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Old 10-24-2020, 10:08 AM
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Default REFRESH MY MEMORY ON 78 SE

i am drawing a blank on why the phs doesnt show the W72 engine. was it because after a certain date that all the Y84 cars got the W72 4 speed.
the author of this article says it has the base 400 but thats incorrect with it being a 4 speed (unless someone changed it over later in life and added the nickle valve covers).

https://barnfinds.com/rare-1978-pont...sletter+(Daily)

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Old 10-24-2020, 01:20 PM
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Base 400 came with blue valve covers. After about April you could not get the W72 with an auto trans. I missed it by a month. They were stockpiling for the '79 4 speed cars.

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Old 10-24-2020, 08:34 PM
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Every 78 Trans am 4 speed should be a W72. Does the PHS show the M21 for the manual trans, or M33?

There is still a lot of misleading info out there on the W72 & trans combos in 1978. Fact is nobody really knows for sure, but lots of guesses.
Sometimes its guesses based on what info is out there.

I do believe there was a 301 4 speed available in 1979 Trans am's

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68 GTO 4-spd Convertible
78 S/E Trans am L78, WS6 Auto
78 S/E Trans am W72, WS6 Auto
79 10th aniv W72 Trans am
80 Indy pace car Trans am
89 Trans am GTA
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Old 10-24-2020, 10:09 PM
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i understand what you two said, but my question was if you click on that link and look at the phs, why it doesnt list W72 on it. unless this car has been changed over.

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Old 10-24-2020, 10:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by muscle_collector View Post
i understand what you two said, but my question was if you click on that link and look at the phs, why it doesnt list W72 on it. unless this car has been changed over.
Aahhh, Sorry about that, I didn't realize I was suppose to click the clink. Missed that part. Now I get what your saying......

The early WS6 package included the W72 for $151.00 on the S/E. W72 would still be on the build sheet but the invoice would only show the WS6. I forget the date the two options separated, but I am thinking it was in feb or march?

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68 GTO 4-spd Convertible
78 S/E Trans am L78, WS6 Auto
78 S/E Trans am W72, WS6 Auto
79 10th aniv W72 Trans am
80 Indy pace car Trans am
89 Trans am GTA
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Old 10-25-2020, 01:21 AM
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FWIW, my Can Am PHS docs do not show the W72 engine, but we all know Can Ams got the W72.

As for the 301/4-speed in '79...yes it was available in the T/A and the Formula. I don't have any production numbers on the Formula, but the production numbers for the 301/4-speed T/A were:

1590 hard tops
1530 T-tops
230 S.E.'s

I once owned a '79 Formula with the 301/4-speed about 15 years ago, but it was so far gone with rust I didn't try to save it and parted it out.

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Old 10-25-2020, 02:46 PM
Poncho Dave Poncho Dave is offline
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I find it surprising that the PHS doesn’t list w72, as it is also the only year I am aware that 4 speed is also not on PHS. For it to be a 4 speed it needs to have the w72 option in 77 & 78 as I have believed. The base auto block used in 78 was still the 557.

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Old 10-25-2020, 09:09 PM
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thats exactly what i am thinking. this isnt the first one ive come across that doesnt list the W72, but has it. dont know if it was just left off the invoice or at some point for a short time included in the se package. would like to see the build sheet on this one.

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Old 10-25-2020, 09:17 PM
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In early 78 the WS6 was all that was shown on the invoice because W72 was part of the package. I am sure the build sheet will show the M21/W72 RPO's

Did you guys see the price on the auction? That car is up to 37K and reserve not. Shill bids?
That seems like really big money Wowza. that just can't be real bids

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184494352004?ul_noapp=true

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68 GTO 4-spd Convertible
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78 S/E Trans am W72, WS6 Auto
79 10th aniv W72 Trans am
80 Indy pace car Trans am
89 Trans am GTA
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Old 10-26-2020, 01:18 PM
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Ended at $50,000 reserve met. Holy buckets!

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68 GTO 4-spd Convertible
78 S/E Trans am L78, WS6 Auto
78 S/E Trans am W72, WS6 Auto
79 10th aniv W72 Trans am
80 Indy pace car Trans am
89 Trans am GTA
  #11  
Old 10-27-2020, 10:49 AM
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There's no way those bids are real. And 68ragtop is right, on some invoices there is no W72 called out because it was included in WS6 for a period of time. And it has the WC engine with obviously the original VIN stamp so it has not been changed over from auto.

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Last edited by starlightblack; 10-27-2020 at 10:56 AM.
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