[Steve Barcak]

It is the late 70s, disco is king, Smokey and the Bandit is among the biggest movie of the era, Pontiac dealers are single handedly keeping factory 'muscle cars' alive and sales are booming for the Trans Am and Formula!
On the top of all this is the "Macho" TA, a special hot rodded Trans Am out of Mecham Pontiac in Glendale, Az. Several hundred were sold.
This April in Phoenix "Macho TA" creator Dennis Mecham will be among the special guests at Pontiac Heaven discussing this very special era of Pontiac performance history. A time when Pontiac owned the market and chevy was playing catch up. Mopar and Ford were nowhere to be found.
More details to follow.

[67 LeMans 326]

There is one of these Macho T/As right here in New Smyrna Beach, FL. I see it once in a while at the NSB monthly downtown cruise (2nd Saturday of each month). This older gentleman is the original owner and my friend Mike whom I speak of often on this site, not too long ago appraised this car (he has been in the car appraisal business for over 35 years).

I'm not sure if all of them were the same as this car or not, but this one is white with dark red stiping. This car is absolutely flawless and has NEVER been repainted and or repaired etc. I'll try and get pics of it next month at the Dec monthly cruise and post some pics here...

[milly]

Gotta love the DKM Macho T/As and the lesser known Talon T/As. You could have them built mild to wild, it all depended on your budget.

[MikeNoun]

Lots of Macho T/A info on the Firebird Gallery Site. http://www.firebirdgallery.com/dkmlot1.htm

The first one I personally saw (they were rare) was a red 1978 back around 1982. We laughed our collective heads off when we saw "Macho T/A" in bold letters across the rocker panels. This was an era when 'disco' was a bad word around high school (especially in the Chicago area), and the word 'macho' was reserved for disco heroes like John Travolta or Erik Estrada from the TV show 'CHiPs'. Feathered hair, 3-piece suits, mustaches, and of course the song "Macho Man" was NOT cool.

Unfortunate choice of names, but they were VERY cool cars. A guy I knew bought one (photo below) in 1981, but he was embarrassed to drive it. His buddies laughed at the name. No one wanted to be known as the "Macho T/A guy" or the "Macho Man" around school.

His was one of 15 turbocharged Macho T/A's. I remember going to look at the car after he bought it (he knew I was a Pontiac guy), and the turbo setup was sitting in the trunk. Apparently, the previous owner didn't want to deal with finding high octane gas, so he had the unit removed.

[shawn e.]

Didn't these cars come with a Macho T.A. jacket?

Shawn

[David Jones]

HPP did an article or two on them a while back.
The automotive equivalent of John Travolta in a polyester suit...........as noted above.

[geeteeohguy]

Mike Noun summed it up perfectly...a decent enough car, but definately an un-cool moniker. The peacock-strutting pretentiousness is not appealing to most real gearheads. Best left to the Disco Don Quixote's and the '70's Corvette crowd.

[455Grandville]

Didnt they have a Turbo version ?

[Cobrabill]

Originally Posted by shawn e.

Didn't these cars come with a Macho T.A. jacket?

Shawn

And a Village People record.

[KenB]

back in 2006, one showed up at Donut Derelicts



Couple other photos in that album

A little over done, but that was the times.


regards

[bossbirdta]

[QUOTE=KenB;4156538]back in 2006, one showed up at Donut Derelicts]

in huntington beach??

[fbody_mike]

Yup he has brought it to Cars and Coffee Irvine too. I talked with him a little while. Cool car, had a Fog Hat 8 track tape in it if I remember correctly.

[bird72]

Lived in Arizona when they came out.... very cool cars, and yes, seems they could be ordered in varying levels of performance, but I do remember even back then the name being a bad choice, a snicker or two at it.... maybe not so bad but the big letters screaming it out... ouch....

also remember Mechams dad being a bit of source of controversy in a more political way....

[Steve Barcak]

Yes, the name seems silly but, you also have to know in your heart that names like "Judge" and Superbird" etc were just as goofy a name.

I was in Az at the time they came out too. Was in high school and, to me, I saw it as a doctors or professionals type car instead of a porsche or something. In '78, stopped by their dealership and picked up my own Macho TA sales brochure! It has listed many of the options uncluding but, not limited to, Nash 5 speed, Recaro seats, glass body panels, turboforce package, and on and on. Still have it.
It all came to a halt when Pontiac started only offering 5 liters and automtics in TAs, 1980.
Dennis will be discussing all of it plus he will be talking about what it was like to have a father who owned a Pontiac dealership in the heyday of Pontiac performance! He was the sale manager by the late 60s. He told me some stories the other day and I think are worth sharing at the seminar.
Also will have at least 2 Machos parked in front of the hotel too! Dennis will also be a guest for the weekend at Pontiac Heaven so there will be plenty of time to speak with him.
All the Macho TAs used Pontiac specialty parts from H-O racing which will leald into another thread about Pontiac Heaven coming this spring to Arizona. the place to be for all real Pontiac fans.
I wonder how many have survived?

Today , had a guy over and he told me he , himself had 2 of them. He repainted them into blackbird Special Editions! So, somewere out there are 2 original Machos that are now Special Editions and I doubt the owners even know it.

Yes, the liberal press really beat up on his father but, this is about Pontiacs not politics.

[milly]

Originally Posted by 455Grandville

Didnt they have a Turbo version ?

Yes, that was part of the options of the performance package. You could get them "mild to wild".

[MikeNoun]