ConvertiblesDiscussed here are problems and solutions to convertible specific questions, including difficult to find part numbers and other convertible tech help.
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__________________ www.TheFOAT.com/92GTA 1992 Trans Am GTA SLP: GMPP optioned "SLP Performance Parts Package" GTA, 210K Miles, Dark Jade Gray Metallic, LB9, 4L60, T-Tops, and Gray Leather. Documentation includes Window Sticker, Factory Invoice, Etc. Added a few tasteful mods. Owned for 10 years since 69K miles. 2nd place trophies. - Currently undergoing restoration to brand new condition with as many NOS parts as I could find!!! -
That Formula photo is really good.. I love that. Great pix all around.
__________________ FIREBIRD TRANS AM : WINS THE DRAG RACE STANDING STILL.
1985 base Firebird, LB8/F41/GU6/DE1, '82 T/A wheels, CB, 153k
1982 Norwood Recaro LU5/WS4/WS6/Y84, 3466 original miles
1984 Firebird S/E HO V6, LL1/WS6, 114k, sold 5/02, repo 9/02, kennedy
(1982 Trans Am WS7, GM Goodwrench 5.7L, T-10, daily driver, 88k)
ÆÆÆ Join 82Recaro forum http://ohok.com/82recaro/forum/index.php
Well that explains the red '89 Formula vert that used to be seen around here a lot. When I was selling back in '95 he told me it was a limited edition factory convert. I didn't believe him Of course he wasn't the orig owner, but still I didn't know they were avaiable back then.
__________________ 1971 Nova original w/ 81k miles 250cid
1992 Camaro RS,Med.Quasar Blue Met. 305cid F41,all orig 65k mi
1978 Trans Am Black/Gold 400cid, only looks stock
2002 Trans Am Firehawk#911 Black, Hurst, Bilstein, all orig ~1000 mi
Pretty cool, Chris!
You just got these? You should have said something to me, I've had these for quite awhile! I even have Pontiac documentation on the 1991 Pontiac Firebird convertibles too!
Maybe you should plan a trip up to my neighborhood and check out what I have!
Let me know,
George
__________________ Go for the top of the food chain, and run wild!
1989 20th Anniv. Turbo Trans Am #231 (autographed by Emerson Fittapaldi in gold, winner of the 1989 Indy 500, on my dash panel glove pocket)
Featured in:
Books:
Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 1969-1999 Photo Album
Pontiac Firebird 1967-2000 Photo History
Firebird Trans Am by David Newhardt
Magazines:
Smoke Signals Sept 1993
Car Craft March 2000
- New Clutch. '03
- Replaced transmission with 60k used T5. '03
- Replace painted black seats with saddle GTA seats. '04
In Progress: for 2006
-New Body, Door seals.
- New Outer and Inner door glass sweeps.
- New Hatch struts.
- New Headliner.
- Headlight motor rebuild.
- Digital Dash retrofit? Sorry I love the fighter plane/ space shuttle look. Not Kitt related
- New lower door hinge pins/bushings.
- Replace painted door, kick panels, belts, rocker covers with saddle GTA replacements.
__________________ ...nothin' special, but...
1991..338.500 km / 210.500 mls...ja und?
...first engine, first tranny, first paint, owner since 1992... ...Standard of the World Z-Rated 97 STS Northstar 4.6L 32V V8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjwpETrmMUk
Hmm... does anyone else see a problem here? It says above that for a convertible to be made you need to have a T-Top car... but i thought you could not get a 350 in a T-Top car, only hard tops!! whats up with that GTA?
Originally posted by 92GTA GTA's could indeed be had with the 350/T-Top combo...
true, I have seen a White 89 GTA T-top 350 leather interior, it was no C&C conversion either... 1989 was an unusual year because of the Buick Turbo T-top cars they were made available... looked at the RPO's and it was a GTA, L98, CC1 car...
guy was asking 7500 for it.
SO, with that in mind if you had one of those you could get a convertable 350, there is a guy with a '89 Formula 350 Convertable around too.
John
__________________ 87 FORMULA - 5.1 LB9/A4 T-tops 3.73 Modified (Yellow/Black)
87 FORMULA - 5.0 LB9/M5 T-tops 3.45 (Yellow/Gray)
89 FORMULA 350 - CONVERTIBLE 3.27 All original (Red/Gray) www.3rdgenformula.com
AS for the ASC onversion being woth less than a GM convert... I got news for you... All Convertable Firebirds and Camaros from 87-92 purchased at dealerships were ASC conversions to my knowledge or "Aftermarket", so were many 80's & 90's Sunbirds, and Cavilers (however you spell it) they say so right in the door jam.
I would not think it lowers the value one bit... All of the Mustang Converts from the 80's thru 1993 were done by C&C here in MI, had a friend work there, same goes for the Olds Cutlass, made by C&C... It is like a Firehawk, someone has an idea, and GM gives them permission to do the mods, and job it out.
Man that pic of the white Formula conv is very cool. Im going to print out the ASC info for my records. I might be the one with the red Formula 350 that is referenced in this thread. If not then I would like to see that persons Formula conv. Heres a pic of my Formula 350 conv(the only one Ive seen in person). STEVE Z
"The T-top thing" as you put it, was important because instead of re-constructing the roof behind the windshield they just had to cut off the center bar. Also the extra structure of a T-top car(insignificant as it may be) would also have been a benefit.
I believe all Camaros and Firebirds that were converted by ASC all started life as a T-top car.
On a side Note: GET THIS: I went to a car show, and if I took my tops off I changed classes becasue I was then a "Convertable"
Dayum that 89 GTA rag top is purdy. if only we could go back in time eh? LOL. my dad would have a GTO Judge instead of the Lemans. Ah well i like the lemans just as good. does anyone on this board have a GTA Vert? id love to see some pics if there is
interesting............the passenger seat has the seat belt holder hook thingy, and the driver's side seat doesn't. what's the story there? neither of my seats have them. did the '89 verts have them because they were in all the hardtop/ttop birds and didn't want to make some different seats or something?
__________________ 1991 Formula
1991 Firebird Formula
1992 Firebird convertible (sold)
1988 Trans Am GTA Notchback (sold)
"You sleep safe in your beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do you harm." - George Orwell
Well, the one on the driver side is missing. Just take a look at the seat, you'll know why.
I dont know the why's of it being there or not. Its a GTA seat (obviously) and maybe they didnt want to make a new piece for that spot. I will say that without it there, the belt whips around in the wind with the top and windows down, and hurts after a while. With the belt through the loop, it doesnt do that.
Originally posted by okfoz true, I have seen a White 89 GTA T-top 350 leather interior, it was no C&C conversion either... 1989 was an unusual year because of the Buick Turbo T-top cars they were made available... looked at the RPO's and it was a GTA, L98, CC1 car...
guy was asking 7500 for it.
SO, with that in mind if you had one of those you could get a convertable 350, there is a guy with a '89 Formula 350 Convertable around too.
John
I haven't been on for a while, but I still have my 1989 Formula 350. It has the 140 MPH speedo. I have paid off the loan, but mechanical problems keep popping up and making getting to bodywork difficult to say the least. At some point I should have the mechanicals back in line. A bit disheartening with less the 125K though!
Originally posted by SLZ Man that pic of the white Formula conv is very cool. Im going to print out the ASC info for my records. I might be the one with the red Formula 350 that is referenced in this thread. If not then I would like to see that persons Formula conv. Heres a pic of my Formula 350 conv(the only one Ive seen in person). STEVE Z
I think I saw you posting on my thread. That spoiler certainly looks the same as mine, and the ONLY other one I've ever seen....yet
The pieces to the trunk spoiler section (fillers) fell out! A little too hard of a hit in the rear I guess (OH OH!!)
I have some reconstruction surgery needed, but works been REAL slow lately.
Anyway, mine has GTA rims which I'm wondering might have been original on it, and it lacks the 350 side stickers, but I found a source for the full 350 Form. sticker package around $125 USD.
Originally posted by madmax I think someone from the board might be interested in this photo...
I swear to *** I saw that pictured car in Auto Trader a few years back!!!!
I got my early spec info from the description. It was going for $16,000 if not mistaken. Did someone buy it?
hehehe
COOL, man, cool!!
I still have that copy too.
ok something else i noticed:
in the first scanned page it says "electric tonneau cover" and on the third scanned page it say "manual folding top." what's what there?
The cover is the part you see with the top down, it has an electric release and a pair of solenoids. I guess that makes it electric
The top itself is manual.
that's weird. nothing having to do with my top is electric, the cover and the top are both "do it your own dang self!" wonder why they changed to that in '91/92? oh well, that motor is just another thing to die and have to replace, so i guess i'm glad mine is all manual.
Originally posted by underdave ok something else i noticed:
in the first scanned page it says "electric tonneau cover" and on the third scanned page it say "manual folding top." what's what there?
For everyone's info.... Mine has manual everything. The trunk lid latch [was] motorized, the doors and mirrors are powered, but that's it. The top is fully manually lowered and raised.
I think it can be retrofitted...MAYBE.
Another thing that puzzles me is the space in the center of the trunk, below the spoiler... doesn't match other third eye taillights
ODD
Originally posted by madmax The cover is the part you see with the top down, it has an electric release and a pair of solenoids. I guess that makes it electric
The top itself is manual.
One of the reasons I shopped for an '84/'85 Cad Eldo was the powed top and real glass window, along with the fact the Eldorado has more status in the used market, it seems to me, in regards to prices. I know performance buffs don't see it, but those Eldo's are future collectibles, and from my understanding, were more costly then the Firebird converts of later years. ($30,000 during the mid 1980s)
They often sell for $10K plus nowadays. Anyway, just a friendly FYI
I have a 91 Firbird Convertible with the L03 but there is an L98 out of a vette going in this week. I plan on making it look like the #27 Firehawk in 1992, mine was originally red and plan on putting it back to red with the 17 inch Ronal wheels too. The paint is hopefully going to be the same code Mandatory Red as the Hawk.
If you have a dark blue car with no paint probs, I'd base your Firehawk off that. Blue does more for me then red!
I love it. I got a better camera now, so here's a current shot of mine where you can see it needs money injection!
hehe
My car is originally red, but the guy I bought it off of painted it purple, then two years later I was stupid and had it painted black, which looks like crap now b/c all you see in the chips is red. So when I save up the money it is getting that red job. But the good side is that the 350 TPI is going in this week.
Originally posted by Chris 84TA my vert isnt an ASC... but i am looking for all the ASC part to convert it...
mine was done by CAR (custom automotive restyling) back in 1984...
here is a pic...
later,
Chris
How are you looking to convert it? It looks good in the pics
I just watched Judgment Night from 1993, with Emilio Esteves and Denis Leary. There is a real beatup Camaro droptop that Emilio's brother drives in the film (for a few seconds on film)
May be of interest. That is a good film too
Bill
Originally posted by Bill Speed How are you looking to convert it? It looks good in the pics
I just watched Judgment Night from 1993, with Emilio Esteves and Denis Leary. There is a real beatup Camaro droptop that Emilio's brother drives in the film (for a few seconds on film)
May be of interest. That is a good film too
Bill
heres my baby '91 vert it has 38,500 original on it and.....THIS firebird is pictured in a book about The firebird from '67--to--2002
ITS on Pg 138 Its called tHE fIREBIRD bOOK!!!!!!!
Originally posted by GiddyUP305 heres my baby '91 vert it has 38,500 original on it and.....THIS firebird is pictured in a book about The firebird from '67--to--2002
ITS on Pg 138 Its called tHE fIREBIRD bOOK!!!!!!!
The book search didn't work, but there is another site I turned up vie search engine that had video clips of racing and street antics and I could swear I saw that car on the site. I bookmarked the link I believe it may still be active. I really hadn't had the time to go back and download but I'm getting better at multimedia so may do that.
The downside for roll bars is the back seat room eliminated.
I first rode in my convertible in the back seat...Wow, that was some feeling!
Originally posted by underdave interesting............the passenger seat has the seat belt holder hook thingy, and the driver's side seat doesn't. what's the story there? neither of my seats have them. did the '89 verts have them because they were in all the hardtop/ttop birds and didn't want to make some different seats or something?
Mine had them on both sides. Being a Formula, it had just about all options but the radio steering controls, CD player, etc. IT does have power locks, windows, mirrors, trunk release, etc.
I'm inspired to do as much of a resto as a paycheck to paycheck working stiff can. Wish I could do a frame-off
...Standard of the World 
