1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

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kavesh
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Location: Pietermaritzburg

Re: 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

Post by kavesh » Thu 13 Jul 2017, 08:41

Congrats Piet, you have restored her in really quick time.

With regards to the amber double contact bulbs, I have also hunted for it and all I was able to find was the clear ones. Let me know if you find them.

I wonder whether the clear bulbs can have some type of transparent amber paint sprayed over it? :?:

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IndianaJones
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Location: Citrusdal, RSA

Re: 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

Post by IndianaJones » Thu 13 Jul 2017, 08:50

pietpetoors wrote:
Thu 13 Jul 2017, 08:14
where in South Africa can I find amber double contact globes.
Have you tried a GM garage, they usually are AC Delco agents...
http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php ... 05&jsn=420

But it the picture is correct, Autozone should have...
http://autozone.co.za/products/categori ... ber-globe/

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pietpetoors
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

Post by pietpetoors » Thu 13 Jul 2017, 09:06

Jislaaik Ben jy is 'n stêr.
Het Autozone gebel, outjie het weer vir my gesê hulle het nie en almal soek dit.
Gee toe vir hom die kode op Autozone se web site en wragtag waar daar het hy sommer van dit in sy rak.

Great, dankie.
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow!

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pietpetoors
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

Post by pietpetoors » Thu 13 Jul 2017, 19:06

Took her for a spin around the block today. Except for noisy tappets she runs well.
Sounds awesome, especially when the turbo starts to sing. Image
This was the first time in probably 15 years the car drove.
I now also sorted out the brake lights and indicator lights.

I did buy a Screeming Chicken and all the other stickers, but will only add them once I am absolutely sure all touch up and panel alignment have been done.

BEFORE - 2 Aug 2016
Pontiac.jpg
Before
Pontiac.jpg (279.23 KiB) Viewed 8813 times
AFTER - 13 July 2017
trans-am-turbo-1980 (Small).JPG
After
trans-am-turbo-1980 (Small).JPG (74.51 KiB) Viewed 8813 times
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow!

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Shaughn
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

Post by Shaughn » Thu 13 Jul 2017, 19:56

Awesome job.

Picard
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Joined: Mon 26 Sep 2011, 10:12

Re: 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

Post by Picard » Fri 14 Jul 2017, 14:10

Awesome job! Well done!

Picard
Posts: 140
Joined: Mon 26 Sep 2011, 10:12

Re: 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

Post by Picard » Fri 14 Jul 2017, 14:15

I wanted to ask if you did anything with the Leaf springs? Are you still using the original ones?
I think I need to replace mine, but have no idea who I can take the car to in JHB, who I would trust, to check it out.

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pietpetoors
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

Post by pietpetoors » Fri 14 Jul 2017, 18:56

I still have original suspension. Ask Darryl at www.mikemsuspensions.co.za , in jhb, him and his dad have loads of leave spring experience and he will give you honest advice.
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow!

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pietpetoors
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Re: 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

Post by pietpetoors » Tue 31 Oct 2017, 20:04

So everything did not went as planned, seems like I had to learn some valuable lessons first.
The noisy tappet did not go away as I hoped.
Some of the guys on the Pontiac forum warned me and said that loose tappets will eat the cam shaft.
I did not think it was possible, but because the noise did not go away ordered a new cam, rockers and lifters anyway.

At first I wanted to just replace the cam and lifters. Then one ou toppie warned me and said that if the filings from the cam went into the oil it will eat my bearings.

So I drained a bit of oil and yes... there were plenty of metal in the oil and I decided to rather open the engine again.

One of the guys in Langebaan who knows american V8s very well and who also race on Killarney with a V8 told me the camshaft story is bogus according to him. His opinion is that there is only one thing that will eat the motor and that is incorrect oil. The area where the hydraulic lifters rub on the cam is a high friction area. On these engines you MUST use oil designed for Diesel engines as they are the only ones which still contains Zinc and provide enough protection.

Go Google it, it is very interresting. In the late nineties when goverments got obsessed with emission control, they ordered that some additives in oil being remove and Zinc was one of them. Then the americans all of the sudden experienced many engine failures on V8 engines. Now they all recommend either Diesel oil or additives to normal oil.

Another interresting thing about this V8 is that it does not have channels in its cam shaft. It depends on oil splattered from the crank to lubricate it. On most of the web sites they advice that when you fit a new cam you must follow the proper "run in" procedure; once you started the engine for the first time to keep it running at 2000 rpm for 20 minutes. That is because at idle there is not enough oil at the cam, apparently. They even supply a "run in lube" with the cam which will lubricate it the first couple of minutes. One guy said that in the olden days the guys put grease on the cam during a rebuild so that there is enough lubrication during the first couple of minutes.

Project was then halted for a month or two while a sulked, moaned, complained, cried, kicked myself and were busy with my work.

Eventually today I got time to pull the motor to see what the damage is.

The oil I drained was very thin and smelled like petrol. I presume during the time I was battling with the turbo, fuel got into the oil when it was running rich.
Also when I was battling with the turbo I always let it idle because of all the smoke I did not want rev it, and I guess if you read above this was one huge mistake.

Will strip the engine tomorrow.
pontiac-301-turbo (1).jpg
Pontiac 301 turbo
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Pontiac 301 turbo
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pontiac-301-turbo (3).jpg
Pontiac 301 turbo
pontiac-301-turbo (3).jpg (104.21 KiB) Viewed 8612 times
Only Dead Fish Go With The Flow!

Picard
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Joined: Mon 26 Sep 2011, 10:12

Re: 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo

Post by Picard » Tue 31 Oct 2017, 22:52

Shit man Piet....That's really bad luck there. School fees are not lekker.

I know the pain, as I now sit with a faulty gearbox that was supplied to me from Porky @ American Motorsports, who is not interested in sorting things out. Will do it myself.....properly.

Hope you get your baby sorted quickly.

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