Received an interesting trade offer.

In reply to SilverFleet:

Thank you!!! The owner claims it's a W72 with the 6X heads and that the engine has been rebuilt, but he sounds like a "tall tale" kind of guy (also claimed the front sway bar was 5" around). The front spoiler is back on the car, it was off for paint (you can see it in the back seat). He wants to trade straight-up, there is no more cash on the table.

Javelin wrote: In reply to SilverFleet: Thank you!!! The owner claims it's a W72 with the 6X heads and that the engine has been rebuilt, but he sounds like a "tall tale" kind of guy (also claimed the front sway bar was 5" around). The front spoiler is back on the car, it was off for paint (you can see it in the back seat). He wants to trade straight-up, there is no more cash on the table.

This sounds like a less-good deal. I'd be on "no deal" if it were me at this point.

I bet it's a regular 400 that was "built". Most Trans Am owners don't know what they have. You should have seen the guy I bought mine from. Oh wait...

Yep, he's wearing a Teal mesh tank top. Lesson # 1 on car buying: never buy a car from a dude wearing a Teal mesh tank top. Trust me on this.

Anyway...

Let me give you a bit more background on the W72 and WS6 packages.

The W72 package is strictly an engine upgrade. It gives you a hotter cam and the 350 6X-4 heads. The regular 400 will have the 6X-8 heads. One of the links I gave you earlier shows you where to look to see the 8 or the 4 casting on the head to tell the difference. You could get it in 1978 with either the Borg Warner Super T-10 4-speed or a TH350. In '79, the last year it was offered, it was 4-speed only.

The WS6 package is another story. It is strictly a handling package.

Front sway bar on a '78 Trans Am, regardless of option package, is 1.25''. The WS6 package replaces the stock 5/8'' bar with a larger 3/4'' one. The W72 package also includes a 14:1 constant quick ratio steering box, heavy duty brakes (4-wheel discs didn't happen until 1979), different spring rates, some poly bushings here and there, wider 15x8 dished Snowflake wheels, and some extra subframe-to-body bracing.

If that car is rust free, and you really want a Trans Am and not a Javelin, I see no reason not to do the trade. These cars are going up in value all the time. Virtually all the stuff that makes up those two packages can be bought on the aftermarket now, and they make all sorts of restoration and performance parts for them now.

I'd be in it for a straight up swap too. Honestly I was amazed he was offering 1500 on top of it in the first place.

If you want great documentation on how the car was originally you need this:

http://www.phs-online.com/order.htm

If you order by CC they can fax you back the important stuff quickly. They also include a copy of the original window sticker, at least they did in the case of my 78, which is cool to have.

IMO ws6 was more important 79 and up because it included 4 wheel disc brakes at that point. I used a 79 ws6 parts car to basically turn my 72 into a ws6....made a huge difference as it included the suspension goodies, 4 wheel discs, plus quicker ratio steering.

I'd take an even swap. As nice, as interesting as it is, the Jav has a narrower appeal than a T/A, which is appreciating and can always catch a buyer. Run around in the Trans Am for a while, clean it up, and turn it for a nice sum when you get bored with it.

keep the AMC

Why haven't you started a build thread on the Trans Am that you traded your Javelin for?

SilverFleet wrote:

I swear to Science that's the same house/driveway from this scene:

Talk about keeping us in suspense! So what happened with the trade?

In reply to Cotton:

Oh sorry, it was mentioned in another thread. The T/A turned out to be a scrounged-together mish-mash of dubious origin with hidden rust issues. At least all of my car's flaws are easily identifiable.

In reply to Javelin:

that sucks...hate it when that happens.

In reply to Cotton:

Meh, no loss. The only way this thing really should be leaving is to go to one of my family members or another GRMer.

Ya know, I personally would want to keep the Javelin. T/A's are much more common, you still see them around here a fair amount. Javelins are like Jensens, you just don't see them every day.

Think he'd trade the T/A for a GTP?

Javelin wrote: In reply to SilverFleet: Thank you!!! The owner claims it's a W72 with the 6X heads and that the engine has been rebuilt, but he sounds like a "tall tale" kind of guy (also claimed the front sway bar was 5" around). The front spoiler is back on the car, it was off for paint (you can see it in the back seat). He wants to trade straight-up, there is no more cash on the table.

if it's the 1.25" bar, then he could just be bad at measuring ... 1.25 dis. = 4" circumference (that's rounded off)

I still dream of a 73 SD455...... white w/blue strip... with honeycomb wheels...

best of luck.......

In reply to oldeskewltoy:

73's didn't have stripes...

If you had an AMX I'd say no way. A Javelin, not so much.

But that period of Transam? Great if you want to be a Burt Reynolds wannabe and don't mind putting up with only a couple of hundred smogged BHP, or don't mind having to build it for decent output. I think you need to love the looks (which I don't) to not just sell the Javelin and find a more interesting project. Or do the swap and then turn around and sell the more easily marketable Transam (hint - look for buyers with mullets).

Javelin wrote:

SilverFleet wrote:

I swear to Science that's the same house/driveway from this scene:

I can't believe I've never noticed that before. Replace Will Ferrell with a teal mesh tank top wearing meth head and you are 100% correct.

And I love the hate and the stigma these cars carry. I don't know of any cars from that era that DON'T need upgrades and sorting of the awful emissions systems to be reliable and competitive. Any old car is probably going to need upgrades to run with modern stuff. I especially love how cars from that era get crapped upon by the "muscle car guys" because "they were dogs". A V6 Camry is probably faster than most of the revered performance cars of the 60's and 70's. Yes, the 70's T/A's are real Mullet Machines, I certainly can't deny that, but they can run and handle with the best of them once set up correctly.

bravenrace wrote: In reply to oldeskewltoy: 73's didn't have stripes...

apologies... blue bird-trim not blue strip...

wspohn wrote: If you had an AMX I'd say no way. A Javelin, not so much. But that period of Transam? Great if you want to be a Burt Reynolds wannabe and don't mind putting up with only a couple of hundred smogged BHP, or don't mind having to build it for decent output. I think you need to love the looks (which I don't) to not just sell the Javelin and find a more interesting project. Or do the swap and then turn around and sell the more easily marketable Transam (hint - look for buyers with mullets).

Well I don't have a mullet, but I have a T/A along with the rest of my cars, which is a pretty diverse collection. I would think you of all people, with the collection of cars you have, wouldn't be so quick to throw out stereotypes. Also, values for "that period of Trans Am" have been coming on very strong , so had it been a clean original car like he initially thought he would have made out very well on the trade.

My 85 911 only has "a couple of hundred bhp", weighs over 3k, and isn't nearly as easy to modify the T/A, but it's still a great car and fun to drive.

Cotton wrote:

wspohn wrote: If you had an AMX I'd say no way. A Javelin, not so much. But that period of Transam? Great if you want to be a Burt Reynolds wannabe and don't mind putting up with only a couple of hundred smogged BHP, or don't mind having to build it for decent output. I think you need to love the looks (which I don't) to not just sell the Javelin and find a more interesting project. Or do the swap and then turn around and sell the more easily marketable Transam (hint - look for buyers with mullets).

Well I don't have a mullet, but I have a T/A along with the rest of my cars, which is a pretty diverse collection. I would think you of all people, with the collection of cars you have, wouldn't be so quick to throw out stereotypes. Also, values for "that period of Trans Am" have been coming on very strong , so had it been a clean original car like he initially thought he would have made out very well on the trade. My 85 911 only has "a couple of hundred bhp", weighs over 3k, and isn't nearly as easy to modify the T/A, but it's still a great car and fun to drive.

Contrary to my handsome avatar, I don't have a Mullet either.

"That period of Trans Am" are the best of the crop when it comes to handling characteristics, especially with the 79-81 WS6 package. They may lack in stock power output, but they come with better chassis and steering components than the earlier cars. My car still stacks up well in terms of handling to many newer cars. It will surprise you, when it runs, that is.

Damn tough luck, But if the car was a rust bucket like you say then it was no loss. I love me some horse trading. Your AMC is sweet as hell, I'd love to have either one

Not really into the whole T/A thing but this could change my mind:

Curmudgeon wrote: Not really into the whole T/A thing but this could change my mind:

35 years ago... one of those was in the Pine Brook (NJ) Junkyard....