http://www.tripletransam.com/gta/interior/dash_1a.jpg

I know they had pretty much the same thing save for the RPM meter being angled and not circular.

Just curious.

 

no just the real nice GTA models but some GTA models also had the regular gauges

 

Alright thanks.

A friend of mine is under the opinion that my GTA is a fake for some reason ( despite the only discrepancy on the entire car being my headlight has silver lettering instead of gold ) and I just wanted to find out if I could also point out the dash in my defense in addition to everything else the car has.

 

dash swaps are not unheard of, the only way to make darn sure is check the vin number and research what every number and letter mean for the car.

but yes those dashes are stock for some GTAs

 

VIN says its a GTA ( Firebird Trans Am/GT, online decoders say GTA ) and it has every single other piece of evidence that says GTA aside from the SPI label ( doesn't surprise me. I'd have ripped it out too. The center console is a horrible place to that in a car with no cupholders )and the Silver Pontiac lettering on the headlight.

Another thing about the VIN, a regular 88 Trans Am would have the same VIN since the GTA option was technically a appearance package for the Trans Am

1 G 2 F W 2 1 8 6 J L 654321
This sample VIN decodes left to right as follows:
1 - Country of Origin....... United States G - Manufacturer....... General Motors Corporation 2 - Division....... Pontiac Motor Division
F - Car Line....... Firebird W - Model Series....... Trans Am 2 - Body Type....... 2-Door Coupe 1 - Restraint System....... Manual Seat Belts*
8 - Engine Code....... 5.7L TPI V8 6 - Check Digit....... This Number Will Vary J - Model Year....... 1988**
L - Assembly Plant....... Van Nuys, CA*** 654321 - Sequential Vehicle Production Number

So as you can see, the only really pertinent information you an get from the VIN is 1) the type of original engine, and 2) the model series, Trans Am. Since the GTA was technically a model option for the Trans Am, they have the same "W" code in the VIN as a regular Trans Am model.

The only sure fire way to see if the car is a real GTA or not is to contact Pontiac Historic Services, but it seems a stupid amount less likely to me that someone went through the trouble of changing out all the differences ( the entire dash including the DIC and A/C controls, seats, emblems - especially that one in-between the tail lights, streeing wheel with the radio control harness still attached all the way through, glove pouch and the famed gold rims ) on my car instead of the headlight surround being replaced from a standard Trans Am.

Even if that WERE the case, in all reality what is the difference between a standard T/A and a GTA at that point?

 

Some 86s had the digi dash,Stock.

 

Digital dash was optional on both Trans Am and GTA. There's a really nice low mileage manual trans 87 TA with digital dash for sale in the TGO classifieds right now.

And for the record, dash swaps are unheard of to go from analog to digital. Not only does the cluster needs to be changed, but the entire dash, and several body sensors that are specific to digital dash TA/GTA's. Nothing is impossible, but this swap is far too complex to be practical.