Need a source for a 1981 Trans Am Water Temp Gauge

Crashnburn

Crashnburn

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Aren't classic muscle cars fun? I barely got the Trans Am back after having the choke solenoid and the alternator replaced on my Trans Am, after adding LiveWires spark plug wires and ignition module, after updating the transmission and putting an Flowmaster exhaust, when the water temperature gauge went south. The needle is pinned all the way to the right, whether or not the ignition is on, whether or not the engine is running. The car is drivable, and the coolant is good to -35 degrees F.

Classic Industries has them for Gen 2 from 1970 to 1978.

I can get a replacement dash IP, but it's wood tone instead of engine turned gold. Also, I'd lose my Tick-Tach.

Any leads will be greatly appreciated.
 
ColinD said:
Like this?

I assume you've also posted this inquiry on a forum like F-Body.com.
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Thanks for the link. I'd never heard of F-Body.com before.

Edit.

I checked it out. I like Firebird Nation a lot better.

I just ordered their "last" water temp/oil pressure gauge tonight. Thank you very much for the link. I'd tried eBay earlier, but hadn't come up with much.
 
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aterry1067 said:
I’m just crying that a 1981 is now a “Classic”

:(

Git off my launnn.
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No joke, it occurred to me the other day my normal driver vehicle is a 2001 dodge v-10 dually, and I thought back to when I was in high school and then a darn near 25 year old vehicle in good shape was a classic. But there was a heck of a lot of difference in 25 years then compared to now.
 
That's four years before I was born, and I'm balding. My first CFI was born after 9/11.

I just put 'Classic' motorcycle registration on my 2005 R1200GS. Time flies!
 
ColinD said:
I just put 'Classic' motorcycle registration on my 2005 R1200GS. Time flies!
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Where I live there isn't a Classic Registration but one can do an Antique Motorcycle Registration if the bike is 25 years old. My 2006 1800 VTX isn't there yet. I have a '74 VW Beetle but it's not registered as an antique. That thing was built while I was still in high school. Nice thing about the VW is parts are available although how genuine they are is questionable even when they are said to be so. Real parts for the OPs car might be tough to come by ...
 
ColinD said:
That's four years before I was born, and I'm balding. My first CFI was born after 9/11.

I just put 'Classic' motorcycle registration on my 2005 R1200GS. Time flies!
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Luckily, I still have a full head of hair. My wife also had a lot of hair. I figured that if we'd had kids, they would have looked like Cousin It, from the Adams Family TV show.
 
I have a whole 1980 Trans Am that's for sale....

Temperature gauge worked when parked.
 
Crashnburn said:
Aren't classic muscle cars fun? I barely got the Trans Am back after having the choke solenoid and the alternator replaced on my Trans Am, after adding LiveWires spark plug wires and ignition module, after updating the transmission and putting an Flowmaster exhaust, when the water temperature gauge went south. The needle is pinned all the way to the right, whether or not the ignition is on, whether or not the engine is running. The car is drivable, and the coolant is good to -35 degrees F.

Classic Industries has them for Gen 2 from 1970 to 1978.

I can get a replacement dash IP, but it's wood tone instead of engine turned gold. Also, I'd lose my Tick-Tach.
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Dude... seriously, you're coming to an aviation forum to find parts for a classic car... is there not a Firebird/TransAm fourn out there something where there are a ton of experts or others who feel your pain that are willing to help you get your hands dirty.

For instance https://www.pontiactransamforum.com/

Any way you pics of this beast? And good luck
 
Ventucky Red said:
Dude... seriously, you're coming to an aviation forum to find parts for a classic car... is there not a Firebird/TransAm fourn out there something where there are a ton of experts or others who feel your pain that are willing to help you get your hands dirty.

For instance https://www.pontiactransamforum.com/

Any way you pics of this beast? And good luck
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Here you go:Trans Am in the garage.jpg

That's another forum I hadn't heard of.

Pilots of America is like what Forrest Gump said about a box of chocolates: "You never know what you're gonna get!"

She's a survivor car, and no longer completely numbers matching, but she has the original 301 and differential. The tires are relatively new. Everyone brags on the Cooper Cobras; I picked them because they were available.
 
This saga seems to be complete. I got the water temp/oil pressure gauge a while ago, and two nights ago, I decided I needed to either put the battery on a charger, or take the car for a drive. So, I drove it.

The water temp needle was no longer pinned to the right side of the gauge, it was where it was supposed to be. As I drove the car, the temp came up to where it's supposed to be and stayed there.

Best I can figure is some condensation somehow got onto the On-Board Computer, or between a couple of contacts, and fooled the computer into thinking it was really hot. By letting it sit, the moisture dried out and the OB Computer was no longer fooled.
 
Daleandee said:
My dad had a '62 Chevrolet with the 283 in it. When it would start missing he'd buy a set of plugs and put them on the seat. It would run fine ... :dunno:
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I commuted from the country, including two miles of gravel roads in a '68 Ford Custom 500. Occasionally I'd think about trading it in on a better car because it didn't seem to be running well. So, I'd wash it and get a lot of mud off it so it could show off its white paint, and it would suddenly start running better. I eventually sold it to a co-worker at the FAA, after I'd bought my Firebird. I never wanted that car back!
 
Classic Industries?

There's another one I'm forgetting at the moment that is similar.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Surprised RockAuto didn't have it. They often seem to carry almost anything, no matter how obscure.
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I did the whole internet search thing and the 79 and later temp gauges are not available as OEM, NOS, nor reproduction from the major websites.
 
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