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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Do you have a picture or a story of rare converts? Please post it here if you do!
I'll start it off.....Did you know Pontiac made a convert 20th TTA? They only made one and here's a picture of it....believe it of not!
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__________________ John K
80 Indy Turbo Pace Car TA
92 TA Convertible, Jamacian Yellow (1 of 35)
96 TA WS.6 (450HP+) Sold
2006 Monte Carlo SS (LS4/303HP)
"Its stupid to work hard and you'll work harder if your stupid" ....John Wayne
Last edited by JWKbride; 03-22-2004 at 10:58 PM.
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Originally posted by TPl383 Damm, now that would be nice to own.
Im guessing GM still has that one???
Its owned by a guy here in Atlanta. Ive talked to him several times and been at shows with him.
He told me that he bought the car directly from GM (he has a connection) and the price was from GM was set. He told me that buying the car was not the hard part but proving to GM he had the proper ability to store it and take of it was quite an event....as it should be for a piece of automotive history
They made more than one I have seen pics of the 2 together that I know of...
Edit::::: after some digging one went to the guy who helped get the project together..and one went to the INDY500 winner..
I think...
I think I saw somewhere 2 prototypes were made... one was more of a racecar, ZF6speed ,Turbo3.8(Pontiac has it,I've seen it) and the other was a 5speed droptop.. I think the 5 speed was crushed...
Last edited by Tony Walch; 03-25-2004 at 02:44 PM.
Originally posted by Tony Walch They made more than one I have seen pics of the 2 together that I know of...
Well, anything is possible but I can only tell you what he told me. He also has some other GM historical vehicles so Im gonna make the assumtion he got the build data from GM
This one sets more than one record... not only is it the only thirdgen Firehawk convertible, but it's also the most expensive ($60K) and the only thirdgen Trans Am Firehawk made. 350 horse all aluminum block 350 cid..... makes me wana paint mine red!!
Originally posted by Cargasm Here ya go! Firehawk #027....
This one sets more than one record... not only is it the only thirdgen Firehawk convertible, but it's also the most expensive ($60K) and the only thirdgen Trans Am Firehawk made. 350 horse all aluminum block 350 cid..... makes me wana paint mine red!!
There was an article in a mag (possibly HPP) back in the early 90's. Thought maybe I still had it. An owner of a chain of grocery stores throughout the South (GA amybe) and he was selling off his collection of cars including some rare Yenko Camaros and a 89 TTA conv. for $30k with 6K miles. Article commented on only two TTA conv were made by ASC. Don't know if this is the same guy or not.
Not a great story, but one time I went to a paint/body shop to get a quote for work on a diff car. Saw an 84 camaro convertible parked there. Never seen one in person before. These were the ones that were farmed out to some company (not ASC) to do the conversion. They had the button down top and were 2-seaters. Had some fiber glass molding that covered the where the rear seats are in normal verts. Pretty neat.
Originally posted by Matthew91-Z28 Not a great story, but one time I went to a paint/body shop to get a quote for work on a diff car. Saw an 84 camaro convertible parked there. Never seen one in person before. These were the ones that were farmed out to some company (not ASC) to do the conversion. They had the button down top and were 2-seaters. Had some fiber glass molding that covered the where the rear seats are in normal verts. Pretty neat.
Originally posted by Cargasm Here ya go! Firehawk #027....
This one sets more than one record... not only is it the only thirdgen Firehawk convertible, but it's also the most expensive ($60K) and the only thirdgen Trans Am Firehawk made. 350 horse all aluminum block 350 cid..... makes me wana paint mine red!!
Actually it had a 366ci aluminum Rodeck block. I caught that I have a typo on that's cars specific page, but all of my other pages list those car correctly @366ci. My bad
__________________ 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!!! -
Originally posted by 92GTA Actually it had a 366ci aluminum Rodeck block. I caught that I have a typo on that's cars specific page, but all of my other pages list those car correctly @366ci. My bad
Drat! 375 hp, right? Gotta say, those webpages make me want a Firehawk sooo damn bad. I've said it before... that ragtop 'hawk is the only car I'd consider doing an appearance clone of. I'd say I have a good base to start with.... change the top, change the interior, set of Ronals.... only drawback is that anyone who is vaguely familiar with thirdgen history would expect my car to run like a scalded dog, when in reality it's more like a drowsy snail. Are there any more pics of that 'vert floating around?
Anyone here watch Barrett-Jackson car search on Speed? The owner of the car, Milt Robson, is on that show. He the one with the ball cap and black leather jacket. He'll sell it for $90K...
Originally posted by Cargasm Interesting... looks like it's got the Formula hood. Great pic, tho. Thanks!
The reson it has the Formula hood is because it is a "R" car which means ALUMINUM HOOD..
GM only made a few of them(I have one,it took 12yrs to find it)....SLP wanted 3,500$ A Hawk vin and proof of damage for one when i tried to get one in 93...
Last edited by Tony Walch; 04-12-2004 at 08:19 PM.
All the convetible 1989 Turbo Trans Am's in existence (at least 2 but probarbly 3) where sent to ASC to be converted as could any buyer do back then. The convertible in Atlanta was sent to ASC by the owner of PAS Inc who was contracted by GM to build the Turbo Trans Am's he later sold it to some collector that the current owner bought it off a number of years ago, I've seen and sat in that car as I know the current owner. Another TTA was send to ASC as the guy that purchased it in CA wanted one and just filled out the necissary paper work at the dealer when he ordered his TTA back in 89 or maybe 88, this one been in a couple of magazines and is as far as I know still in CA.
The convertibles could been ordered by any one at that time as the deal with ASC was the dealers could just have them shipped from GM to ASC and then they arrived at the dealership, I have the paper work to do this for the 87, 88 and 89 models.
What I have found out so far is that they made 66,605 sport coupes in '88 and 1,859 sport coupe convertibles. 922 cars were produced in yellow (yellow-gold). Yellow gold was not available on Irocs and yellow gold was discontinued after '88 so the only year you could purchase a yellow convertible was in '88. I know that Pontiac produced one yellow Firebird convertible in '88 and it is in the Pontiac museum. Doing the math, I come up with 1.3% of the sport coupes produced in yellow. 1.3% of 1,859 (total sport coupe convertibles produced) = 24 sport coupe convertibles produced in '88 in yellow and the only ones that were ever produced in that color, if the percentage for the total production holds true for the sport coupe convertibles. On top of this, about 3 months after I bought the car (new). A guy stopped me in a parking lot to talk to me about the car. The first thing he said was "you painted that car didn't you" and went on to tell me he was one of the three dedicated truck drivers for the camaro convertible factory in california and he had never seen one roll out of the factory in that color. I would really like to find the actual production numbers for '88 sport coupe convertibles for paint colors and transmissions. So, if anyone can help, I would surely appreciate it. B.T.W. it's a 5 speed
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My wife Cyndie's 22nd birthday present purchased new ( by me) in June of '88.....now my Hot Rod
( FINALLY!!!)
'88 Camaro Sport Coupe convertible
Code (59) Yellow Gold w/ Beechwood interior
'70 LT1 350 w/ AFR 190 heads, long tube headers, Edelbrock carb ( for now)
T5 - 5 speed.
Cyndie's Mother's day present purchased May 9, 2004
'89 Camaro RS convertible,
Code (74) Dark Red w/ Black and Grey interior
305 tbi
700R4
bone stock
My Big Dawg
2001 F350 4 door dually
Power Stroke Diesel
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Originally posted by JWKbride Its owned by a guy here in Atlanta. Ive talked to him several times and been at shows with him.
He told me that he bought the car directly from GM (he has a connection) and the price was from GM was set. He told me that buying the car was not the hard part but proving to GM he had the proper ability to store it and take of it was quite an event....as it should be for a piece of automotive history
I heard two made as well, I can't remember source, but it was a bit official I'd say. That TTA rear spoiler echoes mine, very COOL!
I saw a convert this past weekend with the old Thunderbird style tonneau as mentioned on the '84 Camaro spotted above. I think it was a Camaro but obviously, either way, not an ASC style drop.
-B
Last edited by Bill Speed; 04-08-2004 at 03:36 PM.
Nice car Chris. Does your car have the snaps around the rear of the top? There was a red z28 running around my neighborhood in Chicago in '84. I had my '83 sport coupe around 6 mos when I first saw it and I though it was the coolest car I had ever seen. It took me 4 years to be able to afford one, ( they were around 20k, same price as a new 'vette) but as soon as I could I bought my '88 vert ( new).
Originally posted by Mark P. Nice car Chris. Does your car have the snaps around the rear of the top? There was a red z28 running around my neighborhood in Chicago in '84. I had my '83 sport coupe around 6 mos when I first saw it and I though it was the coolest car I had ever seen. It took me 4 years to be able to afford one, ( they were around 20k, same price as a new 'vette) but as soon as I could I bought my '88 vert ( new).
yeah, mine has the snaps...
looks like it will be a while till i get to drive it again
Originally posted by Matthew91-Z28 Not a great story, but one time I went to a paint/body shop to get a quote for work on a diff car. Saw an 84 camaro convertible parked there. Never seen one in person before. These were the ones that were farmed out to some company (not ASC) to do the conversion. They had the button down top and were 2-seaters. Had some fiber glass molding that covered the where the rear seats are in normal verts. Pretty neat.
Here is a picture of my 84 Camaro Convertible 2-seater. Im in the process of restoring it as we speak. The engine is in my Signature: My 84 Z28 Convertible
Mine is not real rare , but it is the one that was a project car on Horsepower TV . See it at www.team3rdgen.com . I don't know how to transfer the pics .
Originally posted by 91RedRagtop Mine is not real rare , but it is the one that was a project car on Horsepower TV . See it at www.team3rdgen.com . I don't know how to transfer the pics .
I think I might just own the very car you are talking about. My Z28 Covertible is a two seater conversion bulit by AutoForm Corporation. I have the build sheet that the original owner had gotten, plus all the parts manuals that went to the dealership when the car was shipped out to them. This is a very fun car to drive and surprisingly very rigid for a conversion convertible. I would bet that the chassis stiffness is better than that of a t-top car. This car now has a little over 27,000 mile on it. The wheels are off of my brother-in-laws 99 Z28. The car was purchased from the original owner back in 2000. He bought it new in November of 1984.
That is one really good looking car. I like the fastback!
Speedy
__________________ Speedgraphic
'90 RS Vert
New Paint, Top, Interior, Rims, Tires. IROC Swaybars, Alston SFC's, Billet Aluminum LCA's, Panhard rod and STB by Edelbrok. Hedman headers, Carsound CAT and Banks Catback. Restored close to stock. Installing XM Radio was one of the best things I ever did!
"It's hard to slow down, when you were born to run."
Here is a few pictures of my Roadster, however she is getting a complete makeover....
toddztoyz
Is it possible for me to get a copy of the build sheet and the parts manual that the orginal owner gave you. I did not received these item when I bought mine Camaro Convertible in 1987 with 25,000 miles.
Thanks: Dave
Here she is with the top on, However the make over has change the whole car with the engine in the signature, with Laser Red Metallic paint, Leather Seats, and a lot more stay tune: