Bill Speed

nothings very clear about these issues

I will say the sticky has that link from the eBay auction that appears to have some figures I'd be inclined to believe.
I thought you might be going from the poster's name and not the post quoted. Original intent unknown.
Sounds like there would be 369 total from the auction link mentioned, 2 '89 Pace Car converts and 50 with 350 TPIs

I have one of the 50 or so, if that's the case. I must look after it!
Bill

Bill Speed

John'89L98 was quoting the post regarding 1988 and not 1989, so that's why my mixup. I could be wrong as I frequently am

hehe
-B

pgh-gta

No problem, BTW I had always heard that figure of 50 verts with the 350. Good find for you. Unfortunately, in '87, which is my case, you could only get the 305 with the vert. Oh well, I figure this car is for the wow factor. If I wanted the speed in '87 I could have picked the Grand National.

pgh-gta

Also, what part of MN are you in. I have in'laws in the Brooklyn Center part of MN. Sorta near Minn/St. Paul. Just curious. Joe

Bill Speed

I bought the car from a lady in MPLS. I live just West of the Cities.
The car was in Auto Trader on the cover at first... asking $11,000 or so, then dropped down when relisted. I bought it with 44K for $8600
The car has been banged up and I've had to deal with rain problems, but I hope to salvage it...keep it running, improve the looks and up the performance a tad.... My wish list!

hehe
Bill

okfoz

THe imfamous list of 1989 ASC converted Firebirds:

I was wondering if anyone in this thread would be willing to share the list of Convertible Firebirds made in 1989. If your willing to help I may be able to decipher the entire VIN from just the sequence number and do a CARFAX, I only have the CARFAX for the next couple of weeks so Time if of the Essence.

With the info we could get the total number of the "S" cars and the "W" cars, and more importantly we could get the production numbers for each of the engines in the Firebird Verts.

thanks

John

85 T/A WS6

Could this be an example?


eBay Motors: Pontiac : Firebird (item 270006368169 end time Jul-14-06 18:57:03 PDT)

okfoz

It does not appear to be so,
That car originally had the LB9 305, it looks like he did a good deal of work on it though. It does have the SLP package on it, and the Ultima seats... Notice the GTA emblems it appears that someone added them as the rear bumper still states "Trans Am". IF it has a 350 it was converted over by the owner.

The Afore mentioned Converted 350 cars were done using a 305 LG4 IIRC, thus why they converted the wiring harness etc, with a 305 LB9 - 350 L98 conversion there is nothing more than an engine swap to make it happen. Basically to swap in a 350 into a TPI 305 spot you need to change the injectors, (knock sensor optional) and the Engine.

Nice looking car though, I would think it should go for about $12,000 on todays market with 58K on the Odometer.

John

Bill Speed

Hi John,
Been absent for awhile, I wonder with the latest advisory email about Carfax, would be VIN submit help you, mine is a Formula as you recall, but apperently dealer ordered with 350 auto option, I added Formy 350 door stickers as you may recall. I still offer the car for restoration sale only, $4000 to $4500 my asking price... It's a hard thing to give up, reason being, but I want to see it restored even more then having it sit or be used as is til it becomes more tired and in need!
BILL

okfoz

Advisory e-mail?

Sure I would be interested... I am hoping to get the list from Chick but we will see...

John

thebman007

Guys,
Would the build sheets from 350 camaro, trans am, GTA, formula, from 87-89,
that where built at ASC Livonia, MI help any? Looking at them doesn't show anything to me that would say convertible. These T-Top cars were shipped from dealers around the U.S. to a dealership in southgate I think and then shipped back to southgate and then back to the dealerships where they were sold. I believe in 89 only firebirds were being built into convertibles. The 87 cars are somewhat unique because there were updates done for 88 based on issues from the dealers. Also thats why firebirds in 89 have a pull down motor for the 5th bow into the tonnue cover. Camaro's have a pin and then a cable.
Bottom line...in Livonia 350 camaro's and firebirds were converted into convertibles from dealers.

okfoz

YES YES YES that would help

I currently have the last 6 digits of the ASC verts made in 1989.

Actually the cars were drop-shipped from Norwood or Van Nuys to the dealership in Detroit, then the car was shipped to the dealer that ordered the car.

Looking at the information I have SOME of the cars do not have a ship date, or the last 6 digits of the VIN. However they have the Ordering Dealer, the ASC Order number and the Order Date. I can only assume that these may have been off of a dealers lot and then shipped back to the dealer. There is no record of the vin as it was not drop-shipped directly to ASC. (Just an assumption)

THere are a total of 369 converted Firebirds on the list I have, 40 of them do not have the ship date NOR the VIN. That number is really close to the 330 number that some sources state.

John

thebman007

Here Goes:

The 87 cars are somewhat unique because there were updates done for 88 based on issues from the dealers and only some customers came back to the dealership, not all cars if customer never replied.

Some of the camaro field fix items:
Header support bracket added
Header extrusion molding replaced
#5 bow latch replaced
"B" caps replaced
Seat belt bezels added
Torsion bar caps added/bumpers
Decklid hinge bolts blacked out
Tonneau & visor sticker (#2 Bow) added
Luggage lock box bracket added
Torsion bar anti rattle rubber added
Part NO. tags removed from tonneau hinge
Various adjustments & inspections also

Based on the above partial list it is possible for differences in the early camaros. Local cars were fixed in Livonia MI and others we had to fly to the dealerships and meet the customer and dealer and buy off on the complaints.

Next TOJAN CONVERTIBLES:
The first 2 cars we converted into convertibles were Formula Firebirds:
Red/Black 223689
Black/Black 223571
April 15th 1987

A total of 16 were done for Knudson Automotive of Oahma, Nebraska, and these units came thru Pioneer Pontiac in downriver MI.
They were then shipped to:
Rockhill Pontiac - Newark Delaware
Longhead Pontiac - Swauthmore PA
Guilford Pontiac - CT
These conversions had a list of items not needed during the conversion (ie...Exclude rear trunk lid, rear wing, brake light, trim mldg, tonneau in back seat, etc.....) and critical build changes in the weld area.

So these had differences in 87.

More to come..........I'm thinking

thebman007

Build Sheets 87

1987 Camaro Z28 IROC 5.7 L98 auto Flame/Red gray leather Norwood
137831 Leiphart chevrolet Homestead FL

1987 Firebird GTA 5.0 LB9 auto White/Grey cloth Norwood
225613 West side garage Berlin WI

1987 Camaro Z28 IROC 5.7 L98 auto Black/Saddle U79 Van Nuys
121444 The Ancira-Winton Chevrolet San Antonio, TX

1987 Camaro Z28 IROC 5.7 L98 auto Brt Blue/Gray Leather Norwood
135368 Don Allen Chevrolet Pittsburgh PA

1987 Camaro Z28 IROC 5.7 L98 auto Flame Red/Carmine Norwood
147398 Bob Mc dorman Chevrolet Canal Winchester OH

1987 Firebird GTA 5.0 LB9 5 SPD MM5 Black/Black Norwood
225154 Pontiac Motor Div. Jacksonville FL.

Still opening boxes.......

okfoz

THeBman007

I was wondering if you have found anything else?

JOhn

Bill Speed

As I posted on here, Mine is an 89, former theft recovery with special VIN plate from Pennsylvania, I am in Minnesota, West of TwinCities locale, the car was bought from resident living in/near Minneapolis.
to John, I can't recall about the Carfax issue but my car has been parked with rusted locked up brakes for just over a year, or something like that...
If I could get the brakes replaced and drive it, I can get my friend/sometimes friend, he's got a hot temper and we don't always see eye to eye, but he is getting antsy to put the roof on for me, I paid him $200 and he paid me back due to the time I needed, so it's bothersome I have to put up with roadsalt effects like this, either way, this car's new VIN seems to be a viable source of getting some history perhaps and I still mention to people the 1 of 60 figure that appears to apply for cars setup similar to mine, appearence and feature wise. I have a poor valve gasket issue as well where right side manifold/valvecover area produces a leak.... The strut mounts are rusted and several people have managed to hit my car over the years, but at the same time, many fine 89s appear on eBay Motors as spare donor possibilities for my ride, If funds were there, I would in the worst case, swap the vert parts and refurbish onto a t Top Formula I think. I offered the car to Jay Leno via his Garage site at NBC, I got a call back saying Jay preferred older cars.... unless they are pricey exotics I'm sure *joking*