For over a week now, this very worn third-generation Pontiac Firebird has been sitting at the transmission shop next door to my office in Youngstown, Ohio. Imagine my delight when I finally sauntered over to it and found it to be not just a Firebird, but be still my beating heart, the ultimate 1980's Firebird, a Trans Am GTA.
When cars like this were new, their high sticker price, insurance rates and terrible performance in bad weather put them out of reach for me. Not knowing any better, like fawning over the unreachable and untouchable homecoming queen or cheerleader captain, I thought they could do no wrong.
Over the past twenty-plus years, I've been lucky or unlucky enough to have had my fair share of what are referred to as "pony cars". Long story short - these things are not for everyone. Trust me, the idea of having one is far better than actually having one. At least as a daily driver. As a weekender? Oh, by all means. Every day, though? I don't know about that. To me these are "party cars" that don't know how to do anything but party; sometimes, you just want to crash on the couch and watch Netflix. Still, I'm drawn to cars like this like a moth is to a flame. And I'm willing to get burned again.
Pontiac's answer to Chevrolet's Camaro IROC-Z, the Firebird "Grand Touring American" were built from 1987 through 1992; this is a 1987. Like the IROC, these cars were supposed to offer buyers even greater performance than the models they were based on could muster. To a car crazy kid driving a crusty 1975 Chrysler Cordoba, what they could do, or would I imagined they could do, the stuff dreams were made of.
Checking the "GTA" box on the order form got the original buyer a Trans Am with the WS6 handling package which included higher rate springs (fancy car talk for stiffer), thicker anti-roll bars (car geek nomenclature for back breaking), rock hard bushings, an even quicker steering ratio and 245/50 tires on "cross lace", 16-inch alloy rims.
Under the hood, sorry, I couldn't get this thing up higher than this, we see it has the tell-tale "Tuned Port Injection" intake runners that defined powerful engines at General Motors at the time. This car has an automatic so that means this is the 350-cu. in., or 5.7-liter, "L98" engine you'd also find in Corvettes of the era. This one would have been slightly detuned, of course, since the Corvette had to be the most powerful car in GM's lineup. Even if the difference was maybe five- or ten-horsepower.
You wanted a 5-speed, you'd have to make do with the 305-cu. in, or 5.0-liter, "LB9" engine that had the L98's sexy pipes, but it made less horsepower and torque. Legend has it the torque of the L98 would detonate the Borg Warner T-5 manual. So, you wanted the big motor, automatic only, pal.
Contemporary road test reviews of these cars are decidedly mixed. Scribes heap praise on their straight-line performance and adhesion in the corners on smooth surfaces. Lest they didn't offend manufacturers who spend big bucks advertising with their publications, you have to read between the lines their utter contempt for their flinty rides, wonky ergonomics, terrible seats and sloppy, cheap construction.
I wonder how many of these were bought by buyers who quickly thought twice about their purchase. Again, if they were bought as daily drivers. If you know, you know.
Damned with faint praise at best, the critics harsh words came across to me like a coach yelling at my favorite sports team players. You bastards can't say that about my favorite genre of cars and get away with it! Well, guess what? Turns out those guys were right. And then some.
Though they sorted much of what ailed these cars through the years, they (General Motors) never got them one hundred percent right. The Trans Am GTA's, though, were as good as third-gen Firebird's got. What you bought one for going a long way as to whether or not you ultimately liked it or not.
You bought it for its aesthetics or what it could do for your image, you probably regretted your purchase quickly. As a performance appliance, though, you got a lot of bang for your buck.
The jarring ride, droning exhaust, their impracticality and difficulty of ingress and egress; these are cars are not for the faint of heart. Every pony car I've had had me questioning my decision. Naturally, I bought them as dailies.
Sigh. Funny how contempt can replace lust.
I'd love to know the story behind this car. Goes without saying it's got transmission problems. Doesn't appear to have any rust issues which is unusual for a forty-year-old car that appears to have spent considerable time outside in the shoot-me-now cold then brutally muggy and hot summers we get here in northern Ohio.
So, it's got loads of potential. I'd just get it running and rat-rod it.
There's a humility to it I like that when new, this car and cars just like it, did not have. Not unlike an older athlete, professional or not, with a mile or two on them who still "has it", just without the off-putting arrogance that may or may not have gotten them into trouble back in in the day.
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