This is my personal car I have owned for 12years. I restore TransAm's and early 70's Camaros but mostly TransAms. I have owned at least 250 TransAms and Camaro's . Usually I will retore them and within two years or sosell them. It has never been about the profit, just the satisfaction of a completed car that was most likely headed for the crusher ora garage ornament never to be driven regularly again. This particular car I purchased during my heyday when I was absorbed by the rarity and prominence this car demands. It was in primer when I purchased it. The previous owner owneda paint and body shop. He had the motor rebuilt and stated the motor was not bored just honed and re-ringed. This was not a buying point for me when I purchachased it so I took him at his word and never took a head off to check. The numbers matching block, heads, intake and NOS ($4500.00) carburetor are all present as well as the original exhaust manifolds, the transmission and shifter are original as well as the rear-end which has the 3.42 gears. I had the transmission completely rebuilt and a new clutch assembl was installed (still breaking it in). The dash and interior are near perfect. I just installed new carpet and OER sound deadener. The old carpet was perfect but faded in places. The body shows no sign of rust (never has) and the paint (9years old) looks new. I used NOS exhaust tips, parking lights and any small pieces that need replacing. Tried to to stay NOS or OER. The exhaust system is ran in stock fashion but with a flow master in place.
Here is what I do know.about the engine rebuild from my investigation. The timing chain has been replaced by a quiet gear drive, the rocker arms are roller with poly locks. The camshaft is solid and has a est.470 lift. The distributor is original with a petronix system installed. The car cranks everytime,runs great and shifts well. The front suspension has about 60 miles on it professionally rebuilt last year and drives like one from 1974. It does haveperformance shocks and newer radial tires, brakes work well and all lights and signals work correctly except for the reverse lights. Can't figure that one out. Happened after the transmission was re-built.
This car is and has always been a real 4-speed superduty TransAm. Factory color was red with black seats. There are a few improvements done in good taste and with engineered results there are small sub-frame connectors welded in. I could have removed them but it simply didn't make sense to take out an improvement. The quiet gear drive roller rocker arms and after market internal distributor parts all help keep timing and tension in check in an effort to make this super rare motor last many more years. It doesn't smoke, knock, tick it simply performs. The last improvement needed is to maybe add FM to the original AM only radio. It is installed but not wired in. All of the wiring is there but the AM was not something of interest to me.
This car could be taken completely apart and re-worked to be all original. In my mind it is perfect right now.most ofthose "stock" SuperDuty's you see for sale for $65k to $100k are in need of restoration. Not many cars from 1974 make a time warp orhavea time capsule around them. Their paint is faded or mismatched from touch ups or the motor is tired and compression is low in one or two cylinders. The seals and bushings are usuallydry rotte, no way around it and the owners or brokers are happier selling youthe carthan you are aboutbuyingit. I have kept this car in my garage for the past 12 years and haveenjoyed owning itevery day.
I have another 1974 superduty trans-am that is white with an automatic transmission with a royal bobcat rebuilt motor in restoration now and a 1971 and a 1972 waitingfortheir turn. If it wasn't for those cars I would not consider selling this one. Please call for moredetails. Nothing hidden from anyone. The way I would like to buy is the way that I want to sell. Please ask questions or call. Troy 910-279-0453. Thanks for taking the time to read this detailed description.