Let's remember that Pontiac was rolling T/A's and Firebird's off of 2 assembly lines in the 70's - Van Nuys, CA and Norwood, OH. When they ran out of Shaker decals did GM shut down the production, and release of Trans Ams? Obviously not. Hence the Non-Decaled Shaker Callouts on some of the '78 and '79 T/A's. Couple that with the transition '78 decals (73-78 style) that included the Gold in the Shaker, Trans Am Fender, Hoodbird and Rear Spoiler Decals no matter what color the decals are. Stencils and Stripes goes to great lengths to identify the Gold Color added decals on there site. Anyone remember '78 Van Nuys Firebirds with WATER BASED paint vs. Norwood Laquer paint? My personal experience: Owned a L78 400 Pontiac engined Trans Am with Decal Kit Scoop with Gold highlight and 6.6 Litre on Shaker, this was an original T/A build sheet etc. This was a late June '78 production T/A. It was explained to me by Jim Wangers that just as the tailight bezels were blacked out, the gold in the decals was a transition to the '79 Blacked out tailights and the New for '79 Revised Hoodbird Style. The factory photos that PHS sends to everyone for their '79 T/A has no shaker scoop engine callouts. Does anyone remember how controversial it was with all of the "Diehard Pontiac Enthusiasts" to even consider a Oldsmobile, let alone a Chevy, or other engined Trans Am or Firebird? Obviously, it was a real big deal to some at the time. Take a look at the Osprey Classic Marques, Pontiac Firebird by Nicky Wright book (ISBN 1 85532 340 0) pages 52, 53, 54 55, 56, 57, 58, and 59. There you will see a Y-88 that I used to see in Albuquerque New Mexico. This Y-88 has the T/A 6.6 call-outs on the Shaker Scoop. Notice the tailight surronds that are blacked out? Another area for discussion is the Y-88 8 inch Painted Gold Snowflake Wheels. This same Y-88 has only the outer wheel edge of the wheels machined. Both wheel stlyles were available on the '78 Y-88's. The other style I am talking about are the 8 inch snowflake wheels that machined from the center hub opening all the way out to the outer wheel lip edge like the '79 Bandits with the WS6 Gold 8 inch wheels. I test drove a brand new '78 y-88 in San Diego fall of 77 and it had the 8 inch polished snowflakes and the 403 Auto with 6.6 litre Shaker Scoop callouts. ALSO, only time that I have seen the DEEP PLUSH CAMEL CARPET was on this Y-88 (it was just like the carpet on the '79 TATA's except instead of the TATA Silver carpet it was Camel). Haven't seen it available since then, but that is one of the trim items that really stood out on that Y-88, that mile-deep pile carpet with the Camel Velour Cloth interior, Gold Spoke wheel and dash bezel...well you get the picture, it was an awsome highline trimmed T/A!
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