80 Transam wheels??
 

Hey , just bought a 1980 TA 301 blue t-top car, and the wheels the 2nd owner stored since 1982 are the dish gold (turbo) wheels. He claimed he removed them in 1982 when he puchased the car. This is NOT a turbo car, so would anyone tell me if these wheels came on a non-turbo ws6 car. Thanks in advance.Steve

In 80 & 81 you could get a Turbo car with Snowflakes & Turbo wheels on a non-turbo car(provided it WAS a WS6)
If I'm NOT mistaken,you could actually specify Rally II's on a Turbo WS4 T/A or Formula.

Wheels
 

Steve,

From what I've read, having the handling package would determine
which wheel in most cases.

While Pontiac stipulated certain package items, selling cars was
important too.

I've read that obtaining an "factory exception" was a tool used to
have non-advertised combos produced. In other words, if you wanted
it and were paying for it - you might just get it.

So, a firebird buyer either bought a car off the lot or ordered it the
way they wanted it, possibly outside of the regular equipment programs.

Occasionally an ordered car arrived and wasn't completed to the original
buyer, so there are exceptions to almost any rule.

Long story short, yes your car could have come from the factory with
turbo wheels and not had a turbo engine.

Note: the 1979 Tenth Aniv cars had the "Turbo Flow" wheels before 1980,
now I do understand that "ONLY" the 10th Aniv cars got those wheels...
but... who knows.

Joe R

The only way to tell if your car came with the turbo wheels would be the build sheet. Of course it is possble that the selling dealer swapped wheels with a turbo car inorder to make good with another buyer and never informed the original owner as such. Here's what I have found, and as Joe stated, that may be subject to change: Turbo charged T/A's and Formula's came standard with the turbo wheel. The snowflake wheel could be ordered as a delete option. From what I've seen and read, no T/A or Formula would have come with the turbo wheels unless it was equiped with the turbo 301. The 1979 10th anniversy T/A only came with the turbo wheels and they were not available on any other Firebird or T/A until 1980 when the turbo cars came out.

Like Joe stated regarding the '80 and '81 cars, anything may be possible, you just have to research it.

As I stated above,Turbo wheels OR 8" Snowflakes were part of the WS6 package (regardless of WHICH V8 engine you specified)
There was NO factory exceptions OR deleting going on here,you just picked one or the other.:argue:

Pontiac Selling Facts (dated April 1980) clearly states this. See below.

Brian, where did you get that book!!!

Pontiac Selling Facts
 

It was in my top left hand desk drawer along with the rest of them.:ranger:

They are great little books!

Alot of this info IS in my head,but the books just help to confirm it.

wheels and the order form
 

> As I stated above,Turbo wheels OR 8" Snowflakes were part of the WS6 package
> (regardless of WHICH V8 engine you specified)

According to the order sheet, Snowflakes were included in the WS6, with the Turbo wheel as an option.

http://www.301garage.com/PY/80_Wheel.jpg

> If I'm NOT mistaken,you could actually specify Rally II's on a Turbo WS4 T/A or
> Formula

Rally II's were the standard wheel, unless you had the WS6 package.

> There was NO factory exceptions OR deleting going on here,you just picked one or
> the other.

Well, according the ordering form, deletions and overides simply needed approval.

http://www.301garage.com/PY/80_Subs.jpg

So, by deduction, if you had the WS6 package you got a snowflake - unless you opted for the turbo wheel. Also if you had the WS6, you could not get Rally II's.

But all of that is the standard cases...

In 1977 I bought a 6 cyl Camaro brand new, the dealer didn't have exactly what I wanted on the lot, as I wanted a silver car and Rally wheels and Raised white letter tires.

They found a 6 cyl that was sliver, and then "swapped" the wheels and tires from another inventory car. Walla! Sold! I was there, I saw them do it.

Anyways, that's some of the info I have...

Joe R

i've got a couple of those from 70-71.great info if you can find them.mine have some info that was written in pencil by the salesman,when things were deleted and such.

Looks you must have an early or pre-production order sheet there.
Is there a date on it?

Dealer swaps on wheels were VERY common in that era.

The loaded 1980 Turbo T/A that I bought new was built with WS6 Snowflakes & we ended up swapping them out for the Turbo wheels from a new Formula that was on their lot.
The 78 W72 T/A I bought new already had the 8" snowflakes & I wanted the wheels to match the engine on the NEW car.

I would be diggin' for the build sheet since it is only a 2 owner car. Be interesting to see one anyhow. Get at it!

order sheet
 

There's no date, but it does say: Pre-Announcement
in light outlined letters.

Joe R