# Trans Am TA2 car (2011 to today)

- Source: https://racingcarnetwork.com/wiki/trans-am-ta2/
- Publisher: Racing Car Network (racingcarnetwork.com), the race car marketplace
- Type: car
- Discipline: gt-racing, touring
- Series: sports-racer
- Era: 2010s
- Last updated: 2026-11-06

The TA2 car is a tube-frame V8 silhouette racer wearing Camaro, Mustang, Challenger or Camry bodywork. Howe, Mike Cope and M1 build the chassis; sealed small-block engines are capped near 500-530 hp. It is the biggest Trans Am class and the basis of TA2 racing in Australia and New Zealand. Buyers get pro-level speed for GT4 money.

## Specifications

| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Engine | Spec small-block V8: GM LS3-based (Katech), Ford or Dodge Hemi (Koury), fuel injected, approved-builder sealed units [0][7] |
| Power | Restricted to about 530 hp (US, current page); earlier rules capped 490 hp and 447 lb-ft; 515 hp at 6,800 rpm limiter quoted by M1 [0][1][7] |
| Weight | 2,830 lb (1,284 kg) minimum including driver and gear (US); 1,250 kg including driver (Australia) [1][7][11] |
| Gearbox | 4-speed H-pattern manual, 1:1 top gear, no sequential: Andrews (US), G-Force or optional Holinger (Australia, 2025 on) [1][7][11][14] |
| Chassis | CNC-cut tubular space frame by Howe Racing Enterprises, Mike Cope Race Cars or M1 Racecars; composite body by Five Star or Howe [0][1] |
| Brakes | Cost-capped: Pro Systems 6-piston front / 4-piston rear on 12.19 in and 11.75 in rotors (M1); Wilwood GN6/SL4 in Australia [1][11] |
| Wheels Tyres | 15 x 10 in Bassett steel wheels; Pirelli P Zero 275/695-15 slicks (US), Hoosier (Australia) [1][11] |
| Fuel Cell | 26 US gal (US) / 90 L Pyrotect (Australia) [1][11] |
| Years | 2011 to today [4][10] |
| Class | Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli TA2; TA2 Muscle Car Series and Trico Trans Am Series (Australia) [0][17] |

## History

Trans Am split into several classes for 2011. The new TA2 class took cars built to SCCA GT2 specification, mostly tube-frame stock cars rebodied as pony cars [10]. Bob Stretch won the first title, taking five of the seven races he entered. A Camaro won eight of nine rounds that year; a Porsche 997 won the other at Road America [10].

The engine formula settled quickly. In 2012 Mike Miller and Katech built an LS3 package with a 6,800 rpm limit, 10:1 compression and a target of about 500 hp. It was designed to run a whole season without a rebuild [5]. Ford added a 5.7-litre pushrod engine in 2013 and Dodge a 6.3-litre EFI Hemi in 2014 [3]. Howe Racing Enterprises became the dominant chassis builder; Mike Cope Race Cars and M1 Racecars are the other two approved builders [0][4]. Cope claimed in 2016 that a race-ready car left his shop for under $100,000.

Engine prices climbed from $13,500 in 2011 to $34,000 for a Ford unit in 2018 [3]. Trans Am answered in March 2019 with the TA2 Choice engine, a Corvette-based LS3 first sold by Prefix for $16,879 [2][3]. Prefix later raised its price and left, so from 2021 all seven approved builders could build the Choice engine. Katech became its main supplier and recommends a rebuild at about 2,500 miles or 30 hours [4]. The 2021 finale at Circuit of The Americas drew 52 TA2 cars, a series record [4].

The class spread abroad in 2017 when the TA2 Racing Muscle Car Series started in Australia with Howe chassis and a 525 hp LS3 prepared by McLaren Motor Engineering [12][17]. A 2020 rights dispute split Australia into two series running the same car: the TA2 Muscle Car Series (AASA) and the Trico Trans Am Series (ARG, Motorsport Australia) [12][17]. In the US, Five Star and TRD added a Toyota Camry body in March 2025, the fourth shape alongside Camaro, Mustang and Challenger [15].

## Palmarès

TA2 is a driver's championship, not a manufacturer story, and the Camaro has been the winning body most years since Bob Stretch's 2011 title [10]. The Katech Choice engine won 9 of 12 races in 2021 and powered Rafa Matos's title-winning Mustang [3][4]. In Australia the title has passed through Russell Wright (2017), Aaron Seton (2019), Jett Johnson (2021 and 2022), Josh Haynes (2024) and Jarrod Hughes (2025) [12].

## What to check before you buy

Engine hours and seal status since the last rebuild: The Choice engine has a 2,500-mile / 30-hour recommendation; a sealed engine needs its seal numbers registered with the series through a certified builder. Which engine package is fitted and whether it is still approved: Prefix Global, Katech LS3, Ford pushrod, Dodge Hemi and Choice engines have all been eligible; older packages had a two-year window when the Choice arrived. Chassis builder and plate number: Only Howe, Cope and M1 chassis are approved in the US; Australia and NZ accept Howe only. A chassis number lets you trace race history (the SMR Challenger H4040 was traced from a 2022 sale to a 2026 auction). Shocks and brake calipers against the series parts list: Shocks are capped at USD 925 each and calipers at USD 650/550 per axle; modified internals fail tech. Body generation and the rear wing: Gen 5 Camaro and Mustang shells carry a weight penalty, and a Derhaag single-plane wing is mandatory. Gearbox type if the car comes from Australia: A Holinger-equipped Trans Am car cannot race in TA2 Muscle Car Series events; a G-Force box with many hours may be near failure. Quick-change gears, lower shaft and wheel bearings: Listings of well-prepared cars show these as fresh items, which suggests they are consumables on a race weekend. Spares package and wheel count: Used TA2 cars with spares traded at USD 70,000-100,000 in 2019; the spares make much of the difference.

## Did you know

- Trans Am engine prices rose from USD 13,500 in 2011 to USD 34,000 for a Ford in 2018 before the Choice engine cut them back to USD 16,879 [3].
- The Choice engine camshaft is the last surviving part of GM's late-1990s Project 2000 ASA stock-car engine [3].
- A Porsche 997 won the TA2 race at Road America in 2011, the only non-Camaro winner of the first season [10].

## Frequently asked questions

**What does a TA2 car cost new?** In 2019 the series put a complete new car at about USD 120,000 and used cars with spares at USD 70,000-100,000. A 2024 Cope Mustang that had never raced was listed on racingcarnetwork.com in October 2026 at USD 102,000. Builders quote per build, so ask Howe, Cope or M1 directly for a current figure [6][9].

**Which engine should a used TA2 have?** The Katech-built TA2 Choice engine is the common unit since 2021 and is cheaper to replace than the Ford or Dodge packages. Ask for the seal numbers, the hours since rebuild and the builder's invoice. Katech recommends a rebuild at about 2,500 miles or 30 hours [3][4].

**Can I race a US-built TA2 car in Australia?** Only if it is a Howe chassis with the controlled Australian parts. Both Australian series accept the Howe car only, with a sealed 525 hp LS3 from the category supplier, Hoosier tyres and a 1,250 kg minimum. Cope and M1 chassis are not accepted there [11][12].

**How heavy and how powerful is a TA2 car?** The US minimum is 2,830 lb with the driver and gear. The current series page quotes engines restricted to about 530 hp; M1 lists 515 hp with a 6,800 rpm limiter, and older rules capped 490 hp. Australia runs 525 hp at 1,250 kg [0][1][7][11].

**What are the weak points to inspect?** Oil pressure under high cornering loads, the quick-change rear end, and the 4-speed gearbox if it has been flat-shifted. Check shocks and calipers against the cost-cap parts list, and confirm the body is a Gen 6 shape to avoid the weight penalty [0][3][14].

**Does a TA2 car fit outside Trans Am?** The series says TA2 cars can run competitively in SCCA GT-2, which is where the class came from in 2011. Regional Trans Am championships in the US West use the same rules. Expect to check the current SCCA GCR spec line before entering [6][10].

## Sources

- Trans Am 101: TA2 Class — https://www.gotransam.com/transam101/TA2-Class/59344
- M1 Racecars TA2 specifications — https://teamslr.com/m1racecars
- Prefix Becomes Exclusive Supplier of Trans Am TA2 Choice Engine — https://theshopmag.com/news/prefix-becomes-exclusive-supplier-trans-am-ta2-choice-engine/
- The TA2 Engine Story — https://howeracing.com/blogs/the-latest/the-ta2-engine-story
- New Choice Engine Package Sparks Trans Am TA2 Growth in 2021 — https://speedwaymedia.com/2021/12/15/new-choice-engine-package-sparks-trans-am-ta2-growth-in-2021/
- Mike Miller on the LS3 Engine and TA2 — https://www.gotransam.com/news/Mike-Miller-on-the-LS3-Engine-and-TA2/59442
- How cost controls keep TA2 racing inexpensive and make it better (syndicated from RACER) — https://sundaymanagement.com/?p=1605
- For Sale: Stevens-Miller Racing is selling one of their Dodge Challenger TA2 race cars — https://moparinsiders.com/for-sale-stevens-miller-racing-is-selling-one-of-their-dodge-challenger-ta2-race-cars/
- Dodge Challenger Trans Am TA2 Race Car by Howe Racing (lot 260,750) — https://bringatrailer.com/listing/dodge-challenger-trans-am-ta2-race-car-by-howe-racing/
- 2024 Cope TA2 Race Car — https://racingcarnetwork.com/race-car/2024-cope-ta2-race-car/
- 2011 Trans-Am Series — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Trans-Am_Series
- The Cars — https://www.ta2racingaustralia.com/the-cars.html
- TA2 Racing Muscle Car Series — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TA2_Racing_Muscle_Car_Series
- Mechanical changes and alignment for TA2, Trans Am in 2025 — https://speedcafe.com/mechanical-changes-and-alignment-for-ta2-trans-am-in-2025/
- Trans Am makes controversial gearbox change — https://speedcafe.com/trans-am-makes-controversial-gearbox-change/
- Toyota Camry joins TA2 — https://speedcafe.com/trans-am-news-2025-toyota-camry-joins-ta2-photos-details/
- File:MCR 26 TA23 01.jpg — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MCR_26_TA23_01.jpg
- Trans-Am racing in Australia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Am_racing_in_Australia
- TA2 Parts - Trans Am TA2 Race Components — https://katechengines.com/c-1389295-TA2-Parts-|-Trans-Am-TA2-Race-Components-&-Performance-Parts.html

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