Backyard find, 1970 T/A RAIII
 

A friend just found this in a local backyard, was still owned by the original family. Pretty untouched original car including paint but unfortunately poorly stored outside for the last 30 years and not far enough inland from the Pacific coast. YZ code RA III with auto and A/C and 12-bolt axle.

Pretty cool find.

Some more photos of the car.

Wow, great find. Proof showing they’re still out there

nice. looks to be very original. like the add on cruise control. love the deluxe interior. would like to see if it has the jw wheels under those trim rings. sad so rusty. what did he have to give for it?

I haven't heard what he paid but I think it will end up being for sale after he checks out all the numbers, runs the PHS, and does some research.

I recognize those tires; my dad put a set just like them on The Camaro in 1982...

Sad the weather made it so crusty. I had those same floor mats in my 84 Trans Am.

The car also has AM/FM radio, tilt column, remote mirror, and a power door lock switch in the dash.

What was the reasoning for letting it sit?

Good question. I'll ask him.

Speedometer/odometer

My friend said "The story we got was that the woman who owned the car got sick and just parked it in her backyard. I checked the motor to see if it was frozen and it is not."

He's going to check the wheel codes.

Looks like the wheels are a set from 1973 with the HM code. Matched set with 5/22 on the rear and 5/23 dates on the front. I guess this means the car got mags early on and then they wanted to go back to the stock look but the originals were gone? Don't know for sure.

bummer. set of the jw will set you back some $$$

Neat car - and definitely the coastal rust pattern I used to see when I lived in Santa Barbara.

Thanks for sharing the find with us.
Never knew California could do that to a car.
Terrible shame it had to happen.

The 70 TA's from VanNuys plant usually have a build sheet in the rear seat springs.
He can save himself the PHS money if he gets that.

These cars pretty much document themselves anyhow when found like this.
7040570 WN Cali emission carb
cast iron intake
#12 heads
big RA exhaust manifolds
VIN on block and trans
VanNuys may have stamped VIN up higher on the block face closer to the passenger head - than the typical area alongside timing cover.
Fremont did that - fwiw.

Never seen one with power locks that didn't have power windows also.

The JW's were probably stolen.

That's good info about the build sheet. I've told him to have a look for it.

Here are a couple VanNuys 70 TA docs for reference sake.
Hope he finds the Bsheet

https://www.yenko.net/forum/attachme...1&d=1586793620

https://www.yenko.net/forum/attachme...1&d=1586793620

My bad. I did not pay much attention to the VIN and evidently it is a Norwood car sold new through Knafel Pontiac in Akron, OH which may account for the rust. The CA blue license plate looks to be from around 1972 so it only spent a couple of years back there judging by that. I didn't know PHS sends you the stuff via email this quickly.

Interesting that it shows the car ordered with trim rings. I thought no T/As got trim rings in 1970, but I'm not a Pontiac expert by any means.

He just caught another Lucky Break
Being originally ordered/sold via Knafel is a saving grace for a car that rough.

Not anymore value necessarily when restored being Ram3 Auto AC, but some extra enrichment to its heritage.
Knafel was my favorite race team/dealer.

A Ram4 car from Knafel would be a whole different stratosphere though.
mega-jack plus bonus-jack

Trim Rings were an option, that most didn't spring for.
On 70 T/A

The Docs i posted for the VanNuys car - was also ordered with Trim Rings.

PHS can basically tell you over the phone - if you pay with Card.
If you call during a business time when they would usually answer the phone.

To say, if you stumbled across a car you were told was "special/rare" but there was no documentable proof or drivetrain existing.
They would confirm - Yes its a judge with blah blah etc...
Then send you the Docs or Fax them to you.

One case was a guy found a 68 Bird Vert at a swap meet car corral.
Nothing special looking with NOM cookie cutter drivetrain.
No special claims made by seller.
He made the call -
Was an ultra ultra rare RamAir 2 , 4spd convertible, in hiding.
He bought it - WELL BELOW VALUE

Cool car. Great info Baron. Wow, that hood is really rusty.

I didn't get a trim tag photo but here is the VIN on the dash and the door. 228870N115373

Thanks for all the info, Baron.

Hi 1967Z28, are you Jon from camaros.org? I visit the T/A section over there from time to time, love that place and the photos.


Anyways, man that car is in horrible shape, rust really got to it. :(
I'm curious as to what they did for cruise control or if that's a practical joke. "they" are still out there, for sure; but what of them is left for you to find?..... that's the question!

To keep everyone from going broke buying PHS on every 68 400 Firebird you come across - there is a tiny indicator even if ALL the drivetrain is missing or swapped.
The Ram2 Roundport cars didn't go mainstream until Mid-May build dates.
That guy knew this factoid - and rolled the dice since it was a late production car.

Only 3 Convertibles known to still exist, and 13 Hardtops known
No special badging or special heater boxes or yada yada

Nick, yes that's me and thanks for the compliment on the T/A racing section.

The cruise control is an aftermarket add on. It looks like one of the ones you could buy through Sears back in the day.

The apparatus is still on the driver fenderwell apron.
My 77 Can/Am had the exact same looking (aftermarket) set-up underhood and on the turn signal lever.
Worked fine.
I liked it

If the car was selected to have Full Size Spare versus Space Saver (either/or - no cost alternate - not an invoice item) he might find a JW in the trunk.

Every little JW helps !

No keys to the trunk yet but here's a pic of the matching VIN on the block and the cowl tag.

Vin up top only on Freemont cars

4 convertibles and a few more hard tops I’ve got to get you up to date one of these days

and Atlanta
and Framingham

No good deed goes unpunished ! lol
Bring them on over to the Roll Calls - we need 'em.

We have 3 Birdverts and 4 Goatverts documented

What colors and tranny on the #4 Birdvert ?
We have :
Blk/Blk/Blk 4spd
Red/White/Blk 4spd
Red/Black/Black 4spd
and an undoc'd potential VooDoo Green thats gone cold

Might can get one made from the glovebox lock at a locksmith.
Or pull the back seat and use about 3 extensions to remove the trunklid latch.

I heard today it has been sold for $11K.

Nice.

The fourth car FB is green black black
I’ve seen many Atlanta and Framingham cars and they’re all Vin numbers at the bottom of the block in a typical area