[s.a.steel]

I am new to this board, and I have an interesting dilemna. I recently purchased a 1979 Trans Am on ebay. It has the 400 4-spd, t-tops, rear defrost, pw, pl, etc. It is completely black abd gold, which is the car I have loved all my life. However, when I received my packet from PHS, it says my car is a 10th anniversary silver edition. WOW!! I know these are rare, but my love is with the bandit editions. This car even has a gold dash bezel, special edition snowflake rims, gold steering wheel, etc. I just wanted some of your opinions, since you are all Trans Am nuts like myself. Should i continue to restore this car as a bandit car? I've allready ordered many black trum pieces,etc. Thanks for any input.

[s.a.steel]

I am new to this board, and I have an interesting dilemna. I recently purchased a 1979 Trans Am on ebay. It has the 400 4-spd, t-tops, rear defrost, pw, pl, etc. It is completely black abd gold, which is the car I have loved all my life. However, when I received my packet from PHS, it says my car is a 10th anniversary silver edition. WOW!! I know these are rare, but my love is with the bandit editions. This car even has a gold dash bezel, special edition snowflake rims, gold steering wheel, etc. I just wanted some of your opinions, since you are all Trans Am nuts like myself. Should i continue to restore this car as a bandit car? I've allready ordered many black trum pieces,etc. Thanks for any input.

[dyingbreed]

Boy, that IS an interesting dilemma! My vote would be to restore it as the correct 10th anniversary (T/A TA) edition, only if you have a thought that you may sell it one day. If not, do what ever makes you happy. Any 1979 400/4 speed is worth approximately 25(+)% more than the ones with the 403/automatics. But the T/A TA models with the 400/4 speed were (are) pretty desirable cars, especially restored. I will tell you the T/A TA models are more expensive to restore than most other models. Any chance you could sell it and possibly purchase a true Bandit Edition? You may also be able to locate someone with a Bandit Edition who would be willing to work out some type of trade.

I'll soon be making a similar decision with my 1978 (Y88 gold edition). Gold isn't really my thing and I would really like to paint it another color. In short words it's YOUR car and YOUR choice! Good luck !!!!!

PS- Welcome to Performance Years... this is a great site with a lot of Knowledgeable people, who are always willing to answer any questions and provide great advice. Nice to see another second generation T/A person posting!!

db

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Making a living is not the same thing as making a life!!

[This message was edited by dyingbreed on November 08, 2003 at 05:55 AM.]

[chucks79ta]

That is interesting that someone would go through all the trouble to go from 10th to bandit. Since its already a bandit and thats what you want keep it that way.

Gimme fuel, gimmie fire, gimme that which I desire!

[s.a.steel]

Thanks for the input. By the way, does anyone know where I can get the piece that mounts to the seats and holds the seatbelt retainer loop to them? I have new black loops, but the parts that screw to the seat are cracked and faded. Thanks.

[Jeff B]

Check with some of the restoration out-lets for the piece for you seats/belts,as I'k sure I've seen it somewhere. By the way there are 2 10th aniv. T/A,s in my town and both are low-low mileage and mint except one of them is painted black. Talked to the owner and he said he did it that way to be different and he likes black T/A,s. Do what you want with the car if its what you want

[dyingbreed]

I believe that our host, Performance Years, sells the seatbelt part you are looking for.

db

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Making a living is not the same thing as making a life!!

[Trev]

There definitely seems to be more 10th aniversary cars around at shows than real Bandits! I would keep it Black. Maybe I go to the wrong shows?

[chucks79ta]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Trev:
There definitely seems to be more 10th aniversary cars around at shows than real Bandits! I would keep it Black. Maybe I go to the wrong shows?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


There's only one that I see around my area. Lots and lots of black bandit wannabes.

Hey Trev where in Englewood are you? My inlaws have a vacation home there. Maybe next time I'm down there I'll let you know.

Gimme fuel, gimmie fire, gimme that which I desire!

[Brian Baker]

Who would take a 10th anniversary car, repaint it, and redo the interior to make it a "bandit" car?

Something not right with this one, and I suspect that the VIN has been changed.

Have you gone over the entire car thoroughly to check for evidence of it physically being a 10th anniversary (other than the VIN)?

[s.a.steel]

Nothing about this car would make you believe it's a 10th anniversary edition. PHS didn't find an original build sheet for it, but rather a dealer invoice. The invoice says it is a cruise control delete car, and that is correct. I am beginning to wonder about this car. I took apart the passenger side door panels, and the door was originally blue! The dash cover has been re-dyed black, but a few scratches are showing red through them. Is this normal? And the door interior panels appear to be from a 1972 TA, because they have the plastic storage slots at the bottom, not the carpet. They look like the one's in the year one catalog for 72's.

[RT80BIRD]

Have you found or looked for one of the two build sheets for the car? One is under the pass. seat,the other is on the rear of the back seat,you have to remove it from the car to get to it. The way it sounds now to me is that the car was peiced together to make one good car. What does the body tag on the firewall(when you open the hood,drivers side) have on it? It has the vin of the car stamped on it as well. Does it look like it has been tampered with?If it were my car, I would find out what the heck I have before dismantling it.I am a fan of all T/A's, but the 10th is one of my fav's, especially the 4-sp. ones. Keep us posted on what you find out!!

...Hold up on the car wash,fellas! -Buford T. Justice

[Colin]

The VIN is also stamped on the firewall....may want to check there and see if it matches.Its located on the passenger side(engine bay side not inside the car).If I remember correctly its behind the AC/heater blower motor housing.Kind of a pain to get to.
Colin

[s.a.steel]

The cowl plate is missing, and I don't even see the holes where it mounted. I will look for the firewall VIN tonight. I found the remains of a build sheet under the passenger seat, but it was in pieces and unreadable. Rear seat build sheet wasn,t there. Isn't the VIN also stamped on the engine block somewhere?

[johnta1]

VIN is stamped next to the timing cover about half way down on the passenger side.

johnta1
Pontiac Power RULES !!!
www.wallaceracing.com

[RT80BIRD]

There is also a build sheet on top of the fuel tank... I replaced mine a few weeks ago and found it on my '80 bird. It was in very good shape,but they stuck it to the anti-squeak pads,so some of it was unsavable .As far as the vin goes, if it is a 10th it should read 2X87,for a T/A,it should read 2W87,then the next digit is the motor... K for olds 403 and Z for 400.The sixth digit is the year,9 for 1979,A for 1980 and B for 1981. It is strange that the body plate is not there...makes you wonder. The two holes should be right by the windsheild,drivers side,a couple inches from the front fender,on top of the firewall. Try taking a few peeks under some body parts to see what color the car was before,like the rear spoiler,the rear tail lights,the side fender spoilers,things that some people wouldnt remove to paint a car . Also,Colin is correct,at least half-way...I have the a/c housing off my car,and it is stamped in two places,one by the blower motor hole,the other by the heater core hole,like a half inch away from the holes. The problem is only the last nine of the vin is there.Mine reads 2AL125840.Breakdown...2for pontiac,Afor 231buickv-6,L for Van Nuys assembly plant,and the last six are basic production numbers(starts at 100001).But you do have to remove the a/c -blower motor housing to even see the stampings.

...Hold up on the car wash,fellas! -Buford T. Justice

[This message was edited by RT80BIRD on November 12, 2003 at 02:37 PM.]

[Brian Baker]

The firewall VIN is behind the A/C evaporator box. It is quite difficult to remove with the engine in the car. If you have a garage to work in, I'd remove the passenger side fenderwell as well as the hood to get a better look. This will make removing the box a little easier.

Other clues to look for:

Removing the carpet and rear seat bottoms, check the color of the paint underneath. You should be able to find some silver or charcoal grey overspray.

Get under the rear of the car around the upper shock mounts and check for paint color. Scrape some of the undercoating away if you have to. Look for silver or charcoal grey.

I suspect that this is not a 10th anniversary car, but a regular Trans-Am that has been "rebadged" with a VIN change.

PHS won't have a build sheet, they were printed out at the factory and went down the assembly line with the car. PHS will supply the dealer invoice sheet, as you stated. So far it sounds like the PHS sheet matches the VIN on your dashboard, and it is showing it's a 10th anniversary car. Since the dash has been redied, I suspect it has been replaced (along with the VIN). What color is the dash under the die?

[s.a.steel]

There is red showing through some small scratches on the dash. Everywhere on the body appears to be originally black, except for the passenger door, as I mentioned above. I am going to check for the gas tank build sheet next. I really appreciate all the responses to this odd situation. Thanks! I'll keep you guys posted on my investigation progress.

[Brian Baker]

I don't think the build sheet (if found) over the fuel tank will answer any questions. It sounds like this car was made whole from several donor cars. Hate to say it but I think you'll find all the answers you need by pulling the A/C evaporator box off the firewall and checking the VIN there. Anniversary cars were two-tone silver/charcoal grey and had silver/grey interiors with special seat and door panel covers.

[RT80BIRD]

Hey Brian Baker,As I mentioned in my previous post, only the last nine of the vin are stamped behind the a/c evap. box. How can this decode the car correctly ?The last six digits match the build ing sequence with the vin the others are where the car was made, what motor it had,or has, and that it is a Pontiac. Unless they changed what they stamped from 79 to 80 . Mine is a 1980, maybe they stamped the whole vin there on the '79 cars.Anybody else have their evap box off??I know Dragula81 has the front end off his Daytona pace car, Ill try to get ahold of him. S.A. STEEL, I still would look for the fuel tank build sheet.Try to remove your rear package tray and there should be the body color of the car on most of the shelf, and there should be overspray from when they painted the trim peice that runs along the rear window to match the interior color. As far as the fuel tank...you will have to drop it quite a ways to get it out in one peice.

...Hold up on the car wash,fellas! -Buford T. Justice