Trans Am Project Car

[Fire eagle]

Hi everyone, This is my first post. I am 99% sure tomorrow I will own a 79 trans am. I have done paint and bodywork for over 40 years now and am now going to take on a new project. This fellow wants to trade me the 79 trans am and some cash to do some rust repair on another car he owns.

The TA is a project car made even harder by the previous owners attempt to customize the front end. He made it probably one of the ugliest cars you have ever seen. (will upload a photo). They tried to make the front look like the batmobile or something other than a TA.

I am hoping I can cut off the front nose without damaging the fenders. The car needs an engine and transmission and the floor pans replaced. Will need a hood other than that it is pretty complete and is not too bad of shape. I feel like I need to save this car and bring it back to the beautiful car it was.

Looking forward to getting help and advice from the folks at this forum.

 

[Pontiac Trans Am]

@Fire eagle welcome friend!

We can't wait to see some pics.

 

[Fire eagle]

Can not figure out how to shrink these pictures down to post.

Keeps saying file is to large to load.

 

[Pontiac Trans Am]

@Fire eagle try now as we have made some changes to our software to handle bigger pictures.

Thank you,
PTA

 

[Fire eagle]

Pretty bad huh?

I have no idea why anyone would do this to this car.

 

[Pontiac Trans Am]

@Fire eagle what in the world is that?

 

[Fire eagle]

I know. As soon as I get the car home that is coming off.

Whoever did it welded it on?

Going to be hard to remove without destroying the fenders.

The guy I am getting the car from says it was like that when he bought it.

 

[Pontiac Trans Am]

We are going to post this to our Social Media accounts to see what people say, friend.

 

[Fire eagle]

I am sure it will be nothing good. lol

 

[Fire eagle]

They even welded a piece in the center of the hood

 

[Pontiac Trans Am]

I am sure it will be nothing good. lol

Well, let's see if anyone can figure out the front end.

 

[Fire eagle]

Maybe?

 

[Pontiac Trans Am]

@Fire eagle that might be it!

 

[Bandi7]

@Fire eagle the worst case scenario you might have to find another trans am and use your current 79 as a parts car, even though it does deserve to be out on the road again.

The question, what year is the front bumper from, it looks oddly good placed on 79 Trans Am.

I would like to see what it would look like fixed up.

 

[Fire eagle]

I can not wait to cut that front off the car and see what parts I am going to need to make it look like a Trans Am again.

I have a plan on trying to save the fenders.

Unfortunately who ever installed it was pretty good at welding.

On the right side they welded a seam all the way down the fabrication.

It would be a shame not to be able to save the fenders.

They are clean except for where they did their welding.

Going to cut as close as I can to the fenders with a cutting wheel and grind the welds down.

Hopefully will be able to save them.

 

[Bandi7]

Have you considered using an oxy acetylene cutting torch, a mechanic friend of mine told me that might be a good option to avoid damage to the fenders.

 

[Fire eagle]

I will keep that in mind. I am going to get the car to my house later this week and will be able to evaluate it better.

I got my 403 home today that is going in it.

 

[Fire eagle]

Finally got the car home Saturday and cut that crappy looking front end off.

Was able to save the fenders.

 

[gregbert78]

I know. As soon as I get the car home that is coming off.

Whoever did it welded it on?

Going to be hard to remove without destroying the fenders.

The guy I am getting the car from says it was like that when he bought it.

I wouldn't admit to such an atrocity either.

It would be done by the guy I bought it from.

Good Luck!