Hi all.

Just bought an 86 Trans Am which is a bit rough around the edges but it's pretty cool none the less. It's got some options on it I've never seen in person before.

A dimming rear view mirror. The performance sound option with the gain slider on the dash. Even the cassette holder in the centre console is still there. It's even got a 1987 nokia phone still mounted to the dash lol. This car would of been the business back in the day.

I've been over and under it now and it's also got a 9 bolt borg warner lsd with disc brakes. Electric everything including drivers seat. 305 TPI auto. I've got the rpo sticker here if anyone is a walking decoder. Or can point me in the direction of a decoder.

I believe the car left the factory black and gold with a tan interior. But now it's yellow with a black interior..... sad times.

 

RPO GH3 = 2.77 to 1 gear ratio

It would be Hell on the Autobahn.

 

https://austinthirdgen.org/thirdgen-rpo-decoder/

 

Well that's kind of par for the course for these? These being 305/Auto. My 1988 has the 2.73s.

The car does have a lot of options, such as the DX1 large hood bird, but it is missing some options like the digital cluster. U52.

The car was Dark Brown Metallic (68U) with the Champagne gold aero (WW5)

 

More pics please!!!!

 

Thanks guys. I've started going through the rpo decoder. There's some not listed on there though and I've been through the mega list. D14 for example. Chrome trim rings on the dash?

Pic wise there's not much to see! Just looks like a crappy yellow trans am

 

That yellow hurts my eyes. 'Could be a decent car...

 

Not all RPO codes are known and some aren't too relevant. They were used for ordering proper parts for the vehicle, based on options, for service related reasons.

D14 is listed as an Arm Rest, front door, for some Third Gen F-Body years. It's not listed in 1986 but is listed for 1988.

GM re-used RPOs which means it may or may not be applicable. That's why online decoders can be inaccurate.

 

Ha ha yeah it's awful.

 

So that gearing would scoot it away from the traffic lights a little quicker but would be sitting at higher rpm doing 60-70 mph

 

No, 2.77 gears are about the tallest on the ThirdGen. It means slower off the line, better fuel economy, and higher top speed if everything else were equal compared to a shorter 3.27 gear that was also common in the ThirdGen.

 

Ah I've got that the wrong way around then! Well... it's basically just a cruiser then. You can't expect much else from a stock 305.

 

2.73/2.77 We call them Highway gears or Airplane gears. You will love them if you travel at high speeds and hate them everywhere else. With the wide ratio gear set in the 700R4 you will just hate the 1st to 2nd shift and the 2nd to 3rd shift and probably never even notice you put the shifter in Drive instead of Over Drive on the highway. In OD you might be able to break the speed of sound.

 

As long as it shifts through the gears that's all I care about at the moment. Ha ha. I'm working through things to get it running ok so I can at least take it up and down the road to make sure it's OK.

I had a 87 305 TPI years ago which had a 10 bolts drum rear axle. I've got no idea what that was but it went through the gears nicely, was good at all speeds and sat comfortably at 60mph in overdrive and got pretty decent mileage on a longer drive

 

68U = Dark Russet Metallic Upper (982 1986 Trans Ams)
WW5 = Chestnut "Tan" Lower GFX
62I = Camel "Tan" Interior

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