Greetings

My son and I just acquired a 1983 Trans Am. It is a Mecham MSE, car 21. The car is pictured on the firebirdgallery website. We do not have much documentation yet. I have requested PHS records and will soon contact Mecham to see if they have any records on the car.

Our car is white w/ red and blue pinstripe above the black lower body section (very bottom of the body). In fact it looks exactly like the white car on the transam.de site, except for the numbered plate and decals. It has a charcoal interior. It has a 305/5 speed and has 56K original miles. Mechanical clutch linkage and a drum brake/posi rear end. Koni shocks/struts. Vacuum advance HEI. 98% rust free. A/C, rear defog. Data plate says deluxe charcoal cloth interior w/ Recaro seats (AQ9) Built last week October, 1982.

First Impressions:

Front seats are Recaro but lack adjustable thigh bolster. They have been recovered with some aftermarket fabric. No sign of what they were originally covered in. They have the mesh headrest, but no provision for shoulder harness guides. They do not look like the '83 Daytona seats. What we can't figure out is what Recaro's would have been installed in this car at the factory as the data plate indicates? Back seats are light /dark grey and the back section is sun damaged at the top. We are stuck on what to do about the seats.

Engine sounds OK but we intend to replicate the "git kit" w/ Headers, Mallory Dist., Eldelbrock Intake, Holley carb, and open element air cleaner. We are hoping to get information from Mecham as to the exact model dist., carb, intake and air cleaner. We know the headers were "tri-Y" design, but I have not seen any current offerings in this configuration.

Wheels are 17" ROH, w/ 275s/245s. The wheels do not have spacers. The rear fender lip and been rolled to let the tires fit. We are undecided on the wheels we will use. We are partial to the 16X8 basket GTA rims, even though they are obviously not correct.

Clutch needs adjustment. We will remove and refurbish the pedal and linkage.

Will post pictures when I figure out how.

 

sweet post some pics I love the mecham TA's

 

I grew up in Mishawaka, IN. You and I are probably the only guys who know where that is.

Will try to post pictures tomorrow.

 

The Recaro seats were probably installed by Mecham or owner and not at the factory.
It may be the original fabric when the car was new.
DKM installed Recaro seats as an option, both in the Macho T/A's and the MSE T/A's.

 

Sounds like a nice one Love those Mecham cars.

 

The data plate has AQ9 which codes to factory Recaro's. Could AQ9 have stood for something else?

 

Since OP doesn't know how to post pics .... (big pics 56k beware)

 

That would have to be answered by Dennis or Kyle Mecham.
AQ9 does represent the Recaro option and the R/L L/SEIGLER as well.

On my latest Daytona Pace Car's build sheet it lists AQ9 as R/L L/SEIGLER, so maybe the Lear Seigler seats were installed by the factory and represented by AQ9 on the cowl tag.

Does anyone have the Lear Seigler seats in their car and what does the cowl tag have for the seat code?

 

I posted a pic of a Mecham with the factory style Recaro's over on the other site.

I have a build plate from my old 83 T/A that had the L/S seats. I can check it later if you want.

 

Check it Dan..............

Here is my build sheet for my latest DT500.

 

Yeah, after looking at other sources it looks like the AQ9 stood for Lear Siegler seats in '83. I will know when I get the PHS documents. So it is possible that the Recaro's were installed by Mecham.

Anyone know who can restore Recaro seats?

Looked under the front end of the car tonight. The Koni struts are missing as is the wonderbar and swaybar assembly

At least the Koni's are available. Will wait for Mecham info as to the front sway bar spec's.

 

hahaha no way yep Im pretty sure not many do I know of only one person on this board that lives in south bend lol

 

I got the PHS documents. The car was sold to Mecham Pontiac.

The major options that came from the factory:

B20 Luxury Trim Group (Charcoal Lear Siegler Seats in Pallex cloth)
C60 A/C
K35 Cruise
A90 Deck lid release.
AU3/A31 Power windows/locks
UU6 AM/FM ETR W/Cassett, S&S, EQ & Clock
U75 Power Antena
WS7 Special Handling Package w/o Rear Disk Brakes
N33 Tilt Steering Wheel

I had never heard of the WS7 option.

The seats, cruise, deck lid release and power antena are missing. I have some work to do

 

The WS6 suspension originally included rear disk brakes. GM ran short on rear disks at one point and WS7 was added to specify the WS6 suspension paired with drum rear brakes. All of the other specs - sway bars, spring rates, etc, were identical between WS6 and WS7.

Which parts of the deck lid release are missing - the dash button or the "popper" on the latch?

If you decide to sell the ROH wheels let me know - I might be interested.

Don

 

My MSE, which is #53, also has WS7 option. The Koni adjustables, extra front stiffener, special springs, 3:73 posi, and rear droop limiter straps were all part of the Tallon Suspension package. I'm under the impression only red cars got this, maybe someone can enlighten us. Mine also has Recaro seats, installed by Mecham. It is printed on one of my pieces of original paperwork. Mine also have no seatbelt holding provision.

 

I can give you some history on your car, I use to own it. I bought it with 43k miles on it in 2000 and still have the ad and pics of it.

Currently I own 4 Mecham cars '78,'79,'84 and '85.

aztrim@qwest.net

 

Nice car, where in Miami are you? I live in Miami lakes. Andrew

 

What stuck me as funny on this build sheet is that there is a dealership in Van Nuys, CA that the car appears to have been shipped to, yet it was built in Norwood, OH! Now I'm curious to find out how the plant of origin for a given car was determined.

 

In Palmetto Bay, S of Pinecrest

 

All of the 1983 "production" DT500's were made in Norwood and shipped to a small company in Kentucky for installation of the Aero Package since the 1983 assembly line did not have a station set up for installation of it. The down time between the 1983 and 1984, the production line was changed to install the Aero package at both of the plants. As for the regular production Trans Am's the zone office would determine the plant of origin.

That what is so cool about this car made in Norwood and sold in Van Nuys.
My 20th Anniversary was first sold in Pontiac, MI and that is cool too......

Note: Information provided by Tom Goad in 2012, the DT500 Cars were not shipped to Kentucky. This "Kentucky" information was originally published in a "High Performance Pontiac" Magazine issue. Edit August 26, 2024.

 

Does anyone remember what Mecham did to the engine? I do remember trying to get one of these when I was in the Air Force, and It having a nasty lope sound in the engine.