I know you remember Julia Eliasson and her 1977 Trans Am. The article about Julia’s T/A was by far the most read article on GHR in 2019, and is currently #2 this year.
Julia updated me about what she’s been up to since last autumn, when she parks the Pontiac and does some hot rodding.
Unfortunately, the work also included some body repairs.
“I did send the car away to a painter who painted the right side of the Trans Am because it had some damage,” Julia wrote. “Now it’s in good condition again. I ordered stickers from the USA – we could not get them in Sweden. They are small details that make so much difference on the outside of the car. We also installed a new radio with great sound, so I can play music when I drive it.”
Last year, Julia told me about the large hot rod community in Sweden, including the Power Big Meet show. The 2019 Power Big Meet in Lidköping, Sweden last July had over 14,000 cars, including one very sharp 1977 Trans Am.
“I went to Power Meet 2019 and honestly it was the best day of my life,” Julia told me. “Good people, nice weather and I made so many new friends. Everyone was so supportive and just loved my car. It was so unbelievable and I was so glad to hear all the positive things they said about my T/A. The Trans Am club of Sweden was there and it was such a great feeling to be a part of that club. The cruising was also amazing.”
Julia usually parks her Firebird in the winter, targeting to take it out again in April. Hey, the car is 43 years old! It deserves to rest for 6 months. But Julia made some exceptions this winter. “The weather was amazing at Christmas and New Year’s Eve,” she said, “so I drove it a few times.”
She’s got some minor tweaks planned for this year, but by and large, she said, “Me and my car are ready for a new summer.”
“Before summer I´m going to wax and polish it and just clean it. We might change the exhaust to the original one, but I’m not sure yet because I kinda like the one it has now. The sound is amazing.” Julia is also thinking about getting black seats because she’s not a fan of the current beige seats.
Like here in the US, Julia said the early season car shows have also been cancelled in Sweden- and that’s just one impact of the COVID-19 pandemic there. “Yes we’re affected, at least 4,500 are sick,” she reported. “People still go to work but we’re all a little bit scared I think. We’ll see what happens in the next few weeks. But we all hope the situation will be better in May/June when it gets warmer.”
But Julia’s got the best prescription for all of us: hot rodding. “There is nothing better than driving in my Trans Am. The sound, the smell and just the feeling. My heart skips a beat every time and I’m full of adrenaline.”
These days, we can all use some of that medicine.
Photos courtesy of Julia Eliasson
Click here to see photos of Julia’s Trans Am.
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