Looking for some help. Im in Australia. This is my husbands 1988 Trans Am. Im trying to find out if its a GTA. He thought it was, but Ive been told it is not because of the flutes. It is a 5L 305. Can anyone tell me where i can find out? Ive been told that I can send the compliance plates or something to Pontiac to get a definite on this. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

 

Sure fire way to tell would be to run the VIN with PHS: https://www.phs-online.com/

Regardless it's a cool little keepsake for Pontiac owners  

Great looking bird! I love that color!!!

My hubby bought it white and painted it orange. I know alot of people hate the unoriginal colours but he always liked to be different.

Thanks Ringo64. Thats a great help!

Damn....that page only goes to 1986 cars. Mine is a 1988. Is there a page for later models?

Welcome, great bunch around here, you guys will fit right in.  Once your answer has been found, chat it up with us in the forum.  Even justa share a joke, I like your color.  We also really like pic's.  Share your carshows or cruise nites with us.

The quickest way to tell if the car is a true GTA is by looking at the RPO code sticker on the inside of the center console. This lists all the options the car was born with. A real Trans Am GTA will have the option code Y84. It will look something like this....

 

Sorry, I didnt intro myself or the car. My hubby bought this car about 15 years ago. It was his baby.  I am now trying to sell it, as I lost him last year to aggressive cancer. We were married for 40 years. I dont know alot about the car other than what i picked up from him. He wanted a good price for it, but in todays economic environment its proving hard. This car is full converted to RH drive. I just need to know if its a GTA....Please help. 

Thanks Frosty....Yes Ive been told this but the sticker is gone. 

Hmmm….one more thing I would check. Somewhere in the late 80s or early 90s, Pontiac moved this sticker from the console to the locking storage compartment in the back of the car. Perhaps it is there.

If you have no luck there, then the only thing left to do is to go to Pontiac Historical Services website with your Trans Am’s VIN and a credit card. They will mail you a package of material on how yiur car was built, color, options, what dealership it was sent to, etc.it will definitely tell you if it is a GTA or not. The cost is around $75 USD.

I am sorry for your loss too.

Edited April 3, 20251 yr by Frosty

Theres a storage compartment in the back??? Lol.....I will have to have a look at that. 

I went to the PHS website...its only to 1986 models. I would happily pay the money if they could tell me.

THankyou all for the condolences. I want my hubby to be ok with whatever I do. If I cant sell it, then Im just going to have to learn to drive it!

To whom this may concern... Or is Interested...

Back in 1988...The Standard engine for the GTA..Is the 5.7 ltr..(350  CID) With Tuned Port Injection (TPI)...Automatic Transmission Only...

The 8th digit of the VIN is the Engine Code

8 = 5.7 TPI..(automatic only)..Service parts I D code..CUA..

F = 5.0 TPI..(manual only)..SPID code..CHA..CHB..CHP..

There were Only two Possible ways for a GTA  to have a 5.0 (305 CID) TPI Engine..

One of them is to have a 5 speed manual Transmission...All Manual Transmission Equipped GTAs  Will Have the 5.0 (305) TPI Engine...

The Only other way to get a 305 powered GTA (auto trans)..Was to do a "Credit Delete"..When a Dealership ordered a GTA to just have on their Lot..Somtimes they would do that (credit delete)...So they Could Legally Advertise/Bring customers to the lot by Having a New GTA..At a Sticker Price That was significantly lower Than all the other Pontiac Dealerships in the region..Of Course When you Actually Showed up to Buy...They  would Tell you that it had Already been sold/Sale pending.... Then Put the Hardcore High Pressure Upsell on You...And the Dealership Would NOT order a Credit Delete car for Any Customer..Therfore You were Forced to buy The Top Dollar cars on the Lot..If you really wanted a New GTA...

Because of that 305 powered GTA Credit Delete cars are Hens Teeth rare...

TLBT...

PS..Great looking car...

 

Edited April 6, 20251 yr by TWO LANE BLACK TOP

Thankyou Two Lane....All info is greatly appreciated. Im learning as I go. I did find your info interesting...as the 8th digit of my VIN is an E and the 9th is an 8....there is an F but its the 4th digit. And my car is an automatic. I didnt really understand that credit delete stuff....lol....so there is actually a car called that?  I dont suppose my car could be a 5.7L 350 could it? Lol...hubby always said it wasnt, but it did come with the badges.....but others have said it cant be cos of the flutes and the targa top. Gotta admit Im confused....lol. I have ordered the vehicle invoice from GM heritage so Im hoping that will tell me something that I can understand. I really do appreciate the help you guys are giving me.

Kisschick...

Let's start with the VIN breakdown of a 1988 Firebird...As I'm 99% sure that We can figure out exactly what your car is...Based off the VIN number and a Couple of other Small details that the Car May or May Not Be Equipped with....

Typical firebird VIN = 1G2FS81F1HL100001

1= United States

G= General Motors

2= Pontiac 

F= Car Line (F = Firebird)

S= Firebird Body Series (S= Firebird..W= Trans Am)

8= Restraint System ( Manual seat Belts)

F= Engine Code (S= 2.8 liter V-6 135 horsepower...(E = 305 CID V8 TBI (throttle body fuel injection)..150 horsepower)...(F= 305 CID V8 TPI (Tuned Port Injection)..190/215 horsepower)...(8= 350 CID V8...TPI..225 horsepower)

1= Check Digit..Which Varies

H= Model Year (H=1988)

L= Assembly Plant (L= Van Nuys California)

100001 is the consecutive Sequence number...

So based on the fact that your car has an 8th digit.. E..engine code (305 with Throttle Body Injection) Your Car  is either a Base Model Firebird Formula or a Base Model Trans Am..

The 5th digit of the Vin what Indicates whether or it is a Trans Am or a Firebird..an S..With the 8th digit engine code..E..Would Be a Firebird Formula which is a Trim Level and not a separate model from the Firebird..The formula will Also have a Unique Hood...With an Offset Bulge..And have a 120 MPH speedometer...And None of the Trans Am Aero Trim/Body cladding...

If the 5th digit is a W then it is a Trans Am which is a Separate Model...With the E.. Engine Code..That indicates that your car is a Base model Trans Am...And should also be equipped with a 120 MPH  Speedometer.. a 2.73:1 Rear Differential gear Ratio with the 4 speed automatic trans transmission....That  Your Car is equipped with...If I'm not mistaken your car (non WS6)..Should have 15 inch Diamond Spoke Wheels...With Front Disc/Rear Drum Brakes... Based on Your Photo and the description you've provided...Without the Service Parts Identification  sticker...I'm 100% sure that it is Not a GTA...And Your Car is Actually a Base model Trans Am..Please Be Sure to check 5th digit of the Vin to help confirm this..Or Not...

All GTAs are equipped (credit delete or not) are Eqpipped with the 305/350  TPI engine...16 inch wheels and four Wheel  Disc Brakes...All Tuned Port cars Formula/Trans Am/GTA..Will have a 140 MPH Speedometer..The optional WS6 cars Formuala/Trans Am/GTA..Will also have 16 inch wheels and 4 wheel Disc Brakes...

I hope all this helps you determine what you have...

I Would also Welcome Any Input/ Comments..Good/Bad/Indifferent... From Other Members on this subject...

TLBT..

 

 

 

 

Edited April 9, 20251 yr by TWO LANE BLACK TOP

Well it seems I wasted my money ordering the vehicle invoice....lol....but thats okay, it will be good to have.

That info is of great help...Thankyou so much....So yes my 5th digit is a W and with an E.... and yes it has front disc rear drum brakes....but has 16 diamond spoke wheels not 15.....but I think youve identified it as a base model trans am. Dunno about the speedo as it is a fully digital dash. My vin has no H at all. it has 21E8JL..... so 1 for seatbelts? E for engine and L for ass plant.....? is my year wrong?

this has been very enlightening for me and greatly appreciated. thankyou.

Oh what is the diff between throttle body injection and tuned port injection? Or is that too complicated for me to understand? Lol

Kisschick..And to Whomever might be Interested. 

I've Reread my previous post..And I Realized that I made a Mistake and Inadvertently left out one of the Numbers..Thereby rendering it Inaccurate...I'm sorry for any confusion I may have Caused..As I DO NOT want to post any Inaccurate info...So let's try this again..

Typical Firebird VIN...1G2FS81F1HL100001

1 = United States..

G= General Motors..

2 = Pontiac..

F = Car Line ( F = Firebrd )..

S = Firebird Body Series ( S = Firebird...( W = Trans Am...

8 = Body Style ( 8 = 2 door coupe...

1 = Restraint System ( 1 = Manual seat belts..(3 = Manual seat Belts with Driver's side Airbag..( 4 = Automatic Seat Belts..

F = Engine Code..Codes are the same as posted Earlier...

1 = Check Digit...Which Varies...

J = Model Year..( J = 1988 )

L = Assembly Plant..( L= Van Nuys California..

100001 = Consecutive Sequence Number... 

Everything else contained in the earlier post is Accurate...

You mentioned that your car has 16 inch Wheels...Those were probably  Changed from 15 inch wheels by a Previous Owner Sometime in the Distant Past...Before your Husband Acquired the car..Same Thing With the GTA Badges that came with the Car...

You also mentioned that your car has a Digital Dashboard..Is it an Aftermarket Unit..?? Or is it a Factory LCD ( Liquid Crystal Display )...??  The LCD Dashboard is a Factory Option that was available on any Firebird/Trans Am/GTA..Unfortunately Without the Service Parts Identification sticker...It would Impossible for Me to determine Whether or Not Your Car Came from the Factory with the LCD Option or Not..🤔🤔..

If you're really interested in the difference between Throttle Body Fuel Injection and Tuned Port Injection...just say so...And I will Try to explain as best as I can in Layman Terms...

Again Sorry for any confusion You Experienced Do to my F@÷k up...

TLBT..

Edited April 9, 20251 yr by TWO LANE BLACK TOP

Hey Ali,

Very familiar with the car, sorry again about your loss, but very likely that it's not a GTA. It's still good you ordered the Allied Vaughn GM Media Archive paperwork for the car, as it's good information you can share with interested buyers. I had ordered the same paperwork for my 1987 GTA and it is valuable information. It will also definitively give you concrete proof that it's not a GTA and show exactly what options it came with from factory. 

I dont know about the dash....My hubby always thought it was original. Hopefully the paperwork will tell me.

Sure...Lol....Have a go at the explanation re injection....lets see how much I really paid attention when hubby talked cars..

Greatly appreciate all the help and info guys, I cant say that enough. 

Can you post a pic of the dash lit up?

Yes..I will get one over the weekend.

I dont suppose anyone here can tell me where I can get brake parts for the car in Australia? If not, where would i go in the US to purchase?

I will defer to Kiwi, Fitzy, or others to answer where in OZ you can get 3rd-gen parts. 

Rockauto.com is a good source. AMES Performace. Classic Industries. YEAR ONE, National Parts Depot. All have online catalogs for the 3rd-gen Firebird too.

Much Thanks!!

23 hours ago, Kisschick said:

I dont suppose anyone here can tell me where I can get brake parts for the car in Australia? If not, where would i go in the US to purchase?

Kiss chick 

go to the rockauto web site ! 
they will have what you need 

 

Much thanks Kiwi....I had a quick look at the site. Looks good. Ive managed to find 2 places here in Oz, with help from FB pontiac page - Ponti World in NSW and Chevy Shed in Qld. I also found a guy who has a pontiac shop in Bridgetown WA of all places - apparently what he doesnt know about Pontiacs hasnt been invented yet...Lol. He was very helpful and told me he could order me anything i need. A guy from the FB group has all the parts i need as he has a 87 TA and they are the same. So, Yay! Its wonderful that so many are so willing to help a green nubie...lol.

on a couple of other earlier discussions.....see pic of lit up digital dash - and the fb guy verified it is original as he looked at the vehicle invoice and its coded there as U52.  It also says the car came with 16" rims. Of which we removed today and were surprised to see made in japan on them...see pic...is that normal?

The car came from Waco Texas.

KISSCHICK..

The main Thing that denotes A Base Model Trans Am....Is the Throttle Body Injection...Engine code E..But they could also be Factory Optioned...in a number of configurations...Including WS-6..with 4 Wheel Disc Brakes..Different spring rates/Suspension parts..Etc.. Including the 16 inch deep dish Diamond Spoke Wheels your car has...There is an Option...WS-7... (16 inch Wheels Suspension parts..Etc..) Which is the same as the WS-6 Upgrade but WITHOUT the Rear Disc Brakes...(would be indicated on the service parts Id label)

The extra cost WS-7...Was Only Available on the 3rd gen..Firebirds/Trans Ams...Was NOT Available on the 2nd/4th Gen cars...Although I've seen a few Less Intelligent people...(Self Procaimed Firebird Expert).. Try to Pass off..A fourth Gen...Trans Am/Formula with a Cheap Aftermarket Non Functional Ram Air hood as a WS-7...And went to the trouble of having A FAKE WS-7 Badge made...And Swear it Came from the Factory like that...And became Completely Unglued...When I Called him out on it...In front of his "Entourage" ...( Normally I Don't call people out..But this was too blatant and I couldn't let it Go) Was quite entertaining to Watch...🙂

 

Edited April 13, 20251 yr by TWO LANE BLACK TOP