I am looking into buying an 88 GTA, but I ran into a problem. The VIN off of this car shows that it has a 305 in it. I thought all GTA's came out with 5.7L 350's? I mean, the GTA emblems are on the fenders of the car. What gives?

Anyone that can help me out, it would be great! thanks!

 

all gta's cam with 350s standered but if the person wanted as an option the factor could put a 305 in and the person would save a couple hundred off there cars price
and another reason why a person might want a 305 in a gta is that you could only get the 5 speed with the 305
hope this answers your question

 

As far as I know, not all GTAs were 350s. Some came with 305TPI 5-speeds. I don't think I have seen any 305 auto GTAs though.... Might be a clone.

 

Thanks for your reply. That sucks, I wanted a 350 lol. The GTA has an Automatic w/ Overdrive.

 

Here is the Engine compartment.

 

the engine looks clean
hope it runs as good as it looks

 

I had a 90 GTA in 96 that was a 305 5 spd. It was quick even stock. I tried lots of 5 speeds against 350 autos when I was looking and the 5.0 5 speeds always felt faster. If you got to go auto, might as well go 350, as the 305 auto's are kinda slow.
Good luck,
Jeff

 

The TPI stuff in my Jag came from an 88 GTA that had a 305 and
an automatic tranny.

 

Sure it wasn't a regular TA? Or a clone? Better be certain or that evidence is out!!

 

I will post the vin when I get to work if someone can run it
somehow.

 

I believe all 5 speed standard GTA's came with 305.
Here is a linky for authentication

 

Here is the vin from my doner car, 1G2FW21FXJL249403
It was an 88 GTA, 305, automatic with a disk brake
rear end.

 

I read the web site and I think my car was a GTA. It had
everything listed on that site, even the radio controls on the
steering wheel. I remember the GTA on the dash pocket,
I wanted to save it but it was a little darker tan than the
Jag interior so I let it go with the body.

 

There are 305/auto GTA's out there...there was a guy on the F-Body.org mailing list that bought one new...and still owned it. However, he was a Canadian which could mean different export criteria. His name is Steve P. Can't remember anything else about it though.

I wouldn't shy away from it...as long as it is a good condition car and a real GTA, and if the price is right...I would consider it.

 

305 auto, hi i have a 1990 GTA with the 305 auto t-tops it was a pretty quick car ran 14. 9 in the 1/4 @94 mph i had the speed density not the maf. VAPER

 

Sounds like some pretty good evidence, but what kind of confidence level are we talking here? I mean what exactly is the P-value of the Hypothesis test?

 

You can't verify the authenticity by the Vin. Look inside the center console for this number:

Y84

Here is a link to the GTA Source Page by Frank Rider, tons of good info here on the GTA's:http://www.gtasourcepage.com/Authentication.html

Hope this helped.

JD

 

Hey sIcK pUpPy, have you been able to do any mods to your caddy SLS, if so email me. I have access to a caddy that i would like to improve a bit.

 

Wow, you must know me or sumthin'! I haven't modded the pimp ride yet, but I have done research on it. There is quite a bit out there for the northstar motor. Here is a link to a good Caddy website: http://www.caddyinfo.com/

Before I start on the cad, I need to finish the GTA (I'm pricing out 383 combos as we speak). Anyone know fo a good machine shop in the SLC area?

Lates,
JD

 

I have a 1988 GTA with the 305 TPI with the 4 speed auto, I also know Steve P. from Montreal the has the same combe and a good friend of mine bought a an '87 GTA 305 TPI auto in '89. My car was manufactured at the California plant, I'm not sure if that makes a difference to the options. I can also assure you that the 305 autos are no slouch in the performance department either. Just remember that the TPI intake was designed for the flow characteristics of the 305 engine.

Mark

 

Well...... Judging the slouch level of a vehicle is relative...... and to a lot of people, a stock 305TPI ranks pretty high on the slouch scale.

But it sounds like the 305TPI A4 GTA does exist.... I've still never seen one in person though..... just 350 A4s and 305 M5s.... And I've laid eyes on a LOT of GTAs.

 

Since I haven't dumped huge wads of cash into an engine, in a car that is 14 years old
in terms of technology, in your eyes its a slouch.
But to me its a helluva fun car to drive, has enough power to keep me happy and in my books is no slouch. Sure I will get killed by any LS1 or LT1 in the crowed, but comparitively I will stomp on all of the stock carbed f-cars of earlier vintage.

As for never having seen a 305 A4 GTA come on up, I'll show you one.

Thanks for the kind welcome to the board.

Mark

 

Hey Scubaguy...

I don't think Matt is trying to be insulting or anything...simply stating the facts. Actually I have a LG4 5 speed car (84) that isn't running right now...but when it was, it was worse than your 305 auto in terms of performance.

The vast majority of people on this board would consider a 305 auto car a slow car...and it is. I can appreciate that you don't like to hear negative things about your baby though...I am the same way. I thought my 350 auto combo was slow though too. But it is still a GTA that has some character.

But...the fact is that a stock 305 TPI auto car is slow.. and the key is to enjoy it and if you like it, then don't worry about it.

I would rather drive a 305 GTA than a 350 Formula...but that is my preference.

 

thats a good point 88gta
i must agree a tha gtas and trans ams look alot better than a fromula andmy 305 isnt all that slow
i have raced and betten meny 350 powered f-bodys including 4thgen(but not LS1)
if you do the right things to a 305 they and pull frm a 350 very easy but if you do the same things you did to that 305 to a 350 you would have a very "BAD" car

 

Thanks Adam

I just felt kinda picked on as you said. I am new to this board and all I did was offer up some info, and Matt seemed rather insulting in his reply. I do apologize to Matt if my response seemed rather short. My point is that my car is
14 years old and also unmodded. If I were to put it up against an unmodded 14 year old 350 TPI the difference in performance is really minimal. Ie: light to light they are both torque monsters and they would be pretty even (my buddy had a '93 Zed and were were dead even untill he shifted 3rd, although he ran 14.0 in the 1/4)

Take Care
Mark

 

yep a lot of people didn't believe my car was a 305 either and by the way my other car is a 1985 eldog..

 

No prob Mark. I didn't mean anything insulting to you with my comments. Just saying that fast is truly relative.... I mean my car is a slouch to plenty of people! And 305TPIs are plenty fun to drive and you have nothing to be ashamed of in owning one. My last car was a 305TPI Trans Am and it was a ton of fun to own .

Laterzzz,
Matt

 

I have a 1991 gta. It is a 305 tpi motor with a 700R4 stock transmission. I ran the rpo codes and the car is a real gta. not a clone. the 305 is the high output version.

 

The nonGTA 305 TPIs are GENERALLY not the same as the regular 305 TPI. Difference is the cam...225hp compared to 190 hp.