Hey Guys,

This topic came up on the early third gen site and no one there seems to know the answer...so I thought I would post it here and see if there is anything to be found here. I already searched the site but I didn't find the answer people are looking for.

How many 1984 Trans Ams had the W62 Areo package? We already know that the 1,500 15th anniversary cars had it, the 1,500 1983 DT 500 pace cars had it, and the Recaro TAs had it standard. So thats about 4,500 cars at least so far that we know for sure had it. + mine and a few others here on the site.

The question is how many of the regular production Trans Ams were produced with the W62 Aero package? I know that out of 55,000 cars made there has to be some kind of split between those equipped with it and those not equipped with it. Does anyone have an idea as to how many there were?

Thanks

 

I want to think it was only available two years. As you mentioned the DT500, I thought it was only available on the DT500 in 1983, and on any 1984 T/A as a $199 option. I did not think it was available on the Recaro until 1984. MOST of the 1984 T/A's seemed to get the option however...

 

My '84 has it.

 

Yea I meant the 1984 Recaro had it standard. Sorry if that confused you. So it seems it was a popular option like for example Power Windows?

 

If memory serves there are far fewer without the option than with it in 1984. It was quite popular... I can only recall one that I have seen without it for 1984...

JOhn

 

Ok thanks John. I sometimes wish that these cars were as documented as some of the muscle cars were. LOL. If anyone ever finds the number they can post it other than that I will settle for your answer. Option Breakdowns are sparse anyway.

 

PHS probably has the information...

John

 

I'm not sure you could copy all the info. Its on microfiche, In 84 there where over 100K firebirds alone, that is a lot of pulling, putting in the microfiche reader, reading, coping, refilling and repeat.

I think te best way to do it is to scan each microfiche sheet, then use softeare to break each scan into individual invoices, then OCR each invoice and put the results into a database. Actully doing the work is easy, I could setup the software in a few days.

There are two main obsticles.
1) the equipment costs are in the 5 figures.
2) PHS has no insentive to do this, they are in the business to make money not give out informantion for free.

 

I know a guy who has an '84 Trans Am LG4/T5 that was built without the aero option. He's not a member on here.

 

Hell I would volunteer if they let me in the door to do that work. And if you think about it its not that bad, look at each one, if it has W62 then add it to your numbers however you keep track of it. lol. Then again....the database is an even better idea.

 

I've only seen about a half dozen '84 T/As with the standard B97 wheel flares. My '84 T/A parts car is one of them.

I'd say the W62 Aero Package option was very popular in '84.

 

If you are going to go through all the trouble, you might as well do ALL of the RPO's Make a running list,

John

 

Colors as well. We should see if we can find one person for each year that PHS has for the third gen run currently. Therefore one person can do one year. Maybe if I absolutely can't find a job after I get out of school maybe I will see if I can get in touch with Jim and see if I can get scans or something and start the running count.

 

I think your spirit is in the right place, I have already talked to Jim about this that the answer was no. There are licensing agreements with GM and if they give their data away they can’t make money.
On the practical side looking at only the 1982 firebird model year (116K cars made) and assuming you could record one invoice a minute it would take 1933 hours to get them all. Working 8 hours a day, every day, that’s 241 days. That’s for one person working straight through. I have thought about this a lot.
That’s why I say it would need to be automated. Very doable but expense and don’t get me wrong I would love to get this info!

 

No truely helpful information here, but my 84 T/A LG4/5speed didn't have the Aero package.

 

I contacted Jim Mattison with a HUGE request when he got to it. Hopefully he takes the time to fill out my extensive list of Production figures. He told me that what he had for the early 3rd gens was scattered, but he would share with me whatever he had.

Now I wait.

John