A pictorial history of the Jade TA Vert.
05-01-2006, 07:01 PM
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Car: 1992 Jade Green---Trans Am Converti
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
A pictorial history of the Jade TA Vert.
After some chastising from a few members about finding pictures of my car, I decided to go ahead a make a web page on it.
I proudly present "A Chronological History of My Car in Pictures"
I'm not one for real fancy web pages, so all you get is pictures and text. Anyone below broadband better go grab a sandwich. It's current as of right now, and will be updated as progress and pics happen.
Let me know if you have any questions about some of the stuff I did.
Kevin D.
I proudly present "A Chronological History of My Car in Pictures"
I'm not one for real fancy web pages, so all you get is pictures and text. Anyone below broadband better go grab a sandwich. It's current as of right now, and will be updated as progress and pics happen.
Let me know if you have any questions about some of the stuff I did.
Kevin D.
05-01-2006, 07:43 PM
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Car: 1989 Firebird
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: 5spd :)
Kudos
Man I can't give you enough compliments. I recently got into an accident as well and had to wiggle my way around having my car totalled. I can really appreciate the work that went into getting the car back on the road, not to mention all the customizing that has been done on top of that. I don't know your reasons for putting the money back into your bird ( I have a lot of sentimental memories over the past 2 and a half years in mine). I thinl we'd all love to hear why if ya got the time? -Chris
05-01-2006, 10:22 PM
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Car: 1990 IROC-Z (De-Badged-Carbon Hood)
Engine: Superram 383
Transmission: T-56 w/upgraded Viper Internals
Axle/Gears: 3.73 18x8 and 18x11 irocs
That is awesome man!
It gives me some hope that my car will be finished soon.
The car looks bad ***! I love the custom work to it.
It is very tastefully done!
Congrats on the great job!
Tommy
It gives me some hope that my car will be finished soon.
The car looks bad ***! I love the custom work to it.
It is very tastefully done!
Congrats on the great job!
Tommy
05-01-2006, 11:29 PM
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Car: 92 Precision Red Firebird
Engine: v6->357 vortec xe262h rpm intake
Transmission: t5-> t56
Axle/Gears: 10bolt 3.42s
GOOD LORD! thats a project and a half, its a beauty. that car is gonna haul some a$$ and look bad doin it. Awesome JOB!
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05-02-2006, 12:07 AM
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Car: 06 SRM M6 GTO, 98 Grand Prix GTP
I really underestimated the amount of work you put into that car. Looks amazing. I only hope that one day I can have that much initiative and drive to do that to mine!
05-02-2006, 04:51 AM
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Car: 85 Z28, 88 GTA, 68 Cutlass S
Engine: 305TPI X2 ;), Chevy 250
Transmission: T5, 700R4, powerslide >:(
Axle/Gears: posi, and posi w/discs :D.
Originally Posted by Gr89RS
Very nice bro, I enjoyed going through the page.. it makes me even more motivated to finish mine.
looks awesome mang
05-02-2006, 07:26 AM
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Car: '88 IROC-Z / '91 Z28 / '91 GTA
Engine: LT4 Hot Cam 305 / L98 355 / MR 383
Transmission: 5-spd / 700R4 / 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3:45 / 3:23 / 3:23
wow that is an insane amount of work! good job!
05-02-2006, 08:39 AM
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Car: 1984 Trans Am
Engine: GMPP 350 V8
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Great website, and great work on the car! I really like how neat and tidy you have made your car. Good job!
05-02-2006, 10:07 AM
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Car: 1988 Formula 350
Engine: L98 350 TPI
Transmission: 700-R4
When the time comes for me to redo the Formula, I will be probably using your site for examples and probably pming you alot. I really like what you have done with your car it looks simply awesome. It's not just one thing that sets it apart, it's the paint, cleanned up taillights, new suspension, LS1 and 6-speed, the interior, the cleanner look of the engine bay, and of course the wheels are truely one of a kind.
05-02-2006, 12:43 PM
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05-02-2006, 03:38 PM
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Car: 2002 WS6 A4
Engine: LS1
Transmission: 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 3.23
i just went outside and stripped the final parts of paint on the car...thanks to you. I recently got into an accident too and got real discourage with the car. Needs a new front end and hood but its all good now. Thanks for the inspiration
05-02-2006, 06:27 PM
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Car: Trans Am GTA
Engine: 350TPI
Transmission: T700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.45
Very well done. Anyone that has restored one of these knows the pain, blood, sweat and tears it takes. I take my hat off to you. You have gone above and beyond. :hail:
05-02-2006, 07:08 PM
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Car: 92 RS(sold) 1989 IROC-Z
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: ones that turn
love the car man that is probaly one of the nicest thridgens I ever seen..I always seen your car in your post, but I never knew you had that much stuff done to it. In all how much money, and hours did you put into that It looks so awesome thumbsup: 
05-02-2006, 09:30 PM
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Car: '92 Toyota Pickup
Engine: 22R-E
Transmission: 5sp Manual
Axle/Gears: 4:??
i enjoy your honesty when you said that you crashed talking about how to swap the T56 in haha.
Very nice job, I am thouroughly impressed by your motivation and fabrication skills.
Good job man.
Very nice job, I am thouroughly impressed by your motivation and fabrication skills.
Good job man.
05-02-2006, 10:59 PM
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are you going to use the 3rd gen door panels? or find a way to put in the 4th gen?
Anyway, this really really makes me want to swap in the 4th gen interior and T-56....would be a good summer project
Anyway, this really really makes me want to swap in the 4th gen interior and T-56....would be a good summer project
05-03-2006, 02:58 PM
#30
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Nice car, Kevin.
It's no secret I think this is the sweetest vert on the forum.
It's no secret I think this is the sweetest vert on the forum.
05-03-2006, 03:06 PM
#31
you did an outstanding job
05-03-2006, 06:17 PM
#32
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Car: 1992 Jade Green---Trans Am Converti
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Wow. Get busy for a couple of days and my post is on fire. I really appreciate all the comments, it does help. Especially when you want to cop-out on doing something the right way, because 'no one will ever know'..
I have sentimental memories to that year bird. First real car was a 92 firebird V6. Pretty much learned everything I know on that car, usually by screwing up, rushing through, or half-assin it. I 'was' going to keep it forever but when the engine blew after getting a pretty good new job, "new car" popped in my head. I wound up investing (sarcasm) in a 94 25th Anniversary TA convertible. Car looked great, got lots of compliments, even had a fast engine. I fell in love with the vert, but hated the feel of it. I just never felt in sync with the car. It's like a game; the car went where I told it but almost unrealistic.
So I decided to start the master plan. Get a 92 TA vert and do what I want to it...the right way. If I couldn't afford, something I would wait. If I didn't have the room, I would wait.. Sold the 94 and was going to get as nice of a vert I could, sinking the rest immediately into it.
I looked everywhere for 7 months, nothing was a good deal. I really wanted jamaican yellow, but that's pretty hard to get. I almost bought one for ~$10k with 23,000 miles on it, but I wouldn't have any money left over (and probably wouldn't tear up a low mileage car). I finally located one in Indianapolis, told the guy I had a return ticket, and he still lied. Wrecked, trashed, unknown engine... So $500 in plane tickets later I was back home. The night I got home this one popped up on auto-trader. I didn't want forest green, and the picture looked a little off. After some research I found out about the jade green. As rare, if not rarer then the jamaican yellow. Set everything up and flew the next weekend to BFE, Michigan. Drove it home and the rest is history. Only had the car 4 months before I wrecked it..
Kevin D.
I don't know your reasons for putting the money back into your bird ( I have a lot of sentimental memories over the past 2 and a half years in mine). I think we'd all love to hear why if ya got the time? -Chris
So I decided to start the master plan. Get a 92 TA vert and do what I want to it...the right way. If I couldn't afford, something I would wait. If I didn't have the room, I would wait.. Sold the 94 and was going to get as nice of a vert I could, sinking the rest immediately into it.
I looked everywhere for 7 months, nothing was a good deal. I really wanted jamaican yellow, but that's pretty hard to get. I almost bought one for ~$10k with 23,000 miles on it, but I wouldn't have any money left over (and probably wouldn't tear up a low mileage car). I finally located one in Indianapolis, told the guy I had a return ticket, and he still lied. Wrecked, trashed, unknown engine... So $500 in plane tickets later I was back home. The night I got home this one popped up on auto-trader. I didn't want forest green, and the picture looked a little off. After some research I found out about the jade green. As rare, if not rarer then the jamaican yellow. Set everything up and flew the next weekend to BFE, Michigan. Drove it home and the rest is history. Only had the car 4 months before I wrecked it..
Kevin D.
05-03-2006, 06:25 PM
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Car: 1992 Jade Green---Trans Am Converti
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Originally Posted by Mr. TurboTA
Looks good!
The new engine and interior looks killer!
So, how much total time in it for just the engine/interior conversions?
Good work,
George
The new engine and interior looks killer!
So, how much total time in it for just the engine/interior conversions?
Good work,
George
I'm not rushing it, usually only 1-3 hours during the week and about 8 on the weekend. I still work 40 hours and part cars on the side.
Kevin D.
05-03-2006, 06:41 PM
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Car: 1992 Jade Green---Trans Am Converti
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Originally Posted by 92RS(real slow)
In all how much money, and hours did you put into that It looks so awesome thumbsup:
I've got $5299.17 in receipts for stuff that's still on the car. $4000 paint and body. Easily $1000 in stuff I don't have a receipt for. $6500 price of car. The engine, both T56's, interior, rear end, all 4th gen stuff, etc came from cars I parted out. I made about $1000 over cost from insurance (yes they paid well).
So:
5300+
4000+
1000+
6500+
-7500
=$9300
Profit from selling the old stuff and the rest of two parts cars used in it is about $1000. So without taking time in to consideration, I'd say I have about $8300 in the car total.
I actually got pretty good at parting out cars, I'm working into doing it full time. I've currently got a 96 and 99 TA out front being stripped. (still have the LS1 and LT1 combos, wink wink, nudge nudge)
Kevin D.
----------
Originally Posted by fenton06
are you going to use the 3rd gen door panels? or find a way to put in the 4th gen?
Anyway, this really really makes me want to swap in the 4th gen interior and T-56....would be a good summer project
Anyway, this really really makes me want to swap in the 4th gen interior and T-56....would be a good summer project
All the tan plastic is going to be wrapped in vinyl that matches the new leather.
Kevin D.
Last edited by shr00m; 05-03-2006 at 06:45 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
05-04-2006, 04:44 PM
#35
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So have you finished the interior yet? I've only seen the pics of the driver seat inside the car on your driveway. How long was it from 'crash' to now?
And you are the man. I would've lost my patience long ago.
And you are the man. I would've lost my patience long ago.
05-04-2006, 06:21 PM
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Car: 1992 Jade Green---Trans Am Converti
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Originally Posted by BigWhiteGTP
So have you finished the interior yet? I've only seen the pics of the driver seat inside the car on your driveway. How long was it from 'crash' to now?
And you are the man. I would've lost my patience long ago.
And you are the man. I would've lost my patience long ago.
Kevin D.
10-07-2006, 01:39 PM
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Car: 1992 Jade Green---Trans Am Converti
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Finally updated the page with new pics. Still not finished but getting there.
Kevin D.
Kevin D.
10-07-2006, 10:08 PM
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Car: 1992 RS
Engine: 3.1
Transmission: Auto
you have incredibly way too much time to work on your car....in a good way. it looks absolutely amazing. kepp it up
10-07-2006, 11:34 PM
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Car: 89 Formula 350
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
You have done one incredible job after another on it. both the car and the website are very cool...Keep up the great work and I cant wait to see some more.
10-08-2006, 08:51 AM
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10-12-2006, 03:40 PM
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Car: 92 RS(sold) 1989 IROC-Z
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: ones that turn
I love your car it's one of the nicest third gen's ever
and great job on it im so jealous
and great job on it im so jealous 
01-16-2008, 08:20 AM
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Car: 91 R/S , 89 dodge p/u
Engine: L31 GM crate re-cammed , 318
Transmission: T-5 , 4 speed auto
Axle/Gears: 3.42 , ?
Re: A pictorial history of the Jade TA Vert.
the only comment i can make , that has not already been made . is that the pictures do not do it justice . i have seen it in person , it is a true work of art . fit and finish every where is Rolls Royce quality . i tried not to drool on it when i saw it . a true master piece .
01-16-2008, 06:51 PM
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Car: 86 Trans Am, 92 Firebird
Engine: 408 sbc, 3.1L of raw power
Transmission: TKO600, T5
Axle/Gears: Moser 9", 3:70 trutac, 3:23 torsion
Re: A pictorial history of the Jade TA Vert.
very very nice, i love it!
01-16-2008, 08:00 PM
#48
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Car: 1992 Jade Green---Trans Am Converti
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Re: A pictorial history of the Jade TA Vert.
the only comment i can make , that has not already been made . is that the pictures do not do it justice . i have seen it in person , it is a true work of art . fit and finish every where is Rolls Royce quality . i tried not to drool on it when i saw it . a true master piece .
As far as the wheels, they're Epsilon branded from Japan. Same design was used a lot in the late 80's, the 17x9.5 size I believe was primarily used on some Callaway Corvettes from 87-90. I actually found them from an ad on Camaroz28.com... Good luck in your search.
I really do update the site when I work on things, I just don't have time to work on it that much.
Thanks again for the compliments.
Kevin D.
01-16-2008, 08:18 PM
#49
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Car: 1985 Trans Am
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: 700-R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: A pictorial history of the Jade TA Vert.
were they pricey? i'd love something like that for my car
01-16-2008, 09:06 PM
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Car: 91 R/S , 89 dodge p/u
Engine: L31 GM crate re-cammed , 318
Transmission: T-5 , 4 speed auto
Axle/Gears: 3.42 , ?
Re: A pictorial history of the Jade TA Vert.
well kevin the little time i had to see your car last year in hattisburg was great . made my ( ******* mods. ) seem so small on my 89rs. . ( i am a proud ******* by the way ) anyway , many people can take inspiration from your fantastic vert. . hope to see you soon .