Pontiac Trans Am

Pontiac Trans Am questions and answers

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Q: How many miles are too many on a used 1997 pontiac trans am?
I was wondering becuase im looking at buying a 1997 pontiac trans am with 80,000 miles on it for 7 grand. I was wondering at what total milage does it start developing problems? And if they would be simply fix it problems or major problems. Also about how many miles until it becomes a burden with repairs and wouldnt pay to have the car anymore because of alot of repair costs.

A: It almost totally depends on how it was driven and cared for by its previous owner(s). If it is a car known by its racy image, often it has been used and abused, so unless "Grandpa and Grandma" owned it since it was new, you may be buying a lot of problems. Get a very experienced, reputable mechanic to check it out thoroughly before you possibly wind up with a very large headache.

Q: What is a reasonable asking price for a 97 Pontiac Trans Am, Needs Engine 350 lt corv.?
I need to sell a 1997 Pontiac Trans Am. It needs a new engine. It is red with T-tops. It has ram air. I'm pregnant and need a bigger car. I just need advice on what to ask. It has good exterior and interior. The ext. is red with grey int. It had new tires when parked a year ago.

A: It's 10 years old, and the engine's bad, so I think it would be pretty dumb to assume it's in mint condition. I'd say $2500 to $3500, but really, you shouldn't be asking this without telling us anything about its condition. We can't give you any smart answer.

Q: what car has better perfomance pontiac trans am vs ford mustang?
im thinking of buying a 2002 pontiac convertible trans am 5.7 v8 ...will this car beat the ford mustang?

A: structuraly the convertible is the weakest platform to start with on either car. The TA will take the stang on the the straight line but like said earlier it wont even come close on a road course. The mustang also has way more aftermarket support and responds much better to them.

Q: What is a good exhaust system for a 93 Pontiac Trans Am LT1 5.7L?
I currently have a 93 Pontiac Trans Am LT1 and would like to get an exhaust system on it. However, I don't know much about exhaust systems for those cars but would like to get one on my trans am. Any information available would help. If anyone has gotten an exhaust system on there trans am or know of any good exhaust systems please leave me some feedback.

A: i have a custom true dual setup with custom Xpipe.here are some ideas and prices for your car.one note i would like to point out about your car,it is a speed density car so if you ever want to tune it you need a shop that does speed density cars.when i say tune it i dont mean spark plugs and wires.here is the link http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog/?action=vshop&vid=4&pcid=53 here is a link to look up specs on your engine http://www.hpsalvage.com/ i hope this helps

Q: Does anybody know how to change the front turn signals in a 1998 pontiac trans am?
I was trying to figure out how to change it, but gave up?What kind of gas would be better for a pontiac trans am? plus or super? i dont want to change the whole thing, i just want to change the right turn signal bulb.

A: I'm a professional autobody tech.I haven't worked on one for quite a while,but as I remember the only way to change the parking light assembly is by removing the bumper cover to expose it.GM does things like that often,making it very difficult to repair.But have someone else look at it to be sure Good luck.

Q: What year was the LS1 motor in the Pontiac Trans Am?
What years was the LS1 motor in the Pontiac Trans Ams? and was this the fastest manufacturer motor put into them? and at its peak how much HP?

A: 1998+ yes, it was the most powerful. Depending on trim (WS6 or TA or FF or camaro SS or camaro Z28), the Fbodies (firebirds+camaros=F-bodies) ranged from like 300-360 hp. The motor is wickedly easy to mod to 500+though.

Q: Heater Core Replacement on 97 Pontiac Trans Am?
About how much should I expect to pay for a heater core replacement on a 97 Pontiac Trans Am? I have a pool of coolant on the passenger side floor board, I am trying not to drive too far for the repair. I have had the radiator, water pump and hoses replaced about 2 months ago.

A: It's a fairly pricey repair....a good portion of the dash and some of the firewall components have to be removed to access the heater core. Expect to pay $250 in labor, another $100 - $150 for the core and $15 or so to replace any lost coolant. This system may also require the refrigerant to be recharged...not sure. Sounds fairly ridiculous I know....as a shop owner however I can tell you it's not an easy job. It takes 1 skilled mechanic 4-6 hours to replace a heater core properly in your car. The "hour" book shows 6.5 hours to replace it for your car....this is the time table that most shops reference when quoting a repair. If you want to save some money you can do it yourself. Buy the Chilton or Haynes repair manual ($20), the heater core, new hose fittings, etc and get to work. The manual will walk you through each step with pictures to help along the way. A day in the garage, maybe 2 and you should be able to do it on your own. If you're not mechanically apt at all then leave it be...you'll end up with busted dashboard pieces and a mess that will cost even more to repair! In the meantime you can cap off the lines going to the core. You should see them running into the firewall on the passenger side, disconnect them and slide an adapter between the 2 closing the "circuit". This basically just deletes the heater core from the flow of coolant, it will not cause any problems....just no heat. This is an option if you either A. don't have the cash to get it fixed right now or B. want to hold off and try to tackle the repair yourself over a weekend. Hope this helps!

Q: How do I find out the going price for my antique pontiac trans am?
I have a factory '81 blue pontiac trans am which is in fair condition, and I'm looking to sell it. Where do I find out the going price for it? Kelly blue books website only checks on cars from '88.

A: There are a bunch of really helpful, and really friendly forums that cater to 2nd Gen Trans Ams. You'll need to post some pictures. I think you'll find folks are pretty friendly about that question, although it gets asked a lot. There's transamcountry.com, 78ta.com, performanceyears.com, and maybe some more. In general, 1981 Trans Ams in fair condition probably would be about $3000 to $5000. It depends on what "fair" condition means to you, though. Pictures really help.

Q: Where can I buy the original stereo for a 2000 Pontiac Trans Am?
I bought a Trans Am on which both the stereo and the stearing wheel buttons don't work. I am looking for the originals, so as to replace the ones I have. I searched for the originals through sites that sell used car parts, however I haven't been able to find a site that includes stereos and stearing wheels.

A: you can still order these through a dealer or maybe find a good one at a salvage yard for it,if you want it new a dealer can order it ,but they cost a few hundred for the originals ,through a salvage yard maybe 100 bucks,big difference in price ,good luck.

Q: Is there an HID conversion kit for the 2000 pontiac trans am?
Where can i find an HID kit for my 2000 trans am WS6?

A: Search ebay they have them for almost every car and there a ittle cheaper. I have bought many kits and they have all worked great.

Q: Is there a significant performance difference between a ls1 Pontiac Trans Am and a ls1 Pontiac Firehawk?
SLP claims that the Firehawk is more powerful than a Trans Am. Is the difference in performance of the two vehicles noticeable?

A: T/A 305 hp at 5,200 rpm; 335 ft·lbf (454 N·m) SLP Firehawk 330 hp (335 after 2000, 345 in late 2002 models equipped with the optional Blackwing intake.) I've ridden in,drove and tuned the pcm's in both. I wouldn't pay a large premium for a firehawk over a T/A unless your wanting a collector or something. The firehawk is a T/A with bolt ons and a tune. Buy the T/A and spend the cash you save on the bolt on's you prefer instead. Firehawk is a sweet car though,if the difference was a couple thousand and they were both clean I would buy the firehawk over the T/A IF I had the money to burn anyway. just to be different.

Q: Would you recommend a Pontiac trans am as a first car?
I am not sure if I would like to get a 90's- to 02 trans am and i am not sure if they are reliable buying them used. I would really like having a V8 engine rather a V6 are they good first cars, and are easy to drive? How about the older generations is it a good daily driver?

A: The Trans Am cars were always among the best of GM's offerings. The late fourth generation cars (1998 to 2002) with the WS6 package were really spectacular. A slightly de-tuned Corvette LS1 engine, which could be tuned to outrun a stock C5 or earlier Corvette (unless you run into a Z06 from 2001 and later). The downside to the F-body in the fourth generation is that it is extremely difficult to service. Most of the work has to be done from under the car. The engine sits about halfway under the dash, so changing spark plugs is best done under the car. You pretty much need to remove the engine from under the car, rather than out the top. I drive a C5 Corvette, so really like the GM cars with the LS1 engine. They get good gas mileage for what they are, and seem to be a long-lived engine. But the maintenance on the F-body cars was one of the reasons they were dropped from production, while the Mustang remained. (Full disclosure - I also drive a 1969 Shelby.) The Mustang is an easier car to maintain - thus the tuners like them. In terms of ease to drive, if you're a good driver, with a lot of experience with high power, they're good. If you're a relative novice, you can hurt yourself badly. There is a load of power, and not all the sophisticated electronics found in the C5 Corvette. They have an affinity for trees, telephone poles, guard rails, and swapping ends. Not a defect - just a demanding car. I also have a 1984 WS6 Trans Am. It's a great car, and not too over-powered (okay, by today's standards, an Acura is more of a muscle car). It isn't as hard to work on, and has run really well, but parts are getting hard to find. That's the third generation. A good daily driver? With gas having hit nearly $5.00 per gallon in the recent past, I'd have to say no, unless you're really in the chips. A recent Pontiac Grand Prix has about the same power as the 1984 WS6 Trans Am, gets good mileage, and parts are available. My son has the WS6 staked out, but drives an old Swedish car (Saab) that gets about 30 MPG on a daily basis. He's an auto technician, so an old, funky car doesn't bother him too badly. But if you can only afford one car, don't get a high powered big engined one. I did that when I was 20 (the Shelby, way back when Richard Nixon was president). I survived, and only spun it into a ditch once, but even then, the gas and maintenance kept me broke. And I had a good job - the equivalent of $24 per hour today - as a professional driver.

Q: What are the speaker measurements in 1994 Pontiac Trans Am?
I know that there are 10 speakers on the 25th Anniversary Trans Am, I just don't know what sizes they are. Does anyone else know? Thanks!

A: Front doors use a 5-1/4" But with a bit of trimming you should be able to fit up to a 6-3/4". Rear seat side panels use a 6-3/4". If you have a factory 10 speaker system, then the far rear speakers are 4".

Q: What engine can I put in a pontiac Trans Am 85' to replace the 305?
I've got a Trans Am 85' with the V8 305 and I would like to swap to an engine with between 350 and 500hp, what can be the best choice? Thank You

A: Any small block chevy engine would be an easy swap. Almost bolt in swap. 262-400 will fit... The 350 or 383 stroker will be good ones If your 500HP goal is real then start modding everything on the car and forget about the engine for awhile. I had 505 HP in my 1988 (now closer to 600 hp, aint got it on the dyno yet) I broke 2 rear ends, cracked the driver's side B piller/sail panel, twisted the car bad on launch, couldnt touch throttle at any speeds with out the rear tires breaking loose. I now have over $16,000 into the car, but car dead hooks, with the 505 HP engine ran 11.40's @ 118, 1.60's 60' time, lifted front wheels 4-6" off the track on launch Spohn sub frame connetors S&W 10 point roll cage Just to stop the unibody flex Moser ford 9" rear end, with detriot locker Th-400 transmission (which I done had to have rebuilt once 3 years ago), 9.5" 3500 stall converter Jegster adjustable torque arm Spohn adjustable LCA's, panhard rod, LCA brackets KYB AGX adjustable shocks Moog iroc rear springs, v6 front springs Air lift drag bags in rear springs Nitto 555R 275/60-15 drag radails in rear on 15x8" wheels 31"x19" alum 2 core aftermarket rad 2 transmission coolers 2 speed elec fan Mildon high flow water pump Just to keep the engine under 210* 172 gph mech. fuel pump, with a 35 gph uni elec pump in rear as a helper pump. 3/8" fuel lines (stock on most of these cars are 5/16") I may have to upgrade to 1/2" supply line with my new engine combo Harwood fiberglass hood with 4" cowl scoop just to fit my intake/carb/air filter under the hood

Q: Axle movement in a limited slip differential on a 2nd gen Pontiac Trans Am?
I have a 2nd gen Trans Am with a 2.41 limited slip differential. there is movement in the ends of the half shafts: I have removed the diff cover, and the C clips and the grooves on the half shaft do not appear very worn. Is this movement normal? Will oversize C clips reduce this movement? And is this movement a bad thing?

A: if you are speaking of in and out movement, this is normal. it should have movement up to a 1/16 of an inch. this allows for expansion of the metals in the rearend. hope this helps