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I have a formula and was thinking on getting some gta/ta tailights for my car to replace mine. should I? what do yall gentlemen think? I can get a great pair of used ones from the junk yard in pretty good shape. thanks in advance.
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I have experience...unfortunatly,its a result of bad judgement.
I replaced my formula lights with TA lights, and i love it ten times better... Had two problems, one if which i fixed. The bulb config is different, unless youre going to change the whole wiring setup... Thenturn sig bulbs in the formula are very deep (long) and these creates a problem with the TA setup, beacuse the bulbs all go in straight. Little time with a drill fixed this The other thing was the center section between the actual lights... Im having trouble finding one from a TA, with the reflectors on it, so mine looks a little wacky right now. This pic is blury, but my others arents scanned yet, sorry!
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1988 Formula, 305TPI, 700r4(for now), headers, stage 2 PROM, modded MAF, cat back, no catalytics, cowl hood, centerline champ 500 rims, KOBEL predator ground effects kit, Trans AM tailights, dash pouch, 92 shift console w/indicator, white face gauges, accented red trim, 12 speaker stereo, 4 amps, tint, T tops... icq 44373460 AIM:admrlam
see it at www.geocities.com/admrlam/Bird.html
sheesh...man that looks good! I am in the same situation. i can get the taillights, but the center piece is gone. i will have to go with that setup for a while. it looks good even like that man. nice car.
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Quote:
I have experience...unfortunatly,its a result of bad judgement.
If you guys can get the harness that came on the TA tailights, do it, all you need to do is switch the harness, and all will be good. Its in the locking compartment.
I did the exact same conversion a few months ago and will never go back! I think the TA lenses look awesome... take note, that the 90-92 TA lenses never had a center piece. They were only two sections that met in the middle which eliminates our chicken logo (sux!) and have amber turn signals on the ends whereas 85-90 lenses are all red. I don't have any decent pics of mine after I converted but I'll try and post some when I get a chance.
As far as the harness, I was fortunate to find one in the junk yard still in tact. You won't need anything from the TA harness but to replace the turn signals (they simply won't screw into the TA lenses). I capped off the sockets I didn't need (two on each side) with electrical tape and spliced the TA turn signals on instead of mine. Works great now! Otherwise you'll have to resort to admrlam's method of drilling them out.
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'91 Firebird
305/TBI(L03)/700R4/T-tops
Mods: Catco high flow cat - B&M Shift kit - Taylor 8mm Spiro-Pro's - ACDelco Rapidfire Plugs - K&N Air Filter - Trans Am tail light conversion
Stereo: Pioneer DEH-P8200R - Pioneer 6x9's - Kenwood 8" Tube '91 Pics
'87 Firebird
2.8L/MPFI/700R4/220K Miles on its original, never been rebuilt engine!
Totalled it but saved a bunch of parts before it went to the junk yard. Firebird parts
I pulled the harness off the T/A and will replace my stock harness. I hope this will work. It should though. Will Post pics off the finished install on my next couple days off.
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Quote:
I have experience...unfortunatly,its a result of bad judgement.
I have recently been informed that I have the incorrect center piece on my T/A. So I am now looking for the correct center piece with the reflectors in the bottom.
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Zepher
'86 Pontiac Trans Am WS6, 5 Speed:
Edelbrock 1406 Carb, Edelbrock Performer RPM 7101 Intake Manifold.
Edelbrock Open Element Air Cleaner: Flowmaster Exhaust, 160* Thermostat,
Grant GT Steering Wheel, MSD HEI Coil, Taylor 8mm Wires, Recaro Seats,
Alpine CD+Changer,Rockford & Soundstream Amps, Premier TS-1040C Subs, Polk Audio highs/mids.
Originally posted by RED82TA5.7L: i think 82-84(i think) TA tail lights look the best.. i dont have pics but you all know what they look like. thats just my opinion.
imo i dont care for em to much...they look to 2nd genish....
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Quote:
I have experience...unfortunatly,its a result of bad judgement.
I did a conversion to 87 GTA tail lights on my 90 Formula. They look so much better. Try to get all three pieces at the same time. I got mine for 30 bucks at a swap meet. You don't need a new harness, just buy two new T/A sockets and tap them into the existing wiring. The little 194 lamp wires form the old lights you can just seal and tie off. The only difference wil be that the blinker will be at the end of the lights instead of the center, but the brake lights will still be the center. I actually like it better. Good luck.
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90 Black Formula
5.0 TPI 5spd lotsamods
everyone forgets, that 1985 had the same taillights as 82-84, i've thought about changing mine, but i like the way it relates to the 2nd gen birds. That an, it's the only way to tell and 85 from and 86.
sorry guys, im going to have to go against the wave of people and say that the 91-92 firebird lights look much better than the 91-92 trans am setup. basically because there is no firebird emblem and the lines don't look good in my opinion.
how can you say that? the orange
'P O N T I A C' across the back is simply bada$$. The outboard, gridded amber turn signal are bada$$. The quad brake light look.. also bada$$. The regular Bird lights look like utter, complete, and total **** in comparison. The T/A lights have class.
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91 Trans Am WS6
Bright White
5.0 TPI auto
Flowmaster 3" 2 chamber catback
Trans Go shiftkit
2000 stall converter
Originally posted by jeff: sorry guys, im going to have to go against the wave of people and say that the 91-92 firebird lights look much better than the 91-92 trans am setup. basically because there is no firebird emblem and the lines don't look good in my opinion.
I think you mean the other way around jeff. at least that is the way it looks by your post
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Quote:
I have experience...unfortunatly,its a result of bad judgement.
Originally posted by MrJ: how can you say that? the orange
'P O N T I A C' across the back is simply bada$$. The outboard, gridded amber turn signal are bada$$. The quad brake light look.. also bada$$. The regular Bird lights look like utter, complete, and total **** in comparison. The T/A lights have class.
i agree 100% bro... but unfortunatly, very unfortunatly, you cant find em in the junkyard. however, i would be very interested to find info on maybe an aftermarket alternative repro.
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Quote:
I have experience...unfortunatly,its a result of bad judgement.
You can get them aftermarket man.... I know a guy who bought a new set for his 91 T/A because the old ones were basically trashed. Try Next Generation, or maybe classic industry. I am 100% sure that you can get them aftermarket, this dude got them brand new out of some catalog, I can't remember which. But look around, they are out there. I think he paid $250 per side, thereabouts.
My vote undeniably would be for the 91-92 t/a, gta taillights because they make the car look so awesome and different(love the amber/red/clr dot matrix). You would however go to my second choice with the 85-90 t/a, gta lights for availability purposes(these are awesome too). I do know for a fact that the 91/92 lights are as rare as the 91/92 aero wings, formula/base firebird noses and rear bumpers. There were so few of these parts from 91/92 that finding these would be near impossible in junkyards. I dont know of any in Mass and anyone that is selling them on the posts wants top dollar for them(only a few out there). I found a set of 92 t/a lights in SC(stationed there for Air Force)in a junkyard in 1996 and they were excellent with exception of the pontiac logo fading(rubbed it out/all black). I was looking for these for a while then and the junkyard wanted 200 for the pair. I thought he was insane and I dwelled on it for an hour rationalizing but I loved them and bought them. I thought I was insane in paying that price for them but to this day I havent seen a set for sale in any junkyard or most posts, just wants in increasing numbers/popularity. My white t-top 89 formula 350 has the 92 t/a lights installed and gives the car a whole new attitude from the rear(love it). If I happen to come by a set Ill email you formula90 and help you out. Im going to put a 91 formula nose on the 89 formula. Love the look of this also/makes front look much more aggressive. I would like info on any 91/92 good,affordable aero wings if possible. Thanks for the time. This was my first post, STEVE Z
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1989 FORMULA 350
1989 GTA
HAVE FUN NO MATTER WHAT THEY THINK.
Steve,
Before I begin, I want to commend you on your first post. It is a breath of fresh air to see a new members first post be about the topic and also tries to help out. Thanks for the info man.
That would be pretty cool if you could keep a eye out for the 91/92 taillights. One thing that I want to add is, on the 91, some of them have the big pontiac logo stretched accros the middle of the tailights and light up when the lights are on. on the 92, they seemed to change thier mind again.
As for a great price for the aero wing go to my website and on my home page, on the left, thier is a link for spoilers. They updated the site to include 91/92 aerowing spoilers also. I think I know what look you are after. I am after the same. Go to the photos page on my site then click on the link where it says how I want my car to look like.
Also check this link out. it has a aerowing also with your tailights. I think you will be pleased with that price also. But I cannot endorse it because I have not purchased from there. anywho, just take a look and see what you think.
All of them, from the factory, said.
P O N T I A C across the middle. Some cars had the lettering in a dark, orangey reddish color, while others, like Dark Green Metallic Trans Ams and GTAs, had it in gold. This applies to both 91s and 92s. Those that you see with no lettering are that way because it peeled off over time. GM used some kind of ****ty paint to do the lettering, and since the newest 91/92s are 9 years old, the factory lettering is history on basically all but the most babied cars. When I got my T/A, the lettering was gone. But then I saw a rear pic of Dirk's (the Webmaster of this site) 92 GTA, along with a few others, and saw how it was actually supposed to be. I went to an Autographics shop, and they re-did the lettering for $50. It looks AWESOME now. One other thing about the lights: they look a lot like the ones on the late Fiero GTs. I think it was Pontiac's way of doing a little tribute to that car, since the GM bean counters killed it when it had finally become a badass little ride. The Fiero lights are the ones that lit up, by the way. The Trans Am/GTA ones just have lettering.
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91 Trans Am WS6
Bright White
5.0 TPI auto
Flowmaster 3" 2 chamber catback
Trans Go shiftkit
2000 stall converter
Built on Wednesday
[This message has been edited by MrJ (edited December 28, 2000).]
wow J i didnt know that. so all of the cars 91-92 have the logo stretched on them? just gta and ta right? not firebirds and formulas. hmm. let me know would ya? i would really like to have the correct info on this..thanks
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Quote:
I have experience...unfortunatly,its a result of bad judgement.
i dunno man, ive seen some 92's with out that pontiac logo on it....but 2 was the two piece light assembly but no pontiac. hmm maybe it faded offf like u said. im going to hunt for some pics. thankx
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Quote:
I have experience...unfortunatly,its a result of bad judgement.
Actually, I meant Firebird. It's a Firebird Trans Am. I can send you a pic of a set of 91/92 T/A taillights if you'd like, over email.. I don't have a website so I can't post pics.
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91 FireBird 305 V-8
no true mods,
ghetto rigged cold air intake,
People dont have a soul, its just something parents made up to frighten little children, like the boogie man, or micheal jackson..."
GheTTo Riggers INC.
We Make Mcgyver look Like Crap
The other thing was the center section between the actual lights... Im having trouble finding one from a TA, with the reflectors on it, so mine looks a little wacky right now. This pic is blury, but my others arents scanned yet, sorry!
