I found this snooping around on EBAY.

630 hp factory Turbo TA

This is a very, very special car. It was awarded to Race Winner Emerson Fitipaldi, but his wife wanted one with leather interior instead of cloth.

This car was then returned to Pas. Eng., builders of all the turbo Trans Am's.

The original engine was removed and a developmental 4.3 liter was installed along with a water/air intercooler, variable boost, Dana 44 rear end, Firehawk wheels, and tires, revised and lowered suspension, roll cage, and fuel cell. The engine was dynoed at 630 horsepower and clocked at 208 m.p.h.

All of these modifications were done by Pas. Engineers and G.M. Technicians, so Pontiac could enter the Silver State Classic, in Nevada. This car was previously titled to Jeff Bietzel, Pres. of Pas. Eng. This car is still very street driveable. Sale includes original engine and turbo, and special autographed jacket by Bobby Unser.

Sounds like an awsome ride but I'd like to see more info on it. Anybody ever heard of this one?

 

That would be a butchered 20th Anniversary Trans Am. That looks like a waste to me.

 

Looks like a 3.8 in there to me. The 4.3 used a different induction system, with a sideways-mounted TPI-style throttlebody. This engine bay looks like your run-of-the-mill 3.8 turbo setup, except with the addition of a ton of tacky-as-hell gold crap.

 

Looks pretty cool to me if it is in fact true. I'm sure a lot of guys would love to buy the original engine and and turbo and swap it into there own cars. or even a tta car that needs a fresh engine.

I'd also love to hear if this is infact true and hear more on its history.

 

Whatever it really is, it's a TTA with cloth interior. That's rare. I sure hope that it's not a butchered TTA. It would take a complete idiot and do anything to a TTA with cloth.
The documentation does sound possible though, I'm not sure.

 

I also detect a wet nitrous oxide system. Wonder if that 630HP number is including that, and how often it's been sprayed???

 

thats a real TTA 8th digit of VIN is a 7 denoting LC2 3.8 turbo engine....

There are stage 1 and stage 2 blocks as well as 4.1 buick v6's as well so it could be a 4.3 but as the engine sits it appears to have the tta heads and valve covers on it

And yes i do own one :-P
LAter
Jeremy

 

OK Here it is "Assumption Time" -----> I am assuming that this could be a true story, but the 630 HP # isn't true. Car might be the actual cloth seat car given to the race winner. But then maybe even sold back to Pas. Eng. but then bought by the Pres. and Modded. (But I don't see the 4.3 liter engine).

But the olny thing that doesn't make sense is why would anyone ever sell this car?? (Eng. Pas in the first place??)




But if true Cloth seat T-top Car very rare.

Later, Garrett

 

Hi guys!
I met Emerson just a few years ago! He still has both cars! The one he won, winning the 1989 Indy race, which was a real pace car, with the strobes and everything.
He loved the car so much, he bought another! He has one in Florida, and the other in Brazil!
He told me that no one gets a ride in either, and that he is the only driver! Even his bodyguards told me the same thing!
He was excited to find out, that I too, own one!
You can see pictures of me meeting him, at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/warbirdta
He autographed tons of 20th Anniversary Turbo Trans Am stuff for me! We chatted for over an hour!
I find it funny that tons of Bobby Unser 20th TTAs are out there! I wonder how many he really bought?
Emerson also won the 1996 Indy race! He got the Viper GTS too! he told me that he likes the 20th TTA better! It's a sleeper! Makes me wonder if he "street races"?
I've heard tons of stories by owners, it's just sad! Funny, but sad!
i could write a book on them! Hey, that's an idea!!

I don't believe it,

George

 

One thing you all are failing to miss is this fancy "For Sale" sign he made. The pic was posted on the auction, but I attached it below.

It says right on it: "Pontiac Custom Built 3.8".

I thought at first, maybe that was the first motor, but then I saw, in the same cirlced spec list, 630hp, so I knew he must be talking about the same motor.

NOTHING on that sign says ANYTHING about an "developmental 4.3".... WHAT A LIAR!

Sooooooooo.... It looks like we've got ourselves a case of FRAUD here.

Damn thieves....

 

Besides, unlike his sign says, Pontiac didn't make the "Firehawk" wheels, Ronal did. 8)

 

I emailed the guy last night asking him about the engine claiming 4.3 liters...

...and I quote...

"Engine started out as a special 3.8,but in order to achieve the kind of horsepower and mph. they were looking for it was bored out to a 4.3. That was the information
given to me by the previous owner Jeff Bietzel Pres. of PAS.Eng."

 

I know that Pontiac was approached by the car mags for a high speed shootout back in 1989.
PAS got a 1986 Trans Am from Pontiac to put the car together for this event.
They basically made an updated 20th Trubo Trans Am with the full roolcage and everything! Halon Fire Suppression setup as well as some engine mods and such.
They called it the 3.8 H.O.
To view some of the pictures, go to:
http://photos.yahoo.com/warbirdta20
Oh ya, you can view some of my Birthday photos too! HeHe!
There was a special magazine with the cars in it. I don't remember the name right now. But I can look it up.
This car on ebay looks like a copy of it!

Hope this helps somewhat,

George

 

3.8=231 CID
4.3=262 CID

How do you bore a motor that much. What's the bore and stroke on a 3.8?
Going .060 over gives about 12 CID. .100 over is about 16 or so. I have never heard of a block being safely bored more than .100 over and having any longevity to it.
31 CID would require something like a .200 overbore! And aren't the 3.8 and 4.3 different blocks??

On a historical side though, TTAs were convereted by ASC right? Firehawk wheels were made by Ronal and used by SLP. The exhaust is also SLP, and these are all popular aftermarket additions on ThirdGens. Sounds like something anyone would put on.

 

Buick also made a 4.1 and then there are the Stage blocks.

It is definitely an early car, maybe one of the first 10 made. Also, who knows what mods could have been done if it really was the pres' car.

I seriously doubt it was an actual pace car though. But the car could have a unique history behind it.

 

Hi RPM WOT L 98!
All the cars were done by PAS, and by Pontiac.
PAS did the drivetrain, shipped them to Van Nuys for installation, then brought back to the PAS factory for final "twiking".
The cars then left PAS to go back to Van Nuys for delievery to the dealers.

The exhaust tips were done for PAS and the 20th TTA. SLP used their version later. They are very close to the early 70s GTO exhaust tips. Is this what you meant?

Hope this helps,

George

 

Here's what was posted on the TTA list:

I have a copy of the original title in Jeff Bietzels name .It is car #17,which I can also
authenticate.This car is not one of the three Official Pace cars.This car was awarded
to race winner Emerson Fitipaldi,but was returned to PAS.Eng. because his wife wanted a car with leather interior.If you have any other questions about this car just let me know.Thanks.

Hope that helps.

 

what else i think seems to be odd is the outrageous 630 horsepower and only a 5 second 0-60 time, i know thats an alright time, but for 630hp shouldnt it be better than that? o ya and the 13.2 ET

 

If you look at the plaque, those are the stock times.

And getting 600 hp isn't that hard to do with one of these engines. I'm still working my way up there

 

Although I never heard of a production 109 block(3.8) being bored .060 over with a buick motorsports 3.59 crank and the afforementioned bore 262 is possible. I just do'nt think the cylinders can be bored that much. The 4.1 can be however. And to make that kinda power those heads(already undersized for a 3.8 would be totally inadequate for a 4.1.

Then again who knows

 

Sounds pretty legit to me. Either way I would love to have it. It would make a great toy!