1969 Trans Am

Dwight Southerland · 04-18-2018, 05:58 PM

"NHRA Tech Department makes changes to the Stock Car Classification Guide

April 18, 2018

The NHRA Technical Department recently made changes to the Class Guide.

Pontiac 1969 added Trans Am"

http://www.nhraracer.com/content/gen...695&zoneid=132

How many of these cars were made?

Bruce Noland · 04-18-2018, 06:32 PM

According to Google, 697 were built.

Alan Nyhus · 04-18-2018, 07:56 PM

Growing up, there was one around the corner from my house. I used to walk by it on my way to basketball practice and drool. It was a 4 spd. I've mentioned it to some of the older car guys here. Many remember it but nobody can recall the owners name. -Al

Lyn Smith · 04-18-2018, 09:34 PM

In the summer of 69 (love that song by Bryan Adams) I started working the wash rack at the Local Pontiac/Buick dealership.Many performance Pontiacs and Buicks went thru there, and one in particular stood out.One salesman who had a fast 68 FireBird drag car, ordered any performance Pontiac as soon as they were available from GM.One day that summer a 69 TA showed up.It was very popular,and was test driven often until the owners son took it out after hours and had a little accident with it.He took it out to the local 1/4 mile testing grounds called the cabin to the tracks .It ended on its roof,and in the body shop for major repairs, as the roof in one area was crushed down to the headrests on the bucket seats.The car was repaired and as I remember they changed the paint from white ,to blue.It was sold later(did the new owner know of the repairs? I have no idea).I was told it was documented in a book about the 69 Trans Ams,and was for sale in the back of a 1970s HotRod magazine..I hope it does survive today.

ss3011 · 04-18-2018, 10:22 PM

I bought a wrecked one back in 1979 , Ram III , 4spd . Stripped it and went to the scrapper . Of course I wished I kept it now . With all the parts available at NPD , it would be cool for someone to clone one for Stock !

Mark Yacavone · 04-18-2018, 10:22 PM

Don't get excited anyone.
Yes, the hood is different. Any better? Who knows?
Ram Air IV not available. D port rated the same!
Thanks for nothing.

ss3011 · 04-18-2018, 10:34 PM

Hey Mark , I checked my Firebird history book and it said 46 of the 697 Trans Am's came with the Ram Air IV engine . Or are you saying NHRA doesn't recognize that combo ?

Mark Yacavone · 04-18-2018, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ss3011

Hey Mark , I checked my Firebird history book and it said 46 of the 697 Trans Am's came with the Ram Air IV engine . Or are you saying NHRA doesn't recognize that combo ?

Not shown on Dwight's site .
The 345 is round port.
The 335 is D port.

Ed Fernandez · 04-18-2018, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

Not shown on Dwight's site .
The 345 is round port.
The 335 is D port.

Hey Yak, surely someone in the know can get it in and at 225HP to boot.

Dwight Southerland · 04-19-2018, 07:02 AM

It is interesting to me that these now have become a separate "model". When they were first available, they were just a separate package option on a standard Firebird like a Z28 package on a Camaro. Now, 50 years later they are their own identity with a different shipping weights. I would like to see the documentation that verifies the shipping weights. 3450 for the coupe and 3600 for the convertible sounds too "rounded off" for the data of those days.

04-18-2018, 05:58 PM	#1
Dwight Southerland VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Arkansas - In the middle of everything. Posts: 2,001 Likes: 64 Liked 780 Times in 194 Posts	1969 Trans Am "NHRA Tech Department makes changes to the Stock Car Classification Guide April 18, 2018 The NHRA Technical Department recently made changes to the Class Guide. Pontiac 1969 added Trans Am" http://www.nhraracer.com/content/gen...695&zoneid=132 *How many of these cars were made?* __________________

04-18-2018, 06:32 PM	#2
Bruce Noland VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,855 Likes: 83 Liked 444 Times in 145 Posts	Re: 1969 Trans Am According to Google, 697 were built. __________________ Bruce Noland 1788 STK

04-18-2018, 07:56 PM	#3
Alan Nyhus VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Lower Dakota territory Posts: 1,180 Likes: 1,074 Liked 799 Times in 236 Posts	Re: 1969 Trans Am Growing up, there was one around the corner from my house. I used to walk by it on my way to basketball practice and drool. It was a 4 spd. I've mentioned it to some of the older car guys here. Many remember it but nobody can recall the owners name. -Al __________________ "That'll never work....."

04-18-2018, 09:34 PM	#4
Lyn Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Pontiac,il. Posts: 1,203 Likes: 284 Liked 976 Times in 196 Posts	Re: 1969 Trans Am In the summer of 69 (love that song by Bryan Adams) I started working the wash rack at the Local Pontiac/Buick dealership.Many performance Pontiacs and Buicks went thru there, and one in particular stood out.One salesman who had a fast 68 FireBird drag car, ordered any performance Pontiac as soon as they were available from GM.One day that summer a 69 TA showed up.It was very popular,and was test driven often until the owners son took it out after hours and had a little accident with it.He took it out to the local 1/4 mile testing grounds called the cabin to the tracks .It ended on its roof,and in the body shop for major repairs, as the roof in one area was crushed down to the headrests on the bucket seats.The car was repaired and as I remember they changed the paint from white ,to blue.It was sold later(did the new owner know of the repairs? I have no idea).I was told it was documented in a book about the 69 Trans Ams,and was for sale in the back of a 1970s HotRod magazine..I hope it does survive today.

04-18-2018, 10:22 PM	#5
ss3011 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Southeast Michigan Posts: 909 Likes: 70 Liked 239 Times in 114 Posts	Re: 1969 Trans Am I bought a wrecked one back in 1979 , Ram III , 4spd . Stripped it and went to the scrapper . Of course I wished I kept it now . With all the parts available at NPD , it would be cool for someone to clone one for Stock !

04-18-2018, 10:22 PM	#6
Mark Yacavone Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Miles From Nowhere Posts: 7,817 Likes: 2,907 Liked 5,123 Times in 1,953 Posts	Re: 1969 Trans Am Don't get excited anyone. Yes, the hood is different. Any better? Who knows? Ram Air IV not available. D port rated the same! Thanks for nothing. __________________ "We are lucky we don't get as much Government as we pay for." Will Rogers

04-18-2018, 10:34 PM	#7
ss3011 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Southeast Michigan Posts: 909 Likes: 70 Liked 239 Times in 114 Posts	Re: 1969 Trans Am Hey Mark , I checked my Firebird history book and it said 46 of the 697 Trans Am's came with the Ram Air IV engine . Or are you saying NHRA doesn't recognize that combo ?

04-19-2018, 07:02 AM	#10
Dwight Southerland VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Arkansas - In the middle of everything. Posts: 2,001 Likes: 64 Liked 780 Times in 194 Posts	Re: 1969 Trans Am It is interesting to me that these now have become a separate "model". When they were first available, they were just a separate package option on a standard Firebird like a Z28 package on a Camaro. Now, 50 years later they are their own identity with a different shipping weights. I would like to see the documentation that verifies the shipping weights. 3450 for the coupe and 3600 for the convertible sounds too "rounded off" for the data of those days. __________________

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