1969 Trans Am

[Lyn Smith]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[Bobby DiDomenico]

A friend of mine who had his own body shop redid a white with blue stripes 1969 Trans Am for a father who's son had died many years ago. I don't recall the engine/ trans that was in it, all I recall is he was amazed and greatful with the finished product.

Dwight, the same situation exists with a 1986/1987 Grand National, it is only a trim package on a Regal which includes a turbocharged engine, black only paint, special wheels and seat trim. A T-Type is the same thing, including the Black T-Type package. What is different is the T-Types have aluminum wheels. Cars randomly had aluminum bumper supports and brake drums which I doubt are noted in the shipping weights.

[Dirk Olson]

Back a about 5 years ago I did a Muncie rebuild for a guy that was restoring a 69 Trans Am about 2 blocks from My house in Wisconsin. Ram IV, white and blue, numbers matching, really solid car, kind of a barn find but better stored. When car was done it was a beautiful, rare car. Went to auction somewhere in South Carolina.

Dirk
A/S 5036

[Race Clean]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

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.

Question is : Is this right or wrong and not better or not right?
I thought we all now could come together and clean up all the makes without parity!

p.s. How many will be built?