What: 1981 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am

Purchased:  June 18,1990 (pic above)
Wrecked: October 13, 1993
Restored: Started July 19,1999 ; Completed August 2, 2004 , New engine June 2008
Engine: TA Performance 3.8L Intercooled Turbo V6
Transmission:  Art Carr 200R4 Extreme Duty w/ Trans Brake
Torque Converter: Art Carr 3200 stall, Non-lock up
Rear End: 3.08, GM 8.5” 10 Bolt
Brakes: 4 wheel disc

    Some of the Work Done:

  • All body damage repaired (car was totaled after a little "meeting" I had with a BMW in 1993.  Car went into storage for 6 years).  No short cuts here - all new metal, no patch jobs
  • New doors
  • New passenger front fender
  • New rear quarter panel
  • New rocker panel
  • Any rusted metal was cut out with new metal mig welded in
  • New nose cone
  • New nose emblem
  • Sand blasted and re-sealed rear wheel housing
  • All new bushings, ball joints, and tie rods
  • All new rotors, calipers and brake pads
  • All new suspension - front and back
  • Everything that could be taken off the car was sand blasted and powder coated, including control arms, hood hinges, head light doors, sway bar, leaf springs (new), license plate holder & front and rear windshield moldings
  • Re-conditioned under-carriage
  • All new wheel bearings
  • New door and roof rail rubber
  • New trunk rubber
  • New wheel center caps
  • New scuff plates
  • New window felts
  • New gas tank & paired 255 lph electric fuel pumps
  • New gas lines
  • Interior is in very nice original condition
  • Ceramic coated TA Performance headers, cross-over pipe, downpipe
  • All new exhaust, Flowmaster mufflers
  • Body prepped, block sanded, primed and painted (original factory color GM paint code 21 – PPG 3205). 
  • Grilles removed and re-painted
  • Re-cored radiator
  • Reconditioned intercooler
  • New door handles & handle decals
  • New windshield
  • New transmission seals
  • New Spicer U-Joints
  • New 3.5" driveshaft
  • New RJC motor mounts
  • New alternator
  • New coil pack
  • New crank sensor
  • New battery
  • V6 powered Firebird frame pads (to mate with GN motor mounts). 
  • Electric fan
  • Needed electrical changes
  • Removal of A/C compressor, replaced with idler pulley (compressor hits driver side upper control arm)
  • Removal of and fabrication of  new heater box (a/c style leaves no room for down pipe)
  • Engine & Transmission oil coolers attached to front of radiator
  • Relocated battery to the trunk (needed the space where the original battery tray is located for the cold air intake)

 

     Engine & Transmission

  • TA Performance Off Center (Buick Grand National stock replacement) 3.8L Aluminum Block
  • Bored & stroked to 4.3L
  • 6 Bolt Mains
  • Champion GN1 Aluminum Heads, 1.900” intake, 1.600” exhaust
  • Custom Comp Roller Camshaft and Lifters ( 220/215 @ .531 intake & .517 exhaust lift, 112 lobe separation)
  • Cometic MLS Head Gaskets
  • T&D Shaft Rockers
  • Diamond Forged Turbo Pistons
  • K1 (Carrilo) H-Beam Rods
  • 3.625 Stroke 4340 Stroker Crank
  • BHJ Balancer w/Factory trigger wheel
  • Fully Balanced and Blueprinted
  • 9:1 compression
  • Precision 74mm Turbo - 74HPQRHPS
  • Turbonetics 1500 cfm Front Mount Intercooler
  • 84 lb/hr Injectors
  • Upper Plenum and 70 MM Throttle Body / IAC Relocation Plate
  • Big Stuff 3 SEFI System w/Buick GN Plug and Play Harness
  • Progressive Methanol Injection System
  • Art Carr Extreme Duty 2004R transmission
  • Art Carr 3200 stall non-lockup torque converter


    I would like to thank the following people and companies for their help with this project:

  • My good friend John Therrien of Barrie, Ontario (John has painted both of the cars featured on this site)
  • Ivan Martel, another friend from Hamilton, Ontario (Body work and tons of other stuff.  Ivan was the inspiration to make this car into a "Grand National" powered Trans Am)
  • Fred Armstrong of Vintage Automotive in Calgary
  • Body by Dave of Calgary (Final prep for paint)
  • Campbell Automotive of Edmonton (Engine build)