Any PHers with experience of the 6.6 Pontiac Trans Am.?
Discussion
Bear with me guys, this is NOT a what-car or anything deeper than curiosity, Have Always daydreamed about these cars since watching "the film" (yes it was on again last night) as a young'un...anyway, went to bed last night with the thought fresh in my mind.
I Just wondered what the reality was of owning/running something like a 6.6 Trans Am.
How big are they on our roads?
What do they drive like?
What is the parts availability like?
That sort of thing!
I Just wondered what the reality was of owning/running something like a 6.6 Trans Am.
How big are they on our roads?
What do they drive like?
What is the parts availability like?
That sort of thing!
Never owned one but I have been in one and I've driven camaros (essentially the same car) and owned various muscle cars..
They drive better than you expect, one of the best handling 70s musclecars, if not the best.
not huge on our roads these days...they used to be compared to 70s and 80s brit cars but everything has got bigger now and they have stayed the same
I'd imagine parts availability is fine, they are very popular in the states and anything popular there has a huge aftermarket...
They drive better than you expect, one of the best handling 70s musclecars, if not the best.
not huge on our roads these days...they used to be compared to 70s and 80s brit cars but everything has got bigger now and they have stayed the same
I'd imagine parts availability is fine, they are very popular in the states and anything popular there has a huge aftermarket...
BLUETHUNDER said:
My brother owns two including the rare T-top SE. Parts are plentiful the other side of the water. My brother has never attempted getting parts here. In general they are very reliable. But look out for rot in the rear wings.
I was under the impression that some body panels weren't available for alot of the 2nd Gen Firebirds. I had a '69 Firebird and everything was readily available and parts catalogues were 80% full of 1st gen bits. 2nd Gen stuff was less common. My brother was looking at a '78 resto project he struggled to find things like Fenders and Doors. Of course this could just have been him being a 'tard and maybe more is being repo'ed now. Mechanically everything is easy to get in the UK from specialists as there are plenty about or direct from the US, people such as NPD or Rockauto.A trans am is about the size of a current Mondeo. (Although with less interior space, Think reverse tardis) so it'll fit on the roads fine and depending what you're used to drive absolutely fine. Aside from the fuel costs I'd have no hesitation driving my Cougar any where in the country.
Cledus Snow said:
I was under the impression that some body panels weren't available for alot of the 2nd Gen Firebirds. I had a '69 Firebird and everything was readily available and parts catalogues were 80% full of 1st gen bits. 2nd Gen stuff was less common. My brother was looking at a '78 resto project he struggled to find things like Fenders and Doors. Of course this could just have been him being a 'tard and maybe more is being repo'ed now. Mechanically everything is easy to get in the UK from specialists as there are plenty about or direct from the US, people such as NPD or Rockauto.
A trans am is about the size of a current Mondeo. (Although with less interior space, Think reverse tardis) so it'll fit on the roads fine and depending what you're used to drive absolutely fine. Aside from the fuel costs I'd have no hesitation driving my Cougar any where in the country.
they are or were actually making entire replacement body shells... so I dont think other body parts will be an issue. If you werent able to get rear quarters most trans ams would have been scrapped by now.. at least any that have been over here for a long time..A trans am is about the size of a current Mondeo. (Although with less interior space, Think reverse tardis) so it'll fit on the roads fine and depending what you're used to drive absolutely fine. Aside from the fuel costs I'd have no hesitation driving my Cougar any where in the country.
I've owned a half a dozen F bodys over the years, ranging from a 71 455 SD Trans-am to a 79 350 Camaro, they drove better than most American cars from that era, but I'm sure they would feel a bit old school by todays standards. I would say probably an ideal first Yank motor as they are pretty easy to work on, parts availability is better now than it was when I had them (80's & 90's), certainly for sheet metal, plenty of aftermarket stuff also easily sourced either here or from the States. Just get yourself a stetson & some cowboy boots first!
If I remember correctly, these "beasts" in the most smogged years barely registered 200 ponies. They are for show only, and when they've been let go they look fookin' rubbish.
"The 1974 models featured a redesigned "shovel-nose" front end and new wide "slotted" taillights. In 1974, Pontiac offered two base engines for the Firebird: a 100 hp (75 kW) 250 cu in (4.1 L) inline-6 and a 155 hp (116 kW) 350 cu in (5.7 L) V8. Available were 175 hp (130 kW) to 225 hp (168 kW) 400 cu in (6.6 L) V8 engines, as well as the 455 cu in (7.5 L) produced 215 hp (160 kW) or 250 hp (190 kW), while the SD-455 produced 290 hp (220 kW). The 400, 455, and SD-455 engines were offered in the Trans Am and Formula models during 1974"
"The 1974 models featured a redesigned "shovel-nose" front end and new wide "slotted" taillights. In 1974, Pontiac offered two base engines for the Firebird: a 100 hp (75 kW) 250 cu in (4.1 L) inline-6 and a 155 hp (116 kW) 350 cu in (5.7 L) V8. Available were 175 hp (130 kW) to 225 hp (168 kW) 400 cu in (6.6 L) V8 engines, as well as the 455 cu in (7.5 L) produced 215 hp (160 kW) or 250 hp (190 kW), while the SD-455 produced 290 hp (220 kW). The 400, 455, and SD-455 engines were offered in the Trans Am and Formula models during 1974"
Got rid of my'79 about 10yrs ago. Very easy to live with, iirc there are 2 6.6 litre motors fitted in these, a 400 and a 403 olds. One is more street/ easy going, the other a bit wilder, can't remember which is which though, mine was a manual with quite high rearend gears. In this day and age I'd get a more economical ratio at the back plus an auto, far more relaxing. Truly awesome looking cars, there's a couple turn up at our monthly meet, a gold Jim Rockford one and a mint '78 Bandit.
i'm on my 4th one now they drive ok for a 30plus year old car, parts are easy to get and you can get them to really perform, never a daily driver nowdays due to fuel costs but nothing has the same street presence as yank muscle(sadly may have to part with mine due to finances)go into buying one with your eyes open and your love it
Great cars, I have owned 2 and really think I'd like another one sometime: I had a 78 T top 400 auto: dead slow as standard with 2.41 gears but most have been modded so they will pull the skin off a rice pudding which a stock one definitely won't.
They drive pretty well and make great high speed cruisers. Fuel economy was OK, drivability good due to torquey lump. Easy to work on. Ride pretty good with some flex from the T-top equipped body.
The other one I had was a different kettle of fish altogether: a 71 455HO, totally stock and about 50 times faster than the 78. Non t-top body rattled and flexed a lot less. Only downside was the terrifying fuel economy: about 6mpg in normal driving, 10 on a run (taking it easy) and less than 6 if you booted it.
Brakes are truly useless, steering and ride good.
One thing I know is I could never live with the tsteless velour interiors of the 70's cars. If I had another it would have to be retrimmed in leather.
One thing: they rot like b
ds: you must not buy a rotten one or you'll be running 'round it repeiring it forever while it falls to bits around you.
Malc
They drive pretty well and make great high speed cruisers. Fuel economy was OK, drivability good due to torquey lump. Easy to work on. Ride pretty good with some flex from the T-top equipped body.
The other one I had was a different kettle of fish altogether: a 71 455HO, totally stock and about 50 times faster than the 78. Non t-top body rattled and flexed a lot less. Only downside was the terrifying fuel economy: about 6mpg in normal driving, 10 on a run (taking it easy) and less than 6 if you booted it.
Brakes are truly useless, steering and ride good.
One thing I know is I could never live with the tsteless velour interiors of the 70's cars. If I had another it would have to be retrimmed in leather.
One thing: they rot like b
ds: you must not buy a rotten one or you'll be running 'round it repeiring it forever while it falls to bits around you.Malc
Pontiac never really made a big block as some may think. In fact size wise they are dimensionally the same on the outside. I can put an intake manifold off a 350 and put it on a 455. Pontiacs are torque engines. My 74 455 I had in a lemans was rated at 200 hp but had torque that with the 3.08 gears would lay rubber for half a block with the quarters engulfed in smoke. (I put a different camshaft in it)
I've had four Firebirds, two of them TransAms.
Rot around the rear end, (rear bags, wings, arches), I found was a problem along with the fixing points of the 'front clip'. The rest is pretty easy to maintain except, (probably due to my inexperience at the time), rear disc brakes.
In my opinion, you should avoid anything with a 4.9 engine, (although I always thought the Indy Pace Car I had was the best looking of all that generation T/A!!)
The handling on all of them was different, but the least modified of them was the Pace Car and that just didn't like corners at all! The '77 T/A wasn't so bad, but they are very heavy and do wallow.
I'd have one again in a heartbeat if I didn't have two children and an expanding wastline to consider!
Rot around the rear end, (rear bags, wings, arches), I found was a problem along with the fixing points of the 'front clip'. The rest is pretty easy to maintain except, (probably due to my inexperience at the time), rear disc brakes.
In my opinion, you should avoid anything with a 4.9 engine, (although I always thought the Indy Pace Car I had was the best looking of all that generation T/A!!)
The handling on all of them was different, but the least modified of them was the Pace Car and that just didn't like corners at all! The '77 T/A wasn't so bad, but they are very heavy and do wallow.
I'd have one again in a heartbeat if I didn't have two children and an expanding wastline to consider!
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