[superdutybob]

What ever do you mean?

I have a blast everytime I drive it.

[GTOWAGON]

Not much but here's the 76

[chuckies76ta]

My 76 T/A 455 4 speed.

[johnsma22]

A little late to the party, but here is my 76.

John

[WarbirdTA]

Here's one of my 1974 Trans Ams.
Modded with a fiberglass L-88/ZL-1 hood scoop/hood, and 1984 15th Anniversary Trans Am Recaro seats. Hedman headers, and 1987 16 inch Diamond Spoke TA/GTA wheels.
The car was suppost to ship to Japan, which is why it has a half vinyl roof, and portholes.
455 auto car, with rear seat console.


George

[Tonyqt]

Hey WarbirdTA, how about a side view of the 74. I'd like to see the half roof and port hole. That sounds interesting.

[WarbirdTA]

This picture is kinda bad, but the only one I have on CD right now.


George

[Greg Reid]

Wow George....that is STRANGE.

[Mark C.]

Warbird, You mentioned about the vinyl top. Are half vinyl tops "cool" in Japan?

[critter]

Bizarre! I like the wheels though. Those off a GTA? Full set or only the fronts to get the offset right?

[WarbirdTA]

Here's the story on the car.
I am the second owner.
In 1974, the original owner went down to the local Pontiac dealer.
He was looking for a Trans Am with a 455 engine.
Sitting on the front lot, was nothing but 1974 Trans Ams, however, they all had the 400 engine.
Walking into the parts department, he saw, by looking in the back lot, a white Trans Am with 455 on the hood scoop.
As he walked back to the car, he could now see the whole car, as it was parked between other cars.
He saw the portholes, and the half vinyl top.
He walked back into the showroom, and asked the sales manager about the car.
He was told by the sales manager that the car was being shipped over to Japan.
Seems that the Japanese government would not let the cars be certified unless there was more rearview view (sounds funny, but makes sense).
So, the dealership contacted a local company that did the conversions, and had them do it.
It was fairly popular, as the company did other conversions for even earlier Firebirds as well. Around SoCal, you could see quite a few conversions running around.
Anyway, the original owner then went in to see the owner of the dealership, as he knew him, and told him that he wanted the 455 Trans Am going to Japan. Seems that the car going to Japan didn't have to be a 455 engine, so the owner sold the car to him, and just ordered another 400 equiped Trans Am to be converted.
Now, a few years after this was going on, I got into Trans Ams, and in 1976, bought a 1974 Trans Am 455 engine, with a ASC installed sunroof. I lived at home with the parents, on a huge hill. As I would drive my 455 TA down the hill, this one with portholes would drive up. And vice-virsa. This went on for years! I always wanted bookend cars.
Then, in early 1989, I saw a ad in hemmings, for a 455 Trans Am with the local area code. I called, and he started describing the car. When he got to portholes and a half vinyl roof, I asked if it was white. He said yes.
I told him the car I own, and he laughed, telling me that he always wanted my car at the same time he had his.
Now, I wasn't really intrested in buying another car, as I had a fairly large collection at the time.
He was asking 6500, and all I had at the time was 4000.
I took my car up (as I was now living down the hill) to see it, and he was walking around my car, as I was his!
hecame over, and told me that since we had both wanted each other's cars, he would sell me the car for 3900!
I laughed, and showed him my check book.
And, bought the car!
A few months later, Sue Elliot from High Pereformance Pontiac saw the car, and asked me questions about it. I guess she never believed me.
years later, at the release of the new GTO at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, she remembered me, and came over, and told me that she had seen other cars like mine running around the valley where she lives.
I have seen a few in the junk yards, and I even bought the inner sail panels, glass, and chrome circles, to have as backup or do another car.
Right now, she runs a full set of "back" GTA style wheels, since they are more easy to find.
Hope you enjoy my story.

George

[WarbirdTA]

Also, some more info on Japanese cars, or cars going to Japan, is that once they got there, they had holes drilled into the fenders, above the fender line, for more side marker lights to be installed.
Seems that the side marker lights had to "face" up, now down.
If you ever get or look at the 1/12th scale Otaki model of the '73 red Trans Am, which is really a '72 Trans Am, you will see that there are "extra" marker lights that go over the fender lines. That is what those are "modeled" after.
I have seen cars that came back with US service men, still having the lights above the fender lines.

George

[Greg Reid]

Interesting story George. Thanks for sharing it.

[Bad74]

cool story..I would love to see some close up pictures of the car

[critter]

George always has the coolest stuff around to talk about. Thanks for sharing.

So those wheels are all back wheels? What's the offset? I've often considered running a set for giggles to see how they'd look.

[pontiacstogo]

Originally Posted by critter

George always has the coolest stuff around to talk about. Thanks for sharing.

So those wheels are all back wheels? What's the offset? I've often considered running a set for giggles to see how they'd look.

I'm kicking myself for selling my black wheels. I had a set of 16x9.5 Rikens (off an 84 vette) with 255/50 Comp T/A's that I had planned to fit on my 74. I have always liked the black mesh/polished lip look. The backspacing was all wrong, and I wasn't even sure they'd fit in the wheel wells. Sold them a month ago to one of my sons friends:

[WarbirdTA]

Critter,
Not sure of the backspacing, you may want to ask Frankie Rider.
I tried looking for it, and couldn't find it.
I'm sure I have the info somewhere though.

George

[bird72]

speaks for itself......

[Greg Reid]

bird 72, I hate to come off sounding like an art critic or something...but that's actually a pretty picture. Color and composition is nice.

[Bad74]

My old daily driver turned parts car....that snow covered pic reminded me of mine