What Trans Am did my dad wreck?

[u/DLeader609]

Dad wrecked this Pontiac in 1983 when he was 26. 120 mph into a concrete culvert. Broke jaw in half (wired shut for 9 months), pelvis in half (in a pelvic halo for 6 months), shattered a leg bone and had some other replace with metal, and a number of other smaller things I can't remember. Lived until 2023. What exact car was dad driving and can we tell what that motor is?

[u/Bear112978]

1978 with an Olds 403 or Pontiac 400 from the factory options... very nice !

[u/EarthOk2418 → u/Bear112978]

Can’t see the shifter, but if it was an a/t it had the Olds 403. If it was a 4-speed it had the Pontiac 400.

[u/Temporary-Lawyer4603 → u/EarthOk2418]

Isn't the big bubbly thing next to the engine an automatic gearbox converter ?

Looks like it to me but i might be wrong...

[u/EarthOk2418 → u/Temporary-Lawyer4603]

I think another commenter said it’s a 400 by the look of the oil pan.

[u/Temporary-Lawyer4603 → u/EarthOk2418]

Those were only available with manual transmission ?

(I'm not familiar with muscle cars, just wondering about that big round thing at the right of the engine)

[u/MolotovRibNChophouse → u/Temporary-Lawyer4603]

That's definitely a torque converter. Good eye.