[165th]

I just purchased a '78 TA and am excited to start fluffing her up. It is a radio delete car, and there is a blank in the dash where the radio would mount with GM embossed on it.

I have a couple of questions:
1. Would the wiring harness for the radio and speakers still be installed in a radio delete car?
2. Would the back seat package tray speaker grills still be mounted, or would the package tray be smooth without grills?

A couple of other unrelated questions:
3. Where there any decals on the inside of the glove box door?
4. Should all of the the DOT Guide dates for the lenses such as turn signal and tail lamp be dated '78?

Thanks, Greg

[Mr W72]

I have a couple of questions:
1. Would the wiring harness for the radio and speakers still be installed in a radio delete car? Answer - Yes if UPC code UN9 Radio Accomodation Package was ordered. 95% of all Firebirds for the 1978 model year came with UN9.

2. Would the back seat package tray speaker grills still be mounted, or would the package tray be smooth without grills? Answer - smooth without grills

A couple of other unrelated questions:
3. Where there any decals on the inside of the glove box door? Answer - Yes Tire inflation label left side

4. Should all of the the DOT Guide dates for the lenses such as turn signal and tail lamp be dated '78? My low-mile original 1977 Trans Am still has all factory installed head lamps, tail lamps, parking lights etc. Head lamps are Guide 1A for high-beam lamp and Guide 2A for normal head lamp bot have DOTH75 on them, no dates. Parking lamps have DOT IP no dates. Tail lamps are 74 Guide 2F, no dates

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by 165th

I just purchased a '78 TA and am excited to start fluffing her up. It is a radio delete car, and there is a blank in the dash where the radio would mount with GM embossed on it.

I have a couple of questions:
1. Would the wiring harness for the radio and speakers still be installed in a radio delete car?
2. Would the back seat package tray speaker grills still be mounted, or would the package tray be smooth without grills?

A couple of other unrelated questions:
3. Where there any decals on the inside of the glove box door?
4. Should all of the the DOT Guide dates for the lenses such as turn signal and tail lamp be dated '78?

Thanks, Greg

Always fun to get a NEW TOY,especially a 78 T/A.
Tell us about colors & options.
Post some pics for us.

FYI: The radio was NOT standard on ANY 78 Firebird or Trans am model,so it is NOT considered a "delete".
It just simply WASN'T ordered.
If you had a chance to find the build sheet,I'll bet it is spec'd as a customer ORDERED car.
The "dealer ordered" cars for inventory/lot stock ALWAYS had something in the radio hole in the dash.
They were just easier to sell that way.

[165th]

Mr.W72 and 2ManyT/A's, thank you very much for this information. I don't know if you made the connection yet, but both of you responded to my earlier thread regarding the production numbers for TA's. These boards are great, you have been so helpful and I don't know how else I would have been able to find the information you have provided so far!

The car is great, it's a heavily optioned 2 owner black/black custom interior, W72, 4spd, WS6, Fisher T-Tops with 23K original miles. The interior and trunk is in unrestored pristine condition. Up until recently the car had been shown as an original unrestored car, however it was just painted. Now the engine bay and rust free non-undercoated underside will need to be detailed to complete the freshening up.

On the buildsheet box 86 is blank. UN9 is ordered in the list of options. The plastic GM blank is in the dash port, but it must have had a radio in it at one time as the rear package tray has been cut for speakers and GM speaker grills are installed.

2ManyT/A's you are right, it is a customer order identified on the build sheet. I have the original paperwork including the name of the first buyer who's name is on the warranty book so I may chase him down to see why he ordered the car this way.

Mr.W72, my taillamps are Guide '74 as well. That's what was throwing me off, but that helps to know that's correct.

Here's a link to some pictures the seller took. A clear picture of the buildsheet is on this link. I just picked up the car yesterday and will get her out of the trailer today and give her a good look over the new year. The cake from buffing the car out is still visible in these pics. I bought the car before he detailed out the paint buff so I could carefully (without swirl marks) detail it out myself.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tadepot...th/2141140261/

A few more questions:
1. Are NOS rear package trays available? Or at least the material so a replacement can be covered with original material?

2. In Ames and Performance Years catalogues, the tire pressure label is only shown for up to '77. There is no call for a '78 tire pressure label. Could this have been eliminated for '78? With the WS6 option, there were now two tire options so maybe they put the pressure information somewhere else?

3. Is a black 1:18 die cast available in the non SE version of this car?

We have beautiful weather here today so I'll post additional pics tonight or tomorrow.

[Skip Fix]

I ordered my 78 with just the AM so I could put a better AM/FM./Cassete and it had a flat rear package tray no speakers or grilles.

[165th]

Skip Fix, thanks for the information. That confirms Mr.W72's comment that the package tray should be flat without grills.

Ok, I'm officially on the hunt for a replacement package tray!

[Dens71TA]

My dad also ordered a '78 brand new in January '78. The saleman never told him about the UN9 Radio Accomodation Package(must have wanted to make more commission!) so he ordered it with the cheapest AM mono front speaker only radio. The rear package tray was smooth and there was no wire ran for rear speakers.

I pulled a factory AM/FM stereo system out of a very original January '78 build 1978 Trans Am about four years ago and it only had one speaker in the rear on the driver's side. I believe 1979 is the first year for the 3 speaker system(one front, two rear.)

The reproduction package tray available(made by R.E.M.) from the usual resto catalogs is very good quality. They come smooth and you need to cut them out for rear speakers.

[1971WARBIRD]

ordered a 78bandit in august 77 without the radio,because there was a highend sterio shop right beside where i worked.we did things for them,they did things for us.i had a panasonic am-fm-8 track installed with jenson triax speakers(ran an amp and 4 6X9 speakers).can't say where they came from,but the rear speaker grills were both factory and i didn't give them to the shop to use?

i know my 74 only has one rear speaker.

[165th]

Thanks Dens71TA for the info. on the repro package trays.

71Warbird, it's funny you should mention the old Jenson Triaxials. That's what I installed in my '70 Chevelle SS-396 in 1978, and it also happens to be the speakers currently mounted in this car!

I'm still looking for confirmation if the tire pressure label is supposed to be in the glove box door in '78? Since two tires were offered, I'm wondering if the tire pressure instructions were handled differently in '78?

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by 165th

Thanks Dens71TA for the info. on the repro package trays.

71Warbird, it's funny you should mention the old Jenson Triaxials. That's what I installed in my '70 Chevelle SS-396 in 1978, and it also happens to be the speakers currently mounted in this car!

I'm still looking for confirmation if the tire pressure label is supposed to be in the glove box door in '78? Since two tires were offered, I'm wondering if the tire pressure instructions were handled differently in '78?

I'll have a look this afternoon on MY 78's,but as I recall,from 75 on up,the tire pressure info is on the left door (near latch) below the certification label.

Do your Jensens have the original grills & are still they working?

PM me if they are available for sale/trade?

[2manyT/A'S]

I checked & there is NO glove box tire pressure label on my 78 (just as I thought)

Had a look at your car & it looks like you got a REAL GOOD one.
I can almost smell the interior!

I'd LOVE to see some underhood & underneath pics.

It bears an UNCANNY resemblance/similarity to the 78 I bought NEW.
Exterior/interior & MOST options are the same. Mine has hardtop/no A/C
It was built 2 days prior to yours in the same plant. (roughly 1000 cars apart)

WS6/W72/M21 78 T/A's are QUITE uncommon(especially in NICE shape) & were USUALLY customer order cars. I just lucked out on mine. (Bought it off the lot & had NO IDEA what it was until I read Nunzi's drag test in a magazinee three weeks AFTER I got mine)

I'm guessing you bought it from the Warmack boys??

They ALWAYS have such HIGH END CARS!

Do you know if they commissioned the repaint or was it a past owner?
I'm curious about the 77 style fender & rear spoiler decals.

That's an AWESOME CAR (but perhaps I'm a little BIASED)

ENJOY!

[165th]

2manyT/A's, thanks for the compliments!

You have a PM on the Jensen speakers.