[gke60]

Originally Posted by mscicluna007

Far from it. Guess time and money got the better of the previous owners. The last owner had it for 8 years in a garage with two other project cars and cut his losses with this one. glad he did.

no worries, when i said dud i didn't mean it in a bad way, just that it had been through a few hands without being on the road, as evident by its condition.
cheers

[The Boss]

Originally Posted by keith k

I would bet the PQ was installed by Engineering when the SD went in, and since it wasn't a production line (where the VIN stampers are...) build would not have been VIN stamped. It's cool that the trans is still with the car.

Exactly, although since it was equipped with the rear that would have been standard for automatic without A/C I would think there would be a code on the rear.

[bird72]

this car is legendary. going back to the old days, whan many here remember reading those articles and first getting the Trans Am / Firebird fever. great for you on finding. the detective work here is amazing. don't know if you have considered, but I would think you could work a trade with that car for a cleaner 70-73 TA with someone interested in the provenance and putting an SD in it, a win win if you are not going SD route...

[Formulabruce]

I posted this a little bit ago in the SD Forum Thread to reference the SD Grand AM that was built, but next to it is???? you car??? Thoughts guys?

[Rocky Rotella]

I believe the Trans Am in the above article was one of the preproduction Super Duty powered Trans Ams that Pontiac had on display at the long-lead press preview that took place on June 28, 1972.

Reportedly there were red and white "production" models with 310 hp (041-spec cam), and a modified '71 that had a built SD-455 in it. The latter had aftermarket wheels, a roll bar, and a fuel cell.

In short, the two cars are not the same.

[Formulabruce]

If his car is a "Y" car that fits with pre production or GM design type car then? As they added an SD to a Y car? Just tossing some ideas here on why it wasnt a production ( SD) car..

[1971WARBIRD]

Originally Posted by Formulabruce

If his car is a "Y" car that fits with pre production or GM design type car then? As they added an SD to a Y car? Just tossing some ideas here on why it wasnt a production ( SD) car..

i thought they said earlier that they didn't start building them till several months later.

form Rocky's post

To add to my previous post, if this is indeed the magazine test car, it really isn't surprising to find it was originally built with a Y-code 455. There were obviously no SD-455 engines at the Norwood assembly plant for vehicle installation during the week of 12B. So Pontiac purposely equipped a d-port Trans Am with specific options, which includes the G92 Performance Rear Axle, giving it 3.42 gears to make it equipped as it if were originally an SD-455/Auto/Non-AC combo. The SD-455 was undoubtedly installed after the fact.

[rexs73gto]

The PQ case was used in more then just the SD cars, as my 73 GTO had a OQ case auto trans in it when I bought it. Yes I did buy mine new.

[Formulabruce]

guess I was just thinking that both are pre production cars then, the one in pic above and the one now down under.

[The Boss]

So if the TA is still alive, why can't the Grand Am or GTO?

[Rocky Rotella]

Originally Posted by rexs73gto

The PQ case was used in more then just the SD cars, as my 73 GTO had a OQ case auto trans in it when I bought it. Yes I did buy mine new.

Rex, PQ was designated for the 455 HO and SD-455 in '71-74. In fact, the '73-74 unit is a bit different than '71-74 version.

It's intersesting to note that your GTO had an OQ trans in it. The "O" series trans were usually installed behind Olds engines, just like "P" series trans went behind Pontiacs. The "OQ" trans wasn't built to Pontiac specs, however, so it's unlikely to be same exact transmission.

[Rocky Rotella]

Originally Posted by The Boss

So if the TA is still alive, why can't the Grand Am or GTO?

Either car very well could, but it's unlikely. They were pilot cars without VINs. I've spoken to a few engineers about them. One told me he witnessed the white SD Grand Am being dismantled for crushing.

The SD TA that Michael owns was a regular production 1973 model fitted with an SD-455 that, by the car's 12B build date, was ready to be released, just pending corporate approval. The delay at that point was for emissions recertification, just like all other Pontiac engines that model year. Looking at the article photos, the car clearly has a first-type 1973 system on it.

I have no idea why Pontiac built it as a Y-code, but I'm guessing it's because they wanted to include it with specific options (auto, no A/C, 3.42 gears). It may also have been a way to sell the car after the testing was complete by installing an SR d-port 455 and sending it on its way. Fortunately, the SD-455 was released for production and the car was sold the way it was.

Lots of speculation, I know, but I'm working hard to find answers from people that were there at the time!

[73brewstersd]

So that means 253 1973 Super Duty's?

[rexs73gto]

I got fat finger when I typed the code it should be PQ not oq, , I didn't reread my message when I got done, but in the other line all SD 455 T/A's in the vin the engine is an X in the vin numbeer. X is the LS2.

[sdbob]

Nice find. There was one article taht I couldn't find about the 73 SD that compared the car to 3 other muscle cars. I didn't think it was straight line but oval. then again time-forgets things.

[starlightblack]

Originally Posted by sdbob

Nice find. There was one article taht I couldn't find about the 73 SD that compared the car to 3 other muscle cars. I didn't think it was straight line but oval. then again time-forgets things.

Possibly Motor Trend's flat-out American Classic where they pitted the SD-455 T/A against a 454 Chevelle Laguna, 440 Charger, 401 AMX, 455 Buick GS and a 351HO Mustang

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Man this is such an amazing turn of events, on so many different levels.
A thousand Congratulations to you Michael.

For starters, most guys i have known with "Y" code 73 TA's - have never bothered with buying the PHS Package. For simple reasons, applied general knowledge, and economics. WHAT A DEAL that PHS packet has proven to be in the case of your new 73 "Y" code SuperDuty TA Test Mule.

It also makes me wonder that the White/Saddle 73 SD TA Automatic with A/C, Test Mule-magazine test car was also an early "Y" code car like yours. There could be at least 1 more of them out there.

I'll post some stuff now, and some more later.
A lot of guys already know most of this, but you might not.
And its kind of lengthy for the average reader.
But its worth reading to anyone who feels cloudy about this fiasco.



Although most of the articles are in May June July 1973 issues - we have to take into account for the associated lead times of various things along the way. Total cosmetic prepping for best fitments and curb appeals in prints and writer reviews. De-bugging Super tuning for top performance. Schedules made and organized for the track, drivers and photographers to correspond. Actual lead time for the magazine editors and layouts once the articles and pictures are turned in as completed assignments. ETC ......


It all makes pretty good sense to me how all the timelines lay in place.
PRODUCTION SuperDuty engines didn't start being cast until mid November 1972.
Those of us who have owned and followed these cars, know that K _ _ 2 casting dates are the common factor on most all the cast iron parts.

Allow for lead time after all machining and final hand assembly, and transport to respective build plant from Michigan engine facility. 12B is about as close as could be expected from that time of the new castings.

We also know that actual production of the "X" SD TA cars themselves didn't begin until June 1973.
06B i think was first week.
The majority of 73 SD TA's were built in a 2 week build period.
My former car was pre-ordered/special ordered well in advance.
He waited for months after placing the order.
It didn't ship out until June 23.

Certification / red tape / politics / whatever the heck else had to take place - was a long drawn affair that almost prolonged the builds past the 73 model year altogether - after the engine castings were done in November 1972.

I don't know all the ins and outs of what took 7 months from the time the engines were cast - until the actual cars could be built. I've heard and read of different things - i doubt we know it all. But it had to have created some severe headaches all across the board for everyone. From SD Program developers all the way down to pre-ordered buyers - and everyone in between.


But with the large gap between engine production, and actual engine approval/certification - we can see why a "Y" car like yours was necessary.


I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the Original Invoice #1, from 12B timeframe, did not reflect the SD engine at all. Due to engine being installed after the initial fact - since "X" code cars were not cleared for production.

There should be 1 or 2 more (earlier) Invoices on your car.
Whether or not its still on file with PHS archive - is a roll of the dice.

When the car was finally sold much later, after the point when the engines were approved for release into production, it wasn't an issue to leave the SD engine in place and sell the car to the public - with it being reflected on the Invoice.

Your car was used for a LOT of stuff to be sold that way at about a 60% discount.
It wasn't just a PMD employee company car - for sure.



I agree with the school of thinking that the SD engine and tranny were installed together at the original build plant. Whether it was done DURING - or AFTER - its roll down the assembly line - we can't know for sure without access to the Buildsheet or Invoice #1.

My "opinion" is it was installed by Engineering after it came off the assmbly line.
Its not a consequence regardless of when or where.
The PMD paper trail proves the uniqueness of this car.


My thanks and appreciation to you and LeighP for sharing this with us.
I am truely amazed by all of this.

[mscicluna007]

Hi Baron,

Thankyou for your replie and please keep the information you have coming. It is really good to be able to hear about how this car came about. Thankyou for the tips on the PHS documents.

I will try and get in contact with Jim and see if their is any more paper work there.

I have learnt that it was not uncommon for test cars to be crushed on completion of testing so its nice this one survived.

Michael

[mscicluna007]

Also is their any Video Footage of these events. I have searched the NET but have not found a thing.

Michael

[mscicluna007]

http://www.automobilemag.com/feature...ans_am_sd_455/

Just found this article very interesting.