# 1988 Trans Am GTA **URL:** \ **Category:** Builds\ **Created:** [March 3, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873 "2012-03-03T04:12:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rhstoffels](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rhstoffels/32/6736_2.png) [@rhstoffels](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/rhstoffels)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 4:12am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/1 "2012-03-03T04:12:15Z")
Well, I’ve been lurking on 518 for a while and I think it’s time to get started! My new project… The car is real straight and clean, but, big hole under the hood and in the trans tunnel! My future son~in~law (Johawk) and I are planning to fill the voids with a 454 and TH400. Already have the engine and will be going to the machine shop soon. ---
**Author:** ![rhstoffels](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rhstoffels/32/6736_2.png) [@rhstoffels](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/rhstoffels)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 4:20am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/2 "2012-03-03T04:20:16Z")
Additional Pix ---
**Author:** ![88slowmarro](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/88slowmarro/32/6339_2.png) [@88slowmarro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/88slowmarro)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2012, 6:56am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/3 "2012-03-03T06:56:14Z")
Ya have a th400 ? If not I have a th350 longtail so that u can use the stock style crossmember and driveshaft . I always wanted to do a b/b f body good luck to ya on it and if ya need help get at me . Big thing your gonna need is a susp and subframe connectors ---
**Author:** ![toomanycamaros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@toomanycamaros](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/toomanycamaros)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/4 "2012-03-05T17:48:58Z")
wow another 3rd gen f body owner on the site. I think that would make a total of 2 of us. ---
**Author:** ![Johawk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/johawk/32/6284_2.png) [@Johawk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Johawk)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 5:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/5 "2012-03-06T05:46:09Z")
We have to pull the intake to see if the heads are worth keeping. If they are peanut port then they will have to go. Plenty of power can be made with oval ports. I imagine that screw in or pinned studs would be required to run a decent aftermarket cam with .500ish lift. Edlebrock Torker low rise single plane intake will hopefully maintain hood clearance and help produce solid power and torque between 2000 and 5500. GM HEI ignition, cause why mess with a good thing. 750 cfm carb. Some long tube headers. Hopefully run 13s or better on street tires for now. ---
**Author:** ![toomanycamaros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@toomanycamaros](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/toomanycamaros)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/6 "2012-03-06T15:07:54Z")
If the hood clearance on the bird is anything like the camaro, your going to have a hard time finding an intake and carb setup that will clear a stock hood on a BBC. I’m sure there are thread on [thirdgen.org](http://thirdgen.org) that cover the topic. ---
**Author:** ![mmonty91](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/mmonty91/32/6733_2.png) [@mmonty91](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/mmonty91)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2012, 9:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/7 "2012-03-07T09:39:11Z")
> [@remember the fat lil bastard who jacked grannys car?](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/remember-the-fat-lil-bastard-who-jacked-grannys-car/48509/23): > > wow another 3rd gen f body owner on the site. I think that would make a total of 2 of us. Make that 3. I have a 90 Formula ---
**Author:** ![ramairetransam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@ramairetransam](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ramairetransam)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2012, 11:37am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/8 "2012-03-07T11:37:39Z")
i have my 85 im selling ![http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z10/ramairetransam/337.jpg](http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z10/ramairetransam/337.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![toomanycamaros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@toomanycamaros](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/toomanycamaros)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2012, 11:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/9 "2012-03-07T11:39:26Z")
out of curiousity why go BBC if you only want to run a 13? That kind of ET is easy doable with a very mild SBC and some suspension bolt ons. ---
**Author:** ![rhstoffels](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rhstoffels/32/6736_2.png) [@rhstoffels](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/rhstoffels)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 3:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/10 "2012-03-09T03:03:18Z")
I never said “I” wanted to… that was johawk, I want to run as fast as i can! run forest run! > [@Oil rises as Saudi Arabia nixes Bush plea near $128 a barrel](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-rises-as-saudi-arabia-nixes-bush-plea-near-128-a-barrel/48551/48): > > out of curiousity why go BBC if you only want to run a 13? That kind of ET is easy doable with a very mild SBC and some suspension bolt ons. ---
**Author:** ![rhstoffels](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rhstoffels/32/6736_2.png) [@rhstoffels](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/rhstoffels)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 3:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/11 "2012-03-09T03:07:10Z")
Completed repairing the interior wiring harness that was hacked ---
**Author:** ![Johawk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/johawk/32/6284_2.png) [@Johawk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Johawk)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 5:17am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/12 "2012-03-09T05:17:00Z")
> [@Oil rises as Saudi Arabia nixes Bush plea near $128 a barrel](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-rises-as-saudi-arabia-nixes-bush-plea-near-128-a-barrel/48551/48): > > out of curiousity why go BBC if you only want to run a 13? That kind of ET is easy doable with a very mild SBC and some suspension bolt ons. stock suspension and tires run low 13 with a mild BBC. If ya got a free engine ya use it. This car is sans powertrain now. Should go 11s on motor with suspension and hopefully 10s on some spray. For this season it would be nice if it just ran. ---
**Author:** ![rhstoffels](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rhstoffels/32/6736_2.png) [@rhstoffels](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/rhstoffels)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 10:30am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/13 "2012-03-09T10:30:47Z")
It will! maybe by the end of the season… ---
**Author:** ![toomanycamaros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@toomanycamaros](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/toomanycamaros)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2012, 5:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/14 "2012-03-10T17:57:34Z")
> [@F/S F/T 1994 JDM style EJ1 coupe 3500 FIRM (PICS ADDED)](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/f-s-f-t-1994-jdm-style-ej1-coupe-3500-firm-pics-added/48531/8): > > stock suspension and tires run low 13 with a mild BBC. If ya got a free engine ya use it. This car is sans powertrain now. Should go 11s on motor with suspension and hopefully 10s on some spray. For this season it would be nice if it just ran. Ah ok that makes more sense. What are you going to run for headers? ---
**Author:** ![rhstoffels](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rhstoffels/32/6736_2.png) [@rhstoffels](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/rhstoffels)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2012, 4:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/15 "2012-03-11T04:49:44Z")
I have been doing some research, but, have not made up my mind yet. Had a meeting with the machine shop on Thursday about pricing on all the machine work to the big block… wow talk about sticker shock! ---
**Author:** ![toomanycamaros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@toomanycamaros](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/toomanycamaros)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2012, 7:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/16 "2012-03-11T07:23:50Z")
big blocks are definetly big money no doubt about that. ---
**Author:** ![88slowmarro](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/88slowmarro/32/6339_2.png) [@88slowmarro](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/88slowmarro)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2012, 8:17am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/17 "2012-03-11T08:17:36Z")
No reason for a big block anymore , hell u can get the same c/I out of a small block now . ---
**Author:** ![toomanycamaros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@toomanycamaros](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/toomanycamaros)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 9:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/18 "2012-03-12T09:54:23Z")
> [@Is this thing on????](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/is-this-thing-on/48228/20): > > No reason for a big block anymore , hell u can get the same c/I out of a small block now . my personal opinion best bang for the buck swap would be a 5.3 or a 6.0 the price of those swaps and parts have gone way down and SBC stuff has been out of production long enough that the prices are starting to go up a little from what I’ve seen. ---
**Author:** ![rhstoffels](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rhstoffels/32/6736_2.png) [@rhstoffels](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/rhstoffels)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 11:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/19 "2012-03-12T11:31:28Z")
I would, but, I already have a complete 1989 stock 454 so no cost for stock motor. I may just do the bottom end for now so I can drive it this season ---
**Author:** ![toomanycamaros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@toomanycamaros](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/toomanycamaros)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873/20 "2012-03-12T17:25:22Z")
> [@To the scumbag who broke into my car](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/to-the-scumbag-who-broke-into-my-car/48618/8): > > I would, but, I already have a complete 1989 stock 454 so no cost for stock motor. I may just do the bottom end for now so I can drive it this season the areas where the cost is going to come into play are headers, hood so you can run a carb and rebuilding the bottom end. You could pickup a complete 5.3 4L60 setup for probably a grand or less, cam it tune it and have very little additional investment if you can make your own mounts if not thats a couple hundred bucks. Then at the end of the day have the same or more power and great milage plus an awesome platform to further mod. HP per dollar is much better on LS based shit now. [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/1988-trans-am-gta/262873.md?page=2)