[Dens71TA]

It seems like 1972 is the year that Trans Ams made it out of the factory in colors other than cameo white and lucerne blue. I've heard about a silver T/A and there is a documented '72 T/A that is a darker blue(can't remember the name?)

[pmdclassics]

Originally Posted by pmdclassics

If you look closely at the photos you can see lots of cameo white underneath that code 1 black.

I wonder who did the black paint job?

[Jim Rotella]

The front bumper appears to have white paint under it also. The front valance of this car is metal and not the correct plastic type that was used in '72. As giles stated, the plastic valances were molded in color along with the wheel flairs.The metal valances were painted, and on this car you can see white paint under the black.

I don't really know what to think of this car, but the factory would have had to go through lot of trouble to deliver a car in a special color for the average Joe. They did it for the SCCA president with the red car, but it would seem unlikely they'd do it for just anyone. I think we would see a lot more Trans Ams in one-off colors if this was the case.

It will be interesting to find out if this is really a special paint car. Anything is possible, but it seems unlikely.

Jim

[4birds]

I also e-mailed the guy. No reply of course. I explained to him that if he looks at the cowl tag, it will read 11 11. We all know what that means. Just another idiot who will believe what another idiot told him. It could be a really nice car restored and painted the correct Cameo White. Deluxe interior and power windows with air!

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by Jim Rotella

The front bumper appears to have white paint under it also. The front valance of this car is metal and not the correct plastic type that was used in '72. As giles stated, the plastic valances were molded in color along with the wheel flairs.The metal valances were painted, and on this car you can see white paint under the black.

I don't really know what to think of this car, but the factory would have had to go through lot of trouble to deliver a car in a special color for the average Joe. They did it for the SCCA president with the red car, but it would seem unlikely they'd do it for just anyone. I think we would see a lot more Trans Ams in one-off colors if this was the case.

It will be interesting to find out if this is really a special paint car. Anything is possible, but it seems unlikely.

Jim

I concur with you, Jim.

By the way, whatever became of that supposed Adriatic Blue '72 that you know of? Was it for real? Did you ever get to see the cowl tag or PHS invoice?

[Jim Rotella]

Lloyd,

The owner took the car back from a local body shop and it's still in primer. I would like to see this car again to look at the cowl tag and a few other details. Hopefully I'll talk to the owner at our local Pontiac show later this month and maybe we'll find out more about this car. The owner is a very knowledgeable Pontiac guy, and has owned several 455 HO and SD455 cars. I'm sure he'll help us out.

JIm

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by Jim Rotella

Lloyd,

The owner took the car back from a local body shop and it's still in primer. I would like to see this car again to look at the cowl tag and a few other details. Hopefully I'll talk to the owner at our local Pontiac show later this month and maybe we'll find out more about this car. The owner is a very knowledgeable Pontiac guy, and has owned several 455 HO and SD455 cars. I'm sure he'll help us out.

JIm

Thanks for the info, Jim.

If you find out anything further, I'm sure we'd all appreciate hearing about this one!

Take care.

[njsteve]

Originally Posted by Jim Rotella

The front bumper appears to have white paint under it also. The front valance of this car is metal and not the correct plastic type that was used in '72. As giles stated, the plastic valances were molded in color along with the wheel flairs.The metal valances were painted, and on this car you can see white paint under the black.

Jim if you go to his website he has other photos and the close up shows that the car has the original plastic valance with the two horizontal cooling inlets not the revised metal valance with the open upper section.

[RAFormulas]

Look at this picture; his story doesn't quite add up.

He said "After two fun years culminating in the summer of 1977, I parked the car for engine repair and never drove it again."

[njsteve]

Not necessarily . I dont know about California DMV but in other states some the registrations can last for multiple years before expiring. Or maybe he kept renewing without driving it. Oh well. I'm still waiting for him to repsond to my email...or anyones, with the PHS and cowl tag info.

[Jim Rotella]

Steve,

You're right, it does have a plastic valance. There goes that theory!

A couple of other questions. Is that an all silver non-Trans Am grille or is the black just faded out? I can't tell, but I do know the firebird lettering should not be there. If you look close at the passenger side rear door jamb, you can see white line along the black vinyl molding of the interior rear quarter. There are other white seams that indicate this might be a white car painted black.

There are a lot questions to be answered about this car before someone drops down the kind of money that a one-off car would bring. I guess we'll have to wait and see if he is going to post some more information.

Jim

[Jim Rotella]

After looking at the enlarged picture, it looks as if the white line on the doorjamb is a wear mark, but it still looks white to me.

[Thumpin455_GTO]

Jim there is at least one 72 Formula that has a unique paint code, as in no paint code on the cowl tag. I seriously doubt this car was a black TA like everyone else, but an ordinary joe bought the HO Formula with a custom color.

Really should get a PHS done on it.. shouldnt I? When is the POCI event in Omaha? I should be back in NE next week, would love to go again.

[Jim Rotella]

The show is Aug 26th and 27th. There will be a Pontiac Drag Challenge on Saturday in Pacific Junction, IA. The swap meet will be on both Saturday and Sunday, and the show itself will be on Sunday. The show and swap meet will again be in Gretna NE, just west of Omaha on I-80.

Special paint cars are not entirely unusual on most cars, but special paint Trans Ams are few and far between because the wheel flairs and front spoilers on the '70-'76 models are molded in the color of the car. They would have to be painted seperately to match the special paint. I've heard of a couple special painted early Trans Ams, but this wasn't one of them. It could very well be one, I just need more info before I'm convinced.

Jim

[Brewster]

The base, or primer of the car might have been white/gray ? it appears in the door jam, the left rear quarter (hit area), the nose, and valance. However the valance might have been a white unit due to final color ? and black not being stock.
At least it seems consistent all the way through, but not sure if that helps the creditability of the custom color though ?
2 cents

[Wick]

Many years ago I knew a guy a the local Pontiac dealer (Goodson Pontiac). His name was Paul Dorton (Skip, did you know him?) and was big into Pontiacs and what was and was not available. Anyway, Paul goes to work for Goodson Honda as service manager when a man comes drives up to the parts center in a Silver '71 or '72 TA. Long story short is Paul says the car looks good in that color and asks who painted it and the guy says it's original. Well, Paul says pop the hood and let me check the cowl tag. Paul was in shock when the paint code was blank.

I haven't seen Paul in 15 years and the last I knew he lived in Dallas. He knew his Pontiacs and was always straight up as he gave me several leads on parts and cars that were always what he said they would be. Was the car real? I never saw it but I do believe Paul saw a special TA that day.

[kai]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Not necessarily . I dont know about California DMV but in other states some the registrations can last for multiple years before expiring. Or maybe he kept renewing without driving it. Oh well. I'm still waiting for him to repsond to my email...or anyones, with the PHS and cowl tag info.

In California you need to renew your registration every year. You get a new sticker good for one year at a time. Plus every other year you need to get it it smoged in order to register. I'm not sure that rule applied in 1980 and before. I started driving in 1986 and at that point you did. It was common for people to pay a mechanic a few extra bucks to make sure your car passed smog whether the car was there or not.

I have a book on Pontiac's that has a picture of a black 1971 trans am. The photo caption says it is a one off trans am that didn't get approval from management. Instead of a shaker hood is has louvers in it. Quite hideous.The car in the picture has Michigan plates making it appear to be a driven registered vehicle.

[eaglesan13]

In 1980 the California smog program in effect was the MVPC program (motor vehicle pollution control). As I recall we checked dwell, timing, idle speed and applicable systems with simple check marks on a certificate then used an infrared to measure the HC and CO which were recorded on the certificate. I'm pretty sure we only tested the vehicles during change of ownership and that bi-annual testing didn't start until the BAR 84 program which began in 1984. You are correct that it was common (and easy) to get a mechanic to issue a certificate since it merely required them to write out a cert. I think I still have an MVPC handbook so maybe I can look this stuff up.

So, this guy could have continued to pay the DMV for his yearly tag or used one from another vehicle in order to park on the street and avoid getting the car towed.

I wonder why he doesn't just post a photo of the PHS and data plate. The car is more valuable as a one-of so it would be to his advantage to prove his claim that it is an original black car.

Originally Posted by kai

In California you need to renew your registration every year. You get a new sticker good for one year at a time. Plus every other year you need to get it it smoged in order to register. I'm not sure that rule applied in 1980 and before. I started driving in 1986 and at that point you did. It was common for people to pay a mechanic a few extra bucks to make sure your car passed smog whether the car was there or not.

I have a book on Pontiac's that has a picture of a black 1971 trans am. The photo caption says it is a one off trans am that didn't get approval from management. Instead of a shaker hood is has louvers in it. Quite hideous.The car in the picture has Michigan plates making it appear to be a driven registered vehicle.

[BLKBRD]

All of the factory black cars that I've seen up through 1970 used red primer.

[Jim Rotella]

Originally Posted by eaglesan13

In 1980 the California smog program in effect was the MVPC program (motor vehicle pollution control). As I recall we checked dwell, timing, idle speed and applicable systems with simple check marks on a certificate then used an infrared to measure the HC and CO which were recorded on the certificate. I'm pretty sure we only tested the vehicles during change of ownership and that bi-annual testing didn't start until the BAR 84 program which began in 1984. You are correct that it was common (and easy) to get a mechanic to issue a certificate since it merely required them to write out a cert. I think I still have an MVPC handbook so maybe I can look this stuff up.

So, this guy could have continued to pay the DMV for his yearly tag or used one from another vehicle in order to park on the street and avoid getting the car towed.

I wonder why he doesn't just post a photo of the PHS and data plate. The car is more valuable as a one-of so it would be to his advantage to prove his claim that it is an original black car.

The reason he hasn't posted anything should be obvious. But if he does post the PHS on this car, it should contain the special paint option code for 1972. The extra cost special paint option is listed for '72 Firebirds, but the option was not available on the Trans Am model as per the 1972 Accessorizer and Selling Facts. Judging by the number of bids he's gotten on this car and the current price, he hasn't persuaded many potential buyers yet. Let's wait and see.

Jim