[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by transam1972

the one advantage of buying a brand new car is you know everything about it...in my search for a used TRANS AM in the late 70s, early 80s I came across every car had something wrong...no internet to aid in a search...but I mostly knew what I was buying...it needing quarters was a surprise, but I would have still bought it...I do recall pulling out the carpet and wishing that the floor pans were o.k. and they were perfect!...I have no skills nor patience for that kind of repair...it is up to the buyer to know what he is buying...I knew the mileage was correct for 58k and not 158k by looking at certain items that show wear...if a car has had multiple owners and rebuilds you will see in the ad true mileage unknown so that solves the problem...I just found out I have a SR rim, so when you are so into a car and with the help of others who are more knowledgeable than me in these areas this P.Y. forum has helped me for the better of learning more about my TRANS AM

You know...it's funny......that's about the time when I started looking seriously at 70-72 T/A's....and most EVERYTHING I found for sale was trashed or crashed,worn out, rusted out,miled out JUNK....AND expensive......Hemmings was the "candy store" back then.......but there was never anything close for sale .......and at that point,wasn't prepared to travel to buy a car...not too FAR,anyways...

In the early 80's.......I bought a running,driving,#'s matching 70 T/A automatic.......for less money than the carburetor is worth today.. ..it was a rusty "bondo bucket" but it was mine and I could drive it....and I DID........It was my "winter beater" ...... the late model T/A was parked at the end of October and the 70 T/A got the studded snow tires......hell,it was rusty anyways....we never get much snow around here but it was an interesting "winter car"...

The first 3 pics were taken on the way home...the day I bought it...

[transam1972]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

You know...it's funny......that's about the time when I started looking seriously at 70-72 T/A's....and most EVERYTHING I found for sale was trashed or crashed,worn out, rusted out,miled out JUNK....AND expensive......Hemmings was the "candy store" back then.......but there was never anything close for sale .......and at that point,wasn't prepared to travel to buy a car...not too FAR,anyways...

In the early 80's.......I bought a running,driving,#'s matching 70 T/A automatic.......for less money than the carburetor is worth today.. ..it was a rusty "bondo bucket" but it was mine and I could drive it....and I DID........It was my "winter beater" ...... the late model T/A was parked at the end of October and the 70 T/A got the studded snow tires......hell,it was rusty anyways....we never get much snow around here but it was an interesting "winter car"...

The first 3 pics were taken on the way home...the day I bought it...

...guys would die to buy that car now!!..red interior is funky, but patriotic car!!...really the most messed up part of my 58k mile car was the silver repaint...but the car was not trashed...the engine compartment(except for me painting the engine) and underneath are as it looked in 1985...I still only have put 400 miles on it...so it all works out...when you think of what these cars looked like new, and how they ended up looking the way they did in a span of perhaps 10 years amazes me!!...only one 1971 T/A with 23k in 1980 did I see and become friends with the owner and I wonder where that car is now?!

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by transam1972

...guys would die to buy that car now!!..red interior is funky, but patriotic car!!...really the most messed up part of my 58k mile car was the silver repaint...but the car was not trashed...the engine compartment(except for me painting the engine) and underneath are as it looked in 1985...I still only have put 400 miles on it...so it all works out...when you think of what these cars looked like new, and how they ended up looking the way they did in a span of perhaps 10 years amazes me!!...only one 1971 T/A with 23k in 1980 did I see and become friends with the owner and I wonder where that car is now?!

I almost didn't buy it because of the red interior........but it kinda grew on me...after a while...... and most of the others had blue or black...so it WAS kinda unique...

[transam1972]

I am sure you have seen the classic GM promo shot of the 70 T/A with the red interior...I thought that photo back in the day looked fantastic...although in real life its a bit too striking I think...and I was just on the web and saw a 70 (I think) with the saddle...strange how the dash and console were darker...really a bit of a contrast..I can honestly say it would not have been my first choice!..what I think looks great is a white interior on a 71 or 72...pain to keep clean...I had white deluxe on my 76 and the early design deluxe interior seats look better than the 73 to 77 horse collar seats in my opinion...on the other hand I just saw a 73 with white deluxe and red carpet..now that's the 70s!!!..I wonder what all of the colour choices there were for 73 and how long did that carpet colour option last???

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by transam1972

I am sure you have seen the classic GM promo shot of the 70 T/A with the red interior...I thought that photo back in the day looked fantastic...although in real life its a bit too striking I think...and I was just on the web and saw a 70 (I think) with the saddle...strange how the dash and console were darker...really a bit of a contrast..I can honestly say it would not have been my first choice!..what I think looks great is a white interior on a 71 or 72...pain to keep clean...I had white deluxe on my 76 and the early design deluxe interior seats look better than the 73 to 77 horse collar seats in my opinion...on the other hand I just saw a 73 with white deluxe and red carpet..now that's the 70s!!!..I wonder what all of the colour choices there were for 73 and how long did that carpet colour option last???

The 70 with beige and brown was actually called Sandalwood.....mate that up to a Lucerne Blue exterior and it's STUNNING.......Polar White....ho hum......

I heard tell of a 70 T/A .......Lucerne Blue with GREEN interior.......that's just plain WRONG.......

[keith k]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

You know...it's funny......that's about the time when I started looking seriously at 70-72 T/A's....and most EVERYTHING I found for sale was trashed or crashed,worn out, rusted out,miled out JUNK....AND expensive......Hemmings was the "candy store" back then.......but there was never anything close for sale .......and at that point,wasn't prepared to travel to buy a car...not too FAR,anyways...

In the early 80's.......I bought a running,driving,#'s matching 70 T/A automatic.......for less money than the carburetor is worth today.. ..it was a rusty "bondo bucket" but it was mine and I could drive it....and I DID........It was my "winter beater" ...... the late model T/A was parked at the end of October and the 70 T/A got the studded snow tires......hell,it was rusty anyways....we never get much snow around here but it was an interesting "winter car"...

The first 3 pics were taken on the way home...the day I bought it...

Wow - a "Patriot Edition" (with a Ram Air IV shaker decal, no less!)
Cool car. What ever happened to it?

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

I heard tell of a 70 T/A .......Lucerne Blue with GREEN interior.......that's just plain WRONG.......

Yes, owner posted some pictures of it on this site several years ago - I thought I'd saved the pictures, but can't find them now....

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by keith k

Wow - a "Patriot Edition" (with a Ram Air IV shaker decal, no less!)
Cool car. What ever happened to it?




Yes, owner posted some pictures of it on this site several years ago - I thought I'd saved the pictures, but can't find them now....

It's funny how things change.....by todays standards....it's a 'totally restorable" car......

But back then....there was more rot in the back end than I was prepared to deal with.....

Sold it to a fellow in Kalispell,Montana in late 89.......

I had pulled the original YZ....(it was getting tired)..... and stuffed in a warmed over 455 c/w 744 cam and #96 heads....Super T10 4 speed ....and a WS6 disc brake conversion on the original 12 bolt....

The buyer just wanted all of the original parts......so I pulled all my "upgrades" off and sold it as a numbers matching "basket case"...

It actually resurfaced about 20 years later ....(2010?) a buddy of mine ....south of Seattle........bought it from the estate sale......EXACTLY as I had sold it...20 some years earlier.......He didn't keep it for long.....I believe it's in the Portland,OR. area now....

I ended up finding a #'s matching 72 T/A with minimal rust issues....in comparison to the 70....so it was a good upgrade for me....

Sorry to hijack your thread,Transam1972...........

[transam1972]

in the early 1980s I spent a lot of time at a niteclub/golfcourse in Hackettstown N.J. called the Nook..the owners wife drove a 1972 T/A white that they originally bought..it was pretty beat by then...I got mine in 85..only saw those 2 in my life...seems like everyone on the forum has a 72...perhaps we need to change the name to 1972 TRANS AMs & friends!!!!!!!!!!!.......I wonder if anyone has an idea how many are left???

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by transam1972

in the early 1980s I spent a lot of time at a niteclub/golfcourse in Hackettstown N.J. called the Nook..the owners wife drove a 1972 T/A white that they originally bought..it was pretty beat by then...I got mine in 85..only saw those 2 in my life...seems like everyone on the forum has a 72...perhaps we need to change the name to 1972 TRANS AMs & friends!!!!!!!!!!!.......I wonder if anyone has an idea how many are left???

It's funny...but I think that 71's...although 1000 MORE were produced... seem to be tougher to find in good condition .....perhaps the 72's were bought by more responsible owners who kept them longer....