Crashnburn
Pattern Altitude
"If it's not one thing, it's another?"
Anyway, that's what it seems like with my 1981 Trans Am SE (Bandit) car. I bought it about a 18 months ago after finding it here:
https://classiccars.com/listings/vi...bird-trans-am-for-sale-in-eugene-oregon-97403
It gets a lot of attention. The Pontiac 4.9 L is actually more powerful than the Chevrolet 5.0 L, but neither is as powerful as the 6.6L in my 1977 Formula. Part of it may also be my Formula was a 4 Speed with a Hurst Shifter, and this is a 3 speed automatic.
The 81 Firebirds were the first Firebirds not sold with a stock Posi-Trac (limited slip differential), but a previous owner had it replaced with a slightly taller Posi-Trac differential.
I found out a while ago the bushings on the steering idler arm were shot, so I had a new one installed, and now the alignment lasts longer than the drive out of the alignment shop driveway.
The brakes (4-wheel disc) grabbed and pulled unevenly, and I had all four calipers, etc., replaced, along with 4 new high end shock absorbers. I also had the fuel lines replaced.
It came from the factory with a catalytic converter, but since it wasn't owned in CA, nor NY, someone removed it. I had to add a new one to the car to smog, then register it in CA. Between all the smog stuff on the car, plus the new cat converter, I think the exhaust is cleaner than the air going into the engine.
The carburetor has an air intake duct, and the one that came with the car had collapsed, and wouldn't fit over the oval air intake, which only came on the 80, 81 cars. It wasn't right for that carb., so it wasn't original. I found an oval to round adapter so I could use a new air intake duct.
The car was built with factory air, but a previous owner replaced it with an off-brand A/C that my mechanic didn't recognize. I found a 3rd party retro-fit AC called Vintage Air. I bought the complete kit, compressor, condenser, hoses, under dash plenum, all required ancillary hardware, and great instructions. They just assume that the front clip has been removed.
https://www.vintageair.com/surefit/complete-kits/?make=Pontiac&year1=1981&model=Firebird
I am concerned about cooling, as the new condenser is 3 times the size of the original. My friend told me about flex fans. I found one about the same size as my original fan. It pulls more air at idle, and as the engine speeds up, (and presumably, the car), it flattens out to reduce HP requirements. It should compensate a bit for power pulled by the A/C, and reduction in cooling by the condenser.
While my friend and I were installing the condenser, he noticed a battery terminal had worn through the washer jar. When I took the old jar off, I found it had been installed with metric machine screws - one #10 head, and one #11 head. (HUH?)
I also found the coolant recovery jar had been mounted wrong, and in the wrong position. This had caused the jar to crack, and leak. I have replacements for both jars, and a mounting bracket for the recovery jar. I looked at pictures under the hood of several 1981 N/A 4.9L T/As to figure out where to put each jar.
The coolant recovery jar goes on the fender, and we found bracket mounting holes on it. It looks like the lines running from the engine to the carbon filter canister will need to be replaced, as they seem to be too short to run from the engine to the canister once the coolant jar is correctly mounted.
Last year, I found a CD with all the parts and assembly diagrams for the Firebird, and I can use that to help figure out where to put the brackets, and if necessary, build brackets.
I knew the window felt needed to be replaced, and it took a while to find a place that would do it. While I was at it, I got new weather stripping for the doors. And, as the rear view mirror had fallen off, I had Kenny glue a new one in place.
After all this is done, I want to, one project at a time, put in a 4 speed auto transmission, cruise control, EFI, and headers. I'm starting to wonder what other discrepancies we'll find as we do those projects.
The passenger side visor had glue marks on it, and my YF wanted a mirror, so I found a visor mirror with 'Pontiac' engraved on it. It even covers the glue marks.
They say you never completely finish a classic car. I'm starting to believe that.
Anyway, that's what it seems like with my 1981 Trans Am SE (Bandit) car. I bought it about a 18 months ago after finding it here:
https://classiccars.com/listings/vi...bird-trans-am-for-sale-in-eugene-oregon-97403
It gets a lot of attention. The Pontiac 4.9 L is actually more powerful than the Chevrolet 5.0 L, but neither is as powerful as the 6.6L in my 1977 Formula. Part of it may also be my Formula was a 4 Speed with a Hurst Shifter, and this is a 3 speed automatic.
The 81 Firebirds were the first Firebirds not sold with a stock Posi-Trac (limited slip differential), but a previous owner had it replaced with a slightly taller Posi-Trac differential.
I found out a while ago the bushings on the steering idler arm were shot, so I had a new one installed, and now the alignment lasts longer than the drive out of the alignment shop driveway.
The brakes (4-wheel disc) grabbed and pulled unevenly, and I had all four calipers, etc., replaced, along with 4 new high end shock absorbers. I also had the fuel lines replaced.
It came from the factory with a catalytic converter, but since it wasn't owned in CA, nor NY, someone removed it. I had to add a new one to the car to smog, then register it in CA. Between all the smog stuff on the car, plus the new cat converter, I think the exhaust is cleaner than the air going into the engine.
The carburetor has an air intake duct, and the one that came with the car had collapsed, and wouldn't fit over the oval air intake, which only came on the 80, 81 cars. It wasn't right for that carb., so it wasn't original. I found an oval to round adapter so I could use a new air intake duct.
The car was built with factory air, but a previous owner replaced it with an off-brand A/C that my mechanic didn't recognize. I found a 3rd party retro-fit AC called Vintage Air. I bought the complete kit, compressor, condenser, hoses, under dash plenum, all required ancillary hardware, and great instructions. They just assume that the front clip has been removed.
https://www.vintageair.com/surefit/complete-kits/?make=Pontiac&year1=1981&model=Firebird
I am concerned about cooling, as the new condenser is 3 times the size of the original. My friend told me about flex fans. I found one about the same size as my original fan. It pulls more air at idle, and as the engine speeds up, (and presumably, the car), it flattens out to reduce HP requirements. It should compensate a bit for power pulled by the A/C, and reduction in cooling by the condenser.
While my friend and I were installing the condenser, he noticed a battery terminal had worn through the washer jar. When I took the old jar off, I found it had been installed with metric machine screws - one #10 head, and one #11 head. (HUH?)
I also found the coolant recovery jar had been mounted wrong, and in the wrong position. This had caused the jar to crack, and leak. I have replacements for both jars, and a mounting bracket for the recovery jar. I looked at pictures under the hood of several 1981 N/A 4.9L T/As to figure out where to put each jar.
The coolant recovery jar goes on the fender, and we found bracket mounting holes on it. It looks like the lines running from the engine to the carbon filter canister will need to be replaced, as they seem to be too short to run from the engine to the canister once the coolant jar is correctly mounted.
Last year, I found a CD with all the parts and assembly diagrams for the Firebird, and I can use that to help figure out where to put the brackets, and if necessary, build brackets.
I knew the window felt needed to be replaced, and it took a while to find a place that would do it. While I was at it, I got new weather stripping for the doors. And, as the rear view mirror had fallen off, I had Kenny glue a new one in place.
After all this is done, I want to, one project at a time, put in a 4 speed auto transmission, cruise control, EFI, and headers. I'm starting to wonder what other discrepancies we'll find as we do those projects.
The passenger side visor had glue marks on it, and my YF wanted a mirror, so I found a visor mirror with 'Pontiac' engraved on it. It even covers the glue marks.
They say you never completely finish a classic car. I'm starting to believe that.
