While Jim handled most of the work himself, he would like to give a personal thanks to Jeff Tuma of Forada, Minnesota, for the incredible paintwork.While Jim handled most of the work himself, he would like to give a personal thanks to Jef No wimpy shocks are used on this ride. Instead, the A-arms are modified with Pro-Shock coilovers along with 600- pound-rated springs.No wimpy shocks are used on this ride. Instead, the A-arms are modified with Pro-Shock Don’t let its beauty fool you. Inside lurks a 455 punched 0.030-over to 462 ci with TRW 9.4:1 compression slugs, shot-peened rods, heads machined and ported by Jim Taylor, a Comp Cams bumpstick holding 0.485/0.485 lift and 225/230 duration at 0.050, and a fat 800-cfm Quadrajet. Expelling the fumes are 1-5/8-inch-primary Hooker headers blowing through mandrel-bent 2-1/2-inch pipes and DynoMax Super Turbos. Can you say 375 rear-wheel horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque?Don’t let its beauty fool you. Inside lurks a 455 punched 0.030-over to 462 ci with T When looking for a new pair of sneakers, the Brinks couldn’t resist putting on the American Racing Torque IIs: 17x7s in the front with P245/50R17s, and 17x9.5s with P305/50R17s on the rear. In order to accommodate such huge tires out back, the 12-bolt rear was narrowed by 2 inches. Stuffed in the carrier for heavy-duty service are a set of Moser axles and a posi. Since this is a cruiser and not a strip brawler, 3.08:1 gears offer a friendly compromise.When looking for a new pair of sneakers, the Brinks couldn’t resist putting on the Am Continuing the modern theme, a set of Auto Meter Phantom gauges watch over vital engine functions. You can’t see the tranny, but it’s a Turbo 400 with a 2000-stall converter and a Stage 1 shift-kit to get rid of any mushy upshifts. CCContinuing the modern theme, a set of Auto Meter Phantom gauges watch over vital engine fu Take one Firebird, several junked Trans Ams and close the garage doors. One year and 11 months later...out pops a beautiful Trans-Bird! Meet Jim and Darla Brink, the pair of Minnesota car junkies who transformed this little birdie into the killer street machine it is today. If youre wondering why such a hybrid evolved, its because Jim wanted to build his version of the Ultimate Cruiser. Jim, a Trans Amlover since day one, wanted the advantage of modern-day components and no worries about reliability. But rather than deface an original TA with modifications, he opted to use a 72 Firebird shell and convert it to the ride of his dreams. Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!
