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Old 09-25-2022, 09:03 PM
JUDGE3 JUDGE3 is offline
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Default Ordering your Pontiac new

Ordering your Pontiac new experience?

I only had one new. 18 years old 1980 Trans Am. (i'm 61 now)

Dad had to co sign, I cant recall exactly why we ordered it, I think the thought was save money. still have the order sheet. see attached pic, 1980 look at that interest rate! and folks think their high now.

I remember it clear as day. I wanted a 4 speed, salesman said nope not available only a 3 speed standard. so went automatic.

wanted a turbo, Dad said thats new stuff and probably trouble so didn't get it.

wanted t-tops, to much money. wanted tilt wheel and got it but Dad tried hard to not have that to because the money. he was trying to help I should have listened lol he said "tilt wheels are for folks with big bellys"

wanted the new 4 wheel disc brakes and got it but dad tried hard to get me not to, said front disc rear drum plenty good, I didnt listen, should have.

got the am/fm cassette player/cruise control. thats about it. a pretty ordinary Trans Am.

then it came in 2 or 3 monthes later. upon arrival the salesman said "come on back the mechanic heard a tic in the engine". and there it was, my Special order Trans Am up on the lift with oil pan off, rods hanging down, crank on the floor. enter heartbreak.

it was re assembled with new bearings and I never had a problem with it.

it was black with camel tan interior. biggest regret was not getting the t-tops that were the rage then. at 18 years old the cool factor was of utmost importance!


Last edited by JUDGE3; 12-20-2023 at 10:55 AM.
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Old 09-25-2022, 09:19 PM
1965gp 1965gp is offline
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Thank you for sharing- the interest rate is shocking! I never got to order one. We bought a 2004 GTO but we bought it off the lot.

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Old 09-25-2022, 10:42 PM
poncho-mike poncho-mike is offline
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I graduated high school in 1975, but didn't go to college right away. I worked for a couple of years and was taking courses at the community college to become a machinist. My dream car was a 1973 SD455 T/A because they came out about the same time I got my driver's license. By 1976, I had saved up about half the cost of a new Trans Am. I went to the local dealerships, but none had a 455 4-spd that I could drvie. They told me they would order one for me, but I had to put a deposit down on it. I wasn't even sure if I wanted a new Trans Am because the 1976 455 engine specs were absolutely anemic. I drove a 1976 400 4-spd, which was rated around 180 or 185 HP and thought it was a dog. The 455 was only rated at 15HP more than the 400. In my mind, that 15 HP wasn't enough to convince me to buy one without driving it first. None of the dealers ever produced a 455 4-spd I could drive, so I saved my money. 1976 was a pretty bad year for the US economy and I was concerned with getting laid off, so I decided to spend my savings and go to college. It was the best decision I ever made.

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Old 09-26-2022, 08:48 AM
sdbob sdbob is offline
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Ordered a new 1974 SD Trans Am. Just started at Kennametal. The CU gave the ok. Got 3 prices from dealers I personally knew. Settled on dealer in East Liberty ,Constantin Pontiac,bigger dealer and Jim Miller who raced Pontiacs worked there.No air, no cruise.Waited 5 mos. Now 40k later it's still a thrill,and feel fortunate to have kept it.

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Old 09-26-2022, 09:37 AM
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I started collecting the factory order forms for my year, you don’t realize how many changes were done until you find the 5th revision.
The early older forms wer thin paper with carbon copy’s. They didn’t hold up well through the years, they usually tear apart
Later forms were a thicker card stock, with a tar off the dealership would keep.
The sales pocket pricing manual is cool too, real small to fit in your shirt pocket.

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Old 09-26-2022, 03:52 PM
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muscle_collector muscle_collector is offline
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so you live in wichita or did then? i owned a business in wichita from 81 to 95 bought a lot of cars that sold new there. also was prestige pontiac if i remember correctly.

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Old 09-26-2022, 06:47 PM
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Simple Man Simple Man is offline
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My sister ordered a 79 Esprit, from a small dealer, Noble Pontiac in Niles MI. Black, with a black deluxe interior, 301/Automatic. She wanted T Tops, dealer told her it was a 6 month wait. When her car came in, it had a silver and red stripe down the drivers side. No stripe on the passenger side! OOPS! Came off the carrier that way.
Same dealer had a new 78 T/A on the lot, yellow, black interior, loaded including T Tops. He said there were dozens of dealers who wanted to buy that car, or dealer trade for it, he wouldn't do it.

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Old 09-30-2022, 02:00 PM
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Formulabruce Formulabruce is offline
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I was at the Pontiac dealership in '80. As I recall, Nobody could get a stick in Any birds in 1980.
Return customers wanted a " 400" and 4 speed and got denied, even though we had a poster of Bert sitting on a 301 Turbo car..

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