[Aus78Formula]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

Yeah I get it.
Where the TA said something like "look at me, I'm a race car!" (for it's time), the Formula hood may have said, "whoa there buddy, before you go and challenge me, you don't know what I have going on here, but you had better believe it's a V8!".

Pretty sure that was the advertising of the time, it was a long billboard lol !

[Transamric]

Sooooooooooo, if you guys bought this car at a reasonable price (you get to determine what reasonable means), would you convert it to a console shift? I'd be VERY tempted to do so.

[Bentwheelbob]

Let’s admit it Johny, this car pretty much sucks. Bad interior color, wrong fenders, wrong dash and column shift. It’s been hacked together and has too many stories to be of any real value.

Canamman - love the Formula. You paid low money and you have a car you can have fun with. I wouldn’t switch the column. Put the first money into the engine and smoke the tires off of it

[poncho-mike]

I have a Lucerne Blue 1970 T/A with standard blue interior, column shift with a/c. I drove it back in mid-late 1980s. The previous owner rebuilt the engine and installed a healthy cam. It was also treated to a few Herb Adams and H-O Specialties goodies, and was quite strong.

I went to a number of shows and heard the usual, it wasn't a real Trans Am, it was a re-bodied car, etc. My usual response was "Whatever". I knew it was real.

It was a fairly interesting car. I had all of the paperwork where the original owner ordered the car and he struck a deal with the dealership to drive his trade-in until the car arrived. He was totally p-o'd when the car came in with a column shift. He apparently thought the console was standard equipment and was totally shocked when the car showed up as a column shift. He tried to force the dealership to convert it to floor shift, but they wouldn't absorb the cost. So he left it.

I've still got it, it's been in storage since the early 90s. After I retire, I'll probably dig it out and take some photos.

[Mister Pontiac]

Originally Posted by Transamric

Sooooooooooo, if you guys bought this car at a reasonable price (you get to determine what reasonable means), would you convert it to a console shift? I'd be VERY tempted to do so.

Nope. I'd absolutely leave it alone. But then again, I tend to live a very contrarian life to most.

I picked up a 71 GTO hardtop this year, and it's a column shift, white vinyl top, queazal gold, jade interior combo. Most guys are absolutely repulsed when they first see it, but boy do I luv it. More and more every day in fact. The only way it will get a floor shift is when it gets converted to a 3 speed manual. And no, not a 4 speed. And no console.

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by Bentwheelbob

Let’s admit it Johny, this car pretty much sucks. Bad interior color, wrong fenders, wrong dash and column shift. It’s been hacked together and has too many stories to be of any real ...

you're funny.

Even though I aspire to build my car as correct as possible, my car also needs nearly everything done on it so there's no real extra labor to do it right - besides trying to track the right parts.

This car on the other hand, I would see no reason in changing a single thing (well, other than ride height) on the car - I mean it's done, it presents well, and the tan interior is neat!
(I am pretty sure that I did mention the column shift doesn't bug me.)

The qualms I brought up in post #1 were only brought up because I assumed these guys did the car, and I would have guessed they should know the details... At $70k they're not giving the car away, so if they know how to do it right - why wouldn't they!?
I didn't mention the fenders, because frankly I missed it (then again I wasn't looking to pick the car apart) - I just wanted to give it some exposure here incase someone was in the market.

That's it.

[Green Hornet]

Interesting car......different is good...I guess...

Steering wheel looks too FAT.....

[77 Canamman]

Originally Posted by Green Hornet

Steering wheel looks too FAT.....

It looks like one of those cheap repros with a textured rim. They also bend if you look at them funny..

[Tellyshavilli]

Pontiac should have never offered the column shift on Firebird’s. It’s horrific looking !

[necdb3]

Originally Posted by Tellyshavilli

Pontiac should have never offered the column shift on Firebird’s. It’s horrific looking !

Agreed, You would think as it is a sport coupe! IMO any "sports car" should be sporty. I don't even think about the column shift in my Grandville as it's a cruiser.

[bird72]

Originally Posted by Tellyshavilli

Pontiac should have never offered the column shift on Firebird’s. It’s horrific looking !

Right Matt!

It is an upside down universe that exists with a hubcap, six banger, floor shifted Bird, and a Decked out TA with a column shift!

Which brings up the twisted question: Were there any RAIV column shifts?

[Red Goat]

Originally Posted by bird72

Which brings up the twisted question: Were there any RAIV column shifts?

There was a 69 RA4 column shift TA that was in the Denver area. It sold at a Mecum auction several years ago

[muscle_collector]

ive got a 69 ta ra3 with a/c column shift. bought new by a neighbor down the street.

[necdb3]

Obviously we will never know the answer but you have to wonder what % of them were from accident. I'm sure somebody intentionally ordered one that way but couldn't have been many.

[necdb3]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

ive got a 69 ta ra3 with a/c column shift. bought new by a neighbor down the street.

Curious, is it a low option car? Clearly it has A/C but otherwise no options?

[Aus78Formula]

or expected a bench seat, otherwise no need for the option to exist.

[72projectbird]

Originally Posted by Transamric

Sooooooooooo, if you guys bought this car at a reasonable price (you get to determine what reasonable means), would you convert it to a console shift? I'd be VERY tempted to do so.

I'd take that column out and throw it like a javelin.

[eaglesan13]

Yup!

Originally Posted by 72projectbird

I'd take that column out and throw it like a javelin.

[3tas4me]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

This just popped up today for me;

1970 Trans Am

Incase the link goes dead, it's a white on tan RAIII/M40 car;
no console, low option car (PHS shows four options: 1-am radio, 2-rear speaker, 3-front mats, 4-rear mats)

I believe these guys do a good number of Firebirds, so I am not surprised on the quality, and regrettably some apparent short cuts.
Over all this is s stunning car.

My only qualms isa deluxe dash in a standard interior car, and the repop(?) Camaro rear armrests - but it presents itself well... very well.

Some note able pictures:





Unlike any prior restored listing recall having seen from them, this one shows when it was purchased, and has restoration documentation.

I hope it finds a good home, I know that I'd welcome it into my garage... but I'd also want a certain blue Formula before this one... assuming it's not yet sold.

I want to comment on that dash. My 1970 Lucerne Blue T/A came with the bright blue standard interior. When I picked up the car from the seller, the car had been stripped down to a rolling chassis. All of the interior was included with the car. The dash is a deluxe dash. Since I have pics of the car before it was disassembled showing this dash in the car and it matches the condition of the rest of the interior (sun baked and trashed) I have no reason to suspect it isn’t original to the car. This car has low miles (40k) and was parked in the mid 70’s because of an engine noise and sat outside in Oklahoma until it was sold around 2007. What I am saying is that I believe my standard interior 1970 T/A came with a deluxe dash.

I think it is possible that dash is correct.

[Green Hornet]

I would agree that it is entirely possible....that either dash could have been installed on the line....depending on what color...was in the rack.....on a given day.......

However....After taking a closer look...at the dash...in the subject car....It has that "puffy" look'....like it's been to Just Dashes.....They just don't quite look like the OE ones do..

The seat covers,...carpet....door panels,...steering wheel and 71 rear panels are all obviously replacement parts...so there is a very good chance that the dash is NOT the original to that car.....JMO