The replacement... My 1995 Pontiac Trans Am

[ar0ck]

I'm currently on the fence about what to do with it color wise. I was planning on going the Plasti-Dip route, but the color is just to damn unique and rare that I want to preserve it. The bumpers and hood will need to be painted regardless, I'm just worried about the paint matching all around. I've always been fascinated by european tuner cars & came across this car and though it looks good, now if only I can bring that kind of shine back to the car!



Unfortunately it isn't running yet because Jim is sick & i've been bouncing around the country due to work. I probably won't be back in the neighborhood until the summer. Hopefully then I can get started on it again.

[ThoR294]

Did you ever install that steering wheel? I am debating on replacing mine

[ar0ck]

Unfortunately I change my plans for this car more than I change my socks. So I've finally decided to create my own vehicle rendering so I can narrow down an idea and a theme using Adobe Illustrator. This is day only day two into my project. I still have to finish the wheels and then start filling in the colors.



The thickness of the shadows/body contour lines for those familiar with Illustrator will change as the project comes along. I only use them for reference and fine tuning.

[sweetbmxrider]

So you're keeping the car?

[ar0ck]

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

So you're keeping the car?

The jist of it is this, I still have a year or so left here in California, and its just sitting in my driveway in NJ collecting dust, its tough. Somedays I see it as a waste of space or sometimes just a project for a rainy day in the future.

[sweetbmxrider]

I hear ya. Well, can't wait to see the renderings.

[ar0ck]

Figured this would get more of a response. Just toying with random colors, trying to make it shine a little more, I'll get there when I get there.

[Tru2Chevy]

Looks good man!

- Justin

[qwikz28]

I love the idea for gold wheels. One of my favorite wheel colors, actually.

[89 Trans Am WS6]

Looks good bro, Im liking that front lip in the rendering too!

[ar0ck]

http://youtu.be/sknIktmoFrs

Boom

[maroman88]

like!

[Blackbirdws6]

Sounds great. Is it roadworthy?

[sweetbmxrider]

Sweeeet, going to make it to island?

What were you filming with?

[ar0ck]

Originally Posted by Blackbirdws6

Sounds great. Is it roadworthy?

The goal today was just to make sure it fired up, which was a great success. It even started on the first try. The harness needs to be moved around and the brake system is bone dry so it's going back on jack stands until later in the year.

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

Sweeeet, going to make it to island?

What were you filming with?

I won't be able to make it to Island this weekend due to a change in plans, but I hope to have it on the road by March/April of next year. I have my Canon 5DMkIII with me this weeks and of course this video was hot with a cell phone. I was in the drivers seat monitoring the vitals.

[sweetbmxrider]

Ah well, I'm sure great videos will be made along with jaw dropping photos in the future.

[The Fixer]

Originally Posted by maroman88

like!

Indeed!! Great to hear your baby run Alex....for all the stuff that drivetrain has endured, it's awesome to have it live on in a new body.

[ar0ck]

Update for 3/15:

The car runs, it idles great, no check engine lights yet, but a few others are currently displayed and will be tackled tomorrow. I was having an issue with the electric water pump wiring harness, but a quick search on Tech solved our wiring problem, and from there I loaded the transmission up with fluid, and topped off the radiator, and did my best to re-route some wires away from the headers. Under the hood is still a mess, but my main focus is putting the car on the ground and moving under its own power.

I'll be working on it more tomorrow, doing the brakes & the sway bar. I misplaced the steering knuckle though and that is really the only thing left required to drive it.

Theres a few odds & ends i'll be tackling throughout the week, like replacing the rear lowering springs, attaching the y-pipe and hopefully putting the Magnaflow exhaust back in, and finishing it up by putting the interior back together.

The car is becoming affectionally known as the "Dirty bird" and hopefully i'll be able to send her in for paint by the summer, and then work from the inside out. Finally theres light at the end of the tunnel!

[Blackbirdws6]

Saw the video on YouTube. Sounds great. Keep at it.

[ar0ck]

Waiting for an extra hand today, started to clean up some engine bay parts. Its by no means show car ready, but you have to start somewhere:


Spray bombed the hood latches in a satin black. Eventually the entire engine bay will be painted Satin Black.

All thats left is to bleed the brakes, attach the steering knuckle, bolt in the front sway bar, and an oil change.

[WildBillyT]

Looking good, Alex! How close are you to road worthy?

[ar0ck]

While I was bleeding the brakes I found a leak from one of the Camaros brake lines to the caliper, so in the process of swapping lines I broke the fitting from the bodies brake line, luckily I didn't toss the stock K-Member so I was able to salvage new brackets & lines and rebuilt both sides.

I'll get back to it tomorrow due to family obligations, but I'm still looking to have it moving around by Friday. The steering knuckle is soaking in PB blaster & I was able to salvage a bent sway bar bracket, which I'll replace down the road. The car is jacked up pretty high right now so I'm going to tackle swapping exhausts as well. It's looking good from ere though! I'm very excited. Once she's mobile I've been talking to a friend about repainting it over the summer and I'll start the process of working from the inside out & drop the engine again next summer to do more work.

I just need to get it to a point where my parents can move it around in our driveway when I'm not home. Beautification and repair work will be an ongoing process.

[WildBillyT]

If you decide to Plastidip the exterior please post up on how it goes. I'm back and forth on doing the Nova.

[ar0ck]

After several months of debate, I've decided to keep the Blue Green Metallic color and the car will be going for paint this summer in June/July. I will be using Plasti-Dip to color the wheels, I'll be using their True Metallic Copper Metalizer from DipYourCar.com.


Still toying around in Adobe Illustrator, but this is the closest I could get the color.


I know the wheel color isn't everyones cup of tea, but I'm positive it will really make this unique color of the car stand out.

In addition to keeping the original color, I'll be going with the gloss black sail panel, and a similar gloss black for the exhaust area in the rear. The tail-lights will also be coated in a light black with a smoothed center section painted to match, so it will appear as one black bar. On the interior, my bolt in show-roll-bar, will be getting a fresh coat of paint as well.

[Blackbirdws6]

I think it will look pretty cool. Definitely different but not in a bad way.