This might fall under the catagory of 'learn something new everyday'...

Check this thread for background... https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tpi/...i-tbi-tpi.html

I found it interesting that he said his 91 T/A came with an L03, since according to all my documentation from 1991 (a sizable quantity) the L03 wasn't available on the T/A. That's when I noticed he's not in the US. Since exports typically have minor to major differences I guess it's possible. I thought some other people here might find it interesting, and I'm all about new info, so I figured I'd post the link here and keep the discussion where it belongs.

This chart is from the 1991 Pontiac full line brochure, clearly it indicates that the L03 wasn't available in the T/A. Anyone have any documentation to support that it was offered for export?

 

pics e-mailed

 

Here are the pics... Looks authentic to me... I'd still love to see a SPID with the codes, but I'd buy it as correct.

 

I knew about the mirrors, since they were optional here. The base Firebird taillights look out of place, but don't surprise me either since the US spec lights often were changed for export. Definitely nice cars, and absolutely unique from my perspective.

 

Could you get a base/lower model engine for credit in a T/A? I say this cause people say verts. only got a v8 but I have seen numerous verts. with 2.8s or 3.1s. One of them goes to car shows frequently. I talked to the guy about his car and he said the person who ordered it wanted a vert. but didnt care about v8 power.

 

Here's the spid in question...


For domestic anyway, it would be impossible for a T/A convertible to have a 2.8 or a 3.1. The V6 would be a dead give away that you're looking at a base model firebird.

 

I probably wrote that a little weird. Even though the LO3 was only a base model option only, could you cancel the LB9 engine for credit in favor of the L03? I was just refering to the convertibles because you could get a 6-cyl in base model verts for credit.

 

Starting in 1990 the Trans Am came standard with the LB9, In the US there was no other option less than that. The LO3 very well could have been offered as an export for one reason or another. Another variation is the tail lights on the TA above were from a base model, I find that interesting as well as 91 & 92 both had amber turn signals which should have been fine for Germany, & other European countries that insist upon amber cornering lights.

It probably boils down to the country the car was exported to. If they only certified a particular engine in that country then that may have been all that was available from the start.

JOhn

 

I understood what you're saying, but GM didn't offer that combo to the US market...

Before 1991.5 you couldn't get an official Firebird convertible. If you ordered a Trans Am convertible you got the LB9, no alternatives. The only way to get a L03 or an LH0 was to order a Firebird. The GTA and the Formula weren't offered as convertibles. The L98 wasn't offered on the official convertibles.

 

...here a "little reference" to the export/convertible/TA/L03 theme (it was already a topic last year... ):

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...91-92-tas.html

btw...most of the 91/92 Export-TAs and Export-TA Convertibles with L03 i`ve seen are registrated in Austria and Switzlerland...only a few in Germany (most of the official Export-TAs here are LB9...)

 

Do you know where I could check for registrations in Europe?

We have CARFAX in the states...

Thanks...

John

 

Hello John,

...unfortunately we've got nothing like Carfax or Autocheck...

...sorry...but there is no way to check out how many cars (by type, class, age etc.) are registrated...

greets

 

I found this:
http://www.carfax.eu/

John

 

...hmm...never seen before...seems very new...but I don't now, how this ever will work in Europe...to many regulations in to many different little countries...
...and it depends on the laws too...I dont believe a "private" organisation like carfax is able to get such or all information/data from regulatory authorities here in germany ("restrictive" laws, data security!)...

...but ok...I have to wait and see...

greets