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@GenaF4 жыл бұрын
Catalytic converters get stolen in the U.K. Something to do with the value of the metals or something inside it. There was a spate of thefts in my area.
@saultopaul39814 жыл бұрын
My first “favorite car”. Black/Gold Firebird Trans Am
@CarbageMan4 жыл бұрын
Don't forget you're in the car theft capitol of the world. Had my '68 Mustang 2+2 stolen and trashed there.
@jafleming04094 жыл бұрын
Later, if you really keep that car for the long time, I watched one very much like it get a engine swap with a LS3, qudra-link suspension on the rear with new rear axle, a new suspension on the front with a high performance K-member and Willowwood brakes all the way around. Front had 9 1/2 inch wide wheels on the front with 11 1/2 on the back. New dual-exhaust with Magna-flows, it rode, performed, and sounded frickin' awesum bro.
@GenaF4 жыл бұрын
Carbage Man I'm sure Winston has some kind of immobiliser on it. He's no fool!
@wanghanshen4 жыл бұрын
Most people buy their dream car, you build your dream car. Mad respect Winston!
@serpentza4 жыл бұрын
Thanks mate! It's far more satisfying this way
@rockroll95134 жыл бұрын
He did buy it. There was no "build". He made some minor repairs. 😂
@xaviercamacho78884 жыл бұрын
Did you hear him he traded it not built it he only replaced parts an things built is when you start from scratch witch is either only engine or only body smh
@dumpgodby18744 жыл бұрын
I like the upgrades
@kallo1823 жыл бұрын
Most people buy their dream cars ?! I personally dont know one Person who actually Buy/Drive their Dream Car. And when i look on the Road, than 99,9% of People dont drive their Dream Car.
@LyndseyMacPherson4 жыл бұрын
Love it! Please don't be shy about sharing details, either. Love hearing all the details. That's like, wish fulfilment. Have had three 'vintage' cars so far that need(ed) that kind of TLC, but it was/is a struggle just to work a full-time job and keep up with the basics.
@wordenentertainment19974 жыл бұрын
Not too bad of a deal. I too am an impulsive buyer when it came to my dream car which also happens to be a Pontiac Trans Am. Ever since I was five years old I wanted one after seeing the Bandit for the first time and I promised myself that I would buy one like it. Fast forward to 2019 when I was 21 and an opportunity came along that would be life changing. My Grandparents' neighbor had a 79 Special Edition Bandit Trans Am outside for many years and I would go over to see it many times. Sadly the owner passed away and her son asked me to make him an offer since he knew how much I wanted a Trans Am. It was in need of a frame-off restoration and I offered $3,000 for it since it was a rare SE Bandit T/A with the Pontiac 400 and 4-speed transmission. He said that if I promised to show him the progress and let him see the car when its done, he would let me have it for $1,000 along with all of the parts for it. I am working hard to restore my dream car and pay tribute to the original owner and the Bandit himself, Burt Reynolds.
@gojackets48944 жыл бұрын
Wow! Outstanding deal.
@liesim95804 жыл бұрын
Damn, Currently I am 15 and am restoring my grandparents 1979 trans am that has 403, with an auto, not sure specs on that. Its All gold, with the Rally II wheels, nice black leather interior, but its the "plain" variant not the special Edition or any bandit of any sort, but in my opinion, I'm just not a fan of the look of a bandit, but I didn't grow up in that era. Anyways, dude, I hope all goes well on that car, I would love to see stock power numbers, since the 400 makes a bit more than the 403. -Good luck!
@12yearssober4 жыл бұрын
Make videos and share your progress with the whole world!!!
@samk22664 жыл бұрын
excellent, got one of the ones with the manual transmission
@wordenentertainment19974 жыл бұрын
@@12yearssober I will. I'd like to do a documentary series on it when I make big progress.
@jrbird75714 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the clip. My dream car was a `79 Firebird that I bought at 20 but had to sell because I couldn't afford the car payment. I bought a `73 Grand Am and loved that car until I found the `79 that I have now. It was an absolute dog. It had the 301 and I think it was rated at 150 HP. One day making a left hand turn, I heard this horrible knocking sound and could feel it at the clutch pedal. The crank shaft had broken in half. Best thing that ever happened. After replacing it with a `77 Lemans 350 which was also a dog at 170 HP, emissions came to my county and i decided to park it. It sat for 10 years until I no longer had to test for emissions. I found a 400 block out of an early `70s GTO, cammed it, used my 6x-4 heads (shaved) and it's a very fun car to drive now with 400 HP. I paid 1750.00 for the car and it's a trans am clone with all the flares and spoilers. What was once a dog is a fast dream car that I love
@manderson92894 жыл бұрын
Get out of Cali man! some of their car laws are ridiculous.
@VL19754 жыл бұрын
People are leaving CA in mass and these guys decide to move there! They need to move to TX, AZ, or FL.
@Derek-tk4wf4 жыл бұрын
The locals don't refer to it as the Peoples Republic of California for no reason. Maybe Cali reminds them of their old home in some ways.
@ghuldorgrey4 жыл бұрын
lmao imagine me and the laws in germany.. cant do ANYTHING
@VL19754 жыл бұрын
@J Glass Some of it. I live in SC. Wilmington is nice. I've always enjoyed Charlotte. It is a beautiful state. I also like GA. Esp North GA.
@ChrisfromGeorgia4 жыл бұрын
@@VL1975 Georgia here, and I would agree with you and J Glass. I have been to Wilmington, but I was young. Edisto Beach is one of my favorite beaches I have ever visited. I'm in mid 40's now. Thinking of moving to North Georgia or North Carolina. The older I get, I get tired of the long hot and humid Summer's. A spot in the mountains would be nice and vacation to the Coast from time to time is what I'm looking for. Take care
@Handidude4 жыл бұрын
These old cars have something that they need to bring back. The Ball cooler under the steering column.
@michaelbaka47774 жыл бұрын
We called them crotch coolers!!!
@buzzcrushtrendkill4 жыл бұрын
Now they have air conditioned seats, which is such an awesome feature
@tonyz30154 жыл бұрын
Your a car guy Winston. And blessed to be able to do a lot of the work yourself.This is what we car guys do. It's all a part of enjoying a classic vehicle. Your making your car better and better each time you work on it. You have a classic and iconic piece of American motoring history. Here in Australia, they've become very collectible and expensive. Enjoy. Any enjoy the moments you'll have owning and driving it.
@Gerberbaby9224 жыл бұрын
Really enjoying the Firebird videos. Replacing all those little odds and ends really makes a difference and it just feels so satisfying to see the car turning back to its original glory. Great job on the shaker mod, it looks the way it should have come from the factory!
@perrygoll68004 жыл бұрын
To the point, it is really refreshing to see your devotion to "doing things right" and "to your standard" and it is a fine standard indeed! Looking forward to more vids!
@adventure_rider_uk4 жыл бұрын
Winston, make the Transam episodes longer please. It is very interesting to watch you restoring this car, more please :) 10min is not enough.
@serpentza4 жыл бұрын
Okay, will do!
@alfa4ever4 жыл бұрын
I absolutely agree!
@Believe2314 жыл бұрын
Ditto, more please!!
@shaunhicks854 жыл бұрын
Ripped off? No absolutely not! By fixing all these little things , you know more about the car and you know the fixes match your quality preference. Im doing the same with my recent car purchase. Cheers, glad to see you staying awesome
@markopolo9454 жыл бұрын
Burt Reynolds would be proud.
@glenquagmire50714 жыл бұрын
God old hooper trans am
@markopolo9454 жыл бұрын
@@glenquagmire5071 Yep I agree with Winston! This is a dream car. I love this and the 1st Gen NSX with t-tops. Gitty gitty!
@glenquagmire50714 жыл бұрын
Marko Polo now that I think of it the hooper ta was his red one but both classic
@matthewkeith86054 жыл бұрын
But Winston needs to grow a moustache in order to make it perfect.
@markopolo9454 жыл бұрын
@@matthewkeith8605 Yes sir! 😁
@TheBonsaiZone4 жыл бұрын
Looks fantastic, you've done a great job!
@kellyjohna4 жыл бұрын
I lost a quarter mile street race to one of those in the mid 80's I was (attempting to drive) my friends 71 Plymouth GTX with 440 six pack. My other friend was driving the Pontiac He let some air out of his rear wheels, loosened the belts, and put moth balls in his gas tank. I couldn't get any bite from the rear tires. He jumped to about 6 car lengths because of his setup, probably better driver...but GTX got almost all of it back in the last 16th to about half a car length. It was a bitter loss, we were teenagers and we had talked it up for about 1 week. I like your channel.
@Motor-City-Mike4 жыл бұрын
It's a shame you think of that as bitter. For us the best street races were always bumper to bumper at the end, win or lose those races were what it was all about - I personally remember losing a few that couldn't have been more fun, even if I'd won!
@deadgoatsRacing4 жыл бұрын
Mothballs in the fuel tank?? What?
@deadgoatsRacing4 жыл бұрын
Me, 1970 stock Tempest 350 2bl., Them, 1966 Impala 396 4bl. Quarter mile race. I win, hands down, let off before town. They blow by, never letting off til town, where they tell everyone They won. Lol. Gotta love the sore losers.🏁
@kellyjohna4 жыл бұрын
@Steven Lindsey aha grasshopper, obviously you don't know our hways, deep down in the South. Less pull on the engine from AC compressor ect....
@kellyjohna4 жыл бұрын
@@Motor-City-Mike I would say bitter at the time, I was about 16, but nice memory now. I still hate loosing though...
@jayperionx72724 жыл бұрын
You can share as much details as you have! Even if those videos are an hour long, I‘d still be watching them.
@w8stral4 жыл бұрын
Unfortunately you and I are the minority it would appear... and you have to that which makes you $$$
@troynasello20854 жыл бұрын
My first car when I was 18 in the mid 90's was a 1978 firebird esprit. It was burgundy and I loved it. It had a 350 with the rochester quadrajet. My God, I had so much fun with that car. It's good to see you loving your trans am.
@poolboyinla4 жыл бұрын
I drive a 86 Trans Am and I love it.
@justing69863 жыл бұрын
Hey Travis! I'm Filipino American (born in raised in CA) and I love your videos! My parents are from the ilocos region and moved to the US in the 80s. I love old cars as well. I wanted to either get a Trans Am or a 3rd gen Camaro. I'm so glad you have a Trans Am! I look forward to more of your videos as well as it helps me learn about the country from which my parents came and still have family in!
@jonwalker37953 жыл бұрын
I just bought an 85 the kid I bought it from says its a 350 v8 I'm afraid its the 305 but no biggie either way I love mine to
@jonwalker37953 жыл бұрын
I just bought an 85 the kid I bought it from says its a 350 v8 I'm afraid its the 305 but no biggie either way I love mine to
@MatthiasAI3 жыл бұрын
my grandfather inlaw had one of these and as a kid I thought it was the freakin coolest thing Id ever seen. Godbless you for saving one, to many have gone to scrap.
@snarkyguy4 жыл бұрын
I loved my '78 T/A, although mine was in good shape...it still had a lot to be done. Seems no matter how much you tackle, there is always something else to be done on it.
@jafo7664 жыл бұрын
The price of a MINT TRANS AM has become PRICELE$$....
@ponakka4 жыл бұрын
THIS IS MY DREAM CAR
@AngelWolfSoldier4 жыл бұрын
I had one. Built it from thr ground up... wife made me get rid of her... miss her like hell. 383 stroker, th400HD fully upgraded, stock 3.73 rear, pushing 550H 575T (rounded) to the wheels... don't remember everything that was put in/on the engine, but I remember re-wiring the whole care and rebuilding the stock fuze block.
@garyhoffman5032 жыл бұрын
Perfectly done account of your awesome Trans Am. Love that you are doing the long crawl on restoration. The shaker mod is great! It's my dream car too. I had 270 hpr V-6 Firebird Esprit! They need garages and warm weather!
@jameskoett Жыл бұрын
270 hp v-6?
@garyhoffman503 Жыл бұрын
@@jameskoett 270 horse power V-6...yes.
@jameskoett Жыл бұрын
@@garyhoffman503 Not 270 horsepower from factory.
@williamswenson53154 жыл бұрын
Winston, you're a smart guy with a multitude of skills. My advice? Learn to gas weld: with a simple, small oxyacetylene rig, you can fix a variety of automotive ills and ...save money! That, and the satisfaction of DIY. A case in point; I had a SS flex connector (exhaust manifold to catalytic convertor) go bad. The new convertor (NY and CA approved) was beaucoup bucks. My thought was, "there has to be a repair piece on the market." Yes, there was. Since I knew the convertor was good (low ppm NOx etc) last year, I ordered the part, welded a 2 1/4" steel spool piece ($3 at Advance Auto) to the convertor and and attached it to the new flex with an exhaust clamp. Total cost to repair? 50 bucks for the parts and since I don't bill myself for my time, that was all vs over $750 for the NY approved new convertor. On another note, sometimes the gauges in these older cars have a spot of corrosion between the case and car grounds. Try the gauge with an alligator clip to the instrument ground (could be just the case) and a good ground on the car (a common ground point under the dash, usually). If the gauge is intermittent, this could well be your problem. Love the latitude in your passions: old cars and cultural/political documentaries. Take care and remember...wear that mask and you'll stay awesome.
@RonaldMcPaul4 жыл бұрын
Very cool and pragmatic. Writing tip: Use paragraph breaks liberally, especially in comment sections like this.
@williamswenson53154 жыл бұрын
@@RonaldMcPaul Thank you. Useful criticism is appreciated. What I should probably do, is review my college-level style writing reference book. I do wonder though, that the comments section in KZbin may be something of a special case. Succinctness may be the central necessity; typically, I avoid run-on sentences, but sometimes the flow of the sentence seems to demand it. This may not be bad grammar so much as a stylistic difference. Take care.
@williamswenson53154 жыл бұрын
@@RonaldMcPaul A follow-on to my previous reply; I inserted paragraph breaks to make the extended comment more readable. It does help. Thanks again. W
@ffarmchicken4 жыл бұрын
This is an awesome channel. Since I’ve moved out of California, I can find old 70’s cars again. The smog regulations and the old Cash for Clunkers program destroyed the 70’s vehicle market in California. What I’m having problems with, is finding parts for my ‘77 Chevy Malibu 4 door. Things like window sweeps and correct window seals. Lots of that stuff for the 2 doors/El Caminos, nada for 4 doors. I also do the same when I get a new vehicle, total tune up, change out the vacuum hoses, new fluids, lots of little annoying things. It never ceases to amaze me how previous owners of these cars don’t just do the repairs. They are so simple to fix.
@supergeek14184 жыл бұрын
If it's your dream car, price doesn't really matter. What does matter is getting it right. (Plus, this car - unlike your 'Vette - has enough room for your entire family!) Drive it, and enjoy it! P. S. A car like that would look *fantastic* in South Florida!
@ggggcaaamb58134 жыл бұрын
Had a 1980 TA down on power with the 301 and the screaming chicken was a bit large , but that car was so comfy, cruised so nice and looked so good !
@chrisrainey35884 жыл бұрын
Had to laugh! Fitting the family in the car. My ex wife and I had a Formula and a Trans Am at the same time. I remember picking her and our new born baby up at the hospital with car seat in back . Kind of pain in the ass getting the baby in and out of the back seat! But we made it work! Wish we still had those cars!! Lol.
@gf43534 жыл бұрын
Glad to see you're back in the states, you need to stay here FOREVER. Be careful, don't let down your guard. STAY AWESOME !!!!!
@leonpeters-malone30544 жыл бұрын
Looking forward to seeing the mechanical, repairs you've done here. On some level, I'm glad you were able to rescue this car. Getting back to where she should be.
@MasterTrend4 жыл бұрын
It's very cool to see you working on your dream (classic) car. I've got a '73 240z I'm replacing the master cylinder on and watching you do this keeps me motivated. Your work is much harder because I was able to yank all that smog stuff off! Good luck with that beauty and stay awesome!
@Lobsterwithinternet4 жыл бұрын
I wish more people would come over from your main channel to check this out! Pleasantly surprised by what I found. Got a sub right there, chief! Stay awesome! 😎👍
@laowhy864 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
@Geoduck.4 жыл бұрын
You did the right thing Winston, you smile every time you sit in the drivers seat. If the car is truly rust free then you're golden.
@coolissimo694 жыл бұрын
One of the gorgeous car I ever seen. Glad you have it Bro.
@danhoyland1424 жыл бұрын
It’s a dog because you have the optional olds 403 In there that was used for California cars. I have owned 2 of these. It’s a good motor but word of advice don’t listen to anybody for advice on how to make it faster. Go to forums and ask advice from real Oldsmobile people. Here’s a few tips I learned: -That carb is good, don’t get rid of it -That intake is good and flows just as good as a performer, so don’t get rid of that( carb and intake Wong increase power) - The heads are junk but you can buy older casting Oldsmobile heads pre 1972 and bump you compression up 1 or 2 points -Olds 403 respond to 220ish duration cams - jet the carb, curve the distributor, lunati cam, and older heads will give you a 13 second machine with about 450 pounds of torque. - Also key note is that you will want to make sure you degree the cam if you do install one. The aftermarket cams suck for these things bc they aren’t ground precisely and if you line it straight up you can be up to 6 degrees off. It’s really annoying, seems like everything is made just for chevys and everything else has to be modded a tad to be its best with olds or Pontiac motors. I guess the smarter way to make it fast and run 14s is jet the carb, curve the distributor, and throw 342 gears in the back. Also, any higher than that you run the risk of grenading the bottom end. It’s kind of a crap shoot lol.
@bigmanblackt-shirt85064 жыл бұрын
All good points about the Olds 403.
@gr1mrea9er824 жыл бұрын
Coors light does not qualify as beer. It is made from corn syrup. Real beer come from barley and hops.
@williamswenson53154 жыл бұрын
@Sean Ware Ah, that so important qualifier...
@williamswenson53154 жыл бұрын
Yes! Thank God there is at least one other purist in the world. If you want to lose weight and stay healthy, stay away from high fructose corn syrup. Better to drink less of a higher quality beer; the sort of beer that passes Germany's beer purity law. That would not include Coors.
@jean-marcandjoshua-petsjournal4 жыл бұрын
You are very lucky. You have saved a piece of history, especially with the shaker head working properly. Congratulations on getting and maintaining you dream car. If only I could find my dad's Jaguar Xj6 4.2 1984 saloon, then I would drive it every day.
@jamesbecker34203 жыл бұрын
Those were the days... I had a 1975 base firebird with a straight 6 in high school, wrecked it on a rainy road, frame was rotted out(upstate NY). Bought a 1986 T/A w/5.0 TPI as my first new car, still have it with with 22k on the odometer. Also have a 1976 Formula w/6.6 and factory honeycomb wheels and a 1967 firebird convertible w/326. Looking for a 2002 bird so I have one from each generation. I love them all, but my favorite T/A is the 79-80. Unfortunately, the engines were so underpowered, but they were what we had. Great video, love the car!!!
@Anonymous-ks8el4 жыл бұрын
Using Chinese newpapers for your spray-painting lmao 🔥
@laowhy864 жыл бұрын
Hey, we gotta keep up with the news!
@waterheaterservices4 жыл бұрын
Glorious revolutionary socialist people's news, unmasked. But enough about the New York Times.
@msgofast4 жыл бұрын
🤣🤣🤣
@vinpetrol43094 жыл бұрын
I can tell that your Trans Am is in good hands. You're doing tremendous work. It's very inspiring.
@joeychaseable4 жыл бұрын
There all gutless but, they are super cool to look at. Not to mention more comfortable than most modern cars.. Looking forward to more videos!
@anderleof4 жыл бұрын
They're
@gman01364 жыл бұрын
need more videos on this car! Congrats Winston, cant wait to see it all done
@TofranBohk4 жыл бұрын
AHHHHH! NOOOOOO! You traded a '68 Corvette for that? 😟 Well, it's not what I would have done, but to each his own.
@BallisticGhast64 жыл бұрын
A soul for a soul -Thanos
@williamswenson53154 жыл бұрын
Yup. Remember, it's a dream car that pulls the heart strings of a lost and distant time in one's life.
@Sirstas794 жыл бұрын
What a beauty, I owned the 1981 TA had it for only 1 year, i could not afford all the maintenance and this was back in '99. I wish you the best of luck.
@TheDirtCatBrothers4 жыл бұрын
Did you get ripped off? Nah! She just needed a little loving is all.
@vettemaniac22372 жыл бұрын
I had a 77 with a bone stock 6.6 Pontiac engine. Z28's used to smoke me. Then, I bought a 79 with the 6.6 and 4-speed. The numbers match 400 engine had been "massaged" by a previous owner. It was a MONSTER!! Huge torque and loads of fun ... and the sound! I have a C7 Vette now and it blows them all out of the water.
@robertcabrera62324 жыл бұрын
@serpentza, Winston there are a number of things you can do to modify the motor to dramatically increase power and fuel economy and still pass smog. As long as products are C.A.R.B. (California Air Resources Board) certified you can legally install them and still pass the test. Just save your receipts and the certificates which come with these products in case there are issues with the tech doing the exam. Examples are you can remove the smog pump, and the stock EGR system, which are huge parasitic losses because they are belt driven from the crankshaft, by installing an aftermarket intake manifold, throttle body fuel injector (like those made by Holly and others), and a more modern capacitive discharge ignition (like those made by MSD). I recommend you stop by your local speed shop, as there are many in So Cal to give you some guidance. You'll find most of the improvements are bolt-ons, and when you're finished you can take the car to a tuner who can dial it in on a dyno for maximum power while still being smog compliant. Best of luck! Oh BTW, I like what you did with the shaker scoop, but there's something else you may want to look into. The older SD and HD Trans Ams had shaker scoops with functioning doors that were vacuum actuated so that they were only opened when needed at full throttle and closed when not needed for better economy and to prevent a too lean condition at lower speeds and idle. That too is something you may want to check out if you plan on keeping this ride long-term.
@WorthlessWhips4 жыл бұрын
I actually got the flapper kit but it wasn't working out as hoped so I opted for open all the time
@robertcabrera62324 жыл бұрын
@@WorthlessWhips Did you hook it up to manifold or carburetor vacuum? I'm not sure which is correct, because I've never owned a Trans Am, but I'm sure there is a difference between the two, just as there is when you connect distributor advance to the carb vs manifold.
@robertcabrera62324 жыл бұрын
@IT'SME Yes if you replace the stock carburetor with a better controlled fuel delivery system like later model fuel injection which didn't have smog pumps. They were cleaner burning, so upgrading to a newer OEM setup would pass for example. You can replace the stock system with something which pollutes less, but not more (example, later stock or CARB approved aftermarket, but not older OEM or anything marked for off road use only). And no, EGR isn't run by the crankshaft, but it is part of the smog system in conjunction with smog pump, which is run by the crank. (The smog pump adds air post combustion to complete combustion as exhaust gasses flow out exhaust, while the EGR siphons some of those exhaust gases and recirculates them into the intake.)
@junkman64564 жыл бұрын
Thats a nice cruiser, Winston. I had many GM cars and i suggest using Bosch plugs with the same core value. This engines run better then with them then with the faulty Delco plugs. A you save fuel too! At least a contactless electronic ignition and oil flush on the rear end and transmission. Smart idea on the gear cover.
@charlie156274 жыл бұрын
I would just about kill to have that car and I would love every bit of work I got to do on it. 👍
@styork19844 жыл бұрын
I was actually scouting this exact car out on either Offerup or FB marketplace. Price was solid on it so I think you got a good deal regardless. Ended up grabbing another '78 Firebird TA that was available locally. You nailed it on the California Smog BS. Almost ruined the whole deal on the one I got. Been restoring and fixing bits on it over the last month. Anytime you feel like it's not worth the headaches you just got fire it up and tear down the street and and it allllllll becomes worth it.
@tiborklein53494 жыл бұрын
8:05 Aww, that's adorable!
@askannav20944 жыл бұрын
Winston, i am watching your video and as a car nut in Australia, i keep looking at your Trans Am & cant help but noticing how much GM-H ( Holden) had raided the GM parts bin international for the Australian built Torana's & Holdens in the 70's & 80's.. Stuff like the steering column, shifter plate & even the wheels were used for the Aussie LE Holden Monaro coupe.. Its nice to see the origin of so many hard to get car parts here !!!
@dasc0yne4 жыл бұрын
"All the cars I buy these days, for some mysterious reason, have their catalytic converters missing." Haha. Welcome to California.
@vinloy234 жыл бұрын
I went through this entire process you are showing, with my 1981 SE Trans Am back in 1996! I have a logbook that shows 296 [not a typo] entries in the first 26 months of ownership. I understand fully what you experienced. My TA is currently %75 percent completed towards a full restoration.
@NampaKing124 жыл бұрын
The "Friend from High School that never left your hometown" car
@laowhy864 жыл бұрын
lmao
@chrisgreenaway66963 жыл бұрын
I love your 78 trans am I just bought my father a 1977 firebird formula. For his 43rd Father’s Day. He and my mom were married in a 77 trans am . He had to sell it because he couldn’t fit a car seat in the back. 43 years later he got his firebird formula and it’s his pride and joy father son project
@ItsTimePictures4 жыл бұрын
That loud red interior is as awful and wonderful as the loud blue interior of my first Mercedes. Wonderful!
@serpentza4 жыл бұрын
Yeah the red on black is awesome
@anthonyvee3 жыл бұрын
Good work and nice car. Now that is..... I have a 75. Love it. Was my favorite car when I was a teenager then but I couldn't afford it. Keep up the great work and stay well!
@jbbolts4 жыл бұрын
Thats the burt reynolds trans am... with the firebird grill .... looks a million times better imo
@user-cl6dz7tw4o4 жыл бұрын
I have a 1978 TA as well, black with the red interior. I am looking forward to more videos. My car is complete and cranking out about 400 hp now after a total engine rebuild on the original 400. Everyone loves these cars.
@briandemas25484 жыл бұрын
Oh! you have a 403 Oldsmobile motor, You poor man!
@jenniferbeyer64124 жыл бұрын
Why do you say that. The Olds 403 is one of the best engine ever made. I had ,and will buy one again, in a Buick Riviera 1978 edition. I had it for over 30 years. The Riv. is my dream car. That Olds 403 ran for close to 1 million miles. The engine was fast. And I beat a lot of "kids" who were driving Cameros, Trans Am, and many others.
@techtalkmike49684 жыл бұрын
Awesome progress Winston! My dream car, that I purchased in high-school and kept until I was 31, was a 1969 Chevy Nova SS. Much like your Firebird it needed a lot of work. It took me 5 years, which included a complete engine and rear-end rebuild. Not to mention the head-liner, the bench front seats (re-upholstered then converted to bucket), the pressure-plate, heater, exhaust system, brakes, radiator and on and on ... man, I miss that car. Living in San Diego allowed me to work on it and drive it constantly. Also, the car scene is amazing here. I always had someone to either help or ask advice. I sold it before heading over to Japan for 6 years. Keep at it, love the content on this channel too!
@ericdrobnick19424 жыл бұрын
It's not worthless whips unless the car fails smog!
@laowhy864 жыл бұрын
Have we ever been lucky?
@rickc21024 жыл бұрын
This channel has been proof to me that I should never buy anything older than a later C4. The amount of work Winston has to do is insane.
@truckerkevthepaidtourist4 жыл бұрын
you got to remember from post 1976 when these things came out they had no balls at all it was all show and no go they were smogged to the hilt. leave California and move out to the country out-of-state and let that Poncho run
@bcubed724 жыл бұрын
Repugnant that a 40+ y.o. car has to pass smog in the first place.
@truckerkevthepaidtourist4 жыл бұрын
@@bcubed72 yeah even Illinois cuts it at 25.. you can officially apply for an antique vehicle.. exempt from emission testing. and we got some of the most stringent EPA standards around other than La La Land.
@aftershock22224 жыл бұрын
I recently smogged my brothers ‘78 Transam. Yup, there was a fume leak around the gas tank filler neck. We fixed it, and now we’re working on the ac. He bought it new in ‘78. Thanks for the vids.
@zaineridling4 жыл бұрын
1:48 "Turns out there were other issues as well: it didn't start or run well." 😂😂😂
@ghuldorgrey4 жыл бұрын
I feel you @serpentza. I bought a Toyota Supra a70 with the 7mgte Turbo engine last year. It ran from the start but needed some love as well and still does. I daily drive it and it has never let me down so far. Its a different feeling daily driving your dream car. Youre always smiling and in a good mood.
@coryknox4 жыл бұрын
You gotta recreate some scenes with c-milk as sally field and you can wear a nice fake mustache and do burt reynolds' lines.
@williamswenson53154 жыл бұрын
Yes, C-Milk can do the part as Matt playing Xi pretending to be Sally. I like it.
@williamswenson53154 жыл бұрын
@Rob Torres With the Afrikaner accent; too priceless.
@gf43534 жыл бұрын
Only '77 or '78. Not before or after. Everybody loves these Trans Ams. I always check the prices, they are going up. Black with gold tapes, the only way to go. I'd like to have one, what a fun car.
@rickc21024 жыл бұрын
C-Milk in a wedding dress? 😂
@stranger50883 жыл бұрын
My late brother had a 79 firebird. He loved that car, sold it to a friend when his son was born, his friend kept it for 20 years then my brother bought it back and him and his son were restoring it when my brother passed away. Now his son is restoring it by himself. Him and his dad had a vision and that’s what he’s going for even though he stands there in tears most of the time work on it.
@PlugInRides4 жыл бұрын
Please lose the background music while you're speaking.
@truthseekerdanny4 жыл бұрын
There's nothing like the satisfaction you get from working on your own car. Stay awesome Winston
@johncamp76794 жыл бұрын
I purposely live where emission inspections aren’t necessary.
@dirtberger45334 жыл бұрын
I owned a 1974 4speed 400, dark blue. I lived in Pennsylvania at the time and it completely rusted out. So cool to see your car. I have wanted to find one again, it's very hard to do. There really getting expive. My dream car to. Thanks for the video.🏁🏁🏁🏁😀👍🏁.
@deusexaethera4 жыл бұрын
Dude. Seriously. Just get a Camry Hybrid for times when you need to transport your Female Companionship Unit and your Legacy Propagation Unit. Then you can drive the Firebird the rest of the time.
@ghuldorgrey4 жыл бұрын
Why? There is nothing more badass than driving your dream car daily. I daily my supra a70 as well, even in winter. I bought the car to be driven, no matter the circumstances. Fuck having a boring daily.
@redsyrup11384 жыл бұрын
The car looks beautiful Winston! So beautiful it makes me want one too. I know you're doing a calculation on costs and I hope you share that with us eventually. It'd be worth knowing for people interested in going down a similar path.
@JoseVelasquez-dt5cn4 жыл бұрын
I've always had a dream to have an awesome muscle car like that. But I never realized how much work it would be. Seeing you enjoy it is good enough for me. The car looks amazing! I'm glad your enjoying your dream car. This channel is so awesome. I've never really been into cars but I'm starting to appreciate it now more than ever. Keep up the awesome work!
@Farmer31904 жыл бұрын
Had a 76 Trans Am. Drilled out the scoop and flipped the air cleaner cover. Sounded great!
@whisky8934 жыл бұрын
Came across this video randomly on the home feed, recognised you're voice straight away, as if you've got a car chanel. This is awesome!
@RightlyDividingToday4 жыл бұрын
Same here
@zackh.59784 жыл бұрын
Such a great car. Congrats on your dream car. Mad respect for your commitment and dedication to the car.
@garyliali25484 жыл бұрын
Thoroughly enjoyed your video. Great car you have there. Not many good ones here in Australia.. I love how you slowly improve the details. I think that is so important for us car enthusiasts. Looking forward to the next video 👍
@James-dtexTexas4 жыл бұрын
I had a 78 Transam limited edition Desperado. Same car except for the decals on the lower portion of the doors and a few factory performance parts in the engine. Back then , I added a B&M Transpack to the transmission and swapped the rear axle from a 68 Camaro that I used nickel welding rods to weld the spider gears giving the car positive traction. In the day , it was a screaming demon street car. Loved it! I even had the exact same interior as this car. My factory paint was a metallic charcoal gray. Thankfully, I didn’t have the T- tops.
@ssjwes4 жыл бұрын
5:00 I don't work that way, I'm a procrastinator. I work on the things I won't notice daily first and leave the things that bug me for last... Just gives me motivation to keep working.
@darrellkidd51774 жыл бұрын
Your car looks really good! I totally admire all of the work you're doing; I'm pretty OCD about those little things too. I have a '77 Trans Am, Y82 (Special Edition, aka "Bandit" version), numbers-matching car, and a garage full of parts. I'm slowly (very slowly) replacing things, and can't wait to get it back on the road some day soon. Keep up the good work, and keep us informed on your progress.
@davidp28884 жыл бұрын
I had a 1973 Firebird and my father had a 1977 Bandit clone (Formula, not T/A). They leaked, they were gutless, they had horrible blind spots...but man they were beautiful. Great video!
@wendellrountree48994 жыл бұрын
I have a 79 thats nocturn blue and I love it, I'm in the process of putting in all new interior, some mechanical, and I'm doing touch ups on the body and painting it.
@BobBasshead4 жыл бұрын
Back in 79 I special ordered a TA at a dealership that my father was a mechanic. The first thing my father told me was NOT to order T-Tops that eventually they Will leak. I ordered just about everything but the T-Tops and A/C or a radio. I also ordered the same engine that you have, the Oldsmobile 403 because it was reliable and could take a beating as I did at Englishtown Raceway Park. It did a best of 15.00 on street tires, could have used slicks because the shitty Uniroyals that cane with the car were bad on wet roads even worse at the track. Being in New Jersey I modified the Q-Jet carburetor, recurved the distributor, removed the catalytic converter, opened up the hood scoop. It's funny that you showed the cracked spark plug, that must have been the one on the passengers side up against the firewall, it was a bitch to get to! Unfortunately my ownership of my TA was cut short, only two years. I was a sheet medal mechanic in a very small company that went bankrupt, was out of work and couldn't make the payments so I sold it to some chick. She paid the car off at the GMAC finance department and I got $450 from her.😭 Needless to say this really sucked, I bought a 1967 Chevy Nova two door from a friend of mine, it had a lot of potential but never did anything to it. BTY I put the catalytic converter back on when I sold it.
@da-veteran38422 жыл бұрын
Thanks of rthe video. I have a 1977 T/A in need of restoration. This video gives me a start on restoration.
@diecastsixtytwo27514 жыл бұрын
Fantastic car! It's a 42 years old car and bound to need a some work but it looks great! Thanks for the video!
@NikateeN4 жыл бұрын
Very nice! I’ve owned a few 4th gen Trans Ams, obviously very different than these 2nd gens, but the TA has always been one of my favorite cars from 1st to 4th. Despite being such a popular and beloved model, we don’t see many of these on the road anymore. In fact, I see more 1st and 4th gens than anything else. Congrats on the car! These ones are getting harder to find!
@hunterellis89864 жыл бұрын
I really enjoyed the quick overview, reminds me of why I don't do work like that anymore.... Thanks Winston 😁
@billhartnett64134 жыл бұрын
No way did you get ripped off. You bought a piece of Americana auto history & all the problems that come with it. This is your passion so follow it, don’t ever let it go & bring the subscribers & Patreon supporters along for the ride every step of the way in your journey.
@dublindave57954 жыл бұрын
It's amazing how much money goes into just little plastic parts. you'll be spending forever....Nice work. Its funny that some of those parts you changed are what caught my eye in your first video of this car.
@Sponcek4 жыл бұрын
Please show us all little details, for us that enjoy little things in life its great to see :) Also, addicted to your channel Winston, keep on uploading, with every upload you make my day :)
@MickPsyphon4 жыл бұрын
Good to see that you're going to stick with it; and make it the car of your dreams, Winston! Seriously, the '78 Firebird Trans AM is an iconic vehicle. Any of them that were well maintained are just good cars to drive. As for them being "gutless", you need to keep in mind that there were different drive train options. I grew up in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada, where GM Canada Head Office is. There were three auto plants there at the time. Trans AMs and Camaros were so common, I took them for granted as being ubiquitous. If your car had the Chevy 305 engine, it only came out with about 155 HP. It wasn't tuned. It was just a basic engine, which had the potential to be tuned. Others came with the Pontiac 400 with the 350 heads. Those bumped it up to 230 HP, which was considered a lot, in the 1970's. Since you want to keep this as your personal dream car for good, I highly recommend that you simply replace the current engine with a crate engine. Not only will it last much longer than the original engine, it won't break down nearly as much; and you have the option of crate engines that can provide upwards of 300, or 400 HP. Yes, they'll be a bit pricey, but if you do the math you'll find that projected (realistic) repairs over the course of 10 years will add up for the original engine to well beyond what you'll pay for a decent crate engine; and you wouldn't even need to go to a 400+ HP engine. Just keep in mind that if you're going to replace the engine with something with a bit more balls, you'll want to either rebuild the original transmission, or (preferably) replace the transmission and gears altogether; and I'd even some modest suspension upgrades. You'd be looking at an under $10K investment, but you'll love the end product. Probably a long term project. You can find the crate engines online. Places like O'Reilly Auto Parts, or any number of well-known performance auto part supplier offer some good choices.
@serpentza4 жыл бұрын
I plan to do an engine swap but California laws prevent it unless I get the very expensive e-rod LS3 package which costs about 18k and then I still need to install it myself...
@shaunhicks854 жыл бұрын
Get any pre 1976 gas or pre 98 diesel car in california and you can do anything you want....
@MickPsyphon4 жыл бұрын
@@serpentza Too bad about that. What about getting the service done out of state? Would it change things if you _'sold'_ that car to a shop that can do the engine upgrade; and then merely _'sell'_ it back to you + the cost of the parts and labour? By the sound of it, I'll bet it's the Chevy 305 in there, now; and if their laws are that strict, you might be stuck with it.
@MickPsyphon4 жыл бұрын
@@serpentza Just a little something for those who really love this car: It earned its place in the hearts and minds of car enthusiasts from the movie, _"Smoky and the Bandit."_ If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. Keep in mind the fact that after the early 1970's, Muscle Cars were being phased out due to the alleged gas shortage _'crisis.'_ everyone was coming out with small block 6-cyl. and 4-cyl. cars, 99% of which sucked eggs! When Smoky and the Bandit was released, the popular demand for more muscle was stoked; and North American auto manufacturers started Ty respond to demand again, albeit mostly with economic muscle cars. It culminated with the Buick Grand National GNX in the 1980's.aside from a few minor efforts, here and there in the 90's, it wasn't until Dodge reintroduced the new HEMI vehicles, that muscle cars properly re-emerged.
@zyrabell693 жыл бұрын
Congrats on your dream car, it looks amazing, and I enjoyed your video. I'm going to test drive a 1977 for sale on Monday, so I'm pretty excited. I hope it's as nice as it looks in the pictures.
@ws678ta4 жыл бұрын
I have had 4 1978 Trans-Am's. Two of them were black S/E. I am surprised you were able to get yours smogged here in Commiefornia, but glad you did. I miss mine terribly. I do have a nice collection of Mopar muscle cars anyway.... cheers !
@MrOnemanop4 жыл бұрын
It's not a ripoff unless purposely misrepresented. Old cars need love, and everyone has their own idea as to what is a priority. If you are inspired to make it better, in whatever way, then it was a worthwhile purchase. I've bought new a couple times, and used/old well, lots! And I love them all. Now my son is learning what it takes to fix things up. More life lessons in used car repair than anything else either of my kids have undertaken.
@brianchase92514 жыл бұрын
Wow! What a project. I've "rebuilt" a few Jags in my lifetime, but nothing like that project. Nothing even close. You must really, really enjoy that kind of work.
@CrashTestPilot4 жыл бұрын
I love this car. Take your time and put the love into it.
@roberthill32074 жыл бұрын
You can never go wrong with a Trans Am... lots of work butt worth it... thumbs up stay awesome.
@davidrapalyea77274 жыл бұрын
Memories! I drove my 1984 Camaro Z28 HO 5sp for more then a decade. I call it my lost decade. Standing 14 mile 15.00 seconds. Road course was fun though! My last hot rod a recent Cadilac CTS V SPort twin turbo 1/2 mile drag about 140 mph. D
@CurtMortis4 жыл бұрын
Im late to this channel but its Good to see you making new content in the USA
@TheBabyDerp3 жыл бұрын
You are doing exactly what I want to do with an old muscle car. Got a 78 Granada project doing something similar.