pimped out "original" 89 GTA Pace Car - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

bird67 · 06-18-2001, 01:14 PM

I was at a show this weekend saw a car billed as an "all original" Indy Pace Car. It was complete with the big fold-up sign in front of the car with all the Indy info, the stuffed animals on the seats, all the usual show crap.

First, let me say that the owner and his wife were very pleasant, nice people who obviously LOVE their car. Having said that, assuming it was a true Indy Pace Car, what they did to it was a crime.

First, instead of the original, tasteful white body with the Indy PC graphics, this one had fuschia [ie. hot pink] and gray panels down the sides, hood and rear deck. It had New York Yankee pin stripes down the sides too, between the fuschia and gray panels.

Then, on top of all this, they liberally sprinkled huge metal flakes into the clearcoat. Think "jet boat" and you get the idea.

Even the 16" GTA wheels were painted fuschia with jet boat metallic flake.

I asked my buddy who was greeting cars at the entrance if he saw a pace car. He said no. I described the car and he said that's a pace car? Where's the lettering on the door? So I went back and looked - sure enough, there was lettering on a magnetic sheet, like on the plumber's van, with the Pace Car lettering on it.

They kept the exterior-mounted strobe lights running front and rear throughout the entire show.

I heard the owners proudly tell how rare Pace Cars are, since they only made 1350 or whatever. I kept my mouth shut about my "common" 1992 firebird convertible, of which they made a whopping 1265.

As I say, though, they seemed like very nice people who were obviously enthralled with their car. So good for them. I just wished I had taken pictures to post...

bird67 · 06-18-2001, 01:18 PM

I should add that the above is only my opinion. What I consider overdone someone else might consider unique and wonderful. I certainly don't profess to be the authority on taste. Sort of like that debate on whether a car is "rice" or not.

TELLEZ · 06-18-2001, 11:55 PM

that is a crime, but to each his own. You should have take pictures of that car. Did you tell them about this site so they can be enlightened?

camaro6spd · 06-19-2001, 10:19 PM

they only made about 1000 converts in 87. 250 some SC and 750 some Z28s. I was so close to buying one too for 2500. But it sold.