Alright a buddy of mine keeps talking smack...
That he would smoke me with his 70's model trans am?
Well I would like to think differently... We'll first of all i know
the Trans AM is a v8 and so forth and well the v6 isn't what it use to be... at least the 2005 model...
Trans AM:
As far as I know stock & not in the best of shape

2005 Mustang:
Dual Exhaust, Brenspeed Tune, and K&N CAI

Heads up in the quarter what do you think?
Heads up in the long run what do you think?

I know the newer model Trans AM would stomp me in the ground without having more power, but these older models? I think i might have a chance? what is your input... I mean if we race, we race for fun, ntohing more... i like the feel of Adrenaline.

 

It all depends on year and engine/transmission option of the T/A

 

Yeah, how early '70's? Some of the very early 455s were quite fast, especially the SD (Super Duty) 455, which was very conservatively rated at around 290hp if I recall but put out significantly more. Even the T/A 400s of the mid and late seventies were fairly quick, for the day at least, able to just dip into the high 14s on a good day. They didn't have a lot of peak power, but the powerband was verrrrrrry wide.

So really, we'd need some more specifics, unless it is a rare SD 455, in which case, he's smoke ya.

As for handling, no contest. The T/A was very good for its day, appropriate given the Trans Am road racing name, but that day was a long time ago and the current Stang, while perhaps not state of the art, is certainly far advanced from a '70s-era T/A.

 

only one way to find out...

at the track of course...

 

We had a '70 Firebird Formula that I'm pretty sure would smoke my GT.

That thing was crazy fast bone stock and only lost once to a '68 Camaro that was heavily modified and running nitros. It was in the bag until the NO2 was factored in. The dude just screamed by from over 10 car lengths back.

What those cars would be worth today... who cares! We were young, stupid, and racing in the streets. I'd rather have the memories.

 

A friend of mine has a '70 Firebird Formula... 345hp gross (oh really?) 400 Poncho V8... M21 4-speed, 12-bolt Posi rearend.

Still bone stock the car runs 13.60 @ 100+ mph right off the street, all day long, and has been dynoed at 310hp at the wheels. The car with him in it weighs 3600lbs.

Put some tires like a new GT has on it and it'll do 13 flat, I'm sure.

 

what kind of horsepower were the formula models making in the mid to late 80's? i've got the same situation this kid at my school has got a 85-89 firebird formula that talks alot of smack and he wan'ts to race my 68 mustang with a 351W. power was substatially down my the 80's was it not?

 

Unless he has the turbo 20th anniversary, call his bluff.

 

+1, those TTA's are crazy fast. Faster than the vettes for sure and i think about on par with the GNs.

 

see... that is the problem... If I even bring it up around him.. he gets is panties all in bunch and gotta listen how his would beat the crap outta mine.. blah blah blah... so I'm afraid to ask any details on what year/model & such. he told me but bad memory... and I wouldn't mind to race him... it's just he keeps sayin he wants to race for pinks... which I wouldn't do even in the first place... i'd feel bad if I won... lol

 

Kiss his a$$ a little.
Tell him you are interested in his car and you know you can't beat it.
Find out what he really has. He will be happy to tell you all about how great his ride is.
Tell us what he has for real and we can tell you if he is a BS guy or not.
That's what it sounds like you want to know.

 

man why do ppl bs? people should just be straight up about it.

anyways the only to find out is to race him right?

 

well see I wouldn't mind racing him... I don't race b/c i think my car is the baddest... i race b/c i enjoy it.. nothing more... but he only wants to race for pinks...he is cocky... a typical college football player lol

 

He wants to race for pinks cause he watched fast and the furious too many times and he thinks thats 'how they do it on the streets'. And hes bluffing, cause he knows you dont want to race your $20,000 car against his car thats probably worth 3 grand.

 

Early '70s TAs, provided it's a pre-cat model, are worth QUITE a bit more than 3 grand... it's it's got a 455 or even a 400 4-bbl and no rust, decent paint, etc. it's probably in the five-figures already.

 

The other thing to be aware of is most of the 70's Trans Am's are big blocks, they are all gonna have a ton of torque, which helps them on take off. Even the Olds 403's they put in them had around 330 lb ft of torque stock. The fastest late seventies cars were the ones with the W72 400 Pontiac engines, I think they were rated at 220 hp and around 320 lb ft of torque. Their stock quarter mile times were in the mid to high 14's with around 7 second 0-60 times. Keep in mind those times are for the *stock* setup and those engines respond pretty well to small things like opening up the shaker hood scoop and better exhaust. They'll launch hard because of all that torque but can run out of wind real quick if not tuned well. The cars that say "TA 6.6" on the shaker are the 400 Pontiac equipped cars, and the "6.6 Litre" marked cars are the Olds 403 motors. Neither are bad engines but the Pontiac 400 is the one most sought after. I'm not real sure about the V6 Mustangs 0-60 times or 1/4 mile, but the ones I've seen aren't too much different than some of the times I've seen for stock Trans Ams. I don't think you would do too badly against one, but they can be surprisingly fast. A good friend of mine had a 79 with a 403 in it, with a very mild cam and stock exhaust with the catalytic converter removed and he could easily keep up with 84 and 85 Mustang GT's, even at top speed. When racing it depended mostly on who got traction first.

I had a couple of seventies Trans Ams, one was a gold special edition I had to sell...man I miss that car. Would look nice in my garage sitting next to my GT :-).

 

I thought you guys might find this link interesting, has some vids of a very mildly modified 403 Olds powered Trans Am having some fun. Interesting information also on the link at the bottom of the page where the owner lists the few mods he made. Guess there's truth in the old saying "There's no substitute for cubic inches".

http://www.texastransams.com/article...403_racing.htm

 

In good shape thats true, but in the original post he saide its not in that good shape. which leads me to believe its kind of a beater.