "I always get asked, 'Why didn't you keep it original?' I often ask myself the same question. One part of me is a purist, and the other part of me likes to go fast and put on a show. The Trans Am fills the gap between my early years driving my mom's Bonneville down Pacific Coast Highway in California and the G8 courtesy of Pontiac's sponsorship of VMP that I drive daily. Maybe I'll return the Trans Am to stock, but no time soon.
"My son and I got to know each other over the two years the Trans Am took to build," Ron says. "He learned how to prime bare metal with a paint gun and how to reassemble the T/A. He also did a lot of online work locating parts for the project. A father thinks about passing on to his son something he can use in life. I taught my son the love of Pontiacs."