Has anyone put a 93-97 embossed bird emblem on the nose of a third gen? I now own a non-GTA Trans Am and the sticker decals leave a lot to be desired, compared to the cloissone emblems. Anyone? Perhaps one on the sail panels as well?



Thanks

 

The 4th gen bird outline is different from a 3rd gen, the same as a 3rd gen is different from the 2nd and 1st gen emblems. To an extent mixing styling can work, but the 93-up emblems never struck me as attractive.

 

Thanks Drew! Anyone else? Another option would be a Pontiac Arrowhead. Basically what 89Warbird did but in factory color, since the car is red. I am torn between these two options since, even though none of them were factory installed, the bird was (although a sticker).

 

Third gen full bird hood turkey is always an option.

 

Trying to avoid small stickers. A giant one on the hood wouldn't be an option. I had it at some point in a 91 GTA I had, before the RAI hood. Looked good but is not what I'm looking for on the 88 TA.
BTW, this is the car I'm referring to :

 

GTA emblems are the only emblem that really fit a thirdgen Firebird. There's a reason anything above a base model deleted the Firebird fender emblem and went decals only. Emblems are for granny's Buick, decals are mathematically 75% more classy. Even the GTA emblems are pushing the limits of class to the entry levels of tacky, but they're at least appropriate. If appropriate isn't a concern, the decals tend to come off easily enough. Adding emblems just feels like someone buying the peel and stick chrome letters or some chromed out fender vents from VatoZone, maybe a Realtree decal or two, and a Fear This windshield banner, really shine the trailer park colors, knowamean dawg?

 

To be honest, I do like the GTA emblems but, it is not a GTA and putting some emblems on would be against my rules. I don't think the emblems are for old man's Buick. Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis, even Supra all had badges and metal or plastic lettering and not stickers back in 1988. Putting aftermarket emblems or stickers or [GOD forbid] banners is tacky though, I'll give you that. That's why I'm looking for OEM alternatives.

 

GM went so far to make the Firebird look aerodynamic, a big 3D emblem just seems to clash with the aero mirrors, ground effects, spoiler, hideaway headlights, and so on. That and the very deliberate way GM gave each generation it's own Firebird outline, a 4th gen bird emblem would look just as out of place as third gen sail panel decals on a 4th gen. I could maybe see it working going the other way, retro styling, but even then it's a tricky balance.

There's a well documented 92 Firebird that looks like a JCWhitney catalog's worth of GM and Pontiac emblems and assorted parts exploded all over it. It looked really bad to me, but that didn't keep it from appearing in a couple car magazines and getting a lot of attention on the forum. So maybe it's just me.

 

It's not just you, its impossible to convey how I personally feel about mixing gen styling and cake decorations without sounding like a king size dick. Ram air hoods, wheels, wings, decal/emblems all look terribly out of place on the wrong year, especially to any enthusiast who knows where they come from. I suggest you stick with the OEM decals and play with the color if you need to change something, or you could leave them off altogether and go with the clean look.

 

My GTA emblems were shot from years of living in a field. So I went with some 2nd gen decals for right now.

 

That actually looks pretty cool! I'm not a huge fan of stickers and emblems, but your car is the right color for those.
DR.K.

 

I did run a 4th gen sticker on my centercaps cause I liked the color. Changed it out later with the correct ones. My car is kind of a motley crew of parts from different cars/years anyways.