Fireblood83

Nice stories, enjoyed reading. I wish I could have bought my Trans Am new back in the day!

That's a nice collection of Firebirds you had. You said that this car #3 came with 14 inch Turbo cast wheels (RPO N89) but on the picture it seems to have turbo-finned cast aluminum wheels (RPO N24). Did you swapped them? I also see that the Trans Am in the pictures, has the Turbo Hood, that was only available with the WS6/WS7 handling package with 15 inch wheels. The 15 inch turbo cast wheels were still available in 1983 but in low quantities, thus most came with the N24's, and the 14 inch N89's were available till 1984 but very rare as most opted for the high tech turbo alumimun wheels (RPO N78 for 1984) and some for the turbo-finned cast aluminum wheels. In 1983, nearly every Trans Am came with the 15 inch turbo finned cast wheels with WS6/WS7 handling package. Some 82's got them around midd and late production year as there was a shortage of 15 inch turbo cast wheels. The majority, if not all '82 MSE Trans Am's got the turbo-finned cast aluminum wheels (RPO N24).

sc@hms

iTrader: (1)

Bought my 1983 L69 Z28 in August of 1983. It was located at a dealer about 350 miles away. A lot of dealers were unaware of the L69 in 1983 as it was a mid-year launch. They were hard to find around here. It was the closest L69 with the options I wanted without waiting to order an '84. It was around $11,500. My father and I took a ramp truck to pick it up and haul it home. It was built in late June so it was a pretty fresh car.

Bought my 1985 IROC in August of 1985. I wanted to order a yellow one, but by the time I had the funds, it was going to have be an '86 with the lower horsepower rating. I was working at the local Chevrolet dealership at this point. So we jumped on the locator network and found a loaded red LB9/G92 about 60 miles away. Picked it up the next day. It was $17k and some change. I got to drive the '85 Monte Carlo SS "dealer trade" from my dealer to the dealer that had the IROC. The MCSS was actually pretty cool for the time.

I ordered a 1987 TPI/five speed in August of 1986. After four months of having the order kicked out over one thing or another, I pulled the plug on the order and kept the '85.

On a related note, my parents bought three third gen cars new; a 1982 Pace Car, a 1983 L69 that they ordered in May of 1983 and a 1984 L69 they ordered in November of 1983 when their '83 was totaled by a drunk driver.

zya5point0

iTrader: (4)

Ok, my story...Looking back, I'm glad I didn't go and order an 88! I started shopping after I turned 18 in January of 88. On my way to the dentist one day I saw a blue IROC at the local Chevy dealer. Stopped on my way home and checked it out. It had about 4K on it. The salesman told me it was a corporate car that was only driven in Michigan and never titled. 305 TPI car almost fully loaded. No T-tops and cloth interior. Owned it till I got married in 91. I found one of my old registration cards and did a Carfax on it and saw it last changed hands to an Ohio title about 15 years ago. Still trying to find it...

Hawkeye1980

iTrader: (3)

I remember the whole deal well. I had a 1986 Firebird v6 I bought new. That one was special ordered, took 2 months to get it. It was gun metal gray, or something like that. I had the car up to 1989. In 1988 it got hit by this dumb kid, long story but the car was cut in half and had a 1987 rear was attached. It was a mess. So I had to sell it, and that in itself was a long story. I ended up trading it in for a 1989 T-Top Formula 350 black. I remember when it came in, the dealer called me. I ran up there and there she was, with 2 of the same, one exactly the same in color in and out, the other the same but black interior, mine is grey.

Man, so the let me start her up an move her in the lot, it was so new, so tuff, I fell in love. 2 weeks after delivery in July 1989 I drove it up the New Hampshire to see my brother. We drove it up Mt. Washington too. On the way home, my friend road with my bother in his mobile home, I popped the t-tops and blasted some great rock music with some great weather. I remember it vividly and i still love my firebird to this day.

Hawkeye1980

iTrader: (3)

WOW, that restore is awesome!. Thats how my 89 looked new! Someday I will get her back to original paint, etc. Nice car!

JonM

thanks. she was ok paint wise from about 50feet away at 50 mph... took her to bare metal bondo'd the entire body then sanded to metal leaving the valleys in the metal filled primered and paint. found LOTS of light surface rust nothing really bad but the paint came off in big 2-4 foot sheets. fricken cheap waterbased gm california paint. i didnt paint her myself thats past my skill level but i did a lot of the grunt work

the spoiler was cracked to hell rotted in spots and dripped water when it came off. its now one of those fiber glass repos.

there was two 55 gallon trash bags of excess wiring run through the whole car where the po tried to install some cheap car alarm and crappy sound system. out of curiosity i weighed it and they were just short of 100lbs

the extra wiring fried all the gauges had to redo most of the harness while it was stripped for paint. redid the gages to oem local gm dealer had 99% of the interior and gages in stock.

the carpet and seats were fine just needed a good steam clean.

dash pad got replaced as did the headliner.

motor engine bay tranny etc all in very good condition after removing unneeded alarm wiring.

headliner replaced

rear hatch glass shattered after paint so it got replaced. helluva mess

wheels i got new from gm still in the oem boxes and plastic took four tries to get the correct front and rear wheels.

sound system put back to oem but its the only thing that is not rpo correct as the rpo is for a base radio no eq or cassette. i DID install a period 12 disc cd changer and a oem cassette deck with eq. speakers are aftermarket wedged into oem holes no cutting. still not happy with that.

i got replica decals from phoenix graphics spent an entire day putting them on right after paint was dry enough and clear coated over them. they are put on exactly to gm spec. they wont peel off unless the clear coat is removed.

now its just down to fiddly intererior pieces but its restored enough for wisconsin collector plates which showed up this past friday

at some point ill replace the driver side a pillar trim as the original is cracked and i glued it back together. you have to look for it and me point it out to know it. but its weak and will break again someday.

driver seat has a slight lean which is common and ill replace it someday. but for now the lean is actually just enough to be super comfy for me

if i didnt live in wisconsin it would be my all year round driver

pics weekend before last











next to her is the wife's 2001 ws6 transam

Hawkeye1980

iTrader: (3)

God it looks like it JUST rolled out of a dealership. Man talk about time travel! You did a unbelievable job on this car, she is amazing. I am hoping to get mine back to looking like that. I have the original tape player radio and added the 3.5 pin out. It works but the radio station buttons are not working for the most part and it has a bad capacitor causing the right rear speaker to fail. So I opted for a newer 1999 GM Delco radio used in Grand Prix. It has the DVD and 7 band EQ and it looks nice in the car. Years ago I had subwoofers put in made by Lanzar. I really like the sound but have an issue with the AMP I believe.

I have to take her down to metal like you did for sure. The whole interior needs a refresh. But the critical parts are in good shape. I used to have the lexmar t-tops but they bubbled up and cracked. Now I have 2 sets of glass tops, the one pair i am using is basically new in great shape. Got the locks working, etc.

I am hoping to paint it myself, a lot of work but I know i would put more care and detail into it, and save some money.

JonM

Ill get some interior pics this afternoon if the t-storms stop.

Sounds like you got a plan. I wouldnt recommend diying the paint first time solo unless you have some experience. I found a car painter that let me help and i learned that if i did it myself cold turkey i might as well have rattle canned it or used a paint brush.

He got the primer on then wet sanded the primer baby butt smooth then primered again resanded. Then paint wet sand repaint and wetsand cleaned it put the stickers on then clearcoated.

Ive got a couple of pics that when the light is right it looks silver from all the reflection. On really bright days its hard to get a good pic of the actual color.

My first formula was ttop but it had the glass. You did well to replace the lexan. Those were aweful.

If you drive it in the rain just be sure to pop the ttops and wipe out any water in the ttop raceways. It will rust out the top in no time. Especially if you still have the cheap oem paint. Water goes through it like its not there.

When you do get it to bare carefully check the corners where the top bends into the rear quarter panels and a pillars. Thats where the worst rust was on mine. Had one hole that was bad and had to be welded up. But from the outside it looked ok untio the paint was gone.

Hawkeye1980

iTrader: (3)

Yes would like to see the interior for sure.

Many moons ago, in 1991 I painted my then Cj-5 JEEP. It was a new fiberglass body and I painted it snow camo. All in all it came out nice at the time.

I feel comfortable priming and painting my car myself. Its just so much work. And this will only come to pass if I can EVER build a garage on my propterty.

The seals on the T-tops are a nightmare. When I bought the car new in 1989, about a year later they started to leak. The dealership I bought it from had an outsider who was VERY good at replacing them. Well that is true because I still have those same seals today and they dont leak. Wish I knew who he was. Thanks for the heads up on what to watch for, etc.

Now I just need to get the replacement front seat belt recepticals replaced. Some good sources on Ebay for that. For the rest of the interior, everything is out there, new seat covers, etc. So I will be good to go when the money is there.

JonM

today was a rough work day so i didnt peel her out of the garage at all. just came home and turned on law and order to veg out.

i think painting is rewarding if you have the facilities to do it as to get that super shiny hardened paint it really needs a good bake. then you have the issue of the paint needing to flex on some parts and getting the flex agent mix just right. i went the pro route that let me help and tag along.

ttops in thirdgens if i remember right were all outsourced by gm until the fourth gens when they became standard on the TA's

just take your time and piece it out as rushing it or cheaping out to cut corners really shows if your going for that better than new look.

i hit a couple of pick and pulls back 2010 and scored a pair of pristine dash pads and other odds and end interior parts. both pads cost me 30$ total. ive never found a quality driver side a-pillar trim in black

if im looking for a part i see what they are selling for online then hit the local gm dealer and ask. you would be surprised at what can be had still in stock. best score was a complete center console for automatic with power windows and side view window remote included new shifter cover cheaper than the ebay used ones at the time

here is the only pic thats really any good but its a few years old as the door sill trim is the old faded cracked one and the dashpad is the old cracked one and a few other things.



about three weeks ago. crappy pic but ill post it for now



rear end when i was replacing the hatch struts last week

downsouthboy

Man, that is a nice formula. I came close to buying an 89 Formula 305 with a factory cd player in it years back. I found a 94 Z28 camaro that I could afford instead, which unfortunately I got hit head on in. Was looking through all the posts and had to stop and comment on your 'Bird. Good luck with it

IMissMy86TA

I may be wrong but no I think GM did their own T-tops from factory. they were never cut but make that way. Dealers got t-tops cut from some outside shops on some to add mark up on a coupe. they were never as rigid as the factory ones due to the cross-member being part of the uni-body and not just welded in like external shops did. someone correct me if they worked in one of the factories

Bob88GTA

iTrader: (2)

I looked at a 88 5.7 GTA on the showroom in California. It had tops put in by a place in Huntington Beach, Ca. It was a dealer add-on with reinforced sub frame and all. Then in 89, T-TOPS were available with the 5.7. I think if you were in Canada before 89, you could get the 5.7 with T-Tops

IMissMy86TA

JonM said Trans ams... not GTAs yes for a 5.7 they only were in 89 for that style. I had an 86 TA from factory with a carbed 5.0 and those t-tops came from factory....

JonM

it was around 89ish in the second half of the production year they slowly started doing factory ttops and only in a few cars because of the demand for ttops and the problems they were having with the conversions.

when i bought my 87 model year in late 86 it had a ttop package done by a non gm vendor.

the 4th gens were the first cars fully done in the factory purpose built as ttops. cutting up a hard top to ttop never really works well. they really have to be designed that way from the start.

my 87 never leaked no wind noise it was perfect even after the first wreck. but thats not the case with a lot of the ttop thirdgens. especially in really hot or really cold climates. the seals self destruct or rust sets in or the installer did a poor job and they rattle like hell. all of which can be fixed or prevented by proper care but how often did that happen if your not the original owner....

mantaguy

iTrader: (5)

My 86 has factory T Tops also.

IMissMy86TA

Im sorry but you dont know what you are talking about yet you say with such authority. My father worked for GM and I was there in the showrooms at that time.. bought a 86 from the factory... with t-tops. during this time if the t-tops were from C&C or their ilk there would be window stickers as t-tops as an add on. there were a few 5.7 GTAs and irocs that had non factory t-tops since most years they did not offer them due to weight. that is why they offered GTAs in 89 with Lexon (sp?) T-tops which were lighter weight and could offer the heavier 5.7 engine in 89 GTAs. weight was a major consideration. Please get your facts right...

if you look at the option sheets seehttp://www.gtasourcepage.com/87RPOFigures.html) for an 87 GTA you will
see CC1 -- Roof Panels, Hatch (Removable) -- 16,311 which is a factory option and they were not shipped out. they would not ship out 16K cars for that sir.

Please note that you are being questioned by two people who have been on here a long time (supreme members on the left of the post) while you are Jr. If you were at the factories I would love to hear about this and the companies involved. 5.7s except for 89 in GTA land had no t-tops and 5.0s had t-tops from factory.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Both my '83 and '85 have factory T-tops.

Bob88GTA

iTrader: (2)

This topic got derailed real quick.........

Tomorrow we can talk about the gold and black cross laced wheels.

Just sayin.

IMissMy86TA

I am not the one who went off topic and I am the OP of this thread.
and yes I want it back on topic.

Bob88GTA

iTrader: (2)

Slater126

iTrader: (1)

Not to pile on but, yes, that is total misinformation. T-Tops first appeared in F-bodies in 1976 on the Trans Am SE. From 1976 to early 1978 they were sourced by GM from Hurst. From early 1978 to the end of the Second Generation production run GM made them itself via Fisher Body. Both were installed at the factory.

They became a regular production option on the Camaro in 1978. They were hugely popular. By the end of the Second Gen's run, about 25% of all Camaros were ordered with them.

So to say the Third Generation "wasn't designed for 'em" is ridiculous. They were available from Day 1 and in 1982 over 53,000 Camaros came with them from the factory. GM probably built a half a million Third Gens with factory T-tops.

Now, several aftermarket manufacturers did make T-tops for the F-bodies during the 1970s and very likely for the Third Gens during the 1980s -- American T-tops and Cars & Concepts for example. So dealers may have installed them time to time. But I wouldn't imagine this was overly common because they were readily available from the factory without all the hassle.

Anyway, sorry, just couldn't help getting that $.02 in :-) Back to topic!

KITT1983

iTrader: (3)

That's an awesome 83

Hawkeye1980

iTrader: (3)

1RAMAIRWS6, you are correct about the 5.7 with t-tops. That was ONLY made available in 1989, and could only order with automatic. These were FACTORY t-tops. The factory t-tops were available only on trans ams in the mid 80s, then the forumla came out in '87 and you could get them on them and trans ams, not the base firebird.

I remember this because a made a bunch of friends at the now gone Russo Pontiac in Port Chester NY back from '85 to their demise in the mid 90's. From 1986 on I would go to the dealer all the time and look at firebirds. When the 5.7l Formula came online, I was drooling. Being my '86 was hit and restored(badly), I had to upgrade. I remember watching it being delivered and picking it up. What sucked was it was a month late in delivery. oh man what pain that was. Driving around my dad's '83 buick regal.

Hawkeye1980

iTrader: (3)

No, factory t-tops were available in the 3rd gens. There was an aftermarket company that would install THEIR version to a hard top car. Name is escaping me at the moment. I know that because for 2 reasons. The formula did not come with the trans am overhead unit. There were 2 versions, hard top and t-top. I had to order the part for t-top and had it installed. Second, when I was going to order my formula 350, factory t-tops was a listed option. Just so happened my dealer had 3 coming in shortly there after, all in black, 2 with grey interior, 1 with black. The later was already sold which was ok. So I tagged one of the others.

Man your car has a sweet interior sir. I see you have the 1999 Grand Prix Radio as well. That is my favorite DELCO head unit. My wife has it in her 99 GP. I just added the 3.5 female connector so I can play from my smart phone, works awesome.

IMissMy86TA

redcamz

I bought my 1984 Camaro Z28 new back in July 1984 in Salt Lake City, its a red 5 speed 350 H.O. with everything except for the T-top. Always want one since I was in high school, I will never forget the day I drove it home on the freeway, with the ac blowing and the cruise control set, it was a very fast car for that time, had a lot of fun with it over the years. Since then, its still pretty much original, 109000 miles on it, still original paint and interior, still in good shape, add sub frame connector, and eibach lowing springs and a 140 speedometer. Now is a fun weekend car and garage kept all these years. Had some pictures with my original post, but will try to get more recent pictures up once its all clean up, Thanks.

IMissMy86TA

Nice thanks for the story!

scottmoyer

BTW, the '84 was a 305 HO, not 350 HO. Also, no 5 speeds ever mated to a 350 in the 3rd gens.

redcamz

Hey Scottmoyer, sorry for that, meant to type 305 H.O. just get too excited when it comes to our thirdgens

IMissMy86TA

LOL yeah we hear ya!
any more stories out there? gotta be! there are many old farts out there like myself!

redcamz

Hey IMissMy86TA, how often do you drive your TA these days, or a weekend fun car like mine? it sure was fun all these years, and to know how much power our car have for its times, actually it still feels pretty fast after all these years

IMissMy86TA

I have it more longer term storage this year. Not taking it out at all. up on stands, tank empty etc.. I will pull it out next year or maybe this fall it could go to new storage.

Jay_rich

iTrader: (4)

Awesome read! Love to hear all of these stories. I wish I was old enough to have purchased a new third gen. Sadly being an 85 baby and growing up in the 90s. I still think I should have grown up in the 80's Hell I still have the tape deck in my 87 with Motley Crue loaded up.

After reading these stories I think I'm going to have to convince the Wife to allow me to pick up our daughter in the camaro for her first ride home (due July 20th). Somehow I think I'm gonna lose this battle lol

Hope to read some more stories!

Jay

mantaguy

iTrader: (5)

LOL,I think your gonna to loose too!!

IMissMy86TA

Ttt

((Mike))

iTrader: (1)

I remember bugging my salesman every week while I was waiting for my car to come in. The day it came in, he called me and told me to get down there and get my car so I would finally leave him alone! I was only 20 years old and I remember showing up to Cormier Chevrolet and seeing my brand new teal camaro right there in front. Im not kidding it seemed like it was glowing! Like it had an ora around it! LOL!! There was a tag hanging from the rear view mirror that said SOLD to Leonardo M. I took the Tops off and rode home with Brian Adams's summer of 69 blaring on the radio. The car came with a CD and that was one of the songs on it. I remember the lady that handled the delivery told me not to drive over 55 for the first 500 miles. That went in one ear and out the other! I have bought many brand new cars before including a 2012 Shelby GT500 mustang. But no delivery was ever the same as that first one back in 1990.

TEDSgrad

iTrader: (4)

This Tuesday 8/12 is my 25th anniversary!
Most people don't keep spouses that long!

IMissMy86TA

I was 17 when I got my 86 and called all the time too! Those sold mirror tags.. wow forgot about those. do they still exist?
Did not know those that came with CD players came with CDs? did they have a GM or Chevy logo?

((Mike))

iTrader: (1)

I gave the CD away years ago. I can't remember what the cover looked like. I think it had a camaro logo on it but really am just guessing. I also remember them putting a ding in the drivers side door! They fixed it in their body shop. I remember they wouldn't give me a rental car because I was too young. Now days I would have raised a huge stink but I was just a kid and didn't know better. Someone mentioned that you didn't see very many stck shift cars. I remember that too. I remember going into the parts department and buying a $50 leather wrapped shift **** for it that day too!

IMissMy86TA

Yeah Sticks were and are rare.. My current ride is one my original back in the day was auto.
Car drives totally differently

PurelyPMD

iTrader: (3)

Ordered mine on Saturday 02/14/87, called on Monday the 16th to hold the order, Tuesday the 17th I went back in and added more options to it. Early April I got the call that it was in production and April 15th I got the call it was in & I set an appointment for the next day at lunch time to pick it up. That night I went down to where the storage lot was and could see it sitting in there with all of the shipping wrap on it.

Thursday the 16th I went to pick it up and drove it back to work for the afternoon - I walked into the office & one of my bosses says "You look like you just got laid!", I guess I was grinning. As soon as work was done I drove from Boston (where I lived) out to my parents house in Palmer, MA so that I could give my Father the first ride - it was my first new car!

Last February I found the car again and November 23rd I bought it back. Although I told my Father about it in early November when we spent a couple of days together he will not get to ride in it again - he passed suddenly & without warning on November 29th.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/memb...ine-again.html



Here he is earlier this year next to one of my other cars the day I picked it up - he always loved cars. Peace Dad!

tom3

Good story there. Nice to see your IROC was taken care of by the guy who had it too. Nothing like ordering a new car just the way you want it, not much of that these days. All look alike and come with the same crap.

((Mike))

iTrader: (1)

Great story! Sorry about your dad. Its great to see that you found your car after all those years. I recently found out where my 91 RS is. I have no desire to buy mine back though. Its neat to know that we are a part of 3rd generation history having been the reason why two of them exist today. I still have my window sticker. That and my memories ill keep all my life.

IMissMy86TA

I wanna bring this one back and see if any new stories

Gtaguy17

I bought my first third gen new off the showroom floor. It was a 1982 Trans Am, automatic, 305, t-tops. I sold my 1969 Charger RT after getting my 82 TA. Then I wanted a newer style TA a few years later, so I ordered a 1985 TA with all the options I wanted. After waiting for what seemed like a life time it finally came in. The only problem was it came thru as a standard and not the automatic I ordered. I didn't want to wait to reorder another so I took the standard and learned how to drive it on the way home! Kept that car for about 15 years then traded it in towards a new Tahoe to get ready for kids! Fast forward to 2013, age 50, mid-life I found a nice 1989 original paint GTA with 38k, 5.7 with T-Top and I bought it. Built a nice garage to keep it in and have been enjoying it ever since! 1982 TA bought new
1985 ordered new
1989 GTA survivor bought in 2013

TEDSgrad

iTrader: (4)

Good Old thread.
Saturday, 8/12/17, will be 28 years since I drove it off the lot. I don't feel old, but the calendar says so.

chazman

iTrader: (4)

Cool re-reading this old thread.

I had a hard time convincing one saleman that the the DX3 decal delete actually existed. Once I showed him in his book, he wasn't happy about the $60 credit. Suffice it to say, I didn't order it from him.


Here it is 28+ years later.

Bob88GTA

iTrader: (2)

Cool re-reading indeed Charlie!!
1988 GTA, COTM March 2017
29+ years later and still going at 194k!!

chazman

iTrader: (4)

I just can't get over how nice your car looks and how many miles you have. Nice job, Bob!