[frank.g]

Originally Posted by Jim Rotella

sd455hota,

Do you still have the original wheel flairs and front plastic valance? We've been trying to find out if these special paint Trans Ams came with painted or molded plastic parts. We've established that Larry Leist's black '73 SD Trans Am was delivered in primer with red molded wheel flairs, but since your car was actually painted code 24 adriatic blue from the factory, might they have painted the flairs to match.

Jim

This car showed up at the Trans Am Nationals many years ago, perhaps around 1990. Like you stated, it had red wheel flairs. The other red parts were the engine heat vents in the front fenders. At that time, the judges for the Nats did not know how to class the car. They concluded that it belonged in a non-stock class. The owner was not happy and left the show, leaving behind a hugh smokey burn out that we all know the SD's are easily capable of.

[165th]

Originally Posted by Jim Rotella View Post
sd455hota,

Do you still have the original wheel flairs and front plastic valance? We've been trying to find out if these special paint Trans Ams came with painted or molded plastic parts. We've established that Larry Leist's black '73 SD Trans Am was delivered in primer with red molded wheel flairs, but since your car was actually painted code 24 adriatic blue from the factory, might they have painted the flairs to match.

Jim

Originally Posted by frank.g

This car showed up at the Trans Am Nationals many years ago, perhaps around 1990. Like you stated, it had red wheel flairs. The other red parts were the engine heat vents in the front fenders. At that time, the judges for the Nats did not know how to class the car. They concluded that it belonged in a non-stock class. The owner was not happy and left the show, leaving behind a hugh smokey burn out that we all know the SD's are easily capable of.

I can provide some information on both of these questions/comments.

Jim Rotella, I don't think any of the plastic parts survived prior to the start of the restoration. The fender extractors and the drivers rear spoiler end survived in their original painted Adriatic Blue which helped in the color match.

frank.g that's an interesting story on the black Superduty. It's too bad the TA Nat's didn't allow the car in as stock. There is proof the Buccaneer Red parts were specifically ordered, probably to be red to match the Oxblood interior. The car was also specially ordered with the decals to be delivered loose, hence the ominous un-badged shaker.

I've seen a lot of 455's badged as SD-455 but I'd bet this is the only SD shaker out there that is un-badged!

This car lives in Texas these days

[Judge273]

Cool stuff Greg!

More on the 73 SD in primer:

http://www.hotrod.com/cars/featured/...#__federated=1

Mentions the TA Nats but not the outcome like franks says...

[The Boss]

Originally Posted by Judge273

Cool stuff Greg!

More on the 73 SD in primer:

http://www.hotrod.com/cars/featured/...#__federated=1

Mentions the TA Nats but not the outcome like franks says...

THAT'S a VERY cool story & car!

[Racer81x]

Originally Posted by frank.g

This car showed up at the Trans Am Nationals many years ago, perhaps around 1990. Like you stated, it had red wheel flairs. The other red parts were the engine heat vents in the front fenders. At that time, the judges for the Nats did not know how to class the car. They concluded that it belonged in a non-stock class. The owner was not happy and left the show, leaving behind a hugh smokey burn out that we all know the SD's are easily capable of.

He has never gone back to the TA Nats, and never will.

[72projectbird]

Originally Posted by Racer81x

He has never gone back to the TA Nats, and never will.

Good for him! That's how I would have done it.

[frank.g]

Originally Posted by 72projectbird

Good for him! That's how I would have done it.

Except for the fact that some of the greatest Firebird enthusiasts that I know, I met at the Nats.

[Judge273]

They still go to TA nats, and that's where I met Greg ( without car) and Steve to talk about the topic car.

I think I met Frank there too? I was getting tech'd and they let me be, because I wasn't judged...

The judging and tech can be the frustration area, but never got that far. But, I did met some knowledgable people and saw some sweet rides.

[frank.g]

We probably did meet. I became one of the tech line judges in the mid 90's and did this job for about 8 years, helping the Dayton club in the first gen and early second gen classing. It's hard to believe that was almost 20 years ago.

[Racer81x]

Originally Posted by frank.g

Except for the fact that some of the greatest Firebird enthusiasts that I know, I met at the Nats.

True, but he's more into 58-66 fullsize cars than TA's so it didn't bother him not to go back, and most of his friends that are into firebirds he usually seen at the poci convention.