Long ago in a city far far away there was a 2001 Pontiac Trans Am owned by some random old dude and purchased and service locally. That Trans Am was a based model 6 speed manual sleek beak. Black with ebony interior and monsoon sound system. The old man tired of doing the Kessel Run in 14 parsecs and traded in the TA for a larger freighter at Saratoga Nissan.
Saratoga Nissan then sent the bird of to the darkest depths of New Hampshire. To live free or die. That is where I came in with this dumpy whip.
It was a good whip but I was overly tired with the nonstop silly repairs that the car needed, the never ending glove of the CEL light and how slow the car still was with turbo back exhaust and other supporting mods. So I scoured the cosmos for the correct cheap, fun easy to repair sports car. I know I thought a 930 Porsche 911. After the acid wore off I was looking at New Edge Mustangs possibly Cobras but after months of searching and finding nothing but horribly untastefully modded cars that would require more money and parts to return the cars back to their former glory than was worth it I became to look at TAs and C5 Corvettes. I found that most of the C5s were either in perfect condition, babied, coddled and therefore way over priced or they were 5 revolutions from spitting their guts all over the ground.
I come across cars.com and a silly little search turns up my current Trans Am. A trade in at a truck center in the middle of nowhere New Hampshire. Financable but sold as is as seen. Hmmmm. Car fax search, car is local and literally just traded out there. One owner. No accidents, all maintenance recorded and bone stock. Call about it, the dude is sketchy, “AS is” is in every sentence he says. They have not inspected or touched the car and will not. He just wants a quick sale. Come out with a trailed or try driving it back today, no plates no registration? we’ll look the other way. I drive out, 3 codes lean bank 2, bank 2 o2 sensor, bank 2 o2 sensor pending. They also believe a Misfire, 2 bad wheel bearings and no signals or parking lights work.
I at this point am pretty sure I know all the problems. Set up trade in for Audi and offer $6295 for the TA. Deal. I come back 3 days later with a tool back, a chisel and plates insurance and registration. Hop in baby her to the next gas station. Slap in half a tank of premium and octane booster, let the car idle for a bit while it plug the rear o2 back in. Take my chisel and scrape the peeled pieces of chrome off the shitty factory ABS wheels to get rid of the “bad wheel bearings”. I got to replace the DRL bulbs… damn its not just bulbs the sockets are fucked. No signals for the ride home 188 miles. Brakes are shakey. Tires are flat spotted. 50 miles in she is riding smooth, running strong.
Get the car home and immediately deep clean the absolutely disgusting and mold filled interior. Pulled the radio get that working again, fix the DRL sockets pulled the DRL module and disconnect the DRL part.
Plan my build.
Purchase all the items and parts I need to redo the clogged and holey PVC system.
Score an SLP loudmouth system for cheap and add corsa clones because the SLP tips look awful.
Replace rotors, pads and all brake hardware. Calipers appear to be fairly new.
Buy VFN WSQ hood to get this thing some ram air. Paint will be done over this winter by none other than the great Dave Singleton if he doesn’t become to famous for us locals.
I also purchased the SLP ram air pack and installed that as well.
Parts I have purchased that will go in over the winter are as follows:
Tubular rear LCAs
On-car adjustable PHB
Rear LCA relocation brackets
STAGG shocks and struts
Vogtland springs
C6 Z06 wheels 18x9.5 rep fronts and real OEM 19x12 rears
Cooper Zeon RS-3 325/30/19
Parts needed:
Small spacer for rear clearancing
Front tires (235/40/18?)
Hood paint
Wheel powder coat
WS6 lower airbox
Decisions needed to be made that I keep waffling on are wheel color
or
All black would be mean looking but I at times do not like all black wheels. Gunmetal is always a great look on any car. Both would be gloss, matte is too much of a hassle to keep clean.
Everyone hates this car because I went from luxury cars to a redneck mobile, I think it is a super fun car to drive. Love the sound. It’s fast enough for me for now and once I get it put together in spring for next summer it should be an attractive car with a decent suspension set up and plenty of traction. It still receives a lot of hate for being a redneck mobile, i never knew how stereotyped these cars were, but on the flip side it is a car that even in its less than magnificent state always gets a thumbs up from people or children and just has that heritage behind it.
thats right. Glad she’s doing well.