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Hi all, just introducing myself. I'm 18 and just got my 1996 WS6 Trans Am a few weeks ago. I entered it in the Super Chevy Show at Memphis International Raceway a week ago and won Outstanding in GM Street and won the Young Stars class! I'm very proud of my car! Anyways, I'm looking forward to being a part of the forum. Thanks everybody!
Hey man... welcome!
You have got to show us some pics of ur WS6... we love pics!
Tell us about urself and ur plans for the car. What is already done to it, if anything... goals, etc.
Welcome aboard, and u found the right spot if u own an LTX.
Welcome man x2 on pics, throw in a couple of the 73 &74 listed in the sig too!
Ok I'll give you guys the backstory on the car, mods, and future plans. I'm a senior in high school and will be attending Mississippi State in the fall, so my parents decided to start searching for a car for me to take to school. Originally, my plan was to finish restoring my 73 Formula and just drive it, but we soon realized just how impractical that would be. When I was in middle school, my parents made a deal with me that if I got #1 in my graduating class, they would buy me a car (so long as it was reasonable). Around mid-February, the results came out and I was the Valedictorian. My parents asked me if I had any particular car in mind, and I told them I was thinking either a 93-97 TA or an early Datsun Z-car like a 280Z. Either way, we all agreed that it would have to be a manual. The TA was my first choice simply because my dad had two when I was young: a black 99 convertible automatic and an 02 CETA 6spd. Of course we differ on engine choice; I'm a big fan of the LT engines because they're different than what everybody is running now, the LS. The sound has a lot to do with it too! Anyways, they kept quiet about any car searching and what-not for a while, enough to make me wonder what was up. Of course I didn't outright ask them or harass them about it, as I decided to be patient. During that time, I did a LOT of research on the LT1 f-bodies and what mods they respond best to, as well as some Datsun engine reading. I figured that whatever I got would still be stock and I was already making plans for what modifications I would do over time. I decided that I would do a CC503 cam swap with all the necessary valvetrain components, install headers and a cat-back exhaust, and call it a day. Several weeks go by and I had been talking with my dad about that cam and how it was still manageable for a daily driver. We agreed that I could do the work as I've worked for a local machine shop as a summer job and built a few Chevy motors and my Pontiac 400. One evening he hands me his headphones and says listen to this car, it has that cam you've been talking about. He wanted to know if I liked how it sounded, and of course the answer was yes. I look up and my parents are both staring at me. I didn't know what to think until my mom told me that I just heard my car! Fast forward a few weeks and the car is in our driveway. I couldn't have asked for more! It was a WS6 6spd with 47000 miles. It already had the CC503 cam, 1.6RR, Comp Cams beehive springs, pushrods, Pacesetter long tubes and y-pipe, and a Texas Speed Rumbler exhaust. It was perfect! 12 years of hard work had paid off!
I don't plan to do much else to the car as I want to keep it as a daily driver for quite a while. I need to put a better clutch in it for sure. The stock unit is starting to slip according to the previous owner, and I can feel it too. I plan to use the LT4 PP and a McLeod 261571 disc. I've read that it is a pretty good combo for keeping the stock feel but increasing holding strength. The previous owner also told me that he had it tuned only so it would live with the cam better, but he didn't get it power tuned. He said the tuning shop left it a tad rich to be safe, and on a cold start, I can tell! So a good tune is next on my list after the clutch. Power-wise, I think 350rwhp is pretty reasonable to shoot for. Besides that, I might go with 4.10 gears but I'm still on the fence with that idea. As for suspension, I like the way it handles now, so I'll probably just install a strut tower brace. One thing I definitely want to do is put a set of C5 Vette wheels on it. The stock wheels look decent, but the car just needs that extra touch I think. Then I'll install the Ram Air stripes on the hood, I guess some call them Blackbird stripes. I might do the CETA mod to the tail panel too.
Attachment 32539Here is the pic of me after the Super Chevy Show with the TA
Attachment 32540I took this one yesterday at a local park. Sorry for the poor quality! My iphone camera has a crack in the lens.
Both the 74 TA and 73 Formula are projects in progress. The TA is a numbers matching, 48000 mile 455 Auto car. The 73 was just a roller when I bought it with plans for a daily driver. I'll restore the TA back to original and might make the 73 a bracket car. I don't have any pics of the 74 on my phone, but here's one of the Formula.
Here's a video of the 74 idling: https://youtu.be/YRn44v_uxao
The WS6 idling: http://youtu.be/3PYru1pTfrE
Another, but it sounds a lot deeper for some reason: http://youtu.be/BE15HPSQTLc
Welcome to the community, nice ride, congratulations on the award.
Are your parents looking to adopt, I finished top of my class at UTI. :lol:
Which C5 wheels are you thinking of.
Welcome aboard man. I have to say that is a doggone awesome story of how you landed in the WS6. Way to go.