[TheCirque]

Ive become a new owner of a 81 TA that been in family for about 20years. I think its pretty clean although things have “been done” over the years that i want to change back as close to original as possibke.

Regarding paint, stripe kits and hood birds…

How do i know or learn exactly what this rig looked like when it was new? I have the build sheet but not sure that completely spells out stripes, decals etc.

Are stripe kits and birds meant to be clear-coated over? Is there an official decal provider with highest quality graphics out there? Any help is appreciated.

[nUcLeArEnVoY]

Originally Posted by TheCirque

Ive become a new owner of a 81 TA that been in family for about 20years. I think its pretty clean although things have “been done” over the years that i want to change back as close to original as possibke.

Regarding paint, stripe kits and hood birds…

How do i know or learn exactly what this rig looked like when it was new? I have the build sheet but not sure that completely spells out stripes, decals etc.

Are stripe kits and birds meant to be clear-coated over? Is there an official decal provider with highest quality graphics out there? Any help is appreciated.

On your buildsheet, there is a box on the trim code grid numbered #106 "Decals" that will tell you the color of the decals that came on your car. It's one of the last ones. Box #79 will show your paint color, you just then need to cross reference it with the paint code (Starlight Black, for instance, is 19).

No decals from the factory were clearcoated on your model year.

Post up a pic of your buildsheet and we can tell you.

If it's a Y84, then it was black with gold graphics. That's a Special Edition.

[Trevor78]

Easiest to post build sheet for most in depth answers. Basic options, paint and trim can be found on build plate on cowl.

[TheCirque]

So… Y84 should have all the gold striping if i understand correctly.

[nUcLeArEnVoY]

Originally Posted by TheCirque

So… Y84 should have all the gold striping if i understand correctly.

That car must be pretty solid, that's a nice condition build sheet.

Anyway, just seeing "Y84" on there tells me that there is no reason to look at anything else. Your car was originally an SE: black, with the gold graphics and striping. You originally had deluxe interior in black cloth, and not the Hobnail cloth seen on 1979 and 1980 cars, rather the one-year Pimlico stripe-ish looking cloth only available for your model year, and is sadly not reproduced. The engine was a 305 Chevy mated to a 4-speed manual.

One of 935 produced. Fairly uncommon car!

Phoenix Graphix is the gold-standard reproduction decal supplier, and their kits are spot-on. The kit for your car would be this one: https://phoenixgraphix.com/transam/1981seta.php