[Alvin]

Here's a mint 1981 T/A with an interesting interior / exterior color combo hardly seen these days. This is reported to be a 3,700 mile survivor. Remember seeing these daily on the streets.
This one originally sold by TRIANGLE PONTIAC, Aiken, S.C.

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/...m/1579898.html

[2manyT/A'S]

Looks like a REAL NICE car..........but 52K is a bit of a stretch for an 81,specially a non-S/E.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

Looks like a REAL NICE car..........but 52K is a bit of a stretch for an 81,specially a non-S/E.

Yeah...but think of how much some spend on restorations of beaters, and to someone it could be a deal - especially since it is NOT another SE!

[bigborehunter]

Not a single pic of the interior. Base version from what I can see through the windows.
disc/drum automatic car. Frankly, I can't see anyone shelling out close to that money for a non four speed TA. It is in fantastic condition though and that color is fairly unusual now.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by bigborehunter

Not a single pic of the interior. Base version from what I can see through the windows.
disc/drum automatic car. Frankly, I can't see anyone shelling out close to that money for a non four speed TA. It is in fantastic condition though and that color is fairly unusual now.

True. And IIRC it does have a 301 Pontiac, a 4-spd would be a 305 Chevy motor for '81 yes?

[bigborehunter]

305 and 301 were both available at start of the year. 305 was a credit delete engine if ordered as an automatic. Was a performance engine when ordered with 4 speed. The 305 replaced the 301 in March when Pontiac V8 production stopped.

[bs78ta]

Yet another "unique" car that is not necessarily a "desirable" car!!!!

[thepontiacman]

If that is the orange metallic color, I sold a 81 Formula that was that color with tan int. and dark brown around the bottom. Had a luggage rack on the trunk lid.

A really bright color.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by bigborehunter

305 and 301 were both available at start of the year. 305 was a credit delete engine if ordered as an automatic. Was a performance engine when ordered with 4 speed. The 305 replaced the 301 in March when Pontiac V8 production stopped.

I thought the 305 was only available w the 4spd stick for 81 yes?

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by thepontiacman

If that is the orange metallic color, I sold a 81 Formula that was that color with tan int. and dark brown around the bottom. Had a luggage rack on the trunk lid.

A really bright color.

I believe it is the bright color you are thinking of...as I was @ the time of my OP.

[bigborehunter]

The 305 was sold as an automatic in Canada. Ours had no torque converter lock up or computer module. Pretty sweet deal actually.

[Lightfoot]

Originally Posted by bs78ta

Yet another "unique" car that is not necessarily a "desirable" car!!!!

I really like that color, but I wouldn't want the T-tops.

Originally Posted by bigborehunter;

305 and 301 were both available at start of the year. 305 was a credit delete engine if ordered as an automatic. Was a performance engine when ordered with 4 speed. The 305 replaced the 301 in March when Pontiac V8 production stopped.

You'd think 30%-40% of all '81 Trans Ams were 305 powered. Yet I've only seen less than a half dozen with that engine in my lifetime.
Me thinks they stockpiled 301 engines ahead of time to fill T/A production for the year.

[Alvin]

1981 5.0 info:

Firebird Red Book
"On the Trans Am, the standard engine was the 4.9 liter E/C V-8. The Chevrolet 5.0 liter V-8 was available as a delete option and only with a four-speed manual. The 4.9 liter Turbo was optional. Trans Ams-and Formulas - so equipped did not get the chrome splitter exhaust."

"Production"
"2 dr Trans Am w/5.0 L 8 cyl Manual 7,038 | Automatic - 0"

FIREBIRD Illustrated Buyer's Guide
"Production"
"Trans Am Coupe VIN W87 5.0 liter Manual 2,866 Automatic - 0 "
"Trans Am Coupe w/T-Top VIN W87 5.0 liter Manual 3,225 Automatic - 0 "
"Special Edition Coupe VIN X87 5.0 liter Manual 15 Automatic - 0 "
"Special Edition Coupe w/T-Top VIN X87 5.0 liter Manual 932 Automatic - 0 "

"NASCAR Turbo Indy Pace Car VIN X87 4.9-liter Turbo Manual - 0, Automatic 2,000"

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by bigborehunter

The 305 was sold as an automatic in Canada. Ours had no torque converter lock up or computer module. Pretty sweet deal actually.

I've seen those & the published production figures don't seem to acknowledge their existance....

['ol Pinion head]

The orange metallic color (in the day my T/A buds & I used call it pumpkin) is relatively rare today, in 2013, esp on such a low mile car, but in the day, driving & modifying my '80 & working on dozens of other 80's & 81's, I used to run across '81's this color from time to time. Thinking back, ran across the '81 orange about as much as the 81 dark maroon or dark charcoal cars. Can't remember coming across one this color on an '81 turbo car, (am sure quite a few were built), nearly all the "pumpkin" T/A's I ran across were base horse 301 4bbl's & performance wise, bonestock with high gearing, they could barely get out of their own way.

Another thing to be noted, many of these base horse '81 T/A's didn't even come with G80 clicked off. Through the 90's, & into the 00's I hit traditional boneyards, Pick-N-Pulls, crusher yards, & cheapee yards every week. Pulled tons of 8.5 posi units as cores to rebuild. On cheepee yard '79-81 disc brake rears, I'd buy buy the whole rear if it was a 2.73 or 3.08. On 2.41 posi disc jobs I'd often gut them & throw the disc brake pieces (including nice disc brake axles) in the wheel barrow, then pull an earlier 8.5 X-body rear or a 3.42 pegleg Z28 rear & bolt the posi unit in it. During this time had a coding system, so when I walked through the monster Pick-n-Pulls in DFW, or the one in SanAntonio by the fleemarket, I'd code all the cars on the left rear pillar with a paint pen, so I knew if I'd already ck'ed their rears. It was nothing uncommon to spin a rear drum brake axle on one of these 81 301 4bbl T/A's & find it was a factory pegleg. Occasionally, I'd find one of the car's buildsheet & note the same. The situation with the '80 & 81 Z28's were worse, as very few were optioned with G80. Not so on the Turbo T/A's, they always received 3.08 gearing & G80 posi. Many years ago, I noted these facts on the "T/A Country" board to several self described TransAm guys & a few wanted to argue with me "that all 2nd Gen T/A came with G80". Not so!

['ol Pinion head]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

I've seen those & the published production figures don't seem to acknowledge their existance....

Years ago, I ran across 305 auto cars as well. In '80, 305's were a California emission thing. never really paid attention when the 81's were introduced. Hated the '81 CCC setup, & nearly all of the 81's I worked on were turbo cars.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

I've seen those & the published production figures don't seem to acknowledge their existance....

Wondering Out Loud here - what/is there a Special 2nd Gen Canadian TA & Formy PHS or factory designation(s) & documentation?

Originally Posted by 'ol Pinion head

The orange metallic color (in the day my T/A buds & I used call it pumpkin) is relatively rare today, in 2013, esp on such a low mile car, but in the day, driving & modifying & my '80 & working on dozens of other 80's & 81's, I used to run across '81's this color from time to time. Thinking back, ran across the '81 orange about as much as the 81 dark maroon or dark charcoal cars. Can't remember coming across one this color on an '81 turbo car, (am sure quite a few were built), nearly all the "pumpkin" T/A's I ran across were base horse 301 4bbl's & performance wise, bonestock with high gearing, they could barely get out of their own way.

Had a girl friend that had a 280Z w T-Tops, Stick, etc. that was Pumpkin w Camel Gut...was popular color with many mfg.s @ the time.

A different GF had one of those '81 Dark Maroon TAs you mention...Auto Trans, 301 original that had been replaced by 400 2nd Gen Poncho motor. Had an Electrical Engineer friend assist rewiring the dash, engine harness, etc. to correct the wrongs associated with the deletion of the onboard computer.

Another thing to be noted, many of these base horse '81 T/A's didn't even come with G80 clicked off. Through the 90's, & into the 00's I hit traditional boneyards, Pick-N-Pulls, crusher yards, & cheapee yards every week. Pulled tons of 8.5 posi units as cores to rebuild. On cheepee yard '79-81 disc brake rears, I'd buy buy the whole rear if it was a 2.73 or 3.08. On 2.41 posi disc jobs I'd often gut them & throw the disc brake pieces (including nice disc brake axles) in the wheel barrow, then pull an earlier 8.5 X-body rear or a 3.42 pegleg Z28 rear & bolt the posi unit in it. During this time had a coding system, so when I walked through the monster Pick-n-Pulls in DFW, or the one in SanAntonio by the fleemarket, I'd code all the cars on the left rear pillar with a paint pen, so I knew if I'd already ck'ed their rears. It was nothing uncommon to spin a rear drum brake axle on one of these 81 301 4bbl T/A's & find it was a factory pegleg. Occasionally, I'd find one of the car's buildsheet & note the same. The situation with the '80 & 81 Z28's were worse, as very few were optioned with G80. Not so on the Turbo T/A's, they always received 3.08 gearing & G80 posi. Many years ago, I noted these facts on the "T/A Country" board to several self described TransAm guys & a few wanted to argue with me "that all 2nd Gen T/A came with G80". Not so!

Amazing when real world experience trumps "expert testimony" as in the G80 scenerio.

['ol Pinion head]

"A different GF had one of those '81 Dark Maroon TAs you mention...Auto Trans, 301 original that had been replaced by 400 2nd Gen Poncho motor. Had an Electrical Engineer friend assist rewiring the dash, engine harness, etc. to correct the wrongs associated with the deletion of the onboard computer."

My '80-81 T/A buddys of the time seldom put 400 or 455 Pontiacs in them, not early on while the cars were just a few years old. At the time, early 80's, I did not know Gary (Musclecollector), but saw his 80 Indy Pacecar at an early 80's Ferguson Pontiac show. His was the first '80 that I ran into that had swapped over to earlier 400 engine. On the 81 turbo cars, I stripped a few with help of their owners of the CCC system & went back with '80 "274" carb & "444" distribs & revised engine brackets & waterpump pulley, basically recreating a similar no smog set-up myself & several other friends had done on our '80 turbo cars. On the 81's, bought an '81 factory manual from Helm Inc & used it to help me spot what was different with the engine harness & unravel & delete all the wiring to the MAP sensors, etc. It was a lot of work, but at the time, the knowledge was not there for modifying the 81's Q-jet or dealing with the computer. W/o changing over the '81 turbo cars were 17 sec slugs. It was a whole lot easier to build them like a modified '80. In the mid 80's, during annual inspection up town, there was only one old man in town that even ck'ed the fuel fillers on the gas tanks. This old fellow worked at local Sunoco, he always ck'ed my fuel filler neck as well as buddys, but never did a visual under the hood or ck'ed to see if there was a cat under our Turbo T/A's & Turbo Formula's. For years on my '80. he'd see how clean it was & just slap a sticker on it

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by 'ol Pinion head

The orange metallic color (in the day my T/A buds & I used call it pumpkin) is relatively rare today, in 2013, esp on such a low mile car, but in the day, driving & modifying my '80 & working on dozens of other 80's & 81's, I used to run across '81's this color from time to time. Thinking back, ran across the '81 orange about as much as the 81 dark maroon or dark charcoal cars. Can't remember coming across one this color on an '81 turbo car, (am sure quite a few were built), nearly all the "pumpkin" T/A's I ran across were base horse 301 4bbl's & performance wise, bonestock with high gearing, they could barely get out of their own way.

Another thing to be noted, many of these base horse '81 T/A's didn't even come with G80 clicked off. Through the 90's, & into the 00's I hit traditional boneyards, Pick-N-Pulls, crusher yards, & cheapee yards every week. Pulled tons of 8.5 posi units as cores to rebuild. On cheepee yard '79-81 disc brake rears, I'd buy buy the whole rear if it was a 2.73 or 3.08. On 2.41 posi disc jobs I'd often gut them & throw the disc brake pieces (including nice disc brake axles) in the wheel barrow, then pull an earlier 8.5 X-body rear or a 3.42 pegleg Z28 rear & bolt the posi unit in it. During this time had a coding system, so when I walked through the monster Pick-n-Pulls in DFW, or the one in SanAntonio by the fleemarket, I'd code all the cars on the left rear pillar with a paint pen, so I knew if I'd already ck'ed their rears. It was nothing uncommon to spin a rear drum brake axle on one of these 81 301 4bbl T/A's & find it was a factory pegleg. Occasionally, I'd find one of the car's buildsheet & note the same. The situation with the '80 & 81 Z28's were worse, as very few were optioned with G80. Not so on the Turbo T/A's, they always received 3.08 gearing & G80 posi. Many years ago, I noted these facts on the "T/A Country" board to several self described TransAm guys & a few wanted to argue with me "that all 2nd Gen T/A came with G80". Not so!

I researched the G80 deal on 81's a few years back.....

ALL 1970-80 T/A's came with G80 as standard equipment...

In 81,it was optional on a WS4 & standard on WS6....guess they figured that the guy that needed/wanted it would just check the WS6 box anyways...

Probably just another way to keep the base price down to compete with the Mustang...

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

I researched the G80 deal on 81's a few years back.....

ALL 1970-80 T/A's came with G80 as standard equipment...

In 81,it was optional on a WS4 & standard on WS6....guess they figured that the guy that needed/wanted it would just check the WS6 box anyways...

Probably just another way to keep the base price down to compete with the Mustang...

Good point....and too, Correct Me If I'm Wrong here; 1981 wheels were narrower, different than '80 and earlier, including Turbo & WS6, yes?