When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I've been a member for a little while, but mostly a lurker as I refreshed my memory about 3rd gen. F-bodies.
My first new car was a 1991 Camaro RS, L03, 5spd. car. This is her parked in front of Chevrolet Central Office in Warren when she was new.
I'm a little older now, , but still have fond memories of the car. So when I had need of adding another vehicle to the family fleet, I wanted something sporty again. I've been looking for almost 12 months, but finally found this the other day. I couldn't be happier.
It's an '88 Firebird T/A, L03, automatic. A one owner, 51k mile, retired GM engineers vehicle, who finally got to a point (age) where he could not drive it anymore, and had to give up his baby. Zero rust, and everything is in working order. As a 26 year old car, it can use a few little things, but she's pretty darned nice.
Here are a few pics from the dealers site. Michigan weather and a slushy ride home have prevented me from getting some photos of my own.
It seems pretty well equipped to me. Not fully loaded, but pretty nicely done.
Some of the more enjoyable things on the SPID label:
Power windows, locks, mirrors, hatch, and antennae. Tilt, cruise and a/c. T/A with WS6, t-tops, Performance Sound system, cargo cover, rear window defog, 6 way manual driver seat, cassette storage. Just a very comfortable car.
She needs a few things before she's ready for a summer of cruising, but I've never looked forward to warm weather so much!
There are quite a few questions I'm going to have, and after watching this place in action for a while, I couldn't think of a better place to be.
Last edited by DynoDave43; 07-17-2017 at 05:17 PM.
Reason: New photo links from Flickr
Thanks guys. I'm very happy with it thus far. Sure wish the weather was nicer so I could enjoy it. It actually needs a few things before I'll be ready to drive it (wipers, LOF), and an alignment (wheel is off center, but not pulling...I want to protect that $800+ set of Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus tires that are on it, and like new). Then quite a few more to do to get it closer to 100%.
I honestly don't know if the GM accessory alarm works or not. I'm suspecting not. The LED never flashes, and the dealer had no notation of a code for it. In the storage compartment in the back, there is a ziploc bag with an alarm module and harness in it. I don't know if it was never installed, installed but quit working and was removed, installed but he lost faith in it and had it removed, if this is a spare from another car? The story is that the owner was in his 80s when he traded it in. I'm going to try contacting him, but not sure what sort of luck I'm going to have. I almost sort of hope it's been removed. We saw cars with no start problems traceable to aftermarket alarms when I worked at a Chevy dealer in the 80s, so my faith in this 25+ year old piece of electronics would be pretty low.
cal30_sniper: Yes, it is nice to have something that is sort of "cruise-night ready", as it were. While there is a long list of little fixes and improvements I want to make, it's in darned nice shape.
I have SEVERAL project cars. And the older I get, and with two teens heading to college all too soon, those are looking more and more like retirement projects. So this will allow me to enjoy the automotive hobby NOW, while the kids are still around and can join me for a cruise night, local show, autocross, or poker run. I'm really looking forward to it.
86T/A Ram Air: The L03...I was a little surprised to see it there, to be honest. I would have "guessed" that TPI motors were std. equipment in T/As. Surprised, but not exactly disappointed. It moves along just fine. I probably won't do a whole bunch to it...just enjoy it.
mantaguy: Assuming PW7s are the wheels...I have not seen many with the red center either. To be honest, from a purely maintenance point of view, I'd rather have a black center (or a different wheel!), and I always thought this wheel looked great in gold or white. I liked the red when I first saw it, and am growing more fond of it the more I look at them. So I think they are pretty safe in the future plans for the car. My oldest brother just bought new wheels for his hobby vehicle a few weeks ago, and we were both saying how we liked the look of "lace" wheels, but would never want to own / clean them. You never know what the future will hold.
Stuart S: Factory sub(s)...I was caught off guard by this option. I had no idea they were even available. The switch works, and the amp seems to work, but at least one of the speakers is blown. So a fresh set of drivers is in the future.
Todays Upate: Battery tender in place. I dug through the rear storage compartment. I have the original owner manual and warranty booklet (with all the owner information filled in), a selling dealer demo tape/cassette, Goodyear brochure, Goodwrench alarm brochure, Stereo supplement, etc. Also the key/socket for the locking lugs in it's original bag (the RPO was on the SPID label, so I was hoping to find a key somewhere!), and the factory chime module. I'm not sure why it was removed, so that will be one of the early things to check on. I've been know since my teens for driving with my marker lights on, and when I've had a car without this module, I've been known to forget to turn them off! LOL
Picked up a clay bar kit, some wax, detailer, Mobil 1 and Mobil 1 filter, RainX wipers, etc. Now I just need some decent weather.
86T/A Ram Air: The L03...I was a little surprised to see it there, to be honest. I would have "guessed" that TPI motors were std. equipment in T/As. Surprised, but not exactly disappointed. It moves along just fine. I probably won't do a whole bunch to it...just enjoy it.
I think 89 and up TPI was standard in the t/a but don't quote me. 87-89 pretty much every fueling option was available in every trim. My friends high school car was a 89 formula with a L03. and I had a 89 formula with tpi and maui blue. After he got his I had to have one lol....and that's where it all started lol
The secret with those wheels is to use ceramic brake pads.The wheels on my TA used to be Red.
I'll keep that in mind, thanks. I have ceramics on my Suburban, and my wife's Venture, all with good results. But for better performance, I was also going to see what Hawk had to offer.
Your car is beautiful, BTW. If ceramic pads are helping you keep those white wheels clean, there must be something to them. But I'm sure you put a lot of work into keeping them (and the rest of the car) clean as well.
I have the GM security on mine and it still works. I also have to punch in a code to open the hood, which is nice but when you store it make sure the hood is propped open made that mistake ionce and I wont do it again.
I have the GM security on mine and it still works. I also have to punch in a code to open the hood, which is nice but when you store it make sure the hood is propped open made that mistake ionce and I wont do it again.
Oh noes!!! Curious, how did you get in to the engine bay? I assume the battery died and wouldn't allow use of the system, thus not being able to pop the hood latch? Lessons learned I guess.
Mine does not have the security system hood latch. In the original brochure that was in with the owner manual, the picture of this hood latch is crossed out, apparently to indicate it was not part of the system the first owner was buying.
But thanks for the warning! Hooking up a Battery Tender was job one.
Looks real clean. I bought an 89 Iroc just about exactly 1 year ago in simular condition with 47k miles, and have been enjoying sorting it for the past year.
I miss that old Camaro, Van Nuys born. Had a lot of great drives in it, including to NASCAR races in Charlotte and Bristol, and to the Bowling Green Vette plant. And for that matter, I miss the Chevrolet Central Office building that the photo was taken in front of. It's leveled and gone within the last year or so, along with that sign. You can't have a COPO without a Central Office. Makes me sad to see the hole where it used to sit.
The sub does seem to be somewhat rare, jrhaus76. I've seen a few others here with it, but it's not the norm. It seems pretty darn well equipped, especially for an L03 car. Getting new sub drivers, or having these rebuilt is on my long list of items that need "sorting", to quote Van Nuys born. That's a good term to use, and I have a fair amount of that to do.
It's supposed to be sunny and 50 here on Sunday. I haven't had the car out since the day I bought it...too wet/salty with all the snow melt. It needs a bath for starters, then some other basics. Hope to have some time for it on Sunday.
Last edited by DynoDave43; 03-28-2014 at 04:19 PM.
Dave it definitely seems like that car was optioned all for driver comfort. Most definitely was ordered. I'm really surprised to see a trans am with a L03 and all those options.
Dave it definitely seems like that car was optioned all for driver comfort. Most definitely was ordered. I'm really surprised to see a trans am with a L03 and all those options.
Yes, I suspect it would have been ordered as well.
The first owner was a GM engineer, and had a pair of Firebirds. His wife had a yellow Formula, and he had the red T/A. I have his name and address. If he's still with us, and hasn't moved, I hope to get in touch with him to talk about the car.
Yes, I suspect it would have been ordered as well.
The first owner was a GM engineer, and had a pair of Firebirds. His wife had a yellow Formula, and he had the red T/A. I have his name and address. If he's still with us, and hasn't moved, I hope to get in touch with him to talk about the car.
That would be great. Being it looked like it was his baby he would probably love to talk about it.
It was just too nice on Saturday, and I had to take the T/A out. Took the family to our local Culvers, just to get a short drive, and run down the highway. Fun, if not a little cozy for four. Had hoped to give it a bath, but it was just a little too chilly yet here in Michigan.
Back in '92, I traded my '91 RS in on an S10 extended cab, which I accessorizes some. I thought, being the automotive pack rat that I am, that I had a goody or two in the attic that might find a home on the T/A.
Digging around in the attic, and found this box.
My old Hella H4 headlamps! I loved these things in the truck. Should fit the T/A.
Last edited by DynoDave43; 07-17-2017 at 05:20 PM.
Reason: Updated with photo links from Flickr
I was noticing last night those Hella lamps have a few corroded spots on the back side...perhaps in the silvering. I don't see any "holes" in the interior reflective surface, but I'll have to address that...maybe a shot of silver paint or clearcoat.
Our Michigan spring has been slow in coming. I drove the car home in fairly sloppy conditions, and sadly, have not had a sufficient break in the weather to really clean the car up.
The factory floor mats were missing when I bought the car. Wanting to protect the carpet in back, I picked these up for now. I may look for a more suitable replacement down the road, but for $1.99 each, they were cheap insurance for now.
These mats are in the front. Again, pardon the muddy foot prints. I hope to NOT be posting photos of the car in this condition in the future. That said, what are these mats? Were these a GM accessory, or are they aftermarket? They seem to be in decent shape, and with a rubber backing and carpet insert, are actually pretty nice. The driver side might need a new carpet insert in the not too distant future.
Mine aren't the only ones...I found these on Craigslist for sale...
Last edited by DynoDave43; 07-17-2017 at 05:27 PM.
Reason: Updated with photos from Flickr
Very nice find Dave!! I know I saw that car while shopping online before I found mine at the beginning of the year. Have fun with it as soon as we get some better weather!
I shopped for about a year Gunner, looking at quite a few cars out of state, before accidentally stumbling across this one in my own back yard.
That's almost exactly what happened to me. I was looking for a very specific color, option combo, looking all over the country and after missing out on a couple opportunities I expanded my options. The car I found had been on Craigslist for a long time and was only about an hour away. I had ignored it because the guy didn't have any pics posted. Once I actually called and talked with him I knew it was going to be the one and I wrapped it up the moment I saw it in person.
The title arrived in the mail today. It's mine, and I can prove it!
Also picked up the license plate this week. Which made me realize...I don't have a plate frame. Doh! Nothing a quick ebay shopping trip can't cure. Should be here tomorrow, or Monday at the latest.
Weather is supposed to be decent tomorrow, but very windy. That will give me time to tend to some other chores, and stretch the garden hose out in the sun (that's not a euphemism). Sunday is supposed to be beautiful. Should be my first chance to give the old gal a bath. Meguiars car wash awaits!
The title arrived in the mail today. It's mine, and I can prove it!
Also picked up the license plate this week. Which made me realize...I don't have a plate frame. Doh! Nothing a quick ebay shopping trip can't cure. Should be here tomorrow, or Monday at the latest.
Weather is supposed to be decent tomorrow, but very windy. That will give me time to tend to some other chores, and stretch the garden hose out in the sun (that's not a euphemism). Sunday is supposed to be beautiful. Should be my first chance to give the old gal a bath. Meguiars car wash awaits!
Very nice find! I hope you enjoy her when the weather gets better. I just got my new 1989 GTA last October, can't wait for good weather. I even had to build a 12x20 garage to keep her in.
Thanks porkenstein. I sure hope to have some fun cruising. Kids are getting to an age where they will be off doing there own thing pretty soon, and already are to an extent. I hope to have a chance to share a few cruises and shows with them before they move on in life.
mantaguy: Just a rear plate in Michigan, which having moved from a 2-plate state, is just fine with me! An aquantance back home has been showing cars as long as I've been alive, and he refuses to run a front plate. It's funny, his keep getting stolen, and when he orders a replacement (for which he gets paperwork to carry in the glovebox) , it never seems to show up in the mail.
Thanks Gtaguy. I'm sure we're both going to enjoy our new rides. And you got an additional shop building out of the deal. Even better!
I shopped for about a year Gunner, looking at quite a few cars out of state, before accidentally stumbling across this one in my own back yard.
It's good experience to look at alot of cars while shopping for one..... I've seen cars with real low miles in worse shape than cars with twice the miles.
It all depends on who owned them.
Another thing that can get a guy is if the first car you look at is a great car, but because you haven't looked at others you don't relise it... and it get's away.
I've been there, everything I looked at after the first car didn't compair.
Van Nuys born: You are spot on. Looked at a lot of dogs. And, I missed out on a fantastic deal, which motivated me to be a little more realistic when shopping, and to jump on a car if it was what I wanted. "He who hesitates is lost".
mantaguy: That's great! SEMA supports a lot of initiatives like that, and I'm glad to hear that NJ had the good sense to institute such a policy.
Finally...a beautiful spring day. Been waiting for this one for two long weeks. I was finally able to give the old gal a much needed bath in some Meguiar's Gold Class wash. Looks pretty darned nice, if I do say so myself. So nice in fact, that I brought some dining room chairs out to the garage so some friends and I could sit and admire it!
OK, maybe not. Still, I was happy to NOT find too much more in the way of chips or damage that I had not already spotted when buying the car. I'll try to keep her clean, and next weekend maybe hit it with the Meguiar's Clay Bar kit I bought.
Wheels cleaned up nice too.
Got my plate on. Was going to wait for the frame (should be here this week), but I noticed the temp. tag expired today! So I'm glad I caught that. That gave me a chance to take care of this...
...and what you DON'T see in this image...the several layers of sticky/crusty stuff from the prev. owners "For Sale" sign taped in the back window, that had baked on for the last couple of years. Glad to have that mess gone. All of the glass got a couple of cleanings, too.
While working in the back, I was interested in this little light. It does NOT come on with the dome light (doors open), or when the hatch is open. It only comes on when the switch is "on". Then it does not go out with the hatch closed...only when the switch is "off". Is this the way it is supposed to behave? It would be nice if it worked with the dome light.
Also got my new wipers installed. The ANCOs that were on it were shot...just about to start scratching the glass with the metal bridge. So these are an improvement on that, and I'm sure they will work well (RainX Latitudes), but I'm not very happy with how they look on the car. They are bulky and stick up too much for my liking. The ANCOs I removed were very thin, and the metal bridge was still in very nice shape. I'll run these for this season, but when it's time to change again, I think I'll see if I can get new inserts for the old ANCO blades, and re-install them.
While cleaning, I noticed a neighbor (who has a 1st gen. Firebird conv., and a '39 Pontiac) looking over another fellows '38 Pontiac in his driveway. I wandered over to talk to them, and had a nice visit. The guy with the '38 is a Pontiac retiree, with 43 years at Pontiac. They are all members of a local Pontiac club, and they invited me to their first meeting of the year this next weekend. So I'll probably be checking that out as well.
Last edited by DynoDave43; 07-17-2017 at 05:41 PM.
Reason: Updated with photos from Flickr
It only comes on when the switch is "on". Then it does not go out with the hatch closed...only when the switch is "off". Is this the way it is supposed to behave?
Yes,that's the way it works.
Your car looks really good.
Good you didn't find any surprises when you washed it...... I've found that's when you can really get up close and might find something you didn't see before.... like you mentioned.
mantaguy: Thanks for confirming that. While I wish it worked with the dome light, I'm glad to find out everything is working as it should.
jrhaus76: Yes, they were available that way. But you don't seem to see them very often...at least I have not. Gold and black appear to have been much more popular. They came in white, too. Not sure about any other body colors. Mantaguy would likely know?
Thanks Van Nuys born. Took a short trip this evening with my wife and daughter up to Culvers for a Flavor of the Day custard. 700 some calories..Yikes! A few more of those and I'll have to trade the T/A for a Bonneville!
03-22-2014, 09:39 PM
, but still have fond memories of the car. So when I had need of adding another vehicle to the family fleet, I wanted something sporty again. I've been looking for almost 12 months, but finally found this the other day. I couldn't be happier.
You don't see those anymore. 
Nothing a quick ebay shopping trip can't cure. Should be here tomorrow, or Monday at the latest.
