I was recently at a car show and seen an 1985 TA that the guy was advertising as rare. Here is what he said, car was produced late in 1984 in in the Norwood plant. The car has all the engine specs as an 84 L69, THM 700 R4 automatic Transmission, Rochester Carb, with WS6 package minus the rear disc brakes. The exterior is all 1985 and the interior is the same for 85 except for the vinyl 84 seats. Basically the car is an 84 and was produced to early for the 85 year even though it looks like an 85 on the outside. What do you all think or is this guy lying on the rarity.

 

Not real. Just one of the many tall tales about some “special” and “rare” car that always proves out to be false.

If you were able to get the VIN, RPO codes and photos, we could price out what this car really is and there’s no way it’s what is claimed by the owner.

 

As TransamGTA350 said, post some pictures to include the SPID or the core support tag under the hood.

Also, not sure I understand the seat topic. The integrated headrest vinyl seats could be equipped on either 1984 or 1985.

 

EVERY Firebird is "rare". EVERY Firebird is one-of-a-kind; "oh it has the kaopectate brown paint with the baby puke green interior and only 43 were made that way, only way to get it was to order the PJ4 wheel option which triggered N63 which allowed ..." never mind that kaopectate brown and baby puke green are REVOLTING colors and the reason they're RARE is because they're so UTT BUCKING FUGLY and NOBODY WANTED THEM so they figured it out within acoupla months and quit making those colors. EVERY Firebird was purchased at a below-the-market price. EVERY Firebird is "worth" "more" than the current owner paid for it. EVERY Firebird will be [fill in the blank superlative] "valuable" in just acoupla years. Just ask the owner.

Been that way since 1967. I get SO tired of all that drivel. In fact I was tired of it by about 1974, when the "good old days" were freshly and rapidly disappearing in the rearview mirror, the cars that were on offer completely lacked the "excitement" of the ones from just 2 or 3 years before, and the general public was turning its back on the "car culture" of the 60s in disgust because new cars were such losers. And of course gas went from $0.29.9 to $0.73.9 and the like which was REALLY painful, that was MUCH more in terms of 1974 dollars than $3.25 or whatever is today in 2025 money.

And then of course, people bolt later years' body parts onto whatever other body of an earlier year, and then used car sellers weave stunning tall tales about how the space aliens took a break from their boring pastimes of creating crop circles and UFO sightings, and instead broke into the Firebird vehicle assembly plant late one night and - wonder of wonders! - installed "features from the future" on JUST THIS ONE car. And I guess nobody at the plant even noticed the next morning. YEAH RIGHT.

Not that ALL Firebird owners are that way (seriously, I DID exaggerate quite a bit) butt altogether too many are. And of course, when time to sell comes around, that streak of ... THAT ... always seems to rear its ugly head, even from people that don't indulge in it too much the rest of the time.

So yeah, a L69 car in good shape is a pretty nice thing to come across; butt it's not "rare". Especially not 84 auto cars since L69 production was BY FAR the highest in 84 and about 75 - 80% or thereabouts were auto. 83 ones (all stick), 85, and above all 86, are considerably more nearly "rare". Butt in the end it's a mass-produced consumer product; by definition, NOT "rare". Best to ignore that kind of sales pitch and let the unwashed ignorant masses be separated from their filthy lucres by the unscrupulous, instead of you.

And incidentally, 85 production began in late July or early August 84, such that a few could be ready to ship to dealers and be prominently displayed in showrooms on Labor Day, the traditional New Model Year Introduction Day of the industry back then. That's not the custom so much anymore, butt back then, if a car company didn't have its cars IN THE STORES on Labor Day, they were a laughingstock. So yeah, near half of ALL 85 model year production was done in late 84. Again, NOT "rare".

Q: How can you tell a used car seller is lying?
A: His lips are moving.

Q: How can you tell a used car seller is stabbing you in the back?
A: He's smiling.

Bend over, grab your ankles, and MAKE A NEW FRIEND.

 

That’s also true. The base vinyl seats were available in ‘85. The only thing from this claim that doesn’t seem to match up to an ‘85 is the L69/auto combo. L69/auto was only for ‘84. All other years of the L69 were 5-speed only, including ‘85. My guess is it’s an LG4 and the owner thinks it’s an L69. That was a pretty common claim back in the 80’s and 90’s.

Tons of LG4 cars, much fewer L69’s, but every 4 barrel seemed to be a 305HO/L69 as claimed by the owner.

 

Let's just say for a moment that everything is legit and 100% fully documented by GM and the CEO herself stands behind the car being what it is.

How much more would you pay for it compared to another one 99.999% just like it in the same condition and mileage?

 

Here is the pic I was able to take of engine with dual air hoses

 

Looks like an LG4 with an L69 air cleaner. An ‘85 LG4 would have a mechanical cooling fan, as this one does. All L69’s had an electric fan.

 

Here is the Cowl Tag

 

Cowl tag says it’s a 1985 model, built the 3rd week of October. It would have been built in October ‘84. There’s no engine info on the cowl tag. Do you have a picture of the VIN?

 

In addition to a picture of the VIN also need a picture of the SPID label in the center console. A picture of the build sheet would be nice too.

 

How would tell by vin if it's an L69?

 

8th digit of the VIN.
H = LG4 V8 5.0L
G = L69 V8 5.0L H.O.

 

The vin was rusted out but what I was able to make out was 1G2FW87H8FN20. Can't see the rest

 

She's an LG4 5.0L engine wearing an L69 5.0L H.O. dual snorkel air cleaner.

 

So I guess the questions is, does that make it a rare car as the guy told me.

 

Sounds like bullshit to me.

 

That's what I thought, glad I asked everyone before I try purchasing it, guy was asking $12k for it with around 70k on it...What should I offer him, the car has TTops, power windows, and power doors, it's a really clean car no dents or accidents..

 

Of that I have no idea. I'm a 87 to 92 Firebird Formula & Trans Am GTA guy. I don't keep up with the earlier Firebirds.

 

All model years begin production in the 2nd half of the previous calendar year, so 1985 Trans Ams began being built in the 2nd half of 1984. And yes, the VIN you provided confirms it's a 1985 Trans Am with the base V8 engine, the LG4, which is H in the VIN. And the F after the H8 confirms it's a 1985.

The seller, or someone before him, put an L69 dual snorkel air cleaner on it, which is a pretty common thing to do to the LG4, but there's nothing rare about that car, except that it's apparently in good condition, as you stated.

It'll make a good, solid car to upgrade or restore if originality is dear to your heart. But if your goal is to own and maintain an all-original "rare" car that might be worth something someday, that's not it, especially with 70,000 miles on it. And I don't think 85s have a 6-digit odometer, so that could possibly be 170,000.

Edit: If it has Recaro seats, then it might be considered more desirable than other 85s, but that would be about it.

 

Rare valuable 3 gens are 1le cars/firehawks/turbo TAs. Obviously there are other cars that are less common that have value as well but value drops pretty drastically. That said, value is a personal thing. 12k for a really clean low mileage 85 may seem high to one person and normal to another. A clean, all original car is exactly that. This car sounds like someone is trying to pass it off as a HO car and it isn't. That's either ignorance or total bullshit. When someone doesn't know what the car is or is lying about it makes me question everything else. I'd respectfully call the guy on it. If he's a dick, I'd walk away. If he honestly dosen't know then you can work something out. I have a friend who just got an 87 iroc w no ac and a 5 speed/305 w 50k for 14k. It's a super clean car. Was it worth that? I think so. I have an 82 TA that was a super low option stripper type of car. I payed $350 in 1997 for it. I have since sunk a small fortune into it. Paint alone was 20k. In my mind a car w clean paint that is in good running condition is worth 12k at this point in time. An 85 survivor car is rare enough. But if the owner is trying to pass it off as something it's not, F that.

 

Id be leery about what's under the carpet. I've got two hardtops with ~100k and neither of them have any corrosion on their vin plates. The '89 was a desert car, but the '87 has been in Michigan it's whole life.

 

this is also a good point. I live in the northeast and they always have some surface rust but are easy enough to read. Pull back the carpet and look at where the firewall meats the floor specifically. But also look everywhere. Cause what isn't rare is rust!

 

Thanks for All the info a lot of people think they have gold, I am going to negioate with the guy..What's the best valuation tool I could use to come up with a price? Blue book not useful.

 

NADA classics, Hagerty valuation, Bring a Trailer historical sales will get you in the ballpark. Condition and presence of rust is going to make a big difference with value.

 

A stack of Benjamins.

Don't let him see how many you have. Only pull em out a few at a time.

Count out ... some. However many you consider to be your starting offer. Let's say, he's "asking" $12k, so count out about $3k. Maybe less, I can't say, depends on how desperate he seems to be to unload it, you gotta be the judge of that: after all, "value" is not AT ALL about THE CAR, it's about THE SELLER and how bad he wants to get money by giving up the car. Ask "OK?" He'll say "yes" or "no". You have 2 choices: if he says "yes", hand him what you've counted out, take the keys AND THE TITLE (title is more important than the keys in the end), and drive off. If he says "no", count out a few more. Lather, rinse, repeat. Eventually either you'll decide that that's all you'll pay and you'll pack up your impressive stack of cabbage and put it back in your pocket (do that CONSPICUOUSLY and OBVIOUSLY) and walk, or he'll say "yes".

Pretty simple really. A used car sale is a pure capitalistic transaction between a willing seller and a willing buyer at a price they both find acceptable. Personally I find that cash is king in these situations. Haggling with some g00b somewhere over a price and then "I gotta go see if my bank will approve it" or "KBB says it's only worth $xxxx" is kinda a dead end. You're not negotiating with THE CAR, you're negotiating with THE SELLER. A nice thick stack of $100s is MUCH more persuasive. Like, THOUSANDS OF $$$$ more persuasive.

IMO, since you now know it's a plain-Jane LG4 car POS, I wouldn't go over about $5k, NO MATTER how good its condition is, at that mileage. And $5k only if it's PERFECT and FLAWLESS IN EVERY DETAIL. LG4 auto cars SUCK.

 

I put a H.O. dual snorkle air cleaner, and complete '84 H.O. exhaust system on my '83 base Firebird. I also put '82 Trans Am seats in it.
Does that make it rare?...

 

I am thinking a $10k since it's in really good condition and no rust.

 

There isn't any formal thing to base a price on. It comes down to what you want it for. What are your plans for it? You gonna mod it to hell? Then it's not worth a ton of cash. If you want an all original car to put around in that's in great shape and mostly just needs maintenance? That's a different story. The questions is, is it in good shape? Post a bunch of pics/details. Is a really clean lg4 auto worth 12k to me, no but I'm a jackass who would strip it to bare bones and replace everything. But to someone who wants it for what it is, 12k is reasonable. But it depends on condition and disposable income. Either way it's a bad investment! My car is a terrible investment but damn, I love it!

 

based on what everyone is saying here, the guy is either lying or has no idea what he is talking about. what else is he lying about, or not smart enough to tell you? btw - that engine bay does not look in really good condition.

 

For a LG4 car? Well I guess it's your money after all.

 

How would anyone here know what the car might be worth without seeing pics?

If you want a serious estimate of the car's $$$ value, post multiple pics of the interior, exterior, under hood, and the underside of the car.

 

if it looks good, runs good, and youre happy with it, then whatever price your good with is what you want.
we, can say its a $4500 car or a $15k car, but, we are just some people on the internet..

its your money, your conscious.
a nice condition $10k older car is a good deal to me..

 

If car had a QJ from the factory, then that car may have been an export car for Canada. My '84 T/A has a QJ exported to a cdn dealer in B.C. In my case, tkx for a QJ & no ecm.
Believe that U.S. cars for U.S. customers did not came from factory with a QJ back then

 

Yes they did, from '82 to early '87...

 

But those QJ cars were not those that came were installed on cars the like mine in Canada & earlier .
Didn't they have what looked like throttle body fuel injectors controlled by an ecm?

 

No in fact they did not.

Not sure what this says. Butt: US 82 - 87 cars with the L69 and LG4 motors all had computer-controlled carbs. Canada ones, and some other exports to other places but not all, had non-computer-controlled ones. ALL of those were Q-Jets of one sort or the other.

TBI wasn't introduced on these cars until 88. Except of course for the Crossfire cars, with the 2 little 4-cyl TBs, in 82 & 83.

 

No, an LG4 (H) 5.0L 4BBL is not a particularly rare engine, there were 17,195 LG4's in 1985, if it was a M5 LG4, that would make it unusual at least.

 

What's 'rare' is any '82 to '92 third gen, still original, in good shape, and driven regularly in good weather.