Recently featured on The Hoonigan’s web show, Build Biology, this wild 1970 Trans Am is 7-ft wide, has 700-horsepower, and it was made in a shed.
Custom car builder Riley Stair is typically known for building custom BMWs, and redirected his attention to this second-generation Trans Am. This incredible bird was built under an outdoor car port next to Stair’s parents house. He put an extreme amount of work and detail into the build — he hand formed the fender flares himself and rest of the bodywork was also done by hand. Only the media blasting and paint was contracted out, in terms of bodywork.
This wild looking Trans Am has the power to backup its head turning appearance. Powering the build is a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter, 400 cubic inch LSX iron block from Motor Machine. It was built with custom 16.25:1 compression pistons and is controlled by a Holley Dominator ECU. This high-revving setup spins to 10,000 RPM, and when nitrous and methanol is thrown at it, it is capable of handling 1,000-horsepower. Equal length headers and an exhaust that exits under the passenger door give it a crazy growl.
Backing the engine is a T101A 4-speed, straight-cut gearbox that was borrowed directly from a NASCAR Cup car. The shifter shows a Dale Earnhardt Jr. inscription, that might indicate that the transmission came from one of his Hendrick Motorsports cars.
The racing inspired build has a modernized suspension that’s based on a fully independent rear suspension and upgraded front suspension. Stair customized the geometry of the front and rear suspension, and has integrated parts from Ohlins, Eibach and Speedway Engineering for the dampers, springs and swaybars.
Built in a shed or not, this Pontiac Trans Am based machine is pretty genius. It was a hit when it was at the recent SEMA show, and the details of the build prove that Stair is a masterful innovator and fabricator.
Elizabeth is hardcore horsepower enthusiast with unmatched intensity for making things faster and louder. She wakes up for power and performance and only sleeps to charge up for the next project that’s heading to the track. From autocross to drag racing, Elizabeth is there with you, so stay tuned for her unique perspective on horsepower news, builds, tech info, and installs — with her, it’ll never be boring!
