Mraudi

I recently bought this poor old girl. She does not look well loved. It is a complete car, but needs alot of work to be a nice example. What are your thoughts on original vs modified? When I cay modified I mean things like interior upgrades from later car, like dash,instrumentation and console. I would also like to add some power adding bits to the drivetrain. I welcome and value your input! Thanks!

avro206

85-90 int is much nicer. Just keep all the org stuff.

I have seen several 15ths with 350s in place, headers ect.

It's your car--enjoy it!

L695speed

You could do a hell of a lot worse. IMO it doesn't seem to need that much. A little bodywork, a little paint work, clean up the interior and get a radio for it. Of course pics can be deceiving. I believe only 1,500 of these were made so I would say restore it back to original specs. You can look at mine for comparison but I've done work on mine. The body is comparable to mine but the paint is in much better shape and you have all the decals whereas all mine are missing. Mine is not a 15th anniversary bird though so keep that in mind.

Pyroviking

iTrader: (4)

Keep her original and unmolested! Nice score! She's got some real potential to be beautiful again

EDIT: Oh, and those wheels look AWESOME on that car!

simo

Just needs some TLC.



Or turn it into one of the 18 Nascar Pace Cars.

kizz

iTrader: (1)

I'm biased because I love all Recaro Trans Am's, so I would tell you to keep it original and unmodified, but it's up to you. The seats look nice and complete. A lot of times they're torn to bits, so you're lucky. Be careful with the seat foam/fabric getting in and out. Car looks fairly well-optioned. Pull out the dent and any rust under it, vacuum it out, wash it, new fluids, plugs and wires, and that car will look 500 times better. If you need new decals, try phoenixgraphix.com or stencilsandstripes.com but ask around because I don't know which one is more authentic. If you decide to stay original, I would do some reading up about the '84 15th Anniversary cars so you don't lose the parts that make the car rare, like those little sail panel emblems, white interior parts, wheels, taillights etc., and so you can do things right and maintain the car's value. As someone else said, they made 1500 of them.
Good luck

Mraudi

Thanks for all the info guys! I will take it under advisement.........

JeremyNYR

iTrader: (2)

it'd be a shame to modify that car. There are TONS of 1984 Trans Ams out there, like mine, that are fine for modifying. The 15th Anniversary cars are more limited in numbers and very worth keeping original/ restoring. They're really beautiful as they came... At first you might want to modify the interior and stuff, but it won't take you long to fall in love with the original styling of the car. The condition of the seats looks to be exceptional for their age. What kind of milage does it have? Any under-hood pics?

pontiacguy1

I have TWO 1984 15th anniversary T/As, both of which are a LOT rougher than the one you have.
I plan on taking the two cars and making one good car out of them, since some of the original parts are missing off of each one of them.
I agree with the above... If you want to build a hot-rod, then go buy a regular production early 80's T/A and don't mutilate that one.

In case you do decide to modify or rearrange it, I might be interested in buying any of the 15th anniversary specific items that you want to get rid of.
I have one of almost everything specific, but not all of it is in as good a shape as yours.

I think you have found a 'diamond in the rough'!

Mraudi

As far as modifying it goes, I really am not sure yet. I would like to put a different intake and carb on it and get rid of the electronic quadra jet. I would also rather have a later style inst. cluster, but that would involve modifying wiring.
The odometer shows 35,???, but as it doesn't have the extra digit it could be 135,???. The motor sounds awesome though. Very quiet and no smoke at all. Not even after it sits, and the rear seems to work as it should, so maybe it is low mileage. Who knows......
The seats are in really good shape. The drivers side bolster is a little crushed, but not bad. The T-bar leaks so the inside is quite wet and stinky.
Underhood is really dirty but all there. I might take some more pics tonight. I'll post them when I do.

pontiacguy1

If you want more power from the car, there are ways to do it that won't destroy the original looks or anything, if that is the direction you intend to go.
You can always put a 350 in it instead of a 305, and also tune and/or modify the electronic carburetor for better performance
and to work with a larger engine. Those cars have functional cowl induction, and if you change the carb to a holley or
something, or if you change the intake, then the height won't be right any more, and none of that will line up correctly.
Also, the intakes on these things aren't that bad... certainly not the restriction on these particular engines.

The 15th anniversary T/As had the L69 305 H.O. engine standard. These engines are the same as the regular 305's except
for the following... The L69 engines had flat top pistons for a 9.5:1 compression ratio, slightly larger valves in the same
head castings, the cam from the 1982 Corvette Cross Fire 350, and a completely different exhaust system.
The exhaust system in these cars was really great for a factory issue... They have large open exhaust manifolds,
larger pipes, and a larger catalytic converter.

These cars also came standard with the WS6 suspension system, and 4 wheel disc brakes. The rear ends were
either 3.42 geared posi (for automatic cars) or 3.73 geared posi (for manual trans cars).

1,500 were made, total: 1,000 automatics and 500 5 speeds.

All of them had T tops, the Recaro racing seats with special cloth centers and leather edges, leather wrapped wheel and
shifter ****, leather map pocket, white stiped tail lights with a blue firebird emblem in the middle, the special 16" white
painted wheels, special graphics, blue sail panel 'trans am 15' emblem, and were really the top-of-the-line F body car available in 1984.

Even though they aren't as collectible as some of the later and more powerful 3rd gen cars, they still have a lot going for them.

Good luck with your car, whatever you decide to do with it.

Pyroviking

iTrader: (4)

Just in case you missed it, here's a cool article on your car:

https://www.thirdgen.org/15th_annive...m_mt_july_1984

IROCZ28KevinZ

iTrader: (2)

Keep that car original and restore it! the interior is surprisingly clean for the age of the car, from what I can tell the Recaros don't look torn up which is a rarity in itself. The 15th anniversary TA's look so nice that I'm considering painting up my 88 GTA like one and getting the hood off an early-80s TA and getting the decal package from Phoenix graphics and making my own 15th ann. TA

TAdan

Mraudi, it looks like you have found a pretty solid looking 15th. Even the seats seem to have held up well. Nice find.

As far as modifying, personally I agree with the others, keep it pretty stock. However it is you car and you should enjoy it however you see fit.

Congrats! I love those 15ths.

Mr. TurboTA

Nice score!
I too, would try and keep it stock.
Is that mold on the hood?

George

L695speed

I should have known better than not to give that link to him. Especially considering I was the one who found and submitted that article.

Mr. Turbo TA I believe you are correct, could be pollen buildup and stains as well. My car has the same problem on the back under the spoiler. Wash and scrub it to see where it goes. A very fine sandpaper 5000 grit and a bucket of water will do the trick too. I do think that car doesn't need much. Looking at the rest of the paint theres no reason the paint should not be the same under that mess on the hood.

simo

The 15th's came with the RPO : GT4 AXLE RATIO RR 3.73 for both the automatic cars and the manual trans cars.

L695speed

These cars didn't come with WS6 because they had improvements over the '84 WS6 package am I correct?

Mraudi

The 15th's had a version of the ws6, but with bigger sway bars I believe.
The hood is covered in mold, and very stained. The entire car looked like that before i washed it. I left the hood dirty to show a contrast of how much better it is washed. There were leaves and debris packed into every nook and crevice on the car.
I pulled the rear trim pieces out of it today and pulled back the carpet. There was a very hideous beach towel under the spare that was soaked with water. Amazingly enough there is no rust though. There a a bit of light surface rust in the cargo area though, as well as the recesses beside the taillights. I forgot to take my camera down the the shop with me, I'll try to get some more pics tomorrow. Thanks for all the positive comments!!

simo

It would have been an upgrade of the WS6 for 1984.
I do not see the WS6 RPO on either of my build sheets.

My Automatic Build Sheet



My 5-Speed Build Sheet



A new 15th at the dealership in Torrance, CA
Pennisula Pontiac

L695speed

Yea thats what I thought about the WS6. Read the article that was posted that I sent in its under magazines in the Multimedia. Anyway great find. I figured washing it will do the trick. I have a list of TAs to get to start a collection. A 5 speed 15th like yours is one of them. I am biased because I like driving a stick too much. I've sworn that the only autos I will get will be a TTA and if I expand my collection beyond that then a Buick GNX. Enjoy the car and let us know how it goes. My guess is it will be a dream on twisting country roads. I would know as I have a WS6 L69 5 speed combination on my "ordinary" 84 TA.

L695speed

Simo, if you don't mind, where did you find your build sheet? My car came from Norwood so it might be in a different spot, I haven't found mine under the driver's seat yet (might have missed it somehow and most likely the mice got it), but I am still hoping to find it someplace.

simo

Both found by the previous owners of each car. I do not know where they found them. I have never found a build sheet but then again I have only torn down my first DT500 5-speed. Some of the DT500's had their BS under the drivers Recaro but I guess they can be anywhere in the car or not at all.

All 83 DT500's where built at Norwood so they do have build sheets. I do have the build sheet of my latest DT500, again part of the paper work given to me from the original owner.

wildjeff

iTrader: (1)

looking at the buildsheets i have I dont see WS6 on any of the Y82 (15 anniversary) cars. I do see it on a regular T/A with L69. Interesting observation.

Mr. TurboTA

All the build sheets I have, were all found under the front driver's seat.
Even for the '84 15th Anniversary, and the '83 Daytona cars.
There is usually another copy over the gas tank, but if it's still there, they are moistly missing, or badly damaged now.

Hope this helps,

George

pontiacguy1

I had one of my cars documented through PHS several years ago. I could've sworn that it listed WS6 as one of the
codes on the copy of the original window sticker that they sent me. I may go on and have the other 15th car documented through PHS as well. You never know what might be different on them.

I'm going to go home tonight and try to find the packet of information that they sent me. I'll let you know what all I find out.

Mr. TurboTA

Simo,
I have the build sheet for that 15th Anniversary Trans Am in the photos you posted from Pennisula Pontiac.
I have heard that that dealership is closed now.
It too, does not have any listing of the WS6 on it.
I did just look at it today, in my notoebook, and I sure need to get it scanned.

George

simo

Yes, I believe it is closed.
Most of the original Pontiac Dealerships seemed to have closed in Southern California. I will have to drive by it.

The three dealerships in Southern California that three of my my DT500's came from are gone.

Bob Warren in Manhattan Beach
Prestige in Van Nuys
Reuham in North Hollywood

pontiacguy1

I have heard that GM is going to kill off Pontiac all together. I read a story about GM's restructuring a couple of weeks ago, and it stated that GM is planning on having 4 core brands in the future... Chevrolet, Caddilac, Buick, and GMC. That pretty much leaves Pontiac out in the cold. They are already combined with the GMC division, but from what I was reading, it looks like Pontiac could go the way of Oldsmobile.

It's sad... Pontiac was 3rd in overall sales for several years, and has usually been a strong seller for GM.

The dealership where I bought my 1992 Firebird new has closed. It was Popham Pontiac Oldsmobile Buick GMC in Pulaski, TN. They closed a year or so ago.