[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by RA1John

Elvis is alive & well, working at a Burger King in Kalamazoo, MI driving a '69 T/A Conv.
Last I heard, he shares an appt. w/Jim Morrison

You aren't very good at keeping secrets John.
Morrison said to tell you that Elvis quit BurgerK 3 years ago.

To help with the bills - the Vert was sold to Kid-Rock.
Kid is having it redone in tribute style, to the 10th Anniv TA he drove in Joe Dirt movie.
Car will be Silver with big bird, full accent striping, polished turbo wheels, and embroidered leather interior.
Can't Wait !!

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Thanks for those re-accounts on the T/A Verts you knew of Dr.Schiffer.

[Guilty]

Todd............. Did you stop by The Boss's house and inhale a vast among of exhaust fumes from Lucy?

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

The '79 Trans Am in John Dirt was on loan from the Jim Wangers' collection.

[bossbirdta]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

By the way while all of the 8 left the factory as Ram Air III's one made a side trip to engineering to became a Ram Air IV before delivery. It is a 4-speed with air, and is still with the orginal owner, Jim Wangers went through a lot to get it prepaired before deliveryto one the Adam's family, of McMannus, John and Adams. PMD's ad agency. The car had a hard time launching and the clutch did go out on it once street racing on Woodward one night. This car also sustained heavy damage in an accident. It was rebuilt and now lives with its retired original owners in California.

Ummmm, this particular was sold off by the Adams Family a few years ago. it was bought by someone from the Pacific Northwest and is supposed to be going under a full restoration. i can tell you it was sitting in a garage in San Francisco and was said to be in poor condition but all intact. the selling price, so i was told was north of $3/4 mill.

[hopper146]

What happened to the one that was sold in Edmonton Alberta. I know the original owner....still drives him crazy realizing what its worth now. He traded it in for a pickup after tearing the exhaust off a few times driving to work on back roads!

[The Boss]

Originally Posted by bossbirdta

Ummmm, this particular was sold off by the Adams Family a few years ago. it was bought by someone from the Pacific Northwest and is supposed to be going under a full restoration. i can tell you it was sitting in a garage in San Francisco and was said to be in poor condition but all intact. the selling price, so i was told was north of $3/4 mill.

Was this the one that went through the Pontiac Retail Store? 223679N109938?

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Yes, the Adam's car came from the retail store. My neighbor's automatic car came from the dealership.(the other Detroit T/A convertible)

The "missing" 8 that is not missing was found in up state NY. It had been raced in Canada by it's owner. It is housed in a Detroit warehouse along with several of the owners other Pontiac's.

Hummmm...For that kind of money for a rough '69 T/A convertible one of eight. (actually 0ne of one with Ram Air IV, air) I wonder what the famous Jim Wangers' '68 Black Bird with in excellent shape extra parts from it's race history would bring?

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

I wonder if the Adams are liquidating everything. I believe they owned the building that once housed the PMD Ad agency that became DMBB. The agency left that building on Woodward and Long Lake rd a few years ago and moved to Troy.

Then this last year the Adams house on Wing Lake, off Franklin Rd, in Bloomfield was sold and just torn down.

[Alvin]

Photo of the Charles F. Adams owned 1969 Trans Am convertible;
From Gary Witzenburg’s book: Firebird! America’s Premier Performance Car, The Complete History

[Tellyshavilli]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

So was it still in the back of the pickup truck when you saw it ?
I'm hoping that part is at least someones exaggeration. (not banshee - but his source)

Somehow i'm not completely sure if we're all on the same page or not.
As in - now all 8 are positively alive and well, and accounted for ?

I had 'thought' the one in western canada was the 7th one discovered/uncovered.

Maybe Telly will write us a small outline of what he knows and label each one.

Its just that there have been almost as many unverifiable claims and sightings about the last one - as there have been about Elvis. And Elvis is dead and gone. RIP

Actually I find it more amusing reading all these stories of where the 8th car is and the raiv ac stories . Hilarious .

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

Kid is having it redone in tribute style, to the 10th Anniv TA he drove in Joe Dirt movie.
Car will be Silver with big bird, full accent striping, polished turbo wheels, and embroidered leather interior.
Can't Wait !!

UPDATE !

Elvis' old TA Vert is Silver now !
Has to go back in for repaint on fender - primed and ready.
clumbsy Pam Anderson backed into it - wasn't too bad though.

Wheels are sent out getting polished and then chrome plated.

Interior still out - but in progress.
Top is custom canvas in Silver - almost complete.

Its gonna be sweet
Cant Wait !!

[FASTASSBIRD]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

UPDATE !

Elvis' old TA Vert is Silver now !
Has to go back in for repaint on fender - primed and ready.
clumbsy Pam Anderson backed into it - wasn't too bad though.

Wheels are sent out getting polished and then chrome plated.

Interior still out - but in progress.
Top is custom canvas in Silver - almost complete.

Its gonna be sweet
Cant Wait !!

Does it have the prototype Ferrari steering wheel on it?

[FBird69]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

I wonder if the Adams are liquidating everything. I believe they owned the building that once housed the PMD Ad agency that became DMBB. The agency left that building on Woodward and Long Lake rd a few years ago and moved to Troy.

Then this last year the Adams house on Wing Lake, off Franklin Rd, in Bloomfield was sold and just torn down.

In 1978/79, I drove by the house on Franklin Road, as I did every day on my way to and from school, the garage door was open and I saw the T/A in the garage. I had a 77 T/A back then. I pulled in the driveway and went to the front door. I spoke with a man (I suppose Mr. Adams) and he showed me the car. I had never seen one before. I offered him $20,000 for it - that was enough to buy two brand new 1979 TATAs, but he said it was not for sale. I never saw the garage door open again for all the years I drove by afterwards. Either it was a fluke that I saw it the first time, or I scared him into never leaving it open again

There was also another 69 T/A convert in the W. Bloomfield area, and I think it had a hood tach. It was in a neighborhood somewhere in the area of Middelbelt, Lone Pine or Long Lake. I stumbled upon it just cruising through the neighborhood, saw it several times, but it's been 30+ years so I'm a little fuzzy on the exact neighborhood. Never knocked on that guy's door for some reason, can't remember why anymore. Always liked the 69 convert style, can't afford the T/A, but finally picked up the "standard" model, albeit 30 some years later.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

The "missing" 8 that is not missing was found in up state NY. It had been raced in Canada by it's owner. It is housed in a Detroit warehouse along with several of the owners other Pontiac's.

Originally Posted by Tellyshavilli

Actually I find it more amusing reading all these stories of where the 8th car is and the raiv ac stories . Hilarious .

Seriously, Telly? You didn't already know this?

I'm not even a F body guy and I'm tracking....

You should come to Michigan and we'll take a field trip (you, me, Boss, the good Dr Schiffer and gtoric, maybe even Guilty if he's in town). Hopefully I'm not speaking out of turn but I'm reasonably sure the owner would let us in.

K

- subscribing -

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by FBird69

...Always liked the 69 convert style, can't afford the T/A, but finally picked up the "standard" model, albeit 30 some years later.

IMO: Keep your "standard" 69 Firebird convertible, as time goes on you will not be able to find one as built, aka: "standard".
The Reason? "Clones, Tributes, Kid Rock". LOL!

ex: "In 1969 Pontiac built 8 Trans Am convertibles, and we have seen all 4,722 of them!"

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

The original owners with the hood tac, automatic T/A was in the Deerfield Village sub division at Maple and Middlebelt.They sold it to Carl Rawley, VP of Schostak Brothers in approx. 1975.

The Adam's 4-speed T/A's clutch was launched by Gary Cocral while racing on Woodward. It was Gary's family who owned several restaurants in the Detroit area, like Maverick's. Gary was very good freinds with the Adam's twins. Gary roomed with Randy Adams at MSU. Gary now owns Beau' Jack's on Maple west of Telegraph. He loves to talk about the old days.

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

Keith,
It is always amusing listening to people who have never been to Detroit and have no clue as to what we have here. All of the evaluation cars and one offs. A real factory built '68 Z-68 convertible. A Chevy powered factory built Mongusta. The "one of" preproduction "sign off" cars etc that are privately owned.

After all Keith, do you really believe this guy would believe you if you told him what you or any of the other guys have been drivng around from engineering? LOL

You just have to shake your head and move on.
Eric

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Dr. Eric M. Schiffer

After all Keith, do you really believe this guy would believe you if you told him what you our any of the other guys have been drivng around from engineering? LOL

Been livin' that dream for a long time....(lol).

I am a peacemaker and, as such, never want to offend anyone. I do, however, take our credibility and reputation (yours, mine, and the rest of our Motor City brethren) very seriously. I will withhold further commentary until I see you in person on Saturday.

On a related note, though - in all sincerity there are a couple dozen folks on this board that I wish could follow me around at work for a day (or a year). I think they would really enjoy it and would learn a lot about the GM product development and manufacturing processes, preproduction vehicle uses, "special projects" management - and - after hours automotive activities.

K

[Dr. Eric M. Schiffer]

I wasn't aware the Adam's had sold the T/A. What a neat car that was. When I talked to Jim Wangers about the car about year ago he thought they still had the car.

Recently Gary Cocral had menched how he always wanted to buy the car too. But he didn't even know the parents had moved to CA.