[StealthBird]

I actually prefer the rear spoiler on the 70-81 Birds. Pontiac originally intended the rear spoiler to be a Trans Am feature only in 1970 (as in 1969), but the spoiler proved very popular, and they added it to the option list in 1971.

There's a great story about how Chevrolet tried to steal that 1970 Trans Am spoiler away for their 70 Z/28.

Vince Piggins (Chevrolet’s Product Promotion manager) not only loved the Trans Am rear spoiler, but after he saw the test results of how much downforce it created, he wanted the spoiler for the 1970 Z/28. He called the spoiler manufacturer, and asked about production timetables.

A Pontiac purchasing manager was furious when their spoiler supplier informed him that Chevrolet requested the Pontiac designed spoiler. He told the supplier that under no circumstances could any parts or tooling be used by any other GM division, unless approved by Pontiac, in writing. Pontiac had spent a great deal of money on the tooling, and considered the 1970 Trans Am spoiler to be theirs.

So back to Vince Piggins, who then went all the way up the ladder to Jim McDonald, General Manager of Pontiac. The Pontiac stylists stood their ground, and argued with Jim McDonald that their spoiler design was crucial to the overall look and functionality of the 70 Trans Am. But diplomacy prevailed, Chevrolet was top dog, and McDonald ok’d the use of the Trans Am spoiler for Chevrolet. But to appease his Pontiac stylists, he told Chevrolet they could use the spoiler, but they had to redesign the end caps to give the Z/28 a different look. But the new tooling took time, so the smaller “nub” spoiler continued in production until the ducktail style spoiler became available mid way into the 1970 model year.

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