telstar

Hey Gang,

I am the proud new owner of a 1985 Trans Am. I need some help figuring out exactly what I have..... Unfortunately, the RPO sticker is missing from the glove box....

The car has 4 wheel disk brakes, TPI engine, Recaro seats, T-Tops, overhead console... fully loaded..... On the highway, at 70 mph the tach is hovering around 3,000 RPM..

I know they stopped making Recaro editions in '85.. How many were ordered with Recaro seats... Could this be a WS6 car???

Any insight would be greatly appreciated..

Regards,
Sean

83firebirdS/E

If you read this thread just a few posts down it will answer some things:
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=157586

Does your car have 16 or 15 inch wheels. That will tell you about the WS6.

85 T/A WS6

Congrats on you find. Very few of these are left.

Take a peek at your cowl plate data, there should be an "AS5" on it, that would be the option code for the Recaro buckets. Cowl plate is located next to the radiator shroud.

Although available on any Firebird, the few 85-86 Recaros that I have seen the most on are black Trans Ams.

Don

telstar

Thanks for the quick reply!

Yes the car has 16 inch wheels. The tire data tag on the diver's door confirms the tire size.. The car is white with gold - the interior is tan.

I will check the tag on the cowl...

Any insight into the gear ratio given the speed/ rpm at 70 mph?

Regards,
Sean

kizz

iTrader: (1)

I have seen at least one other white/gold 85-86 Recaro-optioned T/A, so for now I will say this sounds legit to me. I agree with 85 T/A WS6: check for AS5; that is the "make or break" code for your year Recaro.

Your RPM at 70mph doesn't sound right. With WS6 the rear end should be a 3.42; otherwise it will be a 3.23. For the sake of the argument, let's assume 3.23. Now consider this.. my 82 T/A is a 3.23 with no overdrive, so my final gear ratio is 1-to-1. It's almost exactly 3000RPM at 70mph; I have actually tested it at that speed. Your TPI I believe has a mandatory 700R4 with overdrive; your 3rd gear is a 1-to-1, your 4th is I believe a 0.72-to-1. Now.. a rough calculation: 3000 * 0.72 = 2160. Factor in friction loss, road grade changes, throttle changes.. etc: at 70 you should be at 2400 - 2500, not 3000. Unless your car is stuck in 3rd and doesn't ever get into 4th? I'm not sure.

I don't know if anyone has ever come up with verifiable production numbers for 1985 - 1986, but my best guess from how many I've seen is roughly 400-500 in '85, 300-400 in '86 (totally wild guesses, nothing scientific). Do you have any pics of this car? I'd love to ogle it.

GT

extreme3rdgens

I had an 85 Recaro seat T/A a few years back and to make things even better it was a convertable with a little cars&concepts sticker in the trunk, the car was also loaded with options and was white&gold.
Extreme

Guest

If its an 85, chances are the rear is a Borg-Warner. The 3.27 was optional, and I have yet to see a 3.45 in one. Mine had the 2.77, real highway cruiser car.

3000 rpm must be in drive, or something is wrong. Thats way high for RPM.

I'd like to see pics too. I used to have one the same color.

kizz

iTrader: (1)

Actually good point.. I seem to remember something about Don's '85 having a 3.27..? Either way though, back to the original question.. with ANY of those rear ends, 3000 at 70MPH sounds too high to me. It must not be getting into overdrive. Like I said, my 3.23 1-to-1 final gear ratio does 3000RPM at 70MPH; anything with overdrive and a nearby rear end ratio should be doing at least 500RPM less.

billsfirebird

iTrader: (1)

Here is a white T/A with recaros. Found it on Ebay yesterday.

billsfirebird

iTrader: (1)

The ad said it was an 85 by the way...

billsfirebird

iTrader: (1)

TPI motor too...

billsfirebird

iTrader: (1)

Looks like its in pretty decent shape too....

kizz

iTrader: (1)

That white 85 is a good example of some really f*cked up seats that some nincompoop recovered all wrong, and totally ruined their value! The foam is all compressed, the fabric has wrinkles in it because it's not cut right or sewn right, the Recaro logos are missing, the seat belt guides are broken off, the headrests are totally messed up without their distinctive square holes, the inner nets are long gone probably, the side button to release the seat back looks like it could be missing, the colors are wrong, the fabrics are wrong, .. total waste of some seats that could've been done right.

This is exactly the type of backyard-spraycan-hillbilly quality thing I am really worried will happen to Chris and his 86.....but I really hope not. Chris if you see this.. and if you have respect for a super-rare thirdgen, then I really hope you keep your seats away from any five & dime shop, and keep them original, no matter how bad they are. If you haven't taken them to the place yet, I would suggest you don't at all. They looked totally fine in the pics I saw. Regardless of how dried out they are, from those pics they look like they have many good years left. As far as anyone had been able to discern, your car is a one-of-one, Before taking it to any place for reupholstery, it would be in your interest to have two things: 1) lots and LOTS of "before" pictures of your seats from every imaginable angle, and 2) the shop's written offer that if the seats do not look and feel exactly the same afterwards, you get your money back.

Oh well.. you get what you pay for...

Guest

That looks like my old TA, cept the radio is wrong. I wonder... ebay you said?

Close... real close. Dont think thats it though.

350 TPI

iTrader: (2)

Kizz,the funny thing is the darned upholstery shop never called me back to say if they could get the material or not.Obviously they cant but didnt bother to tell me.Actually i couldnt do it now anyway the radiator is leaking.Seems like everyweek i have to replace something thats kind of expensive like the fuel pump from 3 weeks ago.SOmeitmes i get tired of throwing money at it.I am thinking about getting a honda or something and just putting her up indefinitely.

Guest

You can get the material for the seats, 85 T/A WS6 just got some for his recently from a place in Texas. http://www.larrydennis.com/

I'm still waiting on a reply from them on my cloth. They should have it. I have found it elsewhere, but outrageously priced.

Brian Felts

I will chime in where your RPM is at 70. I do believe a previous owner must have put 4:11 gears in or a turbo 350. I would find out whats going on. I am betting everything is fine but its not normal stock for stock.



Brian

Guest

Well, I just got samples of the cloth I was waiting for...

The color is close. I cant really decide if its correct or not. Whats in my car now is for certain faded, but I have a couple other seats from another car with the same colors, same year, that are fairly significantly different in color from whats in my car. They are supposed to be the same. At least the price is right, and the pattern is definitely correct for Pallex cloth.

I do think I will be ordering this stuff from them.

telstar

Hey gang,

Thanks for the input.... The transmission works perfectly and shifts into over drive so I guess previous owner installed 4:11s..

Sean

85 T/A WS6

max,


Was the overpriced material you found factory ?

I know you probably know this but there is a nap (sp)
on the pallex and as you rotate the sample it will take on a different shade.

Also you will get 1/2 price on the material if you have your upholsterer order it.

Good luck!

Don

Guest

Actually it wasnt factory, it was repro. The color was dead on, but the pattern wasnt quite right.

The color on this stuff isnt right, no matter the direction. Its just a bit different. At least the price is reasonable.

kizz

iTrader: (1)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6427

That white 85 is back on ebay with one notable difference.. this time he's not showing any direct pics of the botched-up seats.. I swear, some people will stop at nothing for some quick bucks even if it means they are misleading an unwary prospective bidder. Pisses me off to see outright greed / indifference like that.

Also he must know about thirdgen.org since he quoted a production figure of "approximately 500". Ironic.. that was my personal guess that I've given on here once or twice. Nobody has actual production numbers.

FireBirdblooded

Hello

I may have owned your 85 recaro Trans Am a few years back. I am very curious if the car in the picture is mine. Would you be interested in helping verify this? Thanks for your time.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

You might try sending extreme3rdgens a private message, or an email. Most people that were active here 15 years ago, aren't still around. If they are, they arn't that likely to see a reply to a thread they posted to 15 years ago. At least with a PM or email they might see a notice in their email.

To send a PM or email, click the user's name, and either the private message or email selection.

Good luck

FireBirdblooded

I owned an 85 Recaro trans am convertible. I also would love to know the number made that year. Mine was white and gold with gold 16rims, TPI and the rear end was 9 bolt 3.27 Posi. All power options also. Get back to me and maybe we can find more info on these rare birds.

t/aws61985

iTrader: (2)

JT

iTrader: (1)

Because the convertible was not a factory option at the time, unless you had contact with the aftermarket conversion company who provided you with figures and they kept track of the RPOs to distinguish the Recaro option code, there will not be an official answer.