What a crazy sequence of events (coincidences) the last 24 hours have been related to this very unique car.
I was speaking with Greg yesterday about his projects here in Abilene and he revealed he had purchased "Adrian." He was telling me the story and mentioned the paint code 24 and that the car was invoiced to Friendly Pontiac GMC in Temple Tx. I remembered a blue 72 TA i had come across while traveling on vacation many years ago. Then my wheels started turning and I thought the name Friendly Pontiac was vaguely familiar. Then i began to recall the car i had found was invoiced to Friendly Pontiac. So I told the story to Greg and he was convinced it was the same car. Thinking no way did I come across a one of one TA so many years ago, I hauled a** home and dug up my copy of the invoice I received from Pontiac Customer Assistance Center...and yes it was the same car.
At this point I threw up a little bit in my mouth... :-)
Who would have thought back in 1986 that the very first 72 Trans Am I was in a position to buy was so unique. I was traveling to Holly Lake in East Texas to do some fishing and as we were passing through the little town of Emory Tx I noticed what looked like a 70-72 TA sitting in a fenced yard at a body shop. We did not stop on the way but on the way back through (on a Sunday) we stopped and I had a closer look through the fence. Most of TA parts I could see (hood, rear spoiler, rear flares, and frt fenders) were there except the shaker. The stripe was on it and so it looked legit so I took the name of the body shop and we proceeded back to Abilene. I contacted body shop soon after and owner was helpful but was trying to buy it himself so he did not immediately give over the owner's name. After a few weeks of bugging him I had the VIN and owner's name. I contacted Pontiac through their Customer Assistance Center 800 number and a Mr. CA Curry sent me a copy of the invoice attached to an undated form letter.
At that point in time the PHS we know of now did not exist and all you received was a copy of car's invoice if they had it...for free I might add. Now that was customer service.
Of course i had no idea about the car's rarity or what the SCO code meant so it went unnoticed really until my conversation with Greg yesterday. Being a blue 72 4 speed with air was my dream machine so i wanted it. Long story but many back and forths with owner (nearly daily I might add) I was on my way to get my first early TA. A friend and i arrive to find no one there so we waited for what seemed like two hours and finally a young man early 20s hot rods up in a nearly new convertible Mustang GT. For the first time I was able to see up close the true condition and parts inventory. His description was lacking on many fronts...At this point the car was about 14 years old and immediately i see rust around both front and rear windows. I thought to myself was this car from the coast or from the rust belt? My heart was sinking a bit from the rust and now the shaker is missing along with air cleaner and carb...Dang!!! Luckily those were laying in the trunk; carb was rusted but probably savable. Then we noticed a dent here and there and the front seats were laying beside the car. Since I was looking for more of a driver I focused on the engine and what may be damaged there. The only thing between the elements and the inside of the intake manifold was a piece of weather deteriorated duct tape. So I thought about why were the spark plugs laying around and questioned how bad was the engine rusted/seized. Yes the numbers matching pieces were there, thankfully at the time I knew to look for those things. So we try to start it and battery is dead...so we jump it and starter would make a noise but not turn engine over. By then i was dying...my dream machine was not looking too good. Bumped, bruised, rusted and locked up...All I could see was dollar signs to repair/fix the many issues. So after much pondering that afternoon I decided it was too far gone for me and I came back home.
That was one that got away...
Now through Greg's and Steve's efforts hopefully I will somehow be reconnected to my long lost dream machine.
Sorry for the long post but I felt compelled to share this on a fine Father's Day afternoon.
Still kinda taste a little throw up in my mouth...
Jim
|