Not your 'everyday' Thridgen :




https://www.ebay.com/itm/1983-PONTIA....c100009.m1982

 

Yeah, I just can't get into the MSEs. It's like when the 70's weren't cheesy enough for you. Or your dream is to put on your least stained and frayed wife-beater, and be the Duke of the Trailer Park, A #1! It's the official sticker package of Busch Light and domestic violence. It's a reminder of when WWF was wrestling, and kids debated if any of it was real. It's a white guy pretending to be an over the top Cuban. It's a coke fueled caricature, an aberration of a bygone era.

 

I Want To See Those Factory Dual Carbs.

 

I assume it's a crossfire injection? But the fact they call it dual carbs...lmao

 

Cool car for someone.....just not me.

 

What's the matter? Can you not picture yourself wearing fingerless gloves, dark shades, and gold chains on a Wednesday night?

You know what it really needs? One of those BOSS widebody kits from the Sears catalog. I mean really, if you're gonna be a bear, BE A GRIZZLY! Ya know?

 

Maybe a set of white wagon wheels and a garter hanging from the rear view mirror!😎

 

That car has been for sale for awhile now.
Why all the negativity towards this one? MSE’s were based on Mecham’s 1982 SSCA champion Trans Am. I think that’s pretty cool.

 

It's not so much negativity as personal preference, paired with a healthy sense of humor in regards to the stereotype. The Mecham styling, paint, decals, emblems, just screams 80's excess. I'd say it hasn't aged well, but I can't say that they were ever really appropriate. I guess it's no worse than a Saleen Mustang, but the MSE just looks goofy. Like someone went crazy with peel and stick add-ons, and a JCWhitney spoiler. If it were just a little more dirty, it'd look like something a 16 year old did to his new used Trans Am. Like a Honda Civic with Type R stickers, a huge wing, and a racing steering wheel. There's something intangible that makes the treatment less than tasteful. But that's only my opinion.

 

Just having a little fun while the Daytona 500 was rain delayed. If you buy it, we won’t make fun of it. As they say, there’s a butt for every seat!👌

 

I wouldn’t buy that one as I don’t care for the crossfire engine.
I am planning to use an original MSE rear spoiler on my turbo LQ4 protour build though. I’ll just have to prepare myself for the good natured ribbing I’m bound to receive.

 

I kind of like it. Looks very 80's and I find that nostalgic. Not a fan of the spoiler though.

 

As long as you like it, that’s all that matters. Good luck with your project!

 

It's not just the spoiler. It starts with the two tone and pin stripe, and continues like the credits for a CGI heavy blockbuster movie with all the stick on emblems and decals to let every dipshit in a 20 mile radius realize this is a SPECIAL car. Special because it's got all these stickers, y'all.

I almost ran out of fuschia ink in my MSpaint trying to circle all the shtick on this car.

 

Oh wait, I missed the peel and stick emblem at the front center of the hood. And man these guys were asleep at the wheel, you know if they'd thought about it all four center caps would have an MSE logo on them. Maybe get some MSE keyguards for the door lock cylinders, some MSE branded turn signal black outs, a MSE Member's Only jacket, MSE branded CLUB antitheft device, MSE floor mats, a great big MSE emblem for the dash pouch.. I mean the possibilities are limitless.

 

LOL - this post is too funny! You got me coming around to your point of view. I still like the rear spoiler though.

 

I posted the car in the history section so that a Firebird Fans here had a chance to take a good long look over this piece of history,... not as target practice for insults.

68K mile, limited edition, 37 YO car that's clean enough to eat off of, and just about nuthin' but shade being cast over it. Sad; Site was sooooooo much better back in the day when there were sincere Thirdgen "enthusiast" using it. But, It's 2020 and bashing any & every thing is the 'thing to do' these days. Talkin' smack thru a keyboard has become a national pass-time. Not that long ago if you didn't have something nice to say, common courtesy / basic edict was to just keep your mouth shut and move on. Those days are long gone, So battmann:

Be prepared: this thread is (more) proof that you should fully expect to get raked over the coals if your ever brave enough to post pics of an MSE spoiler on your car,.......

 

No one on this site owns this car, but if they did, I’m quite sure the comments would have been much different. Sorry if we hurt your feelings.

 

Maybe don't take things so serious. Are we just supposed to pretend this car isn't over the top, just because it's a thirdgen? I really doubt anyone who would own a car like an MSE would have their feelings hurt because I made a crack about all the emblems and stickers. They bought the car for the attention, good or bad, and they're getting it. Subtlety was clearly not in the Mecham dictionary. You have to be realistic that the car is bold and it's going to elicit bold reactions. If a few cracks online is a problem, God help you if you drive one in public.

 

Agreed. I like the car, but I also find the humor (and truth) in Drew's critique of the excessively ridiculous 80's-ness of the whole presentation.

 

All red, zero decals/emblems except maybe the ones on the fender I think it would real nice. I actually like the spoiler haha.

 

I actually kind of like the MSE. Never had a firebird but might consider this one if I was searching for a firebird.

 

This is simply just what was going on at that point in time. People were dressing up their cars like this or spending crazy money on one off paint jobs etc. A sign of the times if you will. It really is a piece of history I think most would agree. Everyone’s cup of tea? Definitely not. I’m a lifelong Pontiac guy and even recognizing the significance of a car like this it’s not one that would ever be on my radar to own. Much prefer the 2nd gen cars to the 3rd gens. I do like the car, but consider it cheesy by 2020 standards. But seeing it’s almost 40 years old it’s earned it’s right to have some awesome 80’s decals. Not really any worse than louvers and HUGE IROC-Z stickers on the side of a hyped up Camaro

 

The spoiler looks like an inspiration for the wraparound.

As much as I too like conservative factory styling, the MSE was well done and not timeless, but broadly contemporary.

 

I really like this car minus the transmission.

I just posted a pic of the actual race car today.

 

See? I told ya it needs a wide-body kit.

 

...as for the stickers everywhere, well the same thing could be said for the Formula and the IROC-Z as in hey, look at me! Seriously, when I'm riding around in my Formula, I know people are looking at my doors because it captivates them and when they are sitting in a Prius next to me, they know in their heart how much of a bada$$ I am since my doors say Formula and their doors say nothing and well they're in a Prius, so there's that.

So serious question because I'm too lazy to research, but aren't these sort of the same as the Bandit TAs as in there is no RPO code, it's just an aftermarket package done by a company not affiliated with GM? If so, what makes these more desirable than a Bandit TA (other than the different decal choices)?

 

Yep. Bubba stuck some stickers and stuff on em in a garage and now they're supposed to be collectors items. IIRC, and that's a big if because MSEs have never been my thing, some of them had things like different seats, a roll cage, the steering wheel, some had some aftermarket parts on the engine, and in the suspension, and some were only of the "I used 27 packages of puffy scratch and sniff stickers to decorate my Trapper Keeper!" variety.

Personally I'd tend to think this car would be worth more if it were stock, without all the stickers, but clearly there are some fans out there, so on the right day someone might want exactly that combo of stickers to be willing to pay more than they would for a similar basic Trans am.

 

That car would have gone well with my bad habits at that time.

 

Very sad to see such criticism of this car. It's a big part of thirdgen history that most do not even appreciate. What this car and the mecham racing group did at the time was super influential. The cars were not just a sticker package. Yes it is true you can get a very basic mecham car. But fully loaded they were epic. They had this Package called the talon suspension, consisting of koni red shocks, a front core support renenforment bar, rear LCA grounding straps that helped suspension travel, and lowering springs. There were 3 engine options including a big block. Custom steering wheel, a 160 MPH speedometer and a speed tunnel tested rear wing. The cars got big duel fans as well. Then there is the badges and the unique build number on every car. All I'm gonna say is, look at vintage pictures of the Mecham race cars. You will see a very familiar name on the top of the cars. A man named Steve. Then look at his mustangs he built next to a mse car. Tell me where he got his designs from.

 

 

The man did all this before SLP, Before Pontiac Had a Aero Spoiler, before they thought about front end reinforcement, before the Firehawk. There was even an option for RONALS (not the firehawk style).

He raised the freaking bar. Everyone else followed.

 

And everyone who followed did it better, cleaner, more refined and with subtlety. You can make excuses all day, it doesn't make the car any less tacky in 2020.

 

I like it. Now where is my Van Halen 1984 cassette blasting Panama

 

No, that car deserves to be blasting "Hot For Teacher"! Full blast Alex Van Halen drumming at the beginning (with an overdub of the second drum track to make it sound like a big *** drum setup) sounding like a motorcycle. Speaking of, "Kick Start My Heart" would be the 2nd song played.

 

Wow! The ignorance runs rampant in this thread.

 

I personally like the Mecham cars, especially on the second gens, but I’ve seen some really cool third gens on here. The later cars especially look good with the MSE treatment IMO. That’s not even saying the performance those guys were getting out of these cars...look at prices for second gens from MSE.

 

I think they were horrible. About as bad as the Choo-Choo Custom cars ive seen.

 

Love it or hate it, that car---and others like it from the other two manufacturers---was simply a sign of the automotive times of the day, and marked a period in vehicle development in the US. Detroit was still struggling to get out from under the harsh EPA mandates that had killed performance ten years prior, and they were doing it the only way they knew how---with a lot of 'show' to try to counter the lack of 'go.'

Things were about to change though; ECM-controlled port fuel injection and all it's advantages was just a few steps down the road.

 

Just checked in as I do once in a blue moon, and really was surprised to see all the negative comments. Of course the MSE cars look dated........they're from the 80's DUH! I suspect those making the comments are either not real car guys that can appreciate any type of car, ORrrrr..........secretely the Cavalier and Civic lovers of the nation. Of course I like the one pictured as I own one just like it!! Besides, what else from the 80's could pull 1g cornering??

 

I grew up in the 80s. Love all sorts of 80s cars and have driven them since I got a license 26 years. I like the stock look is there anything wrong with that. I didn't like the over the top look- ever. MOST people do not like these cars it is what it is. Did it perform good.. I guess, but so did a stock Thirdgen for its time. BTW I don't like Cavaliers and Civics If you like these cars nothing against you just saying..i guarantee you most of us think they are goofy.

 

The Mechams were a sign of the times. They were popular on the 2nd gens as the Macho Trans Ams when styling from Pontiac was already over the top with stripes and giant hood birds. It is a matter of personal opinion how well it worked on the 3rd gens.
The problem with the Mecham Trans Ams was the lack of documentation. I don't believe much exists about which cars were actually converted by Mecham so whose to say somebody didn't make their own. I could be wrong if somebody else has more info. I believe Kymmee did research on them years ago when she got hers but I'm not sure she has checked in lately. She could be following along like I do and just doesn't comment as much.

 

If you don't like his spoiler, you're sure not gonna like the Daytona hood, but all of it together are sexy as hell!!!!! This is MSE #66 1983 with a true Pontiac 455, Kaufmann heads and FiTech. 550hp

 

My 86 #12 under restoration

 

I like those last 2. Very nice

 

Also Recently bought car 83-123. Very similar to the one in the first post. L69 car.

 

Really like the two tone paint on that one.

 

Just a little to add to an old thread. Older pic of my car, and what's left of my original window sticker. Considering the loaded T/A in 1982 listed for $9600 this was a SIGNIFICANT upcharge! The Mecham Racing "MSE" was NOT built by Pontiac. But it WAS, in fact, AUTHORIZED by Pontiac, and could be ordered through ANY participating Pontiac dealer. I'd guess they were quite proud the Pontiac marque FINALLY won a 'TRANS AM' championship! You simply ordered yours from the Pontiac dealer, it was then sent FROM THE ASSEMBLY PLANT to the Mecham dealership in Glendale Arizona where it was 'converted'. Then it was sent to whichever dealer ordered the car. Just like a Saleen, Roush, ASC, or R/T. Also added some cool old race pics.

 

You could also bring your car to mecham after the fact and pay to have it converted. That's what happened to my 84 Mecham car. Bought it from the Original owner.
I'm only missing a 85 Mecham car at this point.

 

very cool thread