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History / OriginalityGot a question about 1982-1992 Camaro or Firebird history? Have a question about original parts, options, RPO codes, when something was available, or how to document your car? Those questions, answers, and much more!
I'm considering buying this car. Only problem is the RPO list is missing and I'd like to verify what color it was originally. I think it was black because of the firewall color. Can anyone help with this?
Here is a link to the car.The Vin#1G2FW2182KL225339
Yeah, I'd say it was originally black but It looks better blue. There is a lot of blue paint where it shouldn't be and would take quite a bit of work to take it back to stock.
weird there isn't any pictures of the top up. Seller mentions rear window is missing & has some patches. I wonder what that looks like. They taped around the door decal corners so well otherwise I am surprised the top tape off was off by so much. Also, Did somebody remove the radio controls, or could you get a GTA without them?
Interestingly the car is NOT on the list... I am trying to figure out why. It could be one of the 5 cars that were not on my list, it could have been converted by someone else that had a parts convertible, or there may be an error on my list from ASC. ALL are possible...
The car is a ONE owner according to the ad, so if you look at it or are really interested in it, get the Dealership he purchased it and I will see if there is something missing... Or maybe a typo. I know there is more than one mistake in the ASC logs, so anything is possible, I would like to plug this car in the right spot and get you the information.
Here is what we know about the car
1) It is currently in Redmond OR
2) He says he is the original owner, hopefully he has not moved
3) The car has a Blue exterior and Tan interior and the base steering wheel
4) It appears that it was converted in 1 (January) of 1989 according to the door jamb sticker.
There was 2 cars that went to OR, one was Royal Moore Pontiac in Hillsboro, the other was Alan Hadley Pontiac. There was a third car ordered but it was ordered in February, and never delivered, so it cannot be this car.
I ran a carfax on it and it said that it was a 2 door hatchback instead of a convertible, yet this one has the ASC convertible sticker and "2" in the Vin not the "3"as a factory conversion. I have heard that according to how it was ordered it could have the "2" and be factory. Not sure on the validity of that information. My '88 and '89 IROC convertibles are listed as convertibles when I ran a car fax on them.
The original owner was in Kaneohe Hawaii and received the title on 01/10/1991 apparently after it was paid off with 7,819 miles. There were 6 other times it was registered in Honolulu and once in Mililani Hi. It was shipped to Oregon and titled on 08/23/2001 in Redmond Oregon. I think you have a year to change titles there so it might have been shipped a year earlier. The last time it had new tabs was 04/03/2009 in Portland Oregon and it had its computer checked by Go Auto Services on 04/22/2009 in Portland, Oregon with 53,000 miles showing. That is all car fax showed on the car.
The seller did say that the car was black under the trunk lid so I would assume that was the original color. I also noticed the GTA emblems are missing on the front fenders along with the door guards and has been painted blue. Thats all I know so far.
Last edited by yo soy el warg; 07-28-2016 at 02:27 PM.
yo soy el warg,
Here is the thing, ASC made all of the factory convertibles, ASC also made dealer conversion convertibles. ASC dealer conversion convertibles are for all intents and purposes identical with some minor cosmetic changes. Some of the cosmetic things are the sun-visors on the conversions are interior color, the "factory" cars are black... little things. Structurally they are identical year for year, the great thing is every part for a 1989 Camaro convertible can be put in a 1989 Firebird convertible. The only special pieces are the rear quarter caps, and the third brake light. The spoiler is a factory base spoiler with the ends cut off.
WITH all that said, GM did not offer a Firebird convertible for no other reason than the weight of the Trans Am and GTA exceeded the allowable calculation for fuel efficiency so they did not offer it until 1991 when the technology was there to meet the spec.
There are around 200 or so 350 powered Camaros and Firebirds. I know of 5 Camaro IROC 350's and around 187 Firebirds (43 Formula 350 and 143 GTA/Trans Am 350 convertibles) There is not a structural problem with them as some would wrongly lead you to believe.
More or less to get a dealer conversion convertible the dealer would either A)order the car and have it drop shipped to ASC to be converted then delivered to the dealer. or B) A dealer could have taken a car out of stock, ship it to ASC and then have it converted and then shipped back.
Here is what we know about the car
1) It is currently in Redmond OR
2) He says he is the original owner, hopefully he has not moved
3) The car has a Blue exterior and Tan interior and the base steering wheel
4) It appears that it was converted in 1 (January) of 1989 according to the door jamb sticker.
There was 2 cars that went to OR, one was Royal Moore Pontiac in Hillsboro, the other was Alan Hadley Pontiac. There was a third car ordered but it was ordered in February, and never delivered, so it cannot be this car.
I am striking out, nothing is coming up for me.
I know the original buyer of one in OR. From Royal Moore Pontiac in Hillsboro.
He's been hunting for the VIN for years. Do you have it? Or some if it at least?
Here is a picture of it in 89.
I also sent you an email.....check please
My friend bought that red GTA 5.7 convertible in 89 & aN 89 Turbo Trans Am a couple months later. Once they had kids & car seats, he sold both cars....
He sent me this picture as well but grainy.
He lost the VIN to the red car but hopefully John will be able to provide the last 6, only number he'll have to figure out is the 9th digit (check digit)
Very cool pictures & cars. When those cars came out the internet was still a pipe dream for most of us. I think I got my first dial up AOL account in 1992 or 1993? I had the smoking fast 14.4 connection speed!
I had heard of the TTA's, back then but they were so scarce I never saw one until 1992 when a dealer 30 mile south of me got one in. Now nothing seems "rare" even with a a car that only had a production run of 1550, it feels like those cars are everywhere.
Actually I have a VIN that is close, and it may just be a typo.. the VIN for this car is 225339 I have a 235336, but nothing else that really strikes me as being close to the VIN as being a mistake or typo or transposed numbers and someone mistook a 3 for a 2 for example. To have 2 mistakes I think would be a really anomaly.
I know the original buyer of one in OR. From Royal Moore Pontiac in Hillsboro.
He's been hunting for the VIN for years. Do you have it? Or some if it at least?
Here is a picture of it in 89.
My prior insurance companies are very quick to find a VIN if I call to possibly renew the policy. Nice vert!
One of the things you can do is get an autocheck and a carfax. You can at least see if
1) Where the car was last registered, city and state
2) the car has been totaled or not
3) With a VIN & current state, you might be able to hunt it down. Of course you might put out there on Craigslist, a wanted ad where the car is currently registered. It might not be immediate, but it might show up eventually.
yo soy el warg,
Here is the thing, ASC made all of the factory convertibles, ASC also made dealer conversion convertibles. ASC dealer conversion convertibles are for all intents and purposes identical with some minor cosmetic changes. Some of the cosmetic things are the sun-visors on the conversions are interior color, the "factory" cars are black... little things. Structurally they are identical year for year, the great thing is every part for a 1989 Camaro convertible can be put in a 1989 Firebird convertible. The only special pieces are the rear quarter caps, and the third brake light. The spoiler is a factory base spoiler with the ends cut off.
WITH all that said, GM did not offer a Firebird convertible for no other reason than the weight of the Trans Am and GTA exceeded the allowable calculation for fuel efficiency so they did not offer it until 1991 when the technology was there to meet the spec.
There are around 200 or so 350 powered Camaros and Firebirds. I know of 5 Camaro IROC 350's and around 187 Firebirds (43 Formula 350 and 143 GTA/Trans Am 350 convertibles) There is not a structural problem with them as some would wrongly lead you to believe.
More or less to get a dealer conversion convertible the dealer would either A)order the car and have it drop shipped to ASC to be converted then delivered to the dealer. or B) A dealer could have taken a car out of stock, ship it to ASC and then have it converted and then shipped back.
Do you know if there is suppose to be an rpo or drop ship rpo for convertible on the invoice?
Thank you!
There was no designation on an RPO code. Just an addendum for the additional cost of conversion.
What color is the car & can you post up the RPO codes. We've been talking about starting a database of these rare cars. I own one too
The SPID is missing. It does not even look like there has ever been one there. I have a copy of the invoice from GM archives. So is it suppose to show an addendum?
62k miles. Original paint in excellent condition. Leather is in very good condition as well. Still has its second set of original gatorbacks that still ride well. Runs and drives excellent. Antenna does not work. Asking $10,000
62k miles. Original paint in excellent condition. Leather is in very good condition as well. Still has its second set of original gatorbacks that still ride well. Runs and drives excellent. Antenna does not work. Asking $10,000
Yes the car is on the list, it was (as mentioned before) original dealer was Plaza Pontiac in Putnam, CT. It is the 16th car (by order of VIN) on the list. It was ordered on 11-01-88 and shipped to the dealer from ASC on 12-29-99. It is on page 3 of the order logs..
I was hopeful you would chime in since all this information is credited to you. I had some information & had just been talking about this car a few days before with another member who looked at this exact car in person.
Just remembered, I did come upon a '88/89 GTA convertible at a salvage yard south of Chicago several years ago SUPER CHEAP , I was going to pick it up but foolishly shared info with someone I thought was a friend, Scumbag backed stabbed me and bought it from under me.
07-26-2016, 10:43 PM
I was just thinking the same thing. 
