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opnwide · 09-12-2011, 06:50 PM

Dude, I get more attention in my trans am than in my Viper with a GT2 wing! I have to walk away at the local drive in carshow, or I won't be able to talk to my wife! The car might as well be a freakin' lamborghini!

I took my car to the Pontiac Southern Nationals in Dallas. Everyone loved it! Lots of attention and girls getting their photo on the fender, etc. But the judges HATED it. I didn't even place out of 5 cars in my class! Go figure. Maybe they wanted a quadrajet under the hood instead of that Demon...

gtohurstjudge · 09-12-2011, 07:52 PM

Another interesting tidbit............my wife has a new 2010 camaro with the
ralley yellow /black stripe transformers package and 20 inch wheels, and I drive
the car occasionally, and when I do, everybody comments on it all day long. I can drive
my 79 Trans Am around and it might as well be invisible!

tr709 · 09-12-2011, 10:44 PM

opnwide, I was at PSN and thought your car was awesome! Over the top!

You want no reaction, try driving a turbo formula.

I don't care, I didn't buy it to impress others

Grand73Am · 09-12-2011, 10:51 PM

What color is it? Some colors were more popular than others. You got decals? Other than those things, I can't think of why it's not getting more reaction. Maybe it's your neighborhood

.

I agree with what FormulaBruce said about the 79-81 style being the pinnacle. The 79 is the best looking inside and out to me. And his point about them not seeming old enough to the public might be valid. It's the newest car I own

.

And as far as car shows are concerned, a lot of those people don't consider anything newer than 72 as being worthy of attention, with the exception of something like a Super Duty, if they even know what an SD is. If it's not considered high performance, it's not as "popular". But, I don't pay much attention to their cars either, since I collect the cars I like, and I don't have any of those.

I have a 79 TA with the old worn out gold paint on it and cracked up hood bird decal and dents, and worn out interior, but people still want to talk about it at gas stations, or wave on the road. Maybe it's because my 79 does look old

. Hard to believe that I'll get less attention when I restore it.

gtohurstjudge · 09-13-2011, 11:18 AM

The car is white with red decals and interior

bigborehunter · 09-13-2011, 02:14 PM

I have both kinds, a 1981 dark metallic blue TA hardtop, rally IIs, no hood bird, no radio but custom blue doeskin int and a/c. The car is immaculate survivor condition. It gets lots of attention from firebird fans but not many questions asked. My 72 GTO is a 455 hardtop with lots of popular goodies from the factory and Cardinal Red with black int. Condition wise its an older resto done with mild day two touches. People love the car, it gets waay more attention than it deserves. I've been very lucky that the attendees at cruise nights don't get into b*&tch slapping owner's cars. I don't do it myself and I lose respect instantly for anyone who does.

Don 79 TA · 09-19-2011, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtohurstjudge

The car is white with red decals and interior

that car is absolutely gorgeous
probably the way mine looked when new

68ragtop · 10-25-2011, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtohurstjudge

The car is white with red decals and interior

looks & sits perfect. Sometimes no matter what is done to a car, it doesn't grab you IMO. Not too sure what it is. Tire size, ride height, etc? Your car looks very nice & I would be looking at it no doubt. It would seem the late 70's T/A's are the cars of the 35-55 age group anybody younger or older I don't think care as much. (with many, many exceptions of course) We all admire what we either had back in the day, or wish we could have had. Not too sure where that will put the collector car market in the next 20 years. Todays teenagers have no access to these cars, & don't really seem to care much. Its all about small EFI engines with turbo's, fart pipes & 20" wheels.

Little off topic...... Car looks great!

js1977 · 09-13-2011, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by opnwide

Dude, I get more attention in my trans am than in my Viper with a GT2 wing! I have to walk away at the local drive in carshow, or I won't be able to talk to my wife! The car might as well be a freakin' lamborghini!

I took my car to the Pontiac Southern Nationals in Dallas. Everyone loved it! Lots of attention and girls getting their photo on the fender, etc. But the judges HATED it. I didn't even place out of 5 cars in my class! Go figure. Maybe they wanted a quadrajet under the hood instead of that Demon...

Was this yours!!!! This car was freakin awesome!!!! I can't believe it didn't place let alone take home 1st.... Great car man, the drool you probably found on it was from me, sorry....

hada76 · 09-22-2011, 09:51 PM

im sure the color matters just because of "the movie"...everyone has seen "the movie"

gtohurstjudge · 09-23-2011, 07:27 PM

here are more pics......

Ben M. · 09-24-2011, 12:38 AM

Very nice car! The block heater cracks me up ;-)

Cruiser · 09-30-2011, 10:33 PM

I agree somewhat,I recently attended a local car show & took out my 79 T/A Red/Red int. T-Top 4spd that i've owned since 88.The car has been sitting for a long time I detailed it got it running good & decided to take it out.I talked my wife into taking her 08 GXP Turbo/Solstice Red/Black Int.We parked beside each other. I probably had more comments from people on her GXP than my Trans Am.There was one other Firebird there a 78 formula.Every street rod there had a big or small block chevy in it.There was one blown 71 Olds cutlass that sounded real nasty, but it had a big block chevy as well.I didnt stay for the judging.I went mainly to get the T/A out and spend some time with my wife.I believe that Pontiac made so many 79-81 T/As that they dont get the respect that say a 70-73 T/A would get.I don't care I like em i've got three of them!
Mark

Greg Reid · 10-01-2011, 06:24 AM

Nice car cruiser and a very unusual color combo. Not sure I've ever seen one like it...

Grand73Am · 10-01-2011, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cruiser

I agree somewhat,I recently attended a local car show & took out my 79 T/A Red/Red int. T-Top 4spd that i've owned since 88.The car has been sitting for a long time I detailed it got it running good & decided to take it out.I talked my wife into taking her 08 GXP Turbo/Solstice Red/Black Int.We parked beside each other. I probably had more comments from people on her GXP than my Trans Am.There was one other Firebird there a 78 formula.Every street rod there had a big or small block chevy in it.There was one blown 71 Olds cutlass that sounded real nasty, but it had a big block chevy as well.I didnt stay for the judging.I went mainly to get the T/A out and spend some time with my wife.I believe that Pontiac made so many 79-81 T/As that they dont get the respect that say a 70-73 T/A would get.I don't care I like em i've got three of them!
Mark

I think most people at car shows don't consider anything after the early 70's as having any performance image. And alot of them don't know anything but Chevys. I admit that I have only been into Pontiacs for the last 10 years, so I didn't know much about them until I got one either. The 403's don't have a good reputation for performance, even though I know they are good running engines. But, I've always liked the 79 TA styling since they were new. So, like you, I don't care what others think about them...I like them. That just leaves more for us

. So, I've collected 3 79's and 1 81 over the last 6 years. 2 of them run, and they all need fixing up, but I got 'em. Car show reaction may not be great, but when I drive one of my worn out looking drivers, I still get good reaction on the street and at the gas station.

hada76 · 10-04-2011, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cruiser

I agree somewhat,I recently attended a local car show & took out my 79 T/A Red/Red int. T-Top 4spd that i've owned since 88.The car has been sitting for a long time I detailed it got it running good & decided to take it out.I talked my wife into taking her 08 GXP Turbo/Solstice Red/Black Int.We parked beside each other. I probably had more comments from people on her GXP than my Trans Am.There was one other Firebird there a 78 formula.Every street rod there had a big or small block chevy in it.There was one blown 71 Olds cutlass that sounded real nasty, but it had a big block chevy as well.I didnt stay for the judging.I went mainly to get the T/A out and spend some time with my wife.I believe that Pontiac made so many 79-81 T/As that they dont get the respect that say a 70-73 T/A would get.I don't care I like em i've got three of them!
Mark

thats the TATA decal right? i have often thought it should be offered in diff colors for other combos

Grand73Am · 10-01-2011, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben M.

Very nice car! The block heater cracks me up ;-)

I had a block heater too on my 75 Lemans Sport. The car was bought in North Dakota, so it made sense. I bought the car there and drove it to where I live in the Atlanta area. I used the block heater on a couple of cold winters and could tell a difference when starting in subfreezing weather. But, it became a problem, since the thing is installed in a freeze plug hole in the driver side of the block. Mine blew out of the hole while I was driving on the interstate, losing all my coolant and causing me to have to go through alot to get the car home. Fortunately,after I got it home, I was able to reach the hole and install a freeze plug without moving the engine. Had to make a special driver tool to reach the hole to drive in the plug, and removed the starter to have room. After seeing how the block heater was installed, I wouldn't want another one.