History / RestorationGot a question about Third Gen (1982-1992) Camaro or Firebird history? Where can I find these original parts? What is this option or RPO code? Those questions, answers, and more!
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heres what was takin from a ebay ad....
"This 1986 Pontiac Tojan was a limited production luxury sports car built for Pontiac by Knudsen Automotive from Omaha Nebraska. Between 1985 and 1990 they made around 300 in total. The car is in good condition with 72,000 miles. It has 2 tone grey interior and has black T-tops. This V8 engine is a 5 Liter. The digital dash is beautiful. We've owned the car for 14 years and it's been solely our "weekend" car. Has been garage kept for 14 years also. "
It's a kit. Anybody could buy it and stick it on (at) their car. IMHO just about the fugliest thing you could do to one of these cars, with the possible exception of hacking one up to make it look like that butt-ugly one on that stupid TV show. Basically, it was the same thing as the kids nowadays that put those asinine drippy-plastic r¡cer body parts on their Honduh that don't fit the car right and look so hilarious, except that it hadn't yet occurred to anybody to do that to a Honduh at that time.
But, that's JMO, others may feel differently.
However all that may be, it doesn't add anthing to the "desirability" of the car. Don't pay anything extra for a car just because somebody glommed one of those body kits all over it. The mere fact that Knodsen only put about 60 a year on cars doesn't somehow make them "collector's items" or anything like that.
__________________ "So many Mustangs, so little time..."
Sorry,
but the car was sold "complete" by the dealers! You could not get the kit, and add it onto yours!
What the ad says is right, but I don't know if the numbers built is correct.
Just letting you 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
my step dad owned one(had some rust issues so we cut off the peices and now they sit in storage) there was about 350 made i think like 15 convertible though and you could only get the kit from the dealer...we got ours for around 5000
my step dad owned one(had some rust issues so we cut off the peices and now they sit in storage) there was about 350 made i think like 15 convertible though and you could only get the kit from the dealer...we got ours for around 5000
Check out the junior member dredging up the 3 year old post!
Yes, it is a real car. It was actually in an old 80's movie, although I forget the name. I own a red 1986 Tojan that was ordered through a General Motors dealership in Long Island. I bought it from the original owner with a blown motor at 8,000 miles about 14 years ago as a graduation present for myself. It has black Recaros, wood paneling and a red Cyberdine dash on the interior. It was ordered with Gotti rims and under the hood was a well-equipped 305 complete with a B&M Roots blower and B&M SuperJection. It was a really hot car back in the day, and still is. Parts are a real bitch to come by, however Russell Knudsen is back in business and offering conversions, so good news for me!
By the way, no you can't just order the kit. Knudsen still owns the patent and does it at his shop. And the number is around 300 made, although I'd say there are probably only about 200 left, between getting totaled, parted out or people who can't appreciate nice things wrecking them.
Yeah, you have to love it or hate it. No different than a DeLorean or a similar short-throw-production car. The fact to keep in mind is that there were only 300 plus sold. Original. That means that a GM-affiliated product with VIN numbers to prove it is rare. Which I like. Last I checked, 1980's firebirds weren't in production, and 4 billion people in the USA divided by 300 is... well... equally divided that's six units per state providing they were all still around. (Oh, the movie was called 'Collision Course' and starred the chinese guy from Big Trouble In Little China and... uhh.. Jay Lenohttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097081/ ).
At the time of manufacture the killer for the car was that everyone was gearing towards Saleen Mustangs. I believe it was really a cost issue because Mustangs were light, fast and cheap right out of the box and the Guidos of the world with their turtlenecks and Cavaricci's ate them up. I was always a GM person myself.
At the end of the day, the Tojan was essentially the "Saleen" for GM.
The bottom line is that the Tojan is a part of automotive history as well as an art form. Like Studebaker, Tucker, DeLorean or any other remnant of a time period. It wasn't a Fiero or Pinto-based kit car. It was something you ordered through a dealer and added to your 'bird. The one I got had a sticker of $55k but I'm sure most didn't have all the bells and whistles mine came with. I am trying to find out what number mine is off the line, but I think the only person who can answer that question is Russell Knudsen.
So call it a piece of crap if you wish. It doesn't bother me. Albert Einstein and Picasso were frowned upon their whole lives. Now their work is considered priceless as well as being mainstream. Too bad for them they had to die first. The fact is that the Tojan was an innovation in automotive physique that made it to production as opposed to stopping at a drawing table like most ideas. Kudos to Russ for that. And you can't tell me the body design didn't function at all as inspiration for future design endeavors.
I am pretty sure that the cars were not an offical Pontiac or GM offering, but rather a Dealer conversion where a car would have been purchased by a dealership, drop shipped to Knudsen and then Shipped to the dealer to be sold as new. They also made a Camaro varient, the name escapes me but it started with a C, I have seen one in person it was at the TA nats a few years back.
As far as I know there was nothing special about the performance aspects of the car, it was basically a body modificaiton.
The Camaro version was called a Carralo. Knudsen also made the Baroque. You're right that it wasn't a GM thing offered from the factory. If you wanted one it was sent out, although some dealers (at least in Long Island) had one to look at, and you could order whatever you wanted. As I said in an earlier post, the guy who bought mine from the factory got the Cyberdyne dash, Recaros, wood dash trim and a B&M blower with SuperJection with 3:73 posi added to his. No wing though, Thank God! That huge thing on the back is just a little too gaudy for my taste.
The car was in a 'B' movie called "Collision Course" with Jay Leno and Pat Morita back in '92.
I attached some ad pics I have from back in the day.
Yeah, I agree that they're a hate 'em or love 'em car. However, the overall funtionallity and rarity should pose some real future bonuses for their owners. For those who'd adventure with one, huge wheel flares, an even more aerodynamic body, and maybe some real downforce with that wing, then add in some more torque and HP, 1LE suspension parts, a wonderbar, strut brace, etc. and some really wide meats....you've got one hell of a handling package for SCCA.
sorry, i meant to edit it..... the car is in racine, WI and the guy's asking $2500..somethhing about needing money for "college" or something?? search under yahoo! autos.....
