[unruhjonny]

This just popped up today for me;

1970 Trans Am

Incase the link goes dead, it's a white on tan RAIII/M40 car;
no console, low option car (PHS shows four options: 1-am radio, 2-rear speaker, 3-front mats, 4-rear mats)

I believe these guys do a good number of Firebirds, so I am not surprised on the quality, and regrettably some apparent short cuts.
Over all this is s stunning car.

My only qualms isa deluxe dash in a standard interior car, and the repop(?) Camaro rear armrests - but it presents itself well... very well.

Some note able pictures:





Unlike any prior restored listing recall having seen from them, this one shows when it was purchased, and has restoration documentation.

I hope it finds a good home, I know that I'd welcome it into my garage... but I'd also want a certain blue Formula before this one... assuming it's not yet sold.

[bird72]

Column shifters always surprise me. I like the less common interior color.

[unruhjonny]

I actually missed it!!
When I was scrolling through the pictures, I was "hey, wait a minute!!"

lol

I really like the different interior cars... I still prefer black, but different colours have really grown on me.

[keith k]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

This just popped up today for me;

1970 Trans Am

Incase the link goes dead, it's a white on tan RAIII/M40 car;
no console, low option car (PHS shows four options: 1-am radio, 2-rear speaker, 3-front mats, 4-rear mats)

I believe these guys do a good number of Firebirds, so I am not surprised on the quality, and regrettably some apparent short cuts.
Over all this is s stunning car.

My only qualms isa deluxe dash in a standard interior car, and the repop(?) Camaro rear armrests - but it presents itself well... very well.

Unlike any prior restored listing recall having seen from them, this one shows when it was purchased, and has restoration documentation.

I hope it finds a good home, I know that I'd welcome it into my garage... but I'd also want a certain blue Formula before this one... assuming it's not yet sold.

It's actually the third time in the past two years (and by the third different dealer) this car has come up for sale since it was restored. It's on eBay right now as well. I wonder if it's just being traded between dealers or not staying long with its owners?

Overall, it presents well. And the column shift aspect is unique, although probably doesn't help the value any.

Also not many Sandalwood interior cars - nice to see one restored pretty well.

Besides the incorrect bits you highlighted, I'd pick a few more nits given their asking price. Mind you, this is stuff only the gurus on this site, and not most prospective buyers, would ever catch or worry about:
-The ride height is way off, especially at the front
-Later model hood and fenders
-Wrong alternator
-The gauge rings have been replated, but they didn't repaint the inners black
-On a standard Sandalwood interior, the belts/buckles would be black (this car's have been re-done in color by Snake-Oyl, per the receipts shown in the eBay auction)



https://www.ebay.com/itm/1970-Pontia...MAAOSwPkhd-tYT

[necdb3]

Column shift is a real turn off for me.

[71GP76TA]

Originally Posted by necdb3

Column shift is a real turn off for me.

I'd have to get a really good deal on it.

[Transamric]

Originally Posted by necdb3

Column shift is a real turn off for me.

I hear you. Likewise here. I could live with a column shift base car and maybe forgive having that in an Esprit. But TA's and Formulas were (are) performance cars and performance cars are "supposed" to have floor shifts.

However, saying makes me more than a bit of a hypocrite since my '68 Hemi Super Bee was a column shift, and it didn't bother me at all. Guess the "Hemi-ness" covers a lot of "sins"!

[77 Canamman]

Originally Posted by necdb3

Column shift is a real turn off for me.

X10000

[Norwood]

Originally Posted by Transamric

However, saying makes me more than a bit of a hypocrite since my '68 Hemi Super Bee was a column shift, and it didn't bother me at all. Guess the "Hemi-ness" covers a lot of "sins"!

Seems the vast majority of those Mopar performance cars got column shifts. Super Birds, Daytonas didn’t seem to mater much. Almost all I have seen are Column shift.

[bird72]

I had a column shift F400. Typical comment was that it was a fake Formula. When you buy a column shift, you take a perspective how it is "different drummer". Can even say "rare". You console yourself with what a great conversation starter it will be. Then a little voice starts whispering in your ear....... "Grandma"...... "Grandma"....... "Auntee"...... you start thinking you should wear a homemade knit sweater while driving it.... it gets bad....

[unruhjonny]

ha!

I'd drive one... assuming it's the right car.

RAIII + th400 is just the same no matter column or console shift... well, maybe column shift is 15 lbs lighter

[dld]

I had a 73 t/a white car with saddle gut. no bird on hood std. 455 . It had a column shift . I loved that car

[77 Canamman]

Rarity does not always equate to desirable.

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by 77 Canamman

Rarity does not always equate to desirable.

you're seeming repetitious.

rarity does equate uniqueness;
Some of us relish in uniqueness.

[77 Canamman]

As you well know, I absolutely hate the column shift auto in my Formula. It totally frigs up the performance inspired image the Formula and Trans Am sought to deliver upon.

[unruhjonny]

Yeah I get it.

I would suggest though, that the Trans Am was the "image" car, not the Formula;
The Formula was more of a "meat & potatoes" kind of car;
the only way it differed in appearance from the base model was the hood.
And then it was greatly watered down in 1971 with the base engine being a L30 (350/2bbl), it could still match the performance of a TA, but it wasn't the image car that the TA was.

Where the TA said something like "look at me, I'm a race car!" (for it's time), the Formula hood may have said, "whoa there buddy, before you go and challenge me, you don't know what I have going on here, but you had better believe it's a V8!".

I love the column shift on your car because it was intentional, and because it's unique.
You can make a solid argument for 1970 or maybe 1971 cars accidentally being ordered with a column shift, but by 1973, it was well established that an automatic without a console netted column shift.

[71GP76TA]

Originally Posted by 77 Canamman

As you well know, I absolutely hate the column shift auto in my Formula. It totally frigs up the performance inspired image the Formula and Trans Am sought to deliver upon.

You bought a car for the "image" ?

[72projectbird]

Originally Posted by necdb3

Column shift is a real turn off for me.

Yup, that be the first thing to go if it was my car.

I do like the color combo though.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Sandalwood base interior AND Column-Shift , on the same car ... Ouch
thats going to hurt retail just a bit or two, or fifteen or twenty on the RKM scale.

There was another with same combo a few years later on eBay in the southwest or the west.
Was a really tired sunburned car but a few more options than this one, iirc

Anyone else notice the vinyl T/A embossed floor mats that look almost factory ?
Who sells those ?

[77 Canamman]

Originally Posted by 71GP76TA

You bought a car for the "image" ?

I bought it because it was 3 miles from my house, and it was an early 2nd gen with a factory 455.

As factory built, this car screamed "Grandma". I like something a bit more performance oriented.