Zabo's 2000 Trans Am 'Phoenix' build thread!

[Zabo]

Like a phoenix risen from the ashes I've created this thread to document my car's rise from near death to show machine status.

The Patient on arrival. 4/2/11




Go-ahead given to rebuild. 4/18/11

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Donor Rear quarter from a worn out T/A




Picked these up 5/7/11. Came off a '99 Silver Formula. Guy put the tires on and probably only put maybe 20 miles before the car got parked for some engine building. Bought some WS6 wheels and wasn't going to use these, so sold them off when I put out an APB for PA6 wheels on LS1tech.com. Tires are Firestone Primewell PZ900s W rated.

[Revo1]

[98_Camaro]

Hm...

[Zabo]

Updated with pics of the 'donor butt' they sent and the quartet of silver painted beauties that I picked up today.

[Blueovalman]

The best of luck with you're restoration.
Do you have any other plans?

[redknight96]

Gonna be a very interesting thread.

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by Blueovalman

The best of luck with you're restoration.
Do you have any other plans?

Thanks.

Turns out the guy that sold those wheels, his two kids were college aged, and the one graduated Western the same year I did. Aviation Admin rather than Flight or Maintenance. He's got a 98 or 99 Hugger Orange Z and an '05 Goat. His brother has a 99 T/A vert and then there's that Silver Foamy and two chargers (440 and a 6 pack).

Quite the site pulling up there for wheels and seeing that garage full of F-Bodies.

As for other plans:

- Since the door is totaled I'm ordering new badges. I had planned to later so I'm ordering a pair of '98 Sport Gold Metallic "Trans Am" script logos to replace my Maple Red ones.

- Since the rear cover is toast, I'm getting a new one. Since it needs to be painted I'm doing the CETA mod right then and there.

- Filler panel is getting sanded down and blacked out, for later hand painted 'Bird' logo work.

- Drivers seat is also getting gutted and the guts swapped over to a new seat since the frame took flight with my fat ass in it. :/

- Shifter 'Belt' Mod as I call it, keeps the boot from going 'Pants on da ground' around the stick.

-Post Op plans-

- New Door panels due to the infamous crack (new panels will be de-stressed and modded/reinforced)

- Seats recovered due to dry cracking setting in

- Black Hurst ball shifter with Gold/Orange/Silver Hurst H Pin inlay

- Hurst Equipped Logo (Duh?)

- 5% Tint all around

- Sound system repairs

- Sport Gold Metallic pin stripe accents on the fenders, haunches, and a little nose and spoiler stamp work.

- Center caps are probably going bye bye for either custom caps or Bird Logos.

- Pacesetter LTs, Texas Speed Y Pipe, SLP LM1 Exhaust with 4" dual-dual tips - Tuned for emissions delete

- Finally, the car is getting SFCs and small suspension upgrades for improved ride/structural rigidity (for a T-Top)

The idea is to keep it low key and modest, but kind of envoke the special edition T/As of the 2nd gens with my own touch (Tossing around the idea of painting the LS block Pontiac Blue when I strip it down for a cleaning/overhaul). Guy that's working on the car right now is an insane pinstriper and painter. Eventually the whole car will be blended before the detail work starts.

[Zabo]

Update:

Floors sustained some serious damage in the crash. It's going to need to be pulled 3 times at least, once for the rear, once for the floor, and once for the right front subframe rail.

I'm not kidding when I say that I had to choke back tears seeing it as it was. Body guy knew too, he'd seen it before (he's done several wrecks, but laid it straight that this may be the worst). There's some good hard structural damage on this car.

Gonna keep on plugging, there's nothing keeping the car from coming back for sure (straight as an arrow and the like).. but god if I wasn't choking on my own heart right now. I couldn't and didn't want to take pictures of my baby like that.

Word to the wise children.. never race your daily driver. Never. No matter how much is at stake. It's never worth it to go through what I'm going through right now.

F**k.. tearing up right now just typing this. :(

[Bulldogwinters]

Originally Posted by Zabo

Update:

Floors sustained some serious damage in the crash. It's going to need to be pulled 3 times at least, once for the rear, once for the floor, and once for the right front subframe rail.

I'm not kidding when I say that I had to choke back tears seeing it as it was. Body guy knew too, he'd seen it before (he's done several wrecks, but laid it straight that this may be the worst). There's some good hard structural damage on this car.

Gonna keep on plugging, there's nothing keeping the car from coming back for sure (straight as an arrow and the like).. but god if I wasn't choking on my own heart right now. I couldn't and didn't want to take pictures of my baby like that.

Word to the wise children.. never race your daily driver. Never. No matter how much is at stake. It's never worth it to go through what I'm going through right now.

F**k.. tearing up right now just typing this. :(

[Milk 1027]

That really sucks. I'm so sorry. :(

[Zabo]

Not to mention, when he removed the door, the outer SMC shell actually fell off. Nothing but the pressure of the impact was holding it together. '

Didn't realize how hard I hit until now. And it hit HARD.

Then there's this rush job piecing/painting up a C3 for a guy and personal stuff going on for the body guy. As I said earlier about June.. I'll be lucky to get it before the end of July. Just keep finding shit that broke on it.

- Right Axle Half Shaft bent
- Trans Tunnel/Floor/Rear Seat Pans creased/bulged/warped
- Several sub frame welds popped
- Rear hatch cracked, and I'm not talking glass.. I'm talking the actual hatch.
- Original repair to the front of the car in '05 was done incorrectly, Core support showing signs of 'weeping rust' due to no primer and crap welds

Oh.. and the right side is an inch shorter than the left.. meaning the whole car traded a half inch of wheel base to either side. 105 vs 104 when it should be 104.5 at the measured points.

It's going to be a real rise from the ashes here. For all intents and purposes I should be scrapping her, but I'm 4 grand in and I might as well go for the Boston College Hail Mary pass. Never plan to sell it, so if any of the minor creases remain, I can always touch them up when I redo the interior.

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by Zabo

Oh.. and the right side is an inch shorter than the left.. meaning the whole car traded a half inch of wheel base to either side. 105 vs 104 when it should be 104.5 at the measured points.

that is most likely from the rear axle being "moved". probably stretched your left LCA and compacted your right LCA plus, your PHB is probably bent out of stock range.

good luck with it all. it'll be a labor of love thats for sure

[Blueovalman]

I'm sorry to hear of all that body damage I hope things work out for you.
It will take a experienced bodyman with alot of know how to reapir that
damage.I would start looking for a experienced and reputable body shop
to do you're body repairs.I think it can be fixed though!

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by Blueovalman

I'm sorry to hear of all that body damage I hope things work out for you.
It will take a experienced bodyman with alot of know how to reapir that
damage.I would start looking for a experienced and reputable body shop
to do you're body repairs.I think it can be fixed though!

I've got a guy with over 30 years experience on it, and on top of that he lives just down the street from me. So while I trust him, he also knows that one of his clients is living just down the street and can pay him a visit..

In all seriousness though, I went to highschool with his kids so we know them pretty well (his family that is). First guy I thought of when I hit the wall.