Joe purchased his Trans Am 15 years ago from his best friend Tony, only one month after he purchased it from the original owner in Brooklyn. The Trans Am was hurting, the body and interior were in good shape but the engine was smoking and the Transmission was slipping. And in Joe's words, "That's how it started, there is not a bolt left unturned." Over the years he has been restoring it and enjoying it at the drag strip and around town. And even though it's not the same year Pontiac - Joe's TA would make Burt Reynolds mustache blow off back in the good ol' Smokey The Bandit days!
The car currently has a 400 engine stroked to a 461. Most of the internals are from Nunzi's Automotive in Brooklyn. The heads are Edelbrock 72cc's and the machine work was done by long time friend Dave Williams of Williams Engine in Freeport. The assembly and head work was done by Joe himself. The transmission is a turbo 350 with full manual valve body built by Eric Schertz. The converter is a 4500 stall 8" by Pro-torque rear end is a 10 bolt from an 80' Trans-am with disc brakes with 3.90 gear set, posi unit & c-clip eliminators built by Joe. The intake is a prototype Northwind by Kauffman. The carb is a 950 cfm built by AED.
All the original sheet metal and most of the interior is in great condition. Joe tried to keep those parts as stock as possible. But, Joe says, "don't sleep!" His Trans Am has run in the 10's off the foot brake! And for 3700 lbs. - that's not bad!
Joe has been Drag Racing since a teen and has over 18 years experience in automotive work in a machine shop through high school and is currently building Chevy engines as well as Hot Rods and Turbo Buicks. Clearly, what Joe has learned and did over the years has paid off right into his Trans Am. Not only a serious running car, but super clean with combinations unlike any around the area.
Joe's future plans for his Trans Am is to enjoy it and preserve it. Maybe someday he may restore it back to stock, but who knows for sure. All we know is, Joe will never get rid of this car! And with his Trans Am tattooed on his arm, we believe it to be true.
A great, knowledgeable guy with a really cool Trans Am is what we think of Joe! See more pictures of Joe's ride in our News & Announcements section and talk to Joe today in our Members section - nutjob1976
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