2001 Black WS6 Trans Am, 6-speed

[njsteve]

2001 WS6 Trans Am with a 6-speed manual transmission. Black with ebony leather interior. 63,640 documented miles. Original born-with engine, T56 transmission and rear. I purchased it in 2014 from the original owner, who bought it new in Cinnaminson, New Jersey. Being a maintenance fanatic, she purchased 15 years of GM extended warranties on the car and it was dealer maintained up into 2016! I have every piece of original paperwork on the car – window sticker, invoice, and a ¾ inch thick, stack of GM receipts from day one to this year.

It is a real WS6 car with the confirmation letter from ASC indicating it is one of 1,583 Black, WS6’s with T-Tops and a 6 speed, made in 2001.

The WS6 was an upgrade from the Trans Am (similar to the Camaro SS). The cars were shipped from the assembly line to ASC where they were upgraded and then shipped to the receiving dealers. The WS6 package included the Ram Air hood, matching air cleaner, upgraded suspension, power steering cooler, 17” wheels with 275/40R17 tires and free flowing dual exhaust. Other options on this car are the factory installed Hurst shifter, traction control, and custom leather buckets. The original sticker price was $32,070 in 2001.

The only thing that differs from stock is a Magna Flow muffler that the original owner added. In perusing the 16 years of service records, the items replaced have been a door speaker, the alternator, various idler pulleys, one catalytic converter, the steering rack, power steering pump and hoses, and the rear differential was rebuilt and the bearings were replaced. All of this was done by GM dealers under warranty with only GM parts.

Things I have done to the car since I bought it in 2014: I changed the original plugs and wires (All original parts have been saved and go with the car). The plugs were burning perfectly as you can see in the photo. I replaced the carpet, which was heavily stained with years of spilled coffee marks. I also replaced the driver’s door panel (which had the typical crack at the top) with a perfect door panel. I also had the outer sail panel removed and replaced with a sail panel from a prior year Trans Am. (GM had a major issue with a faulty adhesive used on the assembly line to attach the sail panels on the Camaros and Firebirds from 1999 onward: after several years, the adhesive would eat through the plastic body panel and cause blisters in the plastic and paint. A technical service bulletin detailed the extensive process and parts needed to replace the panel properly. Had the original owner known of this “secret recall” she would have definitely had it done by the dealer – but they never volunteered the information while she had the car.

The car runs, drives, and handles beautifully. Everything works including the power antenna. Very tight and crisp performance from the 63,000 mile, Ram Air, 325 horsepower LS1 and 3.42 rear end ratio. The original clutch works perfectly with no noises from the throw-out bearing. The original owner was an over-the-road truck driver and knew how to drive a stick! She was a very cool lady, indeed.

The 6-speed WS6 cars are extremely hard to find – the majority you see for sale are automatics. It is even harder to find one that had not been modified and beaten to death. This car is a very nice, unmolested example and you will not be disappointed.

$16,000. ***** (reduced to $15,000 as of 10/8/17)

The car is here in central New Jersey. Full VIN available on request including block VIN photo which was a doozy to get - I had to use a mirror and photograph it in reverse - it is nearly impossible to get access to!

Thanks, Steve

PM me here and I will respond back ASAP.

[njsteve]

Paperwork!

[njsteve]

The underside, and the original spark plugs at 62,000 miles.

[Hotrodpaul]

Wow, nice WS6! Didn't the 6 speed cars get the 3.42 gear (GU6) and auto's received the 2.73 or 3.23 for performance?

Paul

[njsteve]

I just rechecked and you are correct. It is 3.42. I edited the original paragraph to reflect that. Thanks for catching that!

[The Boss]

Isn't this the car you bought for your son? Has he decided he wanted something different?

[njsteve]

Yes, he wants a Challenger Demon...or a Hellcat...or an SRT...(I was thinking a nice used V6 Charger or Challenger might be more appropriate). The WS6 was on our collector car insurance policy and he realized that he wouldn't be able to drive it until he was 25.

He actually has a 2006 Honda Civic that I got from a coworker a few months back. That will be his daily driver once he gets his full license in a couple months. We have been getting that all ready for him. It was my coworker's vacation house car that sat and never got driven. They sold the vacation house and had no need for the car. It had brand new Michelins on it but they were installed ten years ago and dry rotted so we had to replace them. That was painful to do but the tires weren't safe anymore. Got the airbag recall done, a new set of tires, and an oil change and she runs great.

So if anyone wants a nice, unabused WS6 with bulletproof pedigree come and get her!

[The Boss]

Good choice! I've been where you're at - all sorts of high horsepower, no airbag cars around they would LOVE to drive, but we need something safe for them.

[TuxedoblackZ]

Hi! Very nice looking car! How is the paint? All original? Any chips or scratches that pics don't show?

[njsteve]

I'd rather over-describe and have someone pleasantly surprised than unpleasantly disappointed. The body looks to be original paint. The exceptions would be the previously mentioned replacement sail panel, and the rear spoiler which had some bad factory paint on it. The shop resprayed it when they did the sail panel). Keep in mind that these cars had resin-transfer-molded front fenders and doors. The only metal is the rear quarter panels. It all looks very nice and matches perfectly. In reviewing the paperwork, the Ram Air hood was damaged when nearly new and the hood was replaced with a brand new GM hood which was painted correctly and the very expensive factory decals reapplied. (It's crazy, but those little "Ram Air" letters were a couple hundred bucks when bought from GM and not the $10 version from the interweb). I would say it is very nice paint. Like all black cars it could probably use a nice detailing.

[Hotrodpaul]

I think these cars, the 98-02 SS's and WS6's could be the next 69 Z28 collectible cars. They offer great value, power, handling and mileage, especially the 6 speed, mid to low 13's stock. Basic mods will get these cars in the 11's with sticky tires, just watch the rear end. Great cars!

Paul

[njsteve]

I agree. These are deceivingly quick. You think you're just cruising along and then you look down at the speedometer and you are WAY above the limit...with two or three more gears to go!

[WILMASBOYL78]

I think these cars, the 98-02 SS's and WS6's could be the next 69 Z28 collectible cars. They offer great value, power, handling and mileage, especially the 6 speed, mid to low 13's stock. Basic mods will get these cars in the 11's with sticky tires, just watch the rear end. Great cars!

Paul

I agree..110%. There is a certain gal I know who drives an '02 Berger that really loves to put her right foot in the water pump...just saying :naughty:

[Lynn]

I don't know Steve; I think I saw some dust on one of the exhaust pipes.

Actually, I might have been a buyer on this car if i wasn't in limbo with my shop situation.

Long story.

Best of luck with the sale. I doubt this one will ever be worth less than it is today, assuming the next owner cares for it.

[Lynn]

Sombody buy this car dammit.

[njsteve]

LOL. They're all waiting for you to buy it!

BTW, I forgot to add that the full, three-volume set GM 2001 Firebird/Camaro Service Manual comes with it. It weighs 12 lbs. - exactly the same as the Jack-huahua next to it. (included for scale size comparison).*




(*Jack-huahua and reindeer toy not included)

[earntaz]

Looks like that "Killer" pooch is givin' the evil eye guarding that stuff ... TAZ

[Zman1969]

Looks like that "Killer" pooch is givin' the evil eye guarding that stuff ... TAZ

probably because your eyein his sock monkey :)

[njsteve]

I think that look is: "Wow, those books landed a little too close for comfort!"

(He has at least dozen of his precious "monkeys" stashed all around the house)

[Lynn]

The sock monkey rocks. My great grandmother and grandmother both used to make those. We have some laying around somewhere.

[Billohio]

I have seen several low mile trans ams where the sail panel is doing something weird. I think a couple were 2002s. I wondered what was up with that. They must have had problems later also.

[njsteve]

Absolutely. It was some time after 1999 that the assembly line switched adhesives on both the Camaros and Firebirds to a far more aggressive adhesive that reacted with the resin transfer molded (RTM) panels. The assembly line also did not prime the underside of the porous, RTM sail panel. As a result, the solvents in the adhesive gradually softened the plastic and ate their way through til the paint would bubble. No amount of sanding and cutting would stop it as it would just come back out an inch away from where it was repaired.

The only real fix was replacing the entire sail panel (or "targa bar" in Porsche speak) with a brand new one (discontinued GM part number 10254708) or one carefully removed from a 1998 and earlier car. The OEM replacement panel has not been available since the late 2000's. Your only choice is a fiberglass replica part they sell on ebay, or an original part removed from an earlier car. The reason that the earlier panels are good is that from 1993 to 1998 the assembly line used a different adhesive which did not affect the panels. That was what I did on this car - got a perfect one from a 1997 in a salvage yard and carefully removed it from the donor car and then had the body shop remove the old one from this car, paint it and install the new one with the modern, plastic-friendly, adhesive that was specified in the technical service bulletin.

Here is the actual TSB dated February 2003, just after they stopped making the cars.

[Lynn]

How is this car still for sale? You don't even need to do an LS swap on it. GM did it for you.

[njsteve]

Am I being too reasonable and providing too many properly focused, detail photos? I could add some blurry photos to add mystery. if you think it would help. ;-)

I'd love to see it go to a good home before winter gets here. (My daughter wants that garage spot for her car).

[Lynn]

I don't know Steve. Perhaps a bit of celebrity owned history would help. Used to be owned by Jon Voight?

[njsteve]

The original owner was a lady truck driver...hmmm maybe it was Sally Field from Smokey and the Bandit??? Or it could have been Large Marge from PeeWee's Big Adventure?

[CC Rider]

It's an awesome car. Someone will buy it. :biggthumpup:

Have you seen auto ads on Craigslist? Back off as far away from the car as possible, raise your finger to cover the license plate, and shoot into the sun. Most frequently used places to shoot a car are at a gas station (day or night) or self-serve car wash. Behind a fence is popular too.

[L_e_e]

It's an awesome car. Someone will buy it. :biggthumpup:

Have you seen auto ads on Craigslist? Back off as far away from the car as possible, raise your finger to cover the license plate, and shoot into the sun. Most frequently used places to shoot a car are at a gas station (day or night) or self-serve car wash. Behind a fence is popular too.

Don't forget to take a pics with the car wet and the hose laying on the ground next to the car.

[njsteve]

Still looking for a nice adoptive parent for this WS6. Feel free to PM me with an offer. Thanks, Steve

[njsteve]

Took her for a short drive today to the DMV to get the bi-annual emmisons sticker. Runs great and passed with flying colors. Good for two more years in case any Jersey guys needed that extra assurance. :-)

[njsteve]

I know the right buyer is out there somewhere. It's a great running car in equally fine condition with a bulletproof documentation from day one.

Price reduced to $15,000. Quite the performance bargain for the price. These cars are at the lowest point of the price curve and starting their move upward at this point. They were one of the recent Hagerty picks for the collectible "to buy now" before they go up.

And I'll even throw in a full tank of gas! It gets amazing gas mileage with that 6-speed - close to 30 mpg highway!

[njsteve]

Back on the market. Had a buyer lined up but the shipping cost, cross country was a bit too much. (I can't really blame him since the estimate was quite a bit).

This car would be a great "fly in and drive it home" kind of vehicle. It does get around 30 mpg in 6th gear at highway speed.

[njsteve]

Spring is here!

[mockingbird812]

Gnarly Gnostrils!!

[njsteve]

Looking to move the WS6 to a new caretaker. Let's talk!

She's a wonderful, unmolested example of a WS6 6-speed stick car. I took her out for a spin yesterday and boy does this car run nice. Started right up. Everything works - including the pop up headlights and the original electric antennae.

[njsteve]

Had to pull the old WS6 out of the garage today so my daughter could put the free couch she just found, for her new apartment, in there. After moving some other stuff around I was able to fit the car back in the garage space.

So as you can see, this car needs to find a new garage to go in before it winds up as a "garage find" under a pile of blankets and cardboard boxes in 20 years.

Feel free to contact me with a reasonable offer.

[njsteve]

The WS6 is sold! Thank you Yenko.net.

[BJCHEV396]

Congrats Steve!A lot of car for the money!