1969 Trans Am Convert Clone

[sprchvy]

Imagine my surprise to see a very well done 69 Trans Am clone not 6 blocks from my house! Not knowing Pontiacs very well, I assumed that this was not a real TA because of the convertable top. The owner indicated that it was in fact a clone, but indicated that 7 or 8 TA converts were made in 69 making them 6 figure cars today. The car was very well done with the correct white and blue paint scheme, blue deluxe interior, power windows, tilt, gauges, console, 400 motor,auto trans, 10 bolt multi-leaf, vintage air, etc.. What is a well restored (#2), highly optioned, TA clone convert worth?? Any quesses?

[supergonzo]

They made 8 real ones....2 sold last year for over 200K

Lotsa 69 T/A clones popping up hardtops & converts, I would say 20K. Unlike Yenko clones the T/A clones have not appreciated much over a standard firebird. Because there wasnt'a secret Pontiac bigger motor COPO option. And they haven't been in a recent dumb movie.
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T/A's had a unique vertical stacked gauge arrangement with woodgrain insert that almost all standard firebirds do not have. Usually a good way to instantly tell a clone. Other than a Vin check with PHS. As well as all T/A's were ram air cars, with a unique one year ram air system.

Both of the above are very rare & expensive to purchase,(like as much as the paint job) and most cloners do not bother with them.

[JIM]

Hi; I would like to add some insight on 69 Trans Ams. The stacked gauges were not standard. A rallye gauge cluster with a clock was, it was code W63. This is the same cluster that a Firebird could be had with or with a hood tach. Please note a hood tach was not available on a Trans Am. The instant kicker is the steel hood. It is the single most expensive part of the car period. These cars all had a functional fresh air hood, however they were not all Ram- Air Cars. Only 55 cars received the Ram AirIV engine in 69.I had the Automatic Original paint 69 Trans Am at Fall Carlise Last year, where I sold It. It did not have stacked gauges in it. I currently have a 4spd 69 Trans Am That does. It is currently undergoing restoration and Is for sale. I also have a 69 400 Firebird Conv, White, loaded A/C P/W, P/T, Auto ,T/A rear spoiler and many other factory items for sale. Both have PHS docs and are the real thing. The Firebirds are just starting to come alive and will be right behind the Camaros before long.You should be able to buy a very nice conv in the 25-30 range I hope this Helps.
Jim

[zoidberg]

I thought they were all Ram Airs, just not all Ram Air IV. Weren't there 56(?) R/A IVs, and the rest Ram Air III?

[zoidberg]

[ QUOTE ]
Only 55 cars received the Ram AirIV engine in 69.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just saw that, sorry. Don't mind me. I'm an idiot with a short attention span.

[GTO_DON]

THEY WERE ALL RAM AIR...MOSTLY RAM III'S I HAVE A 69 RAM AIR FIREBIRD [NON TA] WITH THE IN-DASH TACH AND THE STACK GAUGES, DELUXE INTERIOR AND AIR WITH A 4 SPEED..

[DaJudge]

Having owned a complete numbers matching 69 Trans Am 4 speed car I would like to make a few comments. The 69 T/A did not come standard with a Rally Gauge package and clock, these were options. Rally Gauges did not become standard until 1970.What did come standard was power steering and brakes.They also had a power steering oil cooler that mounted on top of the core support just in front of the fan shroud which was notched to acommodate the mounting clips. The standard engine was the RA III. The TA had functional air extractors on the fenders as well as a unique hood and ram air pan set up. They also came standard with a wood wheel in the early cars and the formula wheel superceded this later in the production run. Ram Air birds and TA's had long branch ram air exhaust manifolds.If you ordered an indash tach and gauges the tach took the place of the Rally gauges and you then got the stack gauge set up. My TA was in building T at last years GM Carlisle event. These cars run and handle very well.

[JIM]

PONTIAC REFERS TO THE STD TRANS AM ENGINE IN TWO FORMS, THE L74 HO 400 ENGINE, IT IS THEN REFERED TO AS THE RAM AIR III MOTOR IN THE ADVERTISING . USUALLY WHEN PEOPLE REFER TO THE GOLFBALL SIZE PORT RAM AIR CARS THESE ARE THE IV'S. THE III'S SHARE THE STD HEADS AS YOU KNOW. CHECK OUT COLUMN 34 OPTION 8 ON PHS'S FORM'S AND THIS SHOWS THE SAME. IT WAS JUST A NAME GAME. THEY DO RUN GREAT AND HANDLE GREAT. I EVEN HAD ONE OF MINE TO THE DRAGSTRIP LAST SUMMER. THE STARTER ABOUT HAD A HEART ATTACK, BUT YOU HAVE TO DRIVE THEM.
JIM

[442w30]

Hey, Jim, former DE resident here!

It's my understanding that the engine is called the 400HO, and one could order Ram Air with it. The latter is often called the RAIII. This engine was standard on the Trans Am.

The GTO never had this HO/RA option. RA was standard with this engine in the GTO.

[NEATSS]

Last summer at the T/A Nats I saw a very nice original paint low mile '69 TA. This car had the D80 Fisher body code on the cowl tag indicating the factory installed rear spoiler. Did any other '69 Firebirds get a rear spoiler from the factory? If not, is this a good indication of a real '69 TA?