Old Trans Am Kill

[turbo39151]

As a continuation of my previous posts... Most of this stuff happening back in '91-93 with my first TR an 86 T-Type.

On one of my regular jaunts to the beach, I'm rolling with 4 other people in the car. As we're cruising along this stretch of road, we come up on a late
70's Trans Am. I think it was a Bandit edition. I could see a huge chrome plated rear end and these monsterous tires out he rear. I though to myself that there is no way I'm gonna be able to take that car especially loaded down with 5 people in the car. As we pull up to a light I look over and see the shaker scoop. Ugh- not the 6.6L engine. That's the big one! I just know I've got no chance...

Of course this is the time when my friends start telling me to take him out. I express my doubts but they continue to push. AS we're at the light I look over again and the guy gooses the throttle and an invitation. I finally give in and figure at least when I loose, it'll be to one of my all time favorite cars...

I nod to the guy and when the light turns we hit it. My t-type happened to be a peg leg but with all of the people in the car there was no problem hooking. I pulled away from the guy like he was standing still. I mean, I was totally shocked that I handled the Bandit like he was in a geo metro. We didn't go too far as I'm always paranoid about going too fast for too long on the public roads.

After the beating, the guy was waving me to pull over so we did and started to chat. He nearly passed out when I told him it was a 6 cylinder. I even opened the hood to show him... He left the scene in total disbelief... His girl thought wasn''t terribly thrilled either.

Needless to say, I have yet to buy my Bandit edition trans am. Everytime the I get the itch, I go out to the garage and smile and my itch is gone.

 

[chadly]

Nice Kill! I too love the bandit cars. A friend of mine had one. If I remember correctly it was a 74 with a big block. He called it the super duty. Wasn’t that a 455? Any way he took me for a ride and when he speed shifted from first to second I thought the dash was going to explode. The car went sideways and the tires just melted. Since then I’ve always thought those cars were cool.

 

[turbo39151]

Yeah the 455 was the big one. I always thought they were faster... Have you seen the new "year one" Bandit? Very nice, very pricey...

 

[BlackoutDrunk]

super duty's and the "bandit" cars are different. Super Duty's had 455's and were awesome cars that could be made pretty strong with only a couple of mods. Most of the "bandit" T/A's were 6.6's which were olds 403's. The 403's were not that great of engines being choked up with emissions crap.

Pontiac Firebird - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[turbo39151]

I stand corrected. Still slow though

 

[TurboBuRick]

I had a 1978 Trans am w a 1972 super duty 455 H.O. right before I bought my GN. I had 10g's wraped up in the motor. I spaired no expense. Even put a Richmond 6 speed trans behined it. I was so dissapointed with that car. Where the hell is frickin power? Funny thing is, the guy who built the motor and everyone who rode in it, thought it ran good. Let me tell ya, any decent running 5.0 rustang would take that car out. A decent running stock GN would kill it!

 

[BlackoutDrunk]

I had a 1978 Trans am w a 1972 super duty 455 H.O. right before I bought my GN. I had 10g's wraped up in the motor. I spaired no expense. Even put a Richmond 6 speed trans behined it. I was so dissapointed with that car. Where the hell is frickin power? Funny thing is, the guy who built the motor and everyone who rode in it, thought it ran good. Let me tell ya, any decent running 5.0 rustang would take that car out. A decent running stock GN would kill it!

hmmm slow 455? must of been the loose nut behind the wheel?

j/k man. I would of loved to of seen that car I like those old T/A's a lot.

 

[02WS686GN]

My buddy has 3 late 2nd gen Trans Ams. 2 of them are Bandit editions. One is stock, the other one is modified. I'm a huge fan of them but the '75-'81 models weren't anything to write home about. The 6.6L engines either came as the 185hp 403 Olds or the 185-220hp (depending on year/version) Pontiac engine. All of which would be an easy kill for even a bone stock '86-'87 TR.

Comparing a 455 SD engine to what they put in the later 2nd gen T/A's is like comparing an '87 GNX to a '78 Regal Turbo. The ONLY years the SD455 engine was made was '73-'74, not to be confused with the '71-'72(300hp LS5) and '75(200hp L75) 455 H.O. The SD455's ran low 13's stock and they were rated at 310hp(net) in '73 and 290hp(net) in '74, with no real changes to the engine to speak of. Which as you all know, is stock GNX/TTA territory. As a matter of fact, the SD T/A's were the fastest Trans Ams ever produced until the 20th ann. TTA showed up, which then it was basically tied with..

 

[BOP4ever]

I love my GN.. but I know so many 2nd gen birds that are solid in the 12's 11's and even 10's it ain't funny. Some are slugs.... but they are getting more rare by the day with all the after market support.
Good kill...anyway though !