its 1985 (maybe they came on late 84 ..not sure) and the new GFX and aerowing equipped trans am rolled off the production.. what was your impression at that time ... i mean did you like the change from the 84 GFX to 85 ones? or what you thought in 1983 when they added the 84 gfx to the cars ? I guess its a big improvement..

I was 3. Sorry.

i was 8 ...but ...anyway ..
give us your impression when you discovered it ..
i discovered years later and was thru a "monogram" KIT
catalog ..i saw the 1989 TTA ..and then i was wondering the differences between years and stuff
then i learned it all

I was 12 back then, but the switch is what turned me onto thirdgens. I never liked the 82-84 cars. Liked it so much that I ended up buying an 85.

85...i was born...lol

same lol

I got 86 uh oh

I was only like 5 at the time but I watched a lot of KITT and my familys only ever owned camaros...I learned later that I really fell in love with the Trans am design when I looked at the "more graceful Trans am"

In '85, a friend of mine was able to buy a brand new 305 5 speed IROC and I was always against the IROC and for the T.A. instead. Guess that's why I ended up with an '86 T.A.

My first exposure to the '85-'90 body differences were through watching Trans Am series racing, where the T.A. was the pace car several different years and at multiple tracks. I can remember sitting in one at Ramsey Pontiac and dreaming of "some day..."

Yep, same here....I was 12 and my older brother bought a new 85 WS6 T/A with the 5.0 TPI and I thought it was the shiznit. It made me want to get a 3rd gen ever since. He still drives his T/A to this day.

I also remember reading the sales brochure, and how I thought 210hp from the 305 TPI was a lot of power, LOL. Well at least back then it was.

I was one back then. can't say I remember seeing the ads

I don't remember nothing...mind you I was just born the year before, '84. But to really say which years I liked...I have to say '85-90. Looks the best if you ask me :hail:

84's in the hiz-ouse

I agree with the 85-90 comment too. I like it better then the 91-92's aswell

I was 3 but my dad owned a berlinetta, my aunt owned a TA and my grandma owned a 2nd gen Camaro. gramps owned a 67 impala.


I was raised around GM.

anyone

i was -2 at the time.

hey i was also -2. I was just a twinkle in my fathers eye. i think the switch in 85 was the best thing that ever happend to thirdgens. but the aero package on the 91-92's i think are the best of all. And for birds i think 85-90 is the best looking.

Why do you keep bringing your old posts back from the dead?

Well,
All I can say is, since I grew up owning nothing buy Trans Ams, and crusing them all up and down Van Nuys Blvd, Whitter Blvd, and the South Bay along the beach, nothing beats the Trans Am!
I grew up owning and driving second gens, including new ones!
Back then, it was like owning a Vette!
Everyone who owned one, or even a Firebird, would always wave to the other owner! Just like Vette owners and Viper owners, except Viper owners do the two teeth thingy with their hand!
Why Trans Ams?
Because of the hood scoop throughout the years, fender flairs, and both front and rear spoilers! Camaro copied years later, unltil the end of the second gen, they had it all!
So, with the beginning of the third gens, I was ready to buy a new car.
I saw the new '82 Trans Am.
Gone was the big wheel flairs, front spoiler, and the center hood scoop (even though the offset was to be for the 301 turbo engine), and all it had, was a flat rear spoiler?
I said no way!
I bought a brand new 1981 Special Edition Turbo Trans Am! I still have it, and don't regret getting it.
I didn't like the third gens until the '83 NASCAR Daytona Edition came out!
That aero package looked good on the car! Made it look more sporty and lower to the ground! Having owned a 1981 NASCAR Edition Turbo Trans Am, I fell in love with those Recaros!
So, when the '84s came out, I only liked the ones with the aero package!
Then, the '85s rolled out!
Finally!
It was second gens all over again! Every Trans Am had the aero package!
I came close to buying a 1985 Trans Am new, but started buying more used Trans Ams instead.
The only thing that I didn't like after the aero package came out, was the two tone paint jobs!
Then, in 1987, the GTAs came out, with solid colors! man, did they rock!
Again, came close to buying a new one then! But, I bought a 1979 Trans Am convertible, done by NCE, an aftermarket company. So, no new GTA.
But, 1989 rolled around, and I had driven a 20th Anniversary Turbo Trans Am in October of '88, and I was hooked! Finally! A Trans Am in the 13s stock! Just like my 1970 Trans Am!
I bought mine new! Not to make money on it, but to drive it and show it, and to keep it for as long as possible!
Then, I saw the '88 Banchee, and fell in love with that concept car! Boy, did it look fast, just sitting still!
So, when the 1991s came out, they looked the best to me! Lower to the ground looks, and fast, even while sitting still.
But alas, I was busy buying NOS parts for alot of my cars, as well as used parts, and other Trans Ams, so no more new cars!
During the fourth gens, I was buying way tons of stuff, so no new cars then either. Anyway, they are much cheaper now!

So, that's my take,

George

Attention? it's a good thread though. Seeing as how I own an 84 T/A, I'm quite partial to it. And the production numbers back me up.. I believe that '84 had the highest number of trans ams produced. The 85-90 was a nice style, but i like that you don't see the 84 style as often and I love the lower upper edge of the ground effects.

i dont think i was even a thought in 85...i wasnt around till 89 haha

back in 1985 ye say? well back in 1985 i was fresh dough in my moms oven. and i wasnt baked until 1986 so all i can say is i like the 1985-89 style better than most, dont like 90s bc i dont like 1st gen air bags, ugly things...

same here too. I would guess my first thought was... Aw Sh*t.. Im a baby!

back in 1985

Ahhh 1985,


I was 10 and Modonna had like 10 songs in the top forty lol.

I had a friend who told me they made Camaros for boys and Firebirds for girls. I actually believed him!! So at the time I didn't like the Trans Am because I wasn't no sissy!!

Okay...I'm an old fart...in 1985 I was 24. Couldn't afford to buy one, but really liked the new style gfx and aerowing. But I still prefer the non gfx cars. Bought my '88 Formula in Dec. '87 with 10 miles on the odo. I was glad I did, as I don't care for the '91's pointy nose, air bags and (IMO) odd looking gfx.

its always great hearing these stories from people who were old enough to remeber 3rd gens when they were new. haha 15 years from now we will be telling young-ins about 4th gens, the "new" 05 mustang, and the 09 camaro (keep your fingers crossed )

lets hear some more from you "old" people

Thanks Dan!
The check's in the mail!

George

Great stories G-man

Although the Two-Tone was std on T/A's for 85 you could order them solid. I wonder how many were ordered that way? I think I can add another seldom seen option

I pretty much missed it by exactly 2 years.

I am reminded of when i asked my dad what he thought about the '64 1/2 mustang. "Uh, Ryan, I was eight."

Your're right 85 T/A WS6!
However, I am implying even about the stripes that run all around the top of the aero package.
I just plain old love solid colors, like on the GTAs!
But, if I had a car stock from the factory, even with the stripes or two tone paint, I would leave it stock.

George

how about some stories about the fox body compared to the camaro/firebird back in the day? i think the 87-93 GT convertibles look very sweet...anyone else?

what did people think of the dodge daytona?...lamest car ever made in my opinion

what about the Fiero?

My first car ever was a 1987 Dodge Daytona Shelby Z. That thing was freaking awesome. Power everything (including seat), leather, everything. All options. Sure, it had a tendency to crack heads, and sure the t-tops leakes, and sure it was FWD and sure it had a FOOT operated parking brake (PITFA!!!) but man, THAT was a car. 174 HP stock = plenty for a 16 year-old kid. But it wasnt RWD and was pretty difficult to upgrade, so I sild it for my first Firebird.

I was driving a 1970 Olds 442 W30 at the time. 455 Ram Air, close ratio 4 speed & 391 posi. It had an under-rated 375 hp and 500 ft lbs of torque. I was thinking........come on little Pontiac, I haven't had lunch yet today.

Wish I had not let that one get away !!!

In 1985 I was 3. I was thinking I want a damn cookie cuz I'm hungry.

Although I do remember when I was a kid the first time I saw a Trans Am pull up to the stop sign outside my house when I was playing in the yard and my dad pointed it out to me. 3rd gen blue. Who knew that that moment would be my first step on my road to owning two TA's.

I plan on getting rich and getting one from each generation. Thats just wishful thinking though.

Wow I really went off topic here but oh well.

back in 1985 I was 19. I'd got a Ford Mk1 XR2 in Sunburst Red at the time and I thought I was so cool! Well, among my mates I was

A couple of years later I'd got tired of FWD understeer and wanted RWD - swapped the XR for a Vauxhall Cavalier Coupe (re-badged Opel Manta), 6 months later I'd got a Rover SD1 3500 SE automatic (215 ci former Buick motor). Then came a few (3) Rover Maestros (family FWD cars), then my first Ford 2.8 injection Capri (again RWD), followed by a second 2.8i Capri and finally Morticia!!

In the UK we'd seen Smokie and the Bandit and got Knight Rider and yes I knew I wanted a Trans Am of some sort! I wasn't aware of the gfx changes or details etc. at the time.

well.................I was 14 and loved the 84 and 85, ending up getting a 84 white, black decals and stripes, with the 85 silver rims, I think mine was actually 84 1/2 or something like that, had the HO and 373 gears! Got that when I turned 16, I drove it for many miles----then I put a crate 350 HO in it, then it messed up around 70,000 miles and I converted it to a 383 stroker, also, before I got the 350, I converted the auto tranny to a 5-speed tranny, needless to say, the stroker tore out a rear-end and went thru a 5-speed or two

I kept that car for 12 years, sold it like a fool, but a month ago, bought the 15th Anniv TA, I had only seen one of them, when I had my car, and always wanted one!

I always wanted to put the 85-90 ground effects on my 84 TA, I loved the fog lights in the spoiler!

Anyway, one day I hope to have a 20th Anniv TA, that would complete my favorites.................i've ranted enough