[MikeNoun]

The famous BFG "Tire Bird" Trans Am is for sale, the first car to win a Trans Am race with radial tires. Always loved this car. Here's the link for more detail (and pics), but I'm printing the description here in case the ad goes away.

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/...d/1411916.html





1970 Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am First production car to win a race using radial tires Raced in Trans-Am, The Daytona 24 Hours, Sebring 12 Hours, SCCA and CSCC club events Built by Jerry Titus' TG Racing Restored to a very high concours standard by Mark Mountanos Sponsored by BF Goodrich Radial Tires and driven by Canadian champion John Cordts and Larry Dent, this car was raced in Trans-Am, The Daytona 24 Hours, Sebring 12 Hours, SCCA and CSCC club events. BF Goodrich made special tires for the team and they eventually became the first production car to win a race using radial tires. This was the third of three cars built by Jerry Titus' TG Racing for the 1970 Trans-Am season. Titus' partner Terry Godsall secured BF Goodrich sponsorship for the team at the end of the 1970 season. The team convinced the SCCA to allow this car to run with a Chevy engine instead of the problematic Pontiac engine base on the fact that Canadian Firebirds were delivered with Chevy engines. This car was entered in the 1971 Daytona 24 hours as a Firebird and then was converted to Camaro body work in time for Sebring. It remained in Camaro trim for the remainder of it's active racing carrier. The car was sold to Alfie Ruys de Perez and raced in Trans Am in 1972 with assistance from Mo Carter's team and then to Don Clement who campaigned the car in IMSA and local CSCC events. This car has been restored to a very high concours standard by Mark Mountanos and his team. The attention to detail down to the nut and bolt level is second to none. A huge collection of documentation, historic photographs, and interviews with Titus team members has insured a proper period correct restoration. The car has participated in just seven races since the restoration was complete including the Monterey Historics. Today the car is in spectacular condition, fully sorted, and race ready. Owned by a prominent west coast collector and vintage racer it has always had top quality care and preparation. The car looks as if the restoration had been completed yesterday! The car has only three race weekends since a complete race-prep. Tony Oddo built the Chevy engine which has only 12 hours of track time, and produced 485.1 hp and 377.6 torque on the Dyno. The T10 transmission has just been completely rebuilt by Tex Racing. 1970 Record Watkins Glenn Trans Am - Cordts , 22nd. (Goodyear tires) Canadian Trophy Race, Mosport - Cordts Watkins Glenn SCCA National - Cordts, 1st, A Sedan (first production car to win a race using radial tires.) 1971 Record Daytona 24 Hours - Cordts, Pike , DNF Sebring 12 Hours - Cordts, Pike, DNF (converted to Camaro) Bridgehampton SCCA - Dent, 2nd Cumberland SCCA - Dent, DNF Lime Rock SCCA - Dent, 1st Bryar Trans Am - Dent, 16th Thompson SCCA - Dent, 2nd Road America June Sprints - Dent, 3rd Mid-Ohio SCCA - Dent, 3rd Nelson Leges SCCA - Dent, DNS 1972 Record Bryar Trans Am - Perez, 8th Mid Ohio Trans Am - Perez, 29th Watkins Glenn Trans Am - Perez, 9th Donnebrooke Trans Am - Perez, 26th Road America Trans Am - Perez, 8th Saniar Trans Am - Perez, 14th About Jerry Titus In 1967, Jerry Titus was the Trans-Am Champion racing a Ford Mustang for Carroll Shelby. In 1968 and 1969, he was third in the Trans-Am series. He had 43 career races with 4 wins in the 1967 race season. He had 5 poles, and 7 wins in his career as a driver or co-driver. At the final 1968 Trans-Am race at Kent, the big news was that Jerry Titus was leaving Ford and moving to Pontiac. Terry Godsall, a young Canadian businessman, offered Jerry a chance to run a team of his own Pontiac Firebirds. In going with Pontiac, Titus found that he was handicapped by the need of a great deal of developmental work, especially on the engine. Early on, Godsall pulled out of the Trans Am series, saying that the SCCA was inconsistent in its rule enforcement policies. Jerry then carried on the administrative responsibilities as well as driving for his team. In 1970, Jerry Titus decided to stop building Firebirds for customers and concentrate on his own race cars. Three cars were built. This BFG Tire Bird and the Titus car are the only cars that still exist. The third Trans Am Firebird was severely wrecked in a crash and eventually destroyed. The 1970 Season was Jerry's last season.

[The Boss]

Cool car!

[Simple Man]

Nice ride. But the BFG tire bird riding on Goodyears? Just ain't right....

[FrankieT/A]

Again???!!!!

[67drake]

"Tony Oddo built the Chevy engine which has only 12 hours of track time, and produced 485.1 hp and 377.6 torque on the Dyno......"
Chevy? Why?

[MikeNoun]

They could never make enough power with the 303 RAV, so even back in 1968, the Pontiacs running in the Trans Am Series ran small block Chevys.

You had a dozen teams running Chevys, thousands of hours of r&d provided by Chevrolet, as well as the rich history of small block Chevrolets running in all sorts of auto racing series, and the 303 RAV just wasn't going to be competitive without a lot more development. I think I recall reading that the RAV 303 was down about 50-75 hp from the 302 Chevys, partly because the RAV ports were simply too big for the 303. They went so far as to use RAIV heads on the 303 to boost some torque, but eventually they gave up and simply used the proven small block Chevy 302 to get track time for the Firebirds.

[Wareagle]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

They could never make enough power with the 303 RAV, so even back in 1968, the Pontiacs running in the Trans Am Series ran small block Chevys.

You had a dozen teams running Chevys, thousands of hours of r&d provided by Chevrolet, as well as the rich history of small block Chevrolets running in all sorts of auto racing series, and the 303 RAV just wasn't going to be competitive without a lot more development. I think I recall reading that the RAV 303 was down about 50-75 hp from the 302 Chevys, partly because the RAV ports were simply too big for the 303. They went so far as to use RAIV heads on the 303 to boost some torque, but eventually they gave up and simply used the proven small block Chevy 302 to get track time for the Firebirds.

Mike they did make the 303 RA IV Work - Jerry Titus was hot lapping the field in one test in his 70 T/A and one of the 2 Built is still running with that engine in the Historic Trans Am SCCA Series

[David Jones]

I love minilites.

[Keith Vrabec]

The price?...If you have to ask you can't afford it.

Been for sale for a while.

[Tazzz2]

Wow I always loved that car,,, it was just out of my snack bracket so to speak LOL.... The funny thing is I just handed off one of my cars to West Bend Dyno to complete a drive line change and and do the final prep for SEMA. We have had the good fortune of having MSD/Atomic EFI request the use of the car for their booth this year at SEMA.. the crazy part is I themed the build loosely after the BFG Tire Bird.... Time has been super short to pull all this together so I did the best I could do to pay some homage to the real car yet keep a fresh look about it too... Guess we'l see how things work out on the thrash as it'd be real cool to get the custom built side pipes on the build for SEMA....

[keith k]

Originally Posted by Tazzz2

Wow I always loved that car,,, it was just out of my snack bracket so to speak LOL.... The funny thing is I just handed off one of my cars to West Bend Dyno to complete a drive line change and and do the final prep for SEMA. We have had the good fortune of having MSD/Atomic EFI request the use of the car for their booth this year at SEMA.. the crazy part is I themed the build loosely after the BFG Tire Bird.... Time has been super short to pull all this together so I did the best I could do to pay some homage to the real car yet keep a fresh look about it too... Guess we'l see how things work out on the thrash as it'd be real cool to get the custom built side pipes on the build for SEMA....

That looks killer, Albert!

[Pepper Judge]

Car looks great Albert. Is it still in Ontario?

[Norwood]

Had to laugh when I saw the 73 fenders.......

[Tazzz2]

Originally Posted by Norwood

Had to laugh when I saw the 73 fenders.......

This is a 73 TA bud,,, just a current day loose interpretation of a really cool piece of history that's all...

[FrankieT/A]

Norwood how do you know they're 73 fenders? I'm not seeing an underhood shot.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

The famous BFG "Tire Bird" Trans Am is for sale, the first car to win a Trans Am race with radial tires. Always loved this car. Here's the link for more detail (and pics), but I'm printing the description here in case the ad goes away.

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/...d/1411916.html





1970 Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am First production car to win a race using radial tires Raced in Trans-Am, The Daytona 24 Hours, Sebring 12 Hours, SCCA and CSCC club events Built by Jerry Titus' TG Racing Restored to a very high concours standard by Mark Mountanos Sponsored by BF Goodrich Radial Tires and driven by Canadian champion John Cordts and Larry Dent, this car was raced in Trans-Am, The Daytona 24 Hours, Sebring 12 Hours, SCCA and CSCC club events. BF Goodrich made special tires for the team and they eventually became the first production car to win a race using radial tires. This was the third of three cars built by Jerry Titus' TG Racing for the 1970 Trans-Am season. Titus' partner Terry Godsall secured BF Goodrich sponsorship for the team at the end of the 1970 season...

I saw this same car FS somewhere before! (3/31/2013) http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...648491&page=90

Originally Posted by Alvin

Here's another piece of Pontiac and Trans Am Road Racing history that is currently available. The seller claims this is one of three built, and one of the two remaining BFG Tirebirds.

Check out these links for more about this racer:

Hemmings Find of the Day
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2...bird-tirebird/

1970 Pontiac Firebird Coupe
http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/...d/1411916.html

BFG TireBird

Originally Posted by Alvin

Reprise

[Norwood]

Not yours Albert.....The" Real" Tire Bird has 73 fenders on it. Built in 1970 with 1973 fenders . You know how us "purists" are. That Exhaust look should'nt be to tough.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Norwood

The" Real" Tire Bird has 73 fenders on it. Built in 1970 with 1973 fenders.

So, how do you tell the difference? I can spot all the details on early 60s big cars but I'm not as knowlegeable about F bodies.

[johnta1]

In front of the hood hinge area are 2 bolt holes (plus they were indented area) where the stiffening bars went.
From fender to radiator support)

[ho428]

What I need is someone on this forum to build a similar car and come race with us in Outlaw Vintage. We have a 1st gen and 3rd gen, but no 2nd. Only a 2nd gen Camaro