87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
#1
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Sunny Florida
Posts: 1,813
Received 223 Likes
on
149 Posts
Car: 87 Trans Am
Engine: 5.0
87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
Hmmm.....this one looks like it has potential....too bad it's clear across the country from me
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1987-Pontiac-Firebird-Trans-Am/183586417410?hash=item2abe9a6b02:g:v-UAAOSwKwhcFE-u:rk:3f:0&vxp=mtr
#3
Supreme Member
iTrader: (58)
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
Weird. Repaint? Didn't Firebirds use skinny moldings in 87? Don't see too many Trans Ams after 86 with the convex 20 slot 16's, by then the GTA wheels were the new hotness. Really the styling cues make it look off because it's a two tone car without any striping...
#4
Member
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Gresham Oregon
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Car: 1985 Z28 & 1997 Z28 SS SLP
Engine: Sbc 305 TPI & LT1
Transmission: 700r4 and A4
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt Posi 323 & Posi 323
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
Hmmm.....this one looks like it has potential....too bad it's clear across the country from me
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1987-Pontiac-Firebird-Trans-Am/183586417410?hash=item2abe9a6b02:g:v-UAAOSwKwhcFE-u:rk:3f:0&vxp=mtr
#6
Supreme Member
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 9,666
Received 546 Likes
on
376 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC-Z. Original owner
Engine: LB9. Dual Cats. Big Cam
Transmission: World Class T-5
Axle/Gears: BW 3.45
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
Yes, those are '88 and up door moldings.
Trending Topics
#8
Supreme Member
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 9,666
Received 546 Likes
on
376 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC-Z. Original owner
Engine: LB9. Dual Cats. Big Cam
Transmission: World Class T-5
Axle/Gears: BW 3.45
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
Interesting. They weren't on the Camaros until '88. Good to know! I just learned something.
Last edited by chazman; 12-16-2018 at 11:03 AM.
#14
Supreme Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Sunny Florida
Posts: 1,813
Received 223 Likes
on
149 Posts
Car: 87 Trans Am
Engine: 5.0
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
It was just a design change by Pontiac, not sure there was any specific reason they did it other then to change the look a little
Last edited by BizJetTech; 12-16-2018 at 12:04 AM.
#15
Supreme Member
iTrader: (58)
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
The convex wheels are HEAVY. The concave wheels were a touch lighter and look more aggressive. The GTA style wheels were the lightest.
The convex 20-slots date back to the 84 Trans Am 15th Anniversary edition. That makes them the first 16" wheel on an F-body, beating the Iroc to the punch. By 87 they were pretty dated, definitely due for an update. The swan song was on the 87 Formula, then in 88 the Formula got the new deep-dish wheels, and the Trans Am got the GTA style wheel when equipped with 16" wheels.
Funny I never noticed or didn't remember that Firebirds got the fat moldings in 87. They're even pictured in the 1987 Pontiac brochure.
The convex 20-slots date back to the 84 Trans Am 15th Anniversary edition. That makes them the first 16" wheel on an F-body, beating the Iroc to the punch. By 87 they were pretty dated, definitely due for an update. The swan song was on the 87 Formula, then in 88 the Formula got the new deep-dish wheels, and the Trans Am got the GTA style wheel when equipped with 16" wheels.
Funny I never noticed or didn't remember that Firebirds got the fat moldings in 87. They're even pictured in the 1987 Pontiac brochure.
#16
Member
iTrader: (1)
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
Going off what Drew says makes you wonder, on Frank Rider's site, there was an interview with Lou Wassel. He stated that the cross lace wheels were used not for aesthetics on the GTA but to avoid fuel economy penalties. Due to the weight of convex wheels affecting the total weight of the car and incurring some potential weigh/fuel economy penalties. Then this bulletin from 91 which seems almost a veiled attempt to offer a new "appearance," but really maybe use those cross lace wheels as opposed to the concave Formula wheels to avoid fuel economy penalties due to the added weight of T-tops. All conspiracy theories at this point, but it makes you wonder if those wheels suffered their fate due fuel economy/vehicle weight than anything else, or were more cars optioned one way as factory orders for that purpose or possible cost of one wheel versus the other. Who knows.
#17
Supreme Member
iTrader: (58)
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
Originally I was heading that direction in my last reply, but it got edited out to avoid steering too far into conjecture.
The following is intended as entertainment only. The names and places have been changed to protect individual privacy. Any similarity to real people or autos is strictly unintentional. The views expressed are not necessarily the views of the author, or this website. Draw your own conclusions at your own risk.
1988 seems like a crunch year for weight reduction. In 88 & 89 there were a bunch of Trans Ams and Irocs with aluminum driveshafts for no obvious reason beyond weight savings. The examples being cars that weren't G92 cars. There are other hints towards weight being a significant issue, but it borders on conspiracy theory. It's not something that is spelled out, and obvious, it's more of reaching a logical explanation based on circumstantial evidence. For example a person could look at some of the restrictions of the big brake package (#1 Limited Edition), the characteristics of those cars, as being less pertinent towards increasing race performance, or discouraging potential buyers, but rather to compensate for a less efficient drivetrain and the greater weight of the dual piston brakes. No fog lights, no side moldings, no A/C, is it really to improve airflow through the grill? Or is it to keep the car from becoming porky and impacting CAFE? A person just doesn't want to get into discussing that kind of idea, since it lends itself to being misinterpreted and leading to a debate. Is it all connected? Or was it a tag team effort between the ancient aliens and Bigfoot? You be the judge!
The following is intended as entertainment only. The names and places have been changed to protect individual privacy. Any similarity to real people or autos is strictly unintentional. The views expressed are not necessarily the views of the author, or this website. Draw your own conclusions at your own risk.
1988 seems like a crunch year for weight reduction. In 88 & 89 there were a bunch of Trans Ams and Irocs with aluminum driveshafts for no obvious reason beyond weight savings. The examples being cars that weren't G92 cars. There are other hints towards weight being a significant issue, but it borders on conspiracy theory. It's not something that is spelled out, and obvious, it's more of reaching a logical explanation based on circumstantial evidence. For example a person could look at some of the restrictions of the big brake package (#1 Limited Edition), the characteristics of those cars, as being less pertinent towards increasing race performance, or discouraging potential buyers, but rather to compensate for a less efficient drivetrain and the greater weight of the dual piston brakes. No fog lights, no side moldings, no A/C, is it really to improve airflow through the grill? Or is it to keep the car from becoming porky and impacting CAFE? A person just doesn't want to get into discussing that kind of idea, since it lends itself to being misinterpreted and leading to a debate. Is it all connected? Or was it a tag team effort between the ancient aliens and Bigfoot? You be the judge!
#18
Member
iTrader: (1)
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
The debate aspect comes from enthusiasts who feel it's the bean counters at GM who negate their delusions from coming to fruition. More than likely as was in '88 and as is now, you had an engineering team/marketing working within bounds of every changing federal regulations and budgetary constraints in order to achieve some purpose. Configuring certain options packages and using parts to reduce the average weight, few lbs helps when looking at building thousands of these cars. Very typical decisions that are still made today, average weight reduction by using this part, CAFE reduction by building X engine to B engine ratios to meet certain incremental increases, average cost saved by using this clip, etc. We look back and it's fun to make it some thing it's really not, which is probably some guy analyzing back in 1988 dot matrix prints outs that spanned 3 city blocks.
#19
Supreme Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: South Ms
Posts: 4,416
Received 720 Likes
on
490 Posts
Car: 89 Firebird
Engine: 355 TBI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt.Posi-3.73s
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
All this car needs is a set of Hawks 17in black crosslace wheels. Very nice car id love to have it.
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Hilton Head Island, SC
Posts: 727
Received 221 Likes
on
158 Posts
Car: 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA
Engine: 5.7 liter V-8
Transmission: 4 speed auto
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
I think "looks decent" in an understatement. Honestly, I think $9K is a steal if this car is as good as it looks. The low price would make me wary of buying sight-unseen.
#23
Supreme Member
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: New England
Posts: 2,406
Received 190 Likes
on
128 Posts
Car: 1988 IROC Z Convertible
Engine: 305 TPI (LB9)
Transmission: 700 R4
Axle/Gears: G80 GU2
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
Very nice car.. I agree with dmccain.. the cross lace wheels would make it look less dated.. I almost like how vintage the car looks with the two tone..
The stick shift would be fun to have..
The stick shift would be fun to have..
#24
Member
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Gresham Oregon
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Car: 1985 Z28 & 1997 Z28 SS SLP
Engine: Sbc 305 TPI & LT1
Transmission: 700r4 and A4
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt Posi 323 & Posi 323
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
wish they would show pics under hood or underside of car
#27
Supreme Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: South Ms
Posts: 4,416
Received 720 Likes
on
490 Posts
Car: 89 Firebird
Engine: 355 TBI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt.Posi-3.73s
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
They would be smart to respond in a hasty manner to BlizJetTech if they knew how many of these cars he buys!
#29
Supreme Member
iTrader: (4)
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 9,666
Received 546 Likes
on
376 Posts
Car: 1989 IROC-Z. Original owner
Engine: LB9. Dual Cats. Big Cam
Transmission: World Class T-5
Axle/Gears: BW 3.45
Re: 87 T/A 5 speed 41K miles....looks decent
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
3rdgenparts
Firebirds for Sale
41
05-27-2014 11:27 AM