Spider7

This may be a really, really dumb question, but how could one tell if their car is a GTA or not? I have always thought mine was just a Trans Am as it did not have the badges or anything, but a few of my buddies have thrown up the idea that it might be a GTA and when the claims adjuster was looking at it (was in an accident recently) he thought it was too. What is the absolute way to tell? Maybe an RPO code or something or other? Thanks for any help guys.

89_305TransAm

This is a long shot, and i may be wrong. buttt I think the GTA's didnt have fender vents, and the TAs did.

gearhead0384

iTrader: (7)

Nope not a GTA. 89_305TransAm is right GTAs did not have fender vents TAs did.

Kevin

thecoolone

iTrader: (1)

Badges, no fender vents, gold wheels (most people leave the stock gta wheels alone), RPO code Y84, checking for the aluminum driveshaft, there are a ton of ways to tell. I would say yours isn't. But still a nice looking ride

SweetS10v8

let the adjuster think its a GTA, there worth more....

BADBIRD009

gta's also had 350 tpi and damn near every option known to GM at the time. and they did not have fender vents.

dutch89gta

Not true!

Not every 1989 GTA had a 5.7.
Mine is one of the 366 5.0 5 speed GTA's built. And it is genuine with Y84 code, 16" gold wheels, no vents. etc.

B.t.w. nice T/A you've got there anyway!!!

TTA 1387

And don't forget about the V6 GTA's

iroc22

A lot of GTA's didn't get the aluminum driveshaft. Easiest way to check for originality is the SPID.

87WS6

iTrader: (1)

Emblems, fender vents, wheels are all good ways to tell. But you can't rely on one thing. There are three things that all GTA's will have. If they don't then they are NOT GTA's. The RPO code sticker with correct code. No fender vents and finally all GTA's are TPI cars except the 1989 Turbo TA. It has it's own style fuel injection system.

thecoolone

iTrader: (1)

Thank you, did not know that iroc22.

Spider7

Thanks guys, I always thought it was just a TA as well. My buddies all swore it wasn't so I thought I'd look in to it a little at least. Actually the adjuster thinking it was a GTA saved my car I think, it added over a $1000 to it's book worth and saved it from being totalled, now they're gonna fix it all

iroc22

Yeah no problem. Everything else you stated was bang on as to indicating a GTA. The JG1 aluminum driveshaft is a little confusing since Formula's and GTA's had them as available options but you could find an aluminum driveshaft in almost any Firebird after JG1 was introduced since some steel ones might have been replaced under warranty for vibration for aluminum pieces; which would not indicate anything on the SPID.

Steve89GTA

My 89' Y84 optioned GTA is a 305TPI as well. Pulls stronger than any 350TPI I've been in though.. 14.4 dead stock on ****ty tires.

Anyways, is my car one of 366 built as well???

dutch89gta

It should be one of those 366 too.
You can look at GTASourcepage.com for all the prodution numbers and how many were built.
It clearly states that there were 366 GTA 5.0 TPI's built.
It also shows that there were 366 GTA 5 speeds built. So the only way to get a 5.0 TPI GTA was to order one with a 5 speed.

In '88 you could have ordered a 5.0 with an automatic. Not so in '89

dutch89gta

By the way, I just saw that your from Toronto, Canada.
Well, my GTA also came from Canada. I haven't tracked it's history down jet, but I'm gonna send the VIN number to Pontiac Historic Services to see if they can tell how many of those 5.0TPI 5 speed GTA's were originally build for Canada with Kilometer speedometers instead of U.S. mile speedometers.

See ya!!

Steve89GTA

That's awesome. Yes, I'm in Toronto. My 5speed GTA is white, wonder how many of them were white. Anyways, I want to get the Pontiac Historical Services kit as well.

Gotta find their website

iroc22

What was your trap speed?

14.4 bone stock? that seems more like a bone stock 350 time.

Steve89GTA

My trap was 96mph.
Slipped the clutch big time through first to hook well..

Oh, and I'm telling you for a fact...that I've NEVER lost to a 350TPI, dual cat or not..

CamaroFreak406

Wow!! 14.4 out of a stock 305 TPI. And your 305 TPI pulls harder than any 350 TPI?? How many 350TPI cars have you ridden in??

And are the mods in your sig done when the 14.4 was ran because if so you weren't stock. Stock is showroom floor, just because you never took the heads off the engine doesn't mean your stock.

Later, Garrett

SweetS10v8

Yeah, This sounds like an L98, My car is fairly quick for a BONE stock L98, im hearing....and I'm only running 14.25@95

Steve89GTA

I $hit you not. I realize that it may be surprising to some l98 owners out there. I've been around f-body's now for over 10 years. I've worked on and thus driven many 305tpi autos, manuals, and 350 TPI's auto (BORING). Truth is, the 305TPI Stick with the l98 cam (factory) is the most desirable combo in my opinion, and is definitely the most fun you can have with a relatively stock f-body - other than the 3.8 turbo or Firehawk.

Wave your little BS flag if it makes you feel better. I know what I ran - yes, with the mods in my sig. For a car with 190,000kms, I think it's doing quite well. On the maintenance side, it's babied to hell, but driven to their and back as well.

And that's the bottom line, cause my 305TPI said so!

*****, you're my hero.

iroc22

I can't get my bone stock 88 IROC hardtop LB9 G92 (no factory options, no factory A/C) to trap above 92mph. Of course thats completely bone stock right down to the GM catback; but still 96mph? thats pretty damn fast.

91GunmetalRS

Hey thats good for me, I just bought an 89 305 TPI 5spd Formula. I'm assuming they are light (no ground effects crap). Its got a 3.45 rear end, so I should espect mid 14's according to what's being said. Sweet, beats the crap out of my 91 RS 305 TBI that probably runs 17's.

bigals87z28

It is not uncommon to see a 305 TPI 5spd witht he G92 option as were in the GTA's to run mid 14's. There are a lot of camaro's that run that. Just cause its smaller doesnt mean its not as fast. Im sure there are a lot of 5spds that will shock the hell out of a 350 B2L car.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

I'll have to watch out for both those cars.

There aren't enough L98 or V8 5spd thirdgens around for anyone to really worry about getting the hell shocked out of them.

BADBIRD009

the ground effects only weigh all of about 20 pounds.

FruityOne

One thing that wasn't mentioned I think, even though we've already determined that you don't have a GTA.

Check the firebird logo on the tail light center piece. If its silver/grey then its a TA. GTA's had gold firebird centerpeices.

And if I'm not mistaken most 87 - 89 GTA's had the steering wheel controls I think. I know that with the introduction of the airbag the radio controls went out the door.

iroc22

A lot did but some didn't. My neighbour had a 87 GTA without the controls. Just had a leather wrapped wheel similar to the IROC's except it was grey and the center cap had a gold bird on it and it said GTA in big letters.

FrankieRider2

The wheel radio controls technically became an option on the '87 GTA late in that model year, but I've never seen an '87 that had them installed. I think that '87 GTA wheel with the center logo insert is one of the best looking designs I've ever seen.

All the '88 GTAs and all the '89 GTAs (except those with the CD player) had the steering wheel radio controls installed. They were also available on the Trans Am in '89.

RedFirebird

Another way to tell if a GTA from a TA is the paint and the stripes. All GTA's have a one-tone paint job, and they don't have the cheesy little striping either. The pontiac emblem (in '87-'90 models) in the headlight bezel should be gold, and the bird logo in the center of the taillights should be gold as well. The dash pouch should also have "GTA" embroidered into it, and the dash panel immediately below it should have a "Performance Suspension" emblem, referring of course the WS6 suspension package that they all have.

Steve89GTA

RedFirebird, my car has all the typical traits of a GTA, including the gold emblems, steering wheel radio controls, Y84 RPO, etc but the pouch in front of the passenger side simply has a picture of a gold firebird.

My car was authenticated by Pontiac Historical Services as being a real GTA.

FruityOne

Steve, its the same with my car. Its a real GTA, too many things match up. However, the pouch does not say GTA.

Kinda wish I had the overhead console too. That would be nice.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

Not all GTA's say "GTA" on the map pouch.

FrankieRider2

Drew's right.... only the 1987 and 1988 models used the "GTA" dash pouch, and not all the '87s had them; I have seen some that did not have this particular dash pocket. The first year was most probably a supply/demand problem, as it was the first year for the GTA.

1988 seems to be the only year where the embroidered dash pouches were used on all GTAs.

The 1989 and later models used the pouch that had just the gold Firebird logo screened onto it.