[8453johng]

Hi
I have an 80 Pace Car TA and looking at other Pace Car images I have noticed that my car does not have the passenger grab bar.

Is that uncommon ? It appears that all pictures that I have searched have a grab bar.

The dash is clean and uncut so what gives / could this have been an error at the factory?

[TAKerry]

The grab bar on the dash was standard with the deluxe interior option. I would think your car def. had deluxe int. I dont know the pace cars but will take your word that they all have it, and would not think otherwise. Are you sure the dash is original to your car? If it is, it very well may be a factory error as stated.

[8453johng]

The dash is definitely original and clean

Never thought it may be that it was not put in on the assembly line.

Possibly not all 1980 Pace Cars got the grab bar don't know ?

Interesting possibly someone knows if it was mandatory ?

[unruhjonny]

it could have been an assembly line error.

Never say never.

As a rule of thumb the grab bar was a part of the deluxe interior;
To the best of my knowledge, all Pace cars were deluxe interior cars.
If it really bugs you, the grab bar is easy enough to add - but if your dash is, as you say original, I'd be incline to just leave it as-is.

[8453johng]

Thanks

I am going to leave it as is unique as it is not there

I have researched adding / pretty easily done / all parts are available

[unruhjonny]

Yeah, if this nags on you, try to keep an eye out for the original parts in the correct colour.

I don't know what colour the repops are, but I'd guess black;
If my memory serves me 1980 Pace Cars had a light grey dash... but I'm going off memory here - I haven't seen an original one in the better part of twenty years now.
(There used to be one the locked parking lot of a retirement complex near my mom's in Redondo Beach; there also used to be some that you would see around my city from time to time.)

[78w72]

unless you're the original owner, no way of really knowing if the dash is original or has been replaced at some point with a new GM dash related to a warranty issue or some other damage.

ive seen some pics of pace cars not having grab bars, didnt think much of it at the time. i found one on a quick gooogle search without a grab bar but again no way of knowing if it's an original dash. was the grab bar an option you could delete maybe?

https://www.mecum.com/lots/KC0309-78330/

[unruhjonny]

I would think that if the "dash strap" (aka" grab bar") was ever an option, that it would have been possible to delete it, but I do not believe it was ever an option.

I have a 1972 sales book right here, and this is what I read:

Sales code 724 / UPC Y90:
Trim Custom Group:
Front deluxe bucket seats, Assist straps on door and above glove box door, Roff insulator pads, Formed vinyl trunk mat, body color in outside door handles, Rear quarter ashtray. (standard Esprit)
Formula and Trans Am........ 77.00

[8453johng]

Wow possibly it was something like different build plants that did not have the
grab bar

Thanks for the Mecum pic that is how my dash is exactly the same

My 80 Pace car was Norwood Ohio Sold new in Virginia per PHS

possibly someone knows if it was a factory plant thing

As always thanks again

[78w72]

Originally Posted by 8453johng

Wow possibly it was something like different build plants that did not have the
grab bar

Thanks for the Mecum pic that is how my dash is exactly the same

My 80 Pace car was Norwood Ohio Sold new in Virginia per PHS

possibly someone knows if it was a factory plant thing

As always thanks again

disregard that mecam pic. after looking closer it is a cap, & a poor install too. i only looked quickly at the small pics but when i enlarged them its obvious its a cap.

the mystery of your missing grab bar remains...

[BDH79TA]

Obviously I can't say for sure, but it's a common misconception that the pace cars were all decked out like the TATA. This was not the case and many items on them were optional. I'd say it could easily have been an assembly line error. Hard to say. Good luck with your research.

[Trevor78]

Possibly mentioned already, make sure it doesn't already have a dash cap and they simply haven't added the holes and left handle off, which may have been damaged from someone swinging off it.

[78w72]

these caps are very obvious to see if there is one, im sure the OP knows if his dash has a cap... but worth confirming.

[8453johng]

Going to post a picture today

Definatley not a dash cap

The dash is clean and no signs externally

I think possibly was an assembly line error

[TAKerry]

Just a curiosity, but does your pace car have ash trays in the rear quarter arm rest?

[8453johng]

YES

[burd]

Who knows how many people hacked and slashed.
If yiu didn’t drive it off the lot, a lot of years passed.

[TAKerry]

The ashtrays are part of the deluxe int. package which should also include the grab bar. I agree with Burd in that unless you bought the car new, who knows what has happened over the years, but if it looks as original as you say I would chalk it down to assembly error. I have no knowledge how and when the grab bars were put in the dash. I assumed the dashes originally were made in the colour that they are, not painted like we do today to get them to match. Again not sure how many other cars got the same colour dash as the pace car.

[Trevor78]

Even something unusual like being a limited colour and running low on handles may have seen one sent days later to car yard to install, but never done. Hard to say.

['ol Pinion head]

Originally Posted by Trevor78

Even something unusual like being a limited colour and running low on handles may have seen one sent days later to car yard to install, but never done. Hard to say.

Original deluxe dashes were "loaded" with their harnesses & Pace Car specific guages & then sent to the assembly line. Seriously doubt a misbuild, the T/A pace cars were top of the line showroom traffic builders & the grab handle is a focal point of the passenger side of the dash.

On a '78-81 Firebird dash that purportedly has the original dash Sam, I would look at the molded date on the bottom under the glovebox lid. What does the date notate? Every original '78-81 Firebird molded dash has that molded date, I've pulled multiple dozen of that year range of Bird dashes over the last 40 years. On '80's alone, have noted & parted on over 5 dozen 80 Pacecars that hit Ark-Tex-NM-OK- KS boneyards in the 80's up through early '00's, quite an attrition rate.