Finding the right canvas on which to create your masterpiece can be nearly as challenging as the actual generative process. For 34-year-old Robbie Lewis of Leesburg, Georgia, said canvas came in the form of an '02 325-horse, LS1, six-speed, 3.42-geared WS6 Trans Am in a very special hue. He searched far and wide for a super-clean Sunset Orange Metallic Bird for 18 months before finding this one on eBay. "I have owned 19 F-bodies over the years, but this Sunset Orange WS6 is very special to me," he says.
From day one, Robbie had no intention of building the fastest Trans Am. "I wanted to build the cleanest and nicest T/A that I could," he says. Therefore, gaudy and over-the-top was out. Every move had to be made in good taste.
Under the hood the credo is form meets function. Most aftermarket intake lids for the LS1 F-bodies are made from a black ABS plastic. MTI's clear lid, however, gives onlookers an unobstructed view of the K&N panel filter, as well as a peek into the mouth of the beast. Air is drawn through the polished MBA MAF and the polished, 78mm FAST throttle body, then into a chromed Weiand Lingenfelter aluminum intake manifold, which has a greater flow capacity than the factory LS6 piece.
 2002 Ws6 Trans Am Front Wheel...  2002 Ws6 Trans Am Front Wheel ViewRobbie was able to snag these 19-inch CCW 505a wheels from a buddy at a great bargain. They add a lot of character to the T/A and are regarded as one of the best-looking modern wheel designs. |  2002 Ws6 Trans Am Front Right...  2002 Ws6 Trans Am Front Right Side View2002 Ws6 Trans Am Front Right Side View As one of the rarest colors available on the Fourth Generation Firebirds, Sunset Orange Metallic happens to be one of the most vibrant. It appears to change shades in varying sunlight and looks best when the sun is high. When augmented with tasteful mods, Birds in this hue can really pop. |  2002 Ws6 Trans Am Interior...  2002 Ws6 Trans Am Interior Steering Wheel View2002 Ws6 Trans Am Interior Steering Wheel View Owner Robbie Lewis added a set of custom floor mats with an orange bird in addition to a custom leather shifter boot with orange stitching from Redline Designs. To ensure the Trans Am's seats are in top shape, they're sprayed with Zaino leather treatment before each show. |
Stock 28-lb/hr injectors add the fuel, and the mixture then enters the chambers of the factory 241 heads through the intake ports and 2.00-inch valves, as directed by the stock 196/207-degree duration cam with 0.466/0.477 lift (with 1.70:1 rockers). MSD coils and wires augment the stock coil-near-plug ignition system and provide the spark to initiate combustion, as the stock hypereutectic pistons put the squeeze on to the tune of 10.1:1. Then the byproducts of the process are expelled through 1.55-inch exhaust valves, the exhaust ports, and stock manifolds.
Robbie currently runs exhaust manifolds because he's concerned with ground clearance. "I had an issue with a previous car scrapping badly when I removed it from the trailer, and I want to avoid that with this one," he says. Once he finds a suitable header system, it will be installed. Until then, he enjoys the Corsa Sport exhaust system with its gorgeous Pro-Series tips.
2002 Ws6 Trans Am Interior...
2002 Ws6 Trans Am Interior Seat View2002 Ws6 Trans Am Interior Seat View Between the rear back seats rests the highly polished Nitrous Outlet bottle with a custom bracket...
Although satisfied with the performance of his Pontiac, he wanted to add a little more functional flare. To that end, he installed a wet plate system from Nitrous Outlet, which is mounted directly behind the throttle body. It's currently set up for approximately 150 hp.
Taking a look under the Bird reveals another area where Robbie focused his efforts. This chassis is so clean you could eat off of it. BMR 32mm and 22mm sway bars replace the 30mm front and 19mm rear ones. These were powdercoated by Sand Trap of Doerun, Georgia. Energy Suspension red polyurethane bushings were installed and the factory springs and Bilstein struts and shocks were replaced with Strano Performance springs and KYB AGX eight-way adjustable struts and shocks. They give the T/A flexibility and a performance stance the factory parts just can't deliver.
Since the car is lowered at all four corners, the rearend is fitted with an adjustable BMR Panhard bar and relocation kit, which Robbie had chromed. Rounding out the suspension is a pair of chromed BMR lower control arms and relocation brackets to minimize wheelhop. To make sure the T/A doesn't just slide around on its new ultra-tight suspension, BFG KDW 275/30-19 and 295/35-19 tires provide stick in the corners.
2002 Ws6 Trans Am Interior...
2002 Ws6 Trans Am Interior Seat View2002 Ws6 Trans Am Interior Seat View Between the rear back seats rests the highly polished Nitrous Outlet bottle with a custom bracket...
Fortunately, the body required much less labor than the engine and suspension to satisfy Robbie. Since the previous owners meticulously maintained the finish, it was in immaculate condition; Robbie simply treats the paint to high-end polishes from Zaino. "Sal Zaino has been great to me. He has provided me with all the car care products that have helped me win shows. I use the company's Clay Bar Kit once every three months and apply three coats of Show Car Polish before every event. Once I'm there, I make any touch-ups with Zaino's Grand Finale Spray Seal and apply Perfect Tire Gloss."
Robbie performed all the work on his Sunset F-body, aside from the chrome, which was done by his buddies at S and H Chrome in Madison, Tennessee. And with all the right pieces in place, his masterpiece was complete.
This T/A has won many trophies since, and it has been recognized as one of the cleanest Fourth-Gens out there, as proven by its latest Best in Show award, which came at the '09 Wide Track Warriors Show at Old Town in Orlando, Florida. "It's pretty cool to win that against classic Pontiacs," Robbie says humbly.
The night before it was loaded onto the trailer for the trip, he and his buddy Steve Davis applied 30-percent window tint to the windshield to match the rest of the windows. This addition could have been just enough to send his T/A to the top. Thankfully, Robbie has managed to keep his Pontiac there without going over.
 Under the hood, the 325-horse,...  Under the hood, the 325-horse, 5.7L LS1 has been treated to power-adding bolt-ons. Not the least of which is Nitrous Outlet's plate system, a wet kit that sprays both fuel and nitrous in a highly concentrated mist behind the throttle body. Since the system compensates for the fuel, there's no need to meter it through the MAF, however, we do suggest a full tune to maximize power and safety. Almost everything in the engine bay has been highly polished or chromed to increase this show car's chances of taking home the gold. |  The factory Monsoon CD player...  The factory Monsoon CD player is boosted by a 10-inch Elemental Designs subwoofer mounted in the hatch area on the driver's side in a custom fit box. |  The front brakes were upgraded...  The front brakes were upgraded to Power Stop Pro Rotors and Hawk pads. The calipers were powdercoated by Sand Trap and match the body color. |
 The network of suspension...  The network of suspension upgrades was carefully selected to bring the WS6's already tremendous suspension to the next level. Robbie also had the front sway bar mounts, the steering box brace, and the stock spindles chrome plated, and even had custom bumpstops made. |  The Corsa Pro-Series tips...  The Corsa Pro-Series tips fill the Trans Am's rear fascia perfectly. To add to the Pontiac's clean appearance, the plastic side moldings were removed and give the doors a smoother look. |  A matching detailing treatment...  A matching detailing treatment was afforded the aftermarket suspension and brake parts in the rear. |