[3tas4me]

I really miss just seeing the second gen birds on the road. Used to see them all over the place. You couldn't drive 10 minutes around here without seeing one back in the 80's. Every other farm had either a Camaro or Firebird parked in the yard/driveway. A good friend of mine had a 4-speed Y88 that he sold to another friend of mine last year. Thankfully, it is still around here. I had first chance to buy it but didn't have the 16K he wanted for the car that included a load of NOS GM parts including GM carpet in the box. Car is beautiful and still has original paint.

[Alvin]

Check out this Y88 YouTube http://youtu.be/EFJ9-C42k10

Dig the license plate!

[78 TA KID]

SOMEDAY I WILL GET A Y88 W72 4SPD WS6 LOW MILEAGE SAVIOR CAR. I LOVE Y88'S

[3tas4me]

Originally Posted by 78 TA KID

SOMEDAY I WILL GET A Y88 W72 4SPD WS6 LOW MILEAGE SAVIOR CAR. I LOVE Y88'S

Might not want to wait too long, they aren't getting any cheaper. Speaking of, what do you all think the going rate is for the various Y88's these days? Assume a strong number 2 condition and identical options, how would you value a L78, 403, W72/auto and W72 4-speed? Anybody have a feel for these? Seems that the Y88's don't bring as much money as the other SE's do from what I see.

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by 3tas4me

Might not want to wait too long, they aren't getting any cheaper. Speaking of, what do you all think the going rate is for the various Y88's these days? Assume a strong number 2 condition and identical options, how would you value a L78, 403, W72/auto and W72 4-speed? Anybody have a feel for these? Seems that the Y88's don't bring as much money as the other SE's do from what I see.

I had a nicely optioned WS4 (base #'s match engine) Y88 for sale last summer....ran and drove but needed some bodywork,paint and seat covers/carpet etc.

7 of the 10 people that came to look at it were going to paint it black....

Bandit "wanna be" thing,I guess?...

[BARRACUDA1968]

Originally Posted by 3tas4me

Might not want to wait too long, they aren't getting any cheaper. Speaking of, what do you all think the going rate is for the various Y88's these days? Assume a strong number 2 condition and identical options, how would you value a L78, 403, W72/auto and W72 4-speed? Anybody have a feel for these? Seems that the Y88's don't bring as much money as the other SE's do from what I see.

I have a pretty nice Y88 T Top 4 speed car and I would call it at least a number 2 car. PHS docs



For a nice documented car the 4 speed brings a little more $$ but $25 to $40K seems to be what I've seen. Here are 3 for sale right now.

My car is interesting because it's the only one I've ever seen with standard interior. No power windows or locks but has Rear Defrost; power trunk; came with 8 track and T Tops. I wish I could find out how many Y88's with 4 speed had standard interior.

http://www.cars-on-line.com/62337.html

http://www.cars-on-line.com/57931.html

http://www.cars-on-line.com/55521.html

[68ragtop]

I am hopeful that someday there will be some clarity on the W72 Y88 Automatic cars.
As several of you guys know, This has bothered me for the last 5 years for sure..

When I was just out of high school, (1986) a buddy of mine had a Y88 automatic car that would spank my 78 trans am. We never knew why at the time, but it sure ticked me off a bit. Maybe it was the chrome valve covers I thought?........ haha.

There was no info out on these cars at the time, they weren't collector cars, no internet wealth of information, none of that stuff. If somebody would have said WS6, Y88 or W72, you would probably just get a black eye for talking stupid. They were just cool cars that were aging just enough were if you were 18-20 years old & had a good job you just might be able to pick one up for $4000- $6000 with 50-60K on the clock.

So fast forward to 1994. I start looking for a Y88 car like my buddy had. At that time Auto Trader magazine was the only way you were going to find one. I located a Y88 about 6 hours South of me & I hit the road. I bought the car (still have it today) but was surprised to learn it didn't have the high output engine. Back then I thought it was part of the special edition package. That's when I started to learn about the Y88, WS6, W72, & all the options that were never part of the S/E package. My buddies car had every option, so I just thought it was standard equipment.

From that day forward I continued to look for W72 automatic Y88's I had zero luck finding one after several years of hunting. As luck would have it, I eventually found one. As it turned out it was a vin match to my buddies lost Y88 from 1986. The car is priceless to me.....

Over the last decade I have for sure seen more 4 speed cars than Automatic W72's while I don't think the w72 auto's are crazy rare, I don't think there are a lot of them. Not sure how there really could be. A car that came out in April of 78, has the option stripped away the same month. How many got through? Who knows. But I feel its very conservitivly less then 2,000. If somebody found the numbers & I had to guess I would say 400-600 maybe.....
The 6000 listed on various sites is ludicrous.

As these cars are gaining popularity, its a crying shame the numbers are so garbled.

[johnta1]

Do you agree with the 21,384 W72 automatic Birds were made in 1978?
(both TA and Formula)

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by johnta1

Do you agree with the 21,384 W72 automatic Birds were made in 1978?
(both TA and Formula)

If they made that many.....somedoy either bought most of them and still has them ........or they were all shipped to Siberia.......

I've been looking at 78 T/A's for over 35 years and haven't seen alot of them......personally.....

That # has to be wrong.........

[3tas4me]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

If they made that many.....somedoy either bought most of them and still has them ........or they were all shipped to Siberia.......

I've been looking at 78 T/A's for over 35 years and haven't seen alot of them......personally.....

That # has to be wrong.........

I remember the thread that was started on this subject a few years ago. If I remember, John Witzke confirmed the total number of W72 automatics to be what you are saying above. I believe that number is probably accurate however, like you, I too have never seen a lot of W-72 automatics on the market. I personally have owned two 1978 W-72 automatics with the second one being my current Y88. The W-72 automatic was available right at the start of 1978 production but was stopped before the end of the 1978 run. Since the Y88 was a mid year option, the early end of W-72/auto production meant few W-72 Y88's were built with automatics. I think you are probably correct that more 4-speed W-72 Y88's were built than automatic W-72 Y88's.

[68ragtop]

Originally Posted by 3tas4me

I remember the thread that was started on this subject a few years ago. If I remember, John Witzke confirmed the total number of W72 automatics to be what you are saying above. I believe that number is probably accurate however, like you, I too have never seen a lot of W-72 automatics on the market. I personally have owned two 1978 W-72 automatics with the second one being my current Y88. The W-72 automatic was available right at the start of 1978 production but was stopped before the end of the 1978 run. Since the Y88 was a mid year option, the early end of W-72/auto production meant few W-72 Y88's were built with automatics. I think you are probably correct that more 4-speed W-72 Y88's were built than automatic W-72 Y88's.

What is the build date of your car? I always thought it would interesting to have a registry of the Y88 W72 Automatics & see how far apart the dates get. Always guessed they had to be several weeks apart, not several months. I was under the assumption the automatics could no longer be ordered after some point in april of 78, or was it later than that?

My car was built in the first week of April. (04A on the cowl tag)

[johnta1]

I could possibly set up a registry like that.
But the problem is getting the people to actually respond to it.
Most people always say they want the info, but very few want to give the info up.

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by 68ragtop

What is the build date of your car? I always thought it would interesting to have a registry of the Y88 W72 Automatics & see how far apart the dates get. Always guessed they had to be several weeks apart, not several months. I was under the assumption the automatics could no longer be ordered after some point in april of 78, or was it later than that?

My car was built in the first week of April. (04A on the cowl tag)

I'd say that it must be one of the last ones built.......as I understand it,the cut off for ordering was sometime in March.

[68ragtop]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

I'd say that it must be one of the last ones built.......as I understand it,the cut off for ordering was sometime in March.

yep, I just looked it up & it was March 20th.

When could the Y88 option be ordered. I know none were built until late into the year, but were dealers taking orders anyway? Or was the car not able to be ordered right when the first 78's became available?


My Y88 W72 auto car has a strange unclear history. The car was built 1st week in April & everything matches that date including castings, door jamb sticker, etc. But this is were it gets weird. The car wasn't invoiced to the dealer until 8/03/78

Still wondering where the heck it was during those four months! The 2nd owner of the car (whom I keep in touch with) said he bought it from an employee/salesperson at the Pontiac dealership. It had 23K +/- at the time.

As far as I understand, even if it was purchased by a dealers employee, that dealer would have been invoiced as soon as the car was shipped to them. Was GM screwing around with my car somwhere? Maybe it had the snot beat out of it for a few months...... I wish I could find out.

My other Y88, was also built in April & was invoiced either on the same day, or the day after it was completed. So I am confused....

[RamAir]

Still wondering where the heck it was during those four months! The 2nd owner of the car (whom I keep in touch with) said he bought it from an employee/salesperson at the Pontiac dealership. It had 23K +/- at the time.

It could of possibly been a GM executive car then it would of been re-invoiced to dealer after GM executive was finished with it.

[David Holmberg]

Originally Posted by ramair

It could of possibly been a GM executive car then it would of been re-invoiced to dealer after GM executive was finished with it.

Most plausible answer.

I miss my Y88 WS6 W72 (auto) more than I can tell you.

[3tas4me]

Originally Posted by 68ragtop

What is the build date of your car? I always thought it would interesting to have a registry of the Y88 W72 Automatics & see how far apart the dates get. Always guessed they had to be several weeks apart, not several months. I was under the assumption the automatics could no longer be ordered after some point in april of 78, or was it later than that?

My car was built in the first week of April. (04A on the cowl tag)

The build date on my car is 02C. Mine was built at the Norwood plant.

[68ragtop]

Originally Posted by 3tas4me

The build date on my car is 02C. Mine was built at the Norwood plant.

Wow, thats pretty early! I didn't realize there were any completed in February.

[Alvin]

Check out these Y88 pages from the Hogheads both detailed are 4-speeds

Norwood Build - "My Trans Am Page (My first Gold Edition)"
http://www.firebirdtransamparts.com/...m/781sty88.htm

Norwood Build - "1978 Y88 Gold Special Edition Trans Am (Brian's Y88)"
http://www.firebirdtransamparts.com/...ns_am_page.htm

[Alvin]

A Y88 W72 Auto for reference equipment and build dates:

"Trans Am Museum" previously sold listing

Authentic 1978 Y88 Gold Special Edition T-Top Trans Am with W72 400 Pontiac Engine and the WS6 Handling Package, Only 31,274 Actual 3 owner miles 400 v8/ Auto/ AC/ Rare Factory AM-FM-CB, Camel Deluxe Cloth/ PW/ Power Locks, Exxtremely ORIGINAL Car, 100% ORIGINAL interior that is still very fresh and color Vibrant with no Fading, this Car has had Proper Dry Storage with little to no light, THE original Steering Wheel And Original Gold Dash Bezel still look new, as well does the original Dash and console , interior is simply Amazing, 85% Original Paint with only the top of Pass Quarter panel touched up at original Selling Dealer before 1981, which is when the 2nd owner purchased the car, 2nd owner Kept till 1993 and 3rd owner kept till 2010 have all 3 titles, and Build Sheet and Window Sticker and all books Undercarraige virgin and Original, with the rear pan behind buper being factory light on paint and flawless, note ORIGINAL brake booster gold anidize still looks fresh,( because dry storage), engine Bay and Paint all Original and very clean, Yes these are the Original Wheels to this car, , Paint is still very Shiny and excellent condition, All Decals are Original and in very nice condition, no dye work had to be done on interior, very unusual and telling you that this one is a very nice example of Original, car drives Absolutely like New, Trunk still Has Original Trunk mat and splatter paint and spare tire and speaker and speaker box , get my point, nice untouched Y88 indeed

http://www.transammuseum.com/1978_PO...131645475.veh#