The Supercar Registry - Another rare find '74 455 Trans Am Vinyl Roof

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Another rare find '74 455 Trans Am Vinyl Roof

A year ago, I noticed an ad on a german website, like Craigslist, for a Trans Am, with little text and no price, but a picture of it sitting in a garage with old stuff around it. Beeing a Pontiac lover, and a car hunter gy nature, I was very excited. I left a message, and a guy called me back, said it belonges to a older gentleman (85), and has been sitting for a long time. And he decided it is time that he has to let it go. He told me the price which was offered, or more liiely what they wanted, and I said, I can live with that.

After looking at it a deal was made, and I came back with ny Dodge and trailer. It is running, driving and has zero rust. Except for a little bubble left front fender. He used the TA to trailer his boat from Munich to Croatia every year! See the old picture.
It has a lot of options A/C tilt steering, 8 track(he gave me a little box with old 8 tracks from the 70's! How cool!) Power door locks, 455 engine, and a

VINYL ROOF!

Here is my question. Does anybody know how many Trans Ams with vinyl were made? I only have found one picture (also a white one , but S.D.) on the net.

When we jade the deal at the man's house, I noticed he was a collector. Had old nutcrackers, old clocks and a few model cars and other stuff decorated in the rooms. So when picking up his old car, which he bought in the 70's at a Opel/GM dealer in Munich as a used car (probably 1st hand) I gave him the Ertl 1:18 '73 model as a little gift. He was near tears, but said, he can now still see it when he is sitting on his couch, and that is fine!

Vinyl tops were popular in Europe. I don't have the breakdown for Trans Ams, but in 1974 they produced 14,108 Firebirds with vinyl tops.

Was this car built in Europe, or was it imported? A photo of the trim tag would be interesting to see.

Mike

Nice TA. I got a buddy with a Green on Green 70 Z with a vinyl top

looks like someone cut the rear spoiler down a bit. Wonder why it has blue decals except for the bird on the hood.

Hi, I think it is a U.S. built car. They stopped building Antwerp cars in late 60's.

It has a mp/h speedo, so I think it was a import, or maybe from an american soldier, who might had sold it over here.
I will snap a pic of the cowl tag these days! I will do the PHS documentation soon.

The cut down spoiler was some stupid german "law". They said it is too sharp on the edges.
The old guy told me, that he was pulled over by a motorcycle cop, and he gave him a ticket. So he had to cut it down.

A few years earlier I found and bought a '77 SE T Top Trans Am, black 4 Speed, "Bandit" sitting at a old tire shop here in the countryside. I asked what's up with it, and the guy gave me the number of an ex G.I. who was a helicopter pilot over here in Stuttgart.
He had the TA registered with army plates, and everything was fine. Then he got married, and stayed in Germany and the car was registered here. Also in Munich. He told me, damn motorcycke cop pulled him over, and he had to cut down the spoiler.
It was repainted once. The blue Stickers are not the original ones.

Wonder if it was the same cop.... now we do not have that anymore. Classic cars should ge original.

Haha, cool Street Freak from Sweden. They have everything over there! Totally crazy!

I have an export tag for a 1979 Pontiac tagged as General Motors Suisse S.A. Bienne.

so how plentiful are trans ams in germany? looks like you got a few.
here is a 74 trans am 455 automatic with a vinyl top originally (you can see the remnants on the pillar posts and the chrome trim rivets on the sail panel.

Yes, Switzerland they imported, but as far as I know, they stopped assembling in 1975

Here is a breakdown of cars they made.

https://www.aebicollection.ch/oldtim...motors-bienne/

Thanks for the pic! Poor 74. Needs to be saved!

There are actually quite a few. But more the later models starting '77. They sold a lot GM cars in the late 70's over here. The cars were good and well optioned, and people over here always admired those big american machines. The only thing was, that the tax was per cubic inches, which made them pretty expensive to register, and the higher amount of gas they burnt. Also spare parts were crazy expensive ,too. A Camaro or a Malibu was a luxury car over here, like a Mercedes.

Nowdays u can register classic cars pretty cheap. Tax and insurance.
There are a lot of vintage US cars that have been imported the last 30 years.

Great find especially for Germany...

Quote:

I only have found one picture (also a white one , but S.D.) on the net.

There's a 74 SD455 TA with vinyl top for sale on the Performance Years website if you haven't seen that one yet.
Also a white car.

'

'74 T/A SD w/ VT for sale link...
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=838597
:beers:
~ Pete

.

Dumb question on German law. Does the vehicle-in-tow tailights have to be hooked up to the trailer lights? That must be a bit of a PIA. Can there just be an extra set of lights (magnetic or clamp on) that you attach to the car?

Quote:

Originally Posted by WILDCAT_65 (Post 1473929)

Haha, cool Street Freak from Sweden. They have everything over there! Totally crazy!

Owner bought in US 1975,and still owns it.Real 74 SD