vic_V8

When my parents got married they bought a brand-new 78 Trans Am with a 400 and auto tranny. My dad said I would have had no chance against him, which he probably right (til I get some more mods). I was wondering what he probably would have run stock in the 1/4. He is always saying how the new v8s are to slow.

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late model 91 rs
fully loaded t-tops
red leather
paint- gm red and yellow blend (light red)
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305 tbi k&n,computer chip
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vic_v8@yahoo.com

smokin87iroc

it depends on what 400 he had. i think there were 2 versions. one that said "6.6 Liter" on the hood was faster (i think i may have them backwards) it ran like a 15 and the slower one said like "6.6 HO" and ran like a 15.7
they really weren't that fast, they were heavy and had horrible traction.
(someone correct me if i'm wrong)
Andrew

NJ SPEEDER

andrew is pretty much right. the 2 engines were the pontiac 400 and the 6.6HO which was actually a 403 olds motor. they were really just smog victim motors, low compression, old style egr(yucky), and allthe other stuff that made most late 70's cars forgetable.
the suspension isn't terrible for leaf springs.
i think you could give it a serious run for it, the power to weight would be close for the 2 cars. the t/a made have a launch advantage since it has a posi standard.

lata
tim

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Trainman

Basically everything was downhill from 1971 on until they started making some decent EFI motors in the 80's (darn few even then). A stock '78 pretty slow and don't let anybody try to con you otherwise.

5.0GTA

I have some corrections for ya'll. I had a '79 FIrebird before i got the GTA and i used to always read up on 2nd Gen T/A stats. In 1978 there were 2 different '400's. One was the '6.6 T/A' on the shakerscoop (W72 RPO code). This particular 400 was rated at 220hp. The regular 400 was rated at 180. Some pretty neat features went into making of a T/A 6.6. First there was the carburetion, fattened up slightly for little more oomph. Next was a bit more spark advance, giving the GM high energy ignition more oportunity to burn that fuel bonus. As any hot rodder knows, the camshaft is the lifeblood of performance and the T/A 6.6 had one with an additional 20 degrees of duration. To help finish the cycle, a new low restriction dual reasonator exhaust system was added, replacing the single muffler used on all other Trans Am's. ( The dual splitter tail pipes were also fitted.) To keep the oil pressure from dropping to zero on when turning quickly to the right or left, a windage tray was added. These items were in addition to 1977's compression ratio increase of 8.1:1 (versus 7.6:!) by bolting the 350's cylinder heads on the 400 engine. Just to make sure everyone knew you had a T/A 6.6, the callouts were affixed to the shaker and chrome valve covers completed the look. The other two engines in the line up were essentially carryover for 1978. The automatic only 185 horsepower (RPO L80) 403 cubic inch Oldsmobile engine was back (coded U2, U3, VA, VB ) and still the only engine California residents could order. The L78 Pontiac 400 was the base engine (coded YA or YU ), but now it's 180 hp could be combined with either an automatic or manual. To answer your question, it was reported that it took 15.2 seconds to cover the quarter mile, going through the traps at 93.4 mph. It could sprint from 0-60 in 7.2 seconds and had a top speed of 123 mph, a full 600 rpms over the redline of 5000. there...i think that covers it *gasping for air*




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1988 Pontiac GTA 5.0 TPI
-K&N Filter
-Hypertech Air Foil
-Hypertech Perf. Chip
-2.5in Flowmaster Muffler
-Catco Hi-flow Cat

15.32@88mph
2.077 60-ft.
Kills
94 Probe GT, 95 Mustang GT, 96 Impala SS, 85 Thunderbird 5.0, 95 Accord V6, 98 Integra VTEC, 70 Chevelle Malibu, CRX w/ Turbo and Intercooler (have it on tape to prove it)

Stormshadow GTA

ahhhh Trainman little do you know,,,,i think it was in 73 they came out with a new motor what was that,oh yehhhhhhh the 455 SD the motor that was said to have kept the muscle car era alive.that engine outperformed all the other Trans Am engines of that era even the 400 Ram Air IV and the 455 HO and it continued to 77 i beleive so you could say they went downhill after 77.The 400 and 403 were low hp engines but they had mad TQ.180 hp but 350ft/lbs.

Thank you come again

84TransAm

Don't know much about the 78 400 engines at all, but my friend has a 78 Trans Am with one type of the 400 in it. We drag raced, and i even bogged off the line, i caught up and had 1/2 length on him until we stopped racing (about 110mph or so). It was Stock 84 LG4 vs stock 78 400. Needless to say I was completely shocked my 305 held up so well. Now that I'm getting a new intake manifold and headers put on in a week or 2, I can't wait until we race again (he's still stock)

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--Steve S--
1984 Trans Am 305 LG4, 5 speed Daily Driver, Flowmaster 80 Series
Holley 600 cfm & vacuum advance Soon: Edlebrock Intake & TES

Trainman

OK smart guy

I will amend my comment "it was pretty much down hill after '71"

Check out:
http://www.prestage.com/cars/fastest_cars.asp

The '73 SD T/A was the ONLY car between 72 and 87 that made the 50 fastest list.

Stormshadow GTA

I don't think that site is all too accurate,they don't even have the Turbo T/A on there and it should be.