At "only" 15 inches, the wheels are in proportion and look just fine. Personally, I'm tired of the endlessly increasing wheel sizes, they're getting ridiculous.
I agree, the 15" N89 wheels are perfect for this car. One reason why wheels got bigger on more modern cars is because of the increased weight cars have compared to the ones from 30 or 40 years ago.
I'm with you, also as an owner of many sports cars, i am completely over the 3/4 inch sidewalls. I am done with hitting a small blemish in the road and my tire exploding. My last sporty car - an Audi RS3 had 235/30r19's on the front and i had to replace 4 of them in the 1st 6 months. My previous car was a Cadillac ATS-V which had 245/45r17's lasted 3 years with no blowouts. Drove much better too.
These stock suspensions and components (in both cars AND trucks) are NOT designed for long lifespans when wheels are upsized by more than an inch or perhaps two. And in any case, the bigger wheels by more than an inch look out of proportion in most vehicles.
@@paddle_shift A young and foolish kid I know has the biggest wheels he can stuff in the fenders of his Civic Type R, with an absurdly low profile. He had to find a tire shop with a machine that could handle it, pay through the nose to get them mounted, and has had a couple of blowouts that happened much too easily. But he sticks with it, because "it looks so cool!" To me, it looks like several layers of electrical tape wrapped around the rim.
I was wrenching at a GM dealership when this new F Body came out and can say, without any hesitation, that it was the most highly engineered car that The General ever made! I mean, any company can take steel and make a car from it. But to take that much cardboard & plastic and make a functional car out of it ... THAT takes engineering!
I don't even want to talk about engineering. The dumbass who designed the fuel tank location should have been hung by his nuts. And a few years later what do you know they finally start put that so you could access the fuel pump from the trunk. 8 hours to replace a fuel pump complete bulshit good job Garbage Motors engineering my ass and glad I got out of that line of work
The third gen Camaro/Firebird were simply gorgeous. I owned a 1987 IROC-Z and a 1991 GTA, and miss both of them. If I could find a stock, good condition 1990 GTA in black, I would buy it instantly. These are very rare to see these days; we take our 1999 Firehawk to shows each summer, and while there are numerous 2nd and 4th gen cars, and even the odd 1st gen, you hardly ever see a 3rd gen. I'm glad you have kept this one so stock (even the bowling ball wheel covers, which are terrific). Great looking car, even if the mechanicals are problematic/don't live up to the car's looks. Enjoyed the episode.
My other half had an '82 Trans Am, just like this one but without the T-tops. Someone had put a Chev 350 and THM350 in place of the 305. 10 years old and already rusty, even in TX.
@@frankcastle2045 were they squeaky boat sized large displacement yet slow as shit.... yes they were. But did it, as well as the Mustang encompass a better time... a brighter time. V8s aside, i loved the mintish green RS convertible. But holy shit, it desperately needed sub frame connectors and a manual. Regarding the TransAm, it came into its personality and adulthood/body with the swooping spoiler and the grate lines above the pop up headlights. 1989 SCCA EDITION TRANSAM IN WHITE. Also, always wished I could find a well taken care of 1992 Z28 manual
This car brings back memories of high school. I dated a girl who received a red Trans Am for her 16th birthday. Her car was almost exactly like yours, except she had the interior package, carberated v-8, power leather seats, no side strips, and the wheel covers were silver which I found out many years later is very rare. Very few cars came with the silver wheel covers. Always fun to ride around in.
Adam, your T/A is in amazing condition still. I was a 29 year old Service Manager at the local Pontiac store when these came out. I believe they were pretty hard to get the first 6 months. Many customers and myself were very disappointed in the sloppy build quality. But, most of the GM line up wasn't much better. That Cross Fire set up was a mystery for some of the older techs. And, I thought those "bowling ball" wheels were so ugly back then, not so much today. I preferred the second generation Firebirds, especially with the 455 Super Duty in the early 70's.
I owned a 1985, with a 305 CI. MPI and stage 2 chip, 16 inch wheels with the WS2 handling package, 4 wheel disc brakes. It had mad power and I loved it! Knight Rider was an Inspiration to buy one!
Nobody from the Knight Rider era could ever forget the "bowling ball" wheels! So glad to see you still have yours and I love learning from your channel! The 1991 Trans Am GTA in deep red with gold trim in original shape is still a dream car for me. Keep our memories and dreams alive!
Memories. My first car was a black 1982 Trans Am. After having the TH200 transmission blow up twice a friend helped me stuff in a TH350 from an old Z28. Never had a problem after that!
Fun and interesting review. My dad bought an 82 Trans Am equipped similarly to this one (except blue instead of red). He felt like such a hot shot with that car. Miss you dad. Thanks for the memories Adam.
Adam, your comment on being influenced by Knight Rider prompted me to write. I bought my ‘79 Trans Am because of Jim Rockford’s Formula. Mine was dark blue with camel cloth, AC, no T-Tops and the hood decal delete. I ordered it with the WS6 package as I loved the 8” snowflakes with the gold centers. My big disappointment was when I ordered the Pontiac 400. Since they were going out of production, my dealer wanted a $1000 premium over the approximately $300 up charge for that motor. Since I wanted the 4-speed, I had to take the 301 4bbl Pontiac built motor which was actually a credit option. I did not want the 403 Olds engine with the automatic. That car out the door was just under $8000. Since I was 28 and a technician with a major utility in NYC, I was making good money but not great money. The extra $1000 was too much. The 301 was surprisingly torquey with the 4-speed but after 60 mph, it didn’t have much left. All in all though, it was a real nice riding and handling car.
Hey Adam, enjoy the Pontiac Trans Am video. a while back I mentioned to you that I have a 1983 base Camaro, with the Pontiac iron duke 4 cylinder. I have to laugh because you have the Pontiac with the Chevy V8, and I have the Chevy with the Pontiac 4cyln. My car is very bar bones. Got it with less then 10,000 miles. It's a 4 spd manual, no air. And sounds way more tinny then your car when I shut the doors. Motor sounds and shakes like it's tractor. The standard suspension makes it steer and handle like a drunken cow. Bought it with intentions of maybe putting a V8 in it, but from watching your channel I've come to realize that there's probably few of these around anymore. I've come to appreciate it for what it is. As always, keep up the great content
Hey Adam, I've always been a fan of the 82 Firebird/ Trans Am, especially red ones with the T-Tops (even though they leak). I like the bowling ball hub caps too!!! Thanks for sharing this snowy winter video!!! 👍👍🙂
Still a great looking car! I have a special place in my heart for this decade of TransAm and Camaro. I had the Red Camaro on my 2nd grade Trapper Keeper. I was like “someday I will have one of these” . I ended up with the 05 Mustang GT instead. Ha Found your channel by the way looking up my parents old 1984 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight coupe. We called it the Hooptie. My Dad loved that car!
I bought an 83 Trans Am brand new at Sam Swope in Louisville. It was made at Norwood Assembly near Cincinnati....custom ordered and dropped a lot of frills by order of the then wife. Paid 14,000 and some change. Truly, the best car I ever owned. My mom later bought a V-6 in 1987....she died at nearly 100 It only had 25,000 miles on it in 2020!
The dual exhaust setup on these 82s and 83s was quite interesting , with two transverse mufflers, instead of the single transverse muffler that would come out later on the V8 cars .
@@crankychris2 1985 T.PI. 305's were rated at 215 h.p. 1986 models had a milder cam, which brought the rating down to 190 h.p. Finally, in 1987, the T.P.I. 305 was offered with the T5 manual transmission, which had previously been limited to the LG4 and L69 carbureted 305 engines, and these were fitted with a hotter cam, and got the 215 h.p. rating again, while 700R4 automatic equipped versions kept the milder cam and 190 h.p. rating. All 1987 305's received roller lifters, which helped performance and fuel economy, as well.
Seriously gorgeous, I have an '84 HO 5 speed W62, but I wish it didn't have the ground effects. They really nailed the styling on 3rd gens. I also have an 87 GTA, it's quite a bit better than the early one. It just feels tighter overall, and more refined. But the edgy and uniqueness of the 82-84 really makes them look more special. Actually, the TH200C was still the standard transmission in 1983, I had an 83 Z28 305 TH200C (matching numbers). It worked fine, I did fine a good amount of grey sludge in the oil pan...
My dad had the exact trans am inside and out. I almost fell over when I saw it on your video. Wow that car brought back memories as a child. I even bought a 1984 when I got into my 20's. It's the sports car that started it all for me. Since then Ive gone through a few sports cars and now have a 2017 mustang gt with the performance package that I have put a ton of track modifications on it. Thank you for posting this video and your content.
i have 15 inch bowling ball hubcaps. i drilled small holes into the plastic framing behind the hub caps & secured the caps to the wheel with tie wraps. They are secure & can be cut out so i can clean the brake dust out of the wheels. great video. early 3rd gens are really fun to drive. one of the most under-rated of the 80s pony cars. my 83 TA gets lots of chatter at the gas station. kids in the back of the school bus all gawk LOL.
Great video. I myself own a '84 Camaro Z-28 5.0 Litre H.O. my father bought new , and has remained in the family every since. It's in great shape all these years later mechanically, but 15 plus years ago I did have to have the car repainted, and o.e.m. graphics replaced due what I believe was the quality of the water-based paints used back in the day, especially here in West, Tx where the summers are brutally hard on painted automotive surfaces. I've come close to selling it , but I just could never do it, and although the L69 190 hp 305 by today's standards pulls as if it's tied to a tree, its peppy enough that I still enjoy driving it immensely. I think I'll just hold on to it. Really look forward to you vids, please keep bringing us great cars of the past. Thanks.
Those L69 engines were pretty good, It should go 0- 60 around 7 sec. Check the vacuum hoses, get the carb rebuilt and give it a complete tune-up. I almost forgot to say check the smog equipment.
@@markg7030 Yes, a very fun engine, and with the factory performance axle ratio with posi traction its a hoot to play with, eventhough its mostly a cruiser now. The engine is 100% bone stock, with the original 600 cfm Quadrajet carb, and all original emission smog system including the "monolythic" corvette high flow cat. converter. The car has just 72k original miles. A true time capsule indeed.
That car really did go a long way during its run. They kept improving and changing. I recent saw a a photo of one with digital gauges. I was a fan of the Firebird/Trans Am. I fondly recall The Knight 2000 ( KITT) Trans Am. There were the better engines that came later too. I recall the one with the Regal Grand National engine too. Thank you Adam.
Adam, if you look closely at your red firebird, the passenger side headlight door is actually what is out of alignment. If you look real closely, it’s moved over to the left towards the fender. The hood is fine. That could probably be manipulated and fixed. 👍🏻
My cousin owned a black '83 circa 1985--fun cruising around with him and my brother when I was 11-12 years old. That was followed by a black '85 Mustang GT for him, and in '86 my brother acquired a gray '84 5.0 Mustang with t-tops that needed some work, which we performed with the help of other family and friends. Good memories of the moments and experiences we had in all of those '80s muscle rides. Rode in more than my share of third-gen F-bodies, Chevy and Pontiac both, over the years. I spent fun times in my share of first and second gens too, although that's another tale. 😉
Your car is beautiful Adam,nice to see the famous 'Bowling Ball' hubcaps like KITT from Knight Rider. I love 1982 Trans am's. I am a huge Knight Rider fan and to me KITT will always be a classic.
This is giving me flashbacks of my 83 Trans Am I owned in 1991-92 when I was 19. It was black and gold, like the one in Smoky and the Bandit 3. The cross fire backfired on me once, the motors on the lights went. I dented the front fender and covered it with a LeBra. Being 19 at the time, I couldn’t properly maintain it and beat on it that year. Ended up selling it to a friend for $600.
Thank you! Excellent car you have! The 3rd gen cars have timeless styling. They look great today but back then they were amazing. Whenver you see old photos outside the factory, the F-cars look amazing but all the other new cars look really really old. I forgot the man's name that designed the 3rd gen F-bodies, but he is a master
It's 75F and sunny here in the Houston area--my kind of winter! I was a guy in my 20's when this came out. Like so many of us we still liked the seventies body and interior (the 70 1/2) Firebird more. Great video!
@@john1959ism I actually live in Lake Jackson, 45min south. Used to live in Bellaire and owned a home in Stafford. Amazing how different our weather can be!
As to the year 1982, this year produced one of the best looking cars ever built: The '82 Toyota Supra P-type. This car was slow, but it was beautiful and basically a Japanese Jaguar XJS. With the same performance and twice the fuel mileage~
Very interesting. I didn't know that GM pushed the "cheapskate" envelope so as to not include a glove box, and put a Chevette transmission in there! Anyway, this video is much better than the other guy who uses the terms "quirks and features" on YT. Much more relaxed and casual. Very enjoyable. Thanks for sharing.
They stuck the THM 200 in everything, including Malibus and Cutlasses. Engines like the Buick 231 V6 and Olds 260 V8 were so weak they didn't overstress the trannies much. It was soon gone once the four-speed overdrive automatics (700R4 and 200R4) came out. Those should have come out 20 years earlier, as the overdrive gear dramatically improved highway fuel economy in any car in which it was installed. 1500-1700 rpm at 65 mph.
The light duty transmissions were about fuel economy. They put a lot of effort into making them as efficiant as they could, even using low drag brake calipers and those streamlined wheel covers.
Adam, those aftermarket body side moldings are adhesive & can be peeled off. The “tips” are separate add ons so you could just cut it square and stick the tips on to finish it off. The factory installed body side moldings were stick on with that gray butyl tape and was a royal P.I.T.A. doing any paintwork & having to remove/reinstall the moldings. I had a loaded black/gold ‘83 WS6 with the LG4 5.0 with the four barrel feedback Quadrajet & the 700R4. Had really great handling but pretty slow overall. Quality, fit & finish was sub-par at best.
At that time it was quite popular to order those moldings from the factory. When you see a random car that has them, it’s much more likely they’re factory than aftermarket.
@@kc9scott In that year if memory serves me correctly, they were solid color textured and I also believe that on every car so equipped they were black. I was in horror one day when I visited a Buick dealership and every car was ordered without body side moldings and they put these cheap “rivet on” moldings. The installer was drilling lots of small holes in the sides of the new cars and applying these cheap moldings that looked good (?) for maybe one year, before they started to deteriorate from the elements. I guarantee every little hole drilled in the side of the car developed rust too.
That's a gorgeous 1982 Trans Am. It's very rare to see one on the road, especially when it looks original. I love the KITT look but in my opinion the factory is more appealing to me.
I love the KITT look 82 Trans am,most awesome car ever to be built,Adam's is beautiful too especially with those Bowling Ball hubcaps,like KITT. I have driven a KITT replica back in 2018 and he was awesome to drive,he also talked just like in the show.
Thanks for bringing this thing out again, and even in the snow for us to view! It does bring back memories like you say, I remember seeing these everywhere when they were still new, even in the winter, only up to the windows in salt🙂 People bought them as daily drivers and just used them up. They were still pre-galvanized steel back in those days, so many of them rusted out bad like everything else GM of the period -and just got used up and went to the used beater market or the crusher after 10 or 12 years. Making your example all the more rare -perfect for the channel actually. Cheers Adam!!
I love that design a lot. I love that "sweet grin" of the front and that plain panels at the sides upwards. I own a 1988 Formula in Germany. I think you missed one one-year-only thing: as far as I know, only the 1982 had double mufflers at the rear. From 1983 on it was a single muffler. Lovely car. Also Knight Rider "forced" me to have one one day. I like it that you never thought about to convert it and let it like it is. Perfect.
An incomplete list of things I would add: 1) this car has the door panel eagle emblems which were 1982-only, and there was more than one style, and many cars did not have them at all, so that's at least three different combinations from the factory. this could not be specified with an RPO code, so it's seemingly random. the design style of the door panel eagle itself is like no other eagles found throughout the car on the horn button, hood, sail panel, taillights, hidden behind map pocket, etc. door panel eagle has far more in common with second-gen 1970-1981 styling cues than it does with anything during 1982-1992, so that's definitely a nice quirk. perhaps the quirk of all quirks. 2) the horn button with small silver laminated eagle is specific to 1982 and possibly early 1983. it changed to a cheaper single-piece plastic horn button after that. 3) the 1982 gauges are back-lit in blue/green, which went to orange/red in 1983. 4) the 1982 odometer has 6 digits, so it rolls over at a million miles. this went to 5 digits in 1983, so those roll over ten times quicker, at a hundred thousand miles. 5) the 1982 Trans Am mirror housings and rear spoiler are painted in flat black, regardless of body color. they would've gone to color-keyed, glossy red, if the car was a 1983. 6) the badly-fitting headlight can be re-adjusted for better body fitment. 7) zip ties are the best solution for keeping on the hubcaps. they run through the holes at the back of the hubcap, and around the wheel spokes. you can get by with three per wheel. they can just be cut off whenever needed, so they are not intrusive or liquefied the way that silicone is. 8, etc.) many LG4 Trans Am's, in 1982 only, had a flat hood with no hood scoop. the ones that were lucky enough to get a hood scoop had a plastic dummy plate anyway, blocking the hole shut. only Cross-Fire LU5 Trans Am had a mandatory hood scoop, and it was functional, as on this car. the 4-speed manual transmission was unavailable with the LU5, so it was mandatory 3-speed automatic. the "top dog" combination of LU5 engine and WS6 with 4-wheel disc brakes had a very very short overlap, mid-model year 1982; legend has it these cars were only built for about a week. the list goes on and on. don't quote me on this one but I believe the 1982 Cross-Fire LU5 was the first fuel-injected F-body since 1969, two body styles earlier.
Being in high school in 1982, I remember the advertisements for this car in magazines back then. They said the car had a very low coefficient of drag. The bowling ball wheels helped the number to get lower they wrote.
Thanks for posting! This is the TA of my childhood. Love the styling and overall look of this car. Like others have said, the 15 inch wheels look well in proportion here.
Thank you. I particularly enjoyed this one because it's an outlier within your collection. My fascination with mid-1970s Firebirds is similar in tracing back to a particular NBC show.
I was a car salesman in 1992 at a Ford dealership,and a lady traded in her 84 Firebird.It only had 39,000 miles.I was able to buy it for $2350.It was a pretty plain Jane.2.8 V-6,automatic ,vinyl sate.It drove great.Not a lot of power,but it did ok once you were at cruising speed.I loved the orange lit dash with all of the gauges.But rattling and squeaking would drive me crazy. And at 50,000 miles,the engine sometimes would start clattering something horrible .So after nearly 2 years,Sold it for $2300.Oh,and it had a couple minor dents when I bought it,and it was that wonderful GM blue paint that peeled off every-time you washed it.
A fine example Adam. I had an ‘86 T/A 5.0 not a ball of fire under hood, as you said, but where it lacked power it made up for with its styling and the fun to drive feeling with the T-tops off.
I KNEW you would bring up K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider! As would I.. LOL.. Wish we still had my wifes red 88 Formula with the WS 6 package. What a handler! I never saw such a thick front sway bar!!
If Pablo Picasso drew a sketch of a C4 Corvette, it would look like this thing. And seriously, a Chevy 305 with a THM200, in a Pontiac! Lordy, it’s no wonder so many young car buyers in the eighties were heading to VW, Honda and Audi dealerships. Thanks for the malaise era history lesson Adam.
Excellent contrast in the snow! It still is a great looking car, especially the early years in its most pure form. I'm trying to remember but it was either the Corvette or Cavalier of that same year that also had the faux screw heads that you had to watch out for. As a GM tech we were given a pen magnet to 'diagnose' stripped screw heads for the customer...
My dad bought a new 1983 T/A with the carb'd 305 and manual gearbox. Same color as this one and the same wheels and bowling ball (lol) caps. I loved that car and it was a treat, as a 16yo in 1983, to drive it to school. Thanks for the memories!
Adam. Best part of your videos. Is the comments. I absolutely love reading these guy's stories about their memories. From working in the industry to family members owning one. I just love the nostalgia that each of your video brings. I sit for hours just reading these great stories that these men and women share in the comments. It's the best! So much history uncovered by your media business!
The rear wiper is cool. I can’t say I’ve seen one. I recall working on an early camaro with the vacuum operated hood scoops that opened when floored. Rare options are always cool 😎
When I was 20 , I so dreamed of having this car . I did buy a 84 camaro Z 28 H.O. in 1990 and it was a fast car with a modified valve body transmission. It was a bullet proof car .
The tire size looks fine. I prefer to have rubber instead of excessive metal that modern hideous cars have (less blow outs, better ride on less than perfect roads, etc.). Even though I am not a GM guy, the 3rd generation Firebird, is one of the best looking cars made in Automotive history. If you have Eagle GTIIs, then those must be quite old ( a shame they don't make them other than a few random sizes anymore as they're still better than a lot of modern tires made by Goodyear). Thank you for sharing it.
Those artificial Allan tops are so awesome on the instrument panel and doors it really looks aviation-themed, over-the-top, and unapologetically bold, especially for GENERAL MOTORS' typically coservative styling. Nothing better than boldness that ripens with age.
Bro I’m so jealous. My brother growing up had a 83 Trans am Daytona and I was in love with it. Iv tried to find a clean 82-84 Trans am that not stupid expensive with no luck. Your living my recurring dream since I was 9 years old. Thank you so much for this video. It being out my inner 9 year old.
These looked SO MUCH BETTER than the Z28 Chever-Lay version! I was 16 when these came out and I thought they were awesome! Even if they kinda sorta turned into "trailer park heroes"..... [I was a fan of these until Volkswagen put out the '83 GTI, with 90 hp and 2200 pound curb weight and similar performance to the Trans Am] Great video!
I bought a brand new 1982 TA but mine was silver. I got every option you could get but not the cross fire. I worked at the Chevy V-8 engine plant where they built the engine for that car. The cross fire set up was the first year and only year. The V-8 were the same other than the intake set up. The second day I owned the TA I bought the Hanson honeycomb rim for the car and got rid of those frisbee covers. Coolest car on the road.
The early versions of this car were and still are absolutely striking, even if the later versions were actually much better cars. If buying one as a collector's item and not a regular driver, I would definitely favor design over quality and performance.
Love the 3rd gen f body, I have an 87 Z28, not an iroc, plus i had an 84 camaro berlinetta, and I used to work at a camaro/firebird rebuildable salvage yard where they sold rebuilder cars and parts, I can't tell you how many 3rd generation f bodies I stripped and cut up, but they were a dime a dozen back then
Thanks for this informative video. 4 cylinder as a base engine. Wow. I bought a new 78 T/A and drove it for 4-5 years before selling it for a down payment on a house. It was a fun car to drive. I have never even sat in this generation T/A so it was very informative. Glad it has you as a steward to keep it original
We bought a new off the lot 1990 Pontiac Formula 350 in red, no t-top, WS6, dual cats, grey cloth interior , from Pat Clark Pontiac in Vegas. It was the only 350 car on the lot without ground effects or the GTA package. Loved and still love that car, made a mistake getting rid of it.
Wow. That l̶o̶o̶k̶s̶ is super clean! Awesome car... Just FYI you can adjust the whole Right Hand headlight assembly... 2 bolts you'll have to take the black grill off to get to them. 👌
Great video very informative. I had a 1985 T/A. Traded my 84 Sunfire Turbo 4 speed in on the T/A. The Sunfire was really fun but kept breaking down. The Trans Am was very dependable. Zero issues except once the tumblers failed in the ignition key. Mom drove an 82 Phoenix LJ. Those where the days!
Your video brings back memories of my first car. I really loved the design (that asymmetrical hood scoop was unique + the popup headlights, etc...) and this was what prompted me to buy one. My car was also red, automatic with the T-top, fabric seats almost exactly like yours. For the most part it worked well. Sadly, I had a small frontal impact which damaged the front bumper and this was never put right, with none of the local body shops seemingly able to match the paint properly. I have a vivid memory of continually find screws that worked themselves loose and collected them all in the ashtray. I ended up selling the car on to a teacher who paid through her credit union. I then went on to get a Saab 900 Turbo SPG, which was leagues better quality-wise. Thanks for the video.
In Florida these cars disintegrated. All that plastic warped and cracked. Spent countless hours fixing up auction cars, attempting to make them worth selling. Yours is about the nicest example I’ve ever seen, in recent years. Definitely a good looking automobile.
I had a 1983 Pontiac trans am in exact color red cherry color. With the 14” wheels. It had the 305 with the carb and auto. It was basically a strip model. It had a heater, roll up crank windows and am/ fm radio. It did run good but slow as molasses lol. This was back in 1990-91.
My dad had an 82 and 84 fully equipped with power windows,am/fm with a cassette deck player and the power antenna that would pop up from the right front side panel,oh as a little kid from four to thirteen years old I felt like a king.
My friend had one in the early 90s ...for the displacement not that many hp... but the torque made it a blast to ride around in. Another friend had a 87 GTA. Also fun
I owned an 82 T/A, currently own a 1989 Formula with about 46k miles. Even my 89 isn't fast. It's very peppy and it's pushing maybe just over two hundred horsepower if I'm lucky. But I'm not into it to racing or abusing the car in the least. I love the car because it's beautiful and handles very well, it's very fun to drive its extremely nostalgic. Your T/A is Beautiful.
At "only" 15 inches, the wheels are in proportion and look just fine. Personally, I'm tired of the endlessly increasing wheel sizes, they're getting ridiculous.
Even for performance and the necessary brake rotors fitting, 18" and 17" are fine in most cases.
I agree, the 15" N89 wheels are perfect for this car. One reason why wheels got bigger on more modern cars is because of the increased weight cars have compared to the ones from 30 or 40 years ago.
I'm with you, also as an owner of many sports cars, i am completely over the 3/4 inch sidewalls. I am done with hitting a small blemish in the road and my tire exploding. My last sporty car - an Audi RS3 had 235/30r19's on the front and i had to replace 4 of them in the 1st 6 months. My previous car was a Cadillac ATS-V which had 245/45r17's lasted 3 years with no blowouts. Drove much better too.
These stock suspensions and components (in both cars AND trucks) are NOT designed for long lifespans when wheels are upsized by more than an inch or perhaps two. And in any case, the bigger wheels by more than an inch look out of proportion in most vehicles.
@@paddle_shift A young and foolish kid I know has the biggest wheels he can stuff in the fenders of his Civic Type R, with an absurdly low profile. He had to find a tire shop with a machine that could handle it, pay through the nose to get them mounted, and has had a couple of blowouts that happened much too easily. But he sticks with it, because "it looks so cool!" To me, it looks like several layers of electrical tape wrapped around the rim.
I was wrenching at a GM dealership when this new F Body came out and can say, without any hesitation, that it was the most highly engineered car that The General ever made! I mean, any company can take steel and make a car from it. But to take that much cardboard & plastic and make a functional car out of it ... THAT takes engineering!
Ohhhhh YOU!
That's true American ingenuity for you. The envy of the world, one might say.;)
I don't even want to talk about engineering. The dumbass who designed the fuel tank location should have been hung by his nuts. And a few years later what do you know they finally start put that so you could access the fuel pump from the trunk. 8 hours to replace a fuel pump complete bulshit good job Garbage Motors engineering my ass and glad I got out of that line of work
Funny, but these were much lighter than the last generation.
92-96 LT1 into these would be excellent.
I bought one new in ‘82. It was a piece of crap. See my post above.
I'm impressed with the contrast between the red and the snow! I love how it looks.
Perfect red colour. Nice contrast with the black wheel covers and trim too.
Almost everything looks good next to classic red; it is the best color a car can be!
The third gen Camaro/Firebird were simply gorgeous. I owned a 1987 IROC-Z and a 1991 GTA, and miss both of them. If I could find a stock, good condition 1990 GTA in black, I would buy it instantly. These are very rare to see these days; we take our 1999 Firehawk to shows each summer, and while there are numerous 2nd and 4th gen cars, and even the odd 1st gen, you hardly ever see a 3rd gen. I'm glad you have kept this one so stock (even the bowling ball wheel covers, which are terrific). Great looking car, even if the mechanicals are problematic/don't live up to the car's looks. Enjoyed the episode.
Had an 89 RS with the TBI 305 and also had a 91 GTA (dark green). Wish I hadn’t gotten rid of them. I love 80s era F Bodies and G Bodies.
I miss my 1988 GTA Trans Am with the 5.7L TPI.
I had a 87 iroc with the 5.7 it was a pile of 💩
My other half had an '82 Trans Am, just like this one but without the T-tops. Someone had put a Chev 350 and THM350 in place of the 305. 10 years old and already rusty, even in TX.
@@frankcastle2045 were they squeaky boat sized large displacement yet slow as shit.... yes they were. But did it, as well as the Mustang encompass a better time... a brighter time.
V8s aside, i loved the mintish green RS convertible. But holy shit, it desperately needed sub frame connectors and a manual.
Regarding the TransAm, it came into its personality and adulthood/body with the swooping spoiler and the grate lines above the pop up headlights.
1989 SCCA EDITION TRANSAM IN WHITE.
Also, always wished I could find a well taken care of 1992 Z28 manual
My 1979 Pontiac Trans Am 6.6 was a perfect weather forecaster. With my T-Tops, I always knew when it was raining!
This car brings back memories of high school. I dated a girl who received a red Trans Am for her 16th birthday. Her car was almost exactly like yours, except she had the interior package, carberated v-8, power leather seats, no side strips, and the wheel covers were silver which I found out many years later is very rare. Very few cars came with the silver wheel covers. Always fun to ride around in.
Nice to see that beautiful Trans Am again. I also own a red 82 that I purchased back in 2012.
Adam, your T/A is in amazing condition still. I was a 29 year old Service Manager at the local Pontiac store when these came out. I believe they were pretty hard to get the first 6 months. Many customers and myself were very disappointed in the sloppy build quality. But, most of the GM line up wasn't much better. That Cross Fire set up was a mystery for some of the older techs. And, I thought those "bowling ball" wheels were so ugly back then, not so much today.
I preferred the second generation Firebirds, especially with the 455 Super Duty in the early 70's.
I owned a 1985, with a 305 CI. MPI and stage 2 chip, 16 inch wheels with the WS2 handling package, 4 wheel disc brakes. It had mad power and I loved it! Knight Rider was an Inspiration to buy one!
Nobody from the Knight Rider era could ever forget the "bowling ball" wheels! So glad to see you still have yours and I love learning from your channel! The 1991 Trans Am GTA in deep red with gold trim in original shape is still a dream car for me. Keep our memories and dreams alive!
The 'wheels' aren't bowling ball ---the hub caps are.
Memories. My first car was a black 1982 Trans Am. After having the TH200 transmission blow up twice a friend helped me stuff in a TH350 from an old Z28. Never had a problem after that!
Fun and interesting review. My dad bought an 82 Trans Am equipped similarly to this one (except blue instead of red).
He felt like such a hot shot with that car.
Miss you dad.
Thanks for the memories Adam.
I owned a 1983 T/A back in the day that was almost identical to this one. Great memories!
Adam, your comment on being influenced by Knight Rider prompted me to write. I bought my ‘79 Trans Am because of Jim Rockford’s Formula. Mine was dark blue with camel cloth, AC, no T-Tops and the hood decal delete. I ordered it with the WS6 package as I loved the 8” snowflakes with the gold centers. My big disappointment was when I ordered the Pontiac 400. Since they were going out of production, my dealer wanted a $1000 premium over the approximately $300 up charge for that motor. Since I wanted the 4-speed, I had to take the 301 4bbl Pontiac built motor which was actually a credit option. I did not want the 403 Olds engine with the automatic. That car out the door was just under $8000. Since I was 28 and a technician with a major utility in NYC, I was making good money but not great money. The extra $1000 was too much. The 301 was surprisingly torquey with the 4-speed but after 60 mph, it didn’t have much left. All in all though, it was a real nice riding and handling car.
Awesome
Awesome story !
What i really appreciate is, that you show the cars exactly as they are!
Beautiful car I wish they make new cars like this.
Hey Adam, enjoy the Pontiac Trans Am video. a while back I mentioned to you that I have a 1983 base Camaro, with the Pontiac iron duke 4 cylinder. I have to laugh because you have the Pontiac with the Chevy V8, and I have the Chevy with the Pontiac 4cyln. My car is very bar bones. Got it with less then 10,000 miles. It's a 4 spd manual, no air. And sounds way more tinny then your car when I shut the doors. Motor sounds and shakes like it's tractor. The standard suspension makes it steer and handle like a drunken cow. Bought it with intentions of maybe putting a V8 in it, but from watching your channel I've come to realize that there's probably few of these around anymore. I've come to appreciate it for what it is. As always, keep up the great content
Pretty cool!
Hey Adam, I've always been a fan of the 82 Firebird/ Trans Am, especially red ones with the T-Tops (even though they leak). I like the bowling ball hub caps too!!! Thanks for sharing this snowy winter video!!! 👍👍🙂
This is the way I would have it. Always loved the Crossfire. People hate it but its easy to service and are quite reliable and good on gas.
Still a great looking car! I have a special place in my heart for this decade of TransAm and Camaro.
I had the Red Camaro on my 2nd grade Trapper Keeper. I was like “someday I will have one of these” . I ended up with the 05 Mustang GT instead. Ha
Found your channel by the way looking up my parents old 1984 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight coupe. We called it the Hooptie. My Dad loved that car!
I bought an 83 Trans Am brand new at Sam Swope in Louisville. It was made at Norwood Assembly near Cincinnati....custom ordered and dropped a lot of frills by order of the then wife. Paid 14,000 and some change. Truly, the best car I ever owned. My mom later bought a V-6 in 1987....she died at nearly 100 It only had 25,000 miles on it in 2020!
The dual exhaust setup on these 82s and 83s was quite interesting , with two transverse mufflers, instead of the single transverse muffler that would come out later on the V8 cars .
Check out my '82 Trans Am cold start if you like - ruclips.net/video/IU3Bg1yrXGM/видео.html&ab_channel=VinPetrol
@@vinpetrol4309 yeah , I actually saw this earlier. The exact dual muffler setup as I was describing.
@@mattmc8391 Only one cat, so these dual exhausts; weren't. My 215 hp '86 IROC-Z has the same set up.
@@crankychris2 1985 T.PI. 305's were rated at 215 h.p. 1986 models had a milder cam, which brought the rating down to 190 h.p. Finally, in 1987, the T.P.I. 305 was offered with the T5 manual transmission, which had previously been limited to the LG4 and L69 carbureted 305 engines, and these were fitted with a hotter cam, and got the 215 h.p. rating again, while 700R4 automatic equipped versions kept the milder cam and 190 h.p. rating. All 1987 305's received roller lifters, which helped performance and fuel economy, as well.
Seriously gorgeous, I have an '84 HO 5 speed W62, but I wish it didn't have the ground effects. They really nailed the styling on 3rd gens. I also have an 87 GTA, it's quite a bit better than the early one. It just feels tighter overall, and more refined. But the edgy and uniqueness of the 82-84 really makes them look more special.
Actually, the TH200C was still the standard transmission in 1983, I had an 83 Z28 305 TH200C (matching numbers). It worked fine, I did fine a good amount of grey sludge in the oil pan...
GFX are great on these
My dad had the exact trans am inside and out. I almost fell over when I saw it on your video. Wow that car brought back memories as a child. I even bought a 1984 when I got into my 20's. It's the sports car that started it all for me. Since then Ive gone through a few sports cars and now have a 2017 mustang gt with the performance package that I have put a ton of track modifications on it. Thank you for posting this video and your content.
i have 15 inch bowling ball hubcaps. i drilled small holes into the plastic framing behind the hub caps & secured the caps to the wheel with tie wraps. They are secure & can be cut out so i can clean the brake dust out of the wheels.
great video. early 3rd gens are really fun to drive. one of the most under-rated of the 80s pony cars. my 83 TA gets lots of chatter at the gas station. kids in the back of the school bus all gawk LOL.
I know exactly what you are talking about.
I had a new 85 Camaro w/ 2.8 port & 5speed. I loved it for 155k miles. Put a hitch on it and trailerd my 88 Glastron.
Great video. I myself own a '84 Camaro Z-28 5.0 Litre H.O. my father bought new , and has remained in the family every since. It's in great shape all these years later mechanically, but 15 plus years ago I did have to have the car repainted, and o.e.m. graphics replaced due what I believe was the quality of the water-based paints used back in the day, especially here in West, Tx where the summers are brutally hard on painted automotive surfaces. I've come close to selling it , but I just could never do it, and although the L69 190 hp 305 by today's standards pulls as if it's tied to a tree, its peppy enough that I still enjoy driving it immensely. I think I'll just hold on to it. Really look forward to you vids, please keep bringing us great cars of the past. Thanks.
Those L69 engines were pretty good, It should go 0- 60 around 7 sec. Check the vacuum hoses, get the carb rebuilt and give it a complete tune-up. I almost forgot to say check the smog equipment.
@@markg7030 Yes, a very fun engine, and with the factory performance axle ratio with posi traction its a hoot to play with, eventhough its mostly a cruiser now. The engine is 100% bone stock, with the original 600 cfm Quadrajet carb, and all original emission smog system including the "monolythic" corvette high flow cat. converter. The car has just 72k original miles. A true time capsule indeed.
That car really did go a long way during its run. They kept improving and changing. I recent saw a a photo of one with digital gauges. I was a fan of the Firebird/Trans Am. I fondly recall The Knight 2000 ( KITT) Trans Am. There were the better engines that came later too. I recall the one with the Regal Grand National engine too. Thank you Adam.
The late 80s Firehawk version had 350 HP.
Finally, you’ve got snow in Michigan. Warm regards from Minnesota.
That red Trans Am really does pop in the snow. Beautiful car!
Adam, if you look closely at your red firebird, the passenger side headlight door is actually what is out of alignment. If you look real closely, it’s moved over to the left towards the fender. The hood is fine. That could probably be manipulated and fixed. 👍🏻
I had a white 1982 trans Am long ago. Loved it.
My cousin owned a black '83 circa 1985--fun cruising around with him and my brother when I was 11-12 years old. That was followed by a black '85 Mustang GT for him, and in '86 my brother acquired a gray '84 5.0 Mustang with t-tops that needed some work, which we performed with the help of other family and friends. Good memories of the moments and experiences we had in all of those '80s muscle rides. Rode in more than my share of third-gen F-bodies, Chevy and Pontiac both, over the years. I spent fun times in my share of first and second gens too, although that's another tale. 😉
Your car is beautiful Adam,nice to see the famous 'Bowling Ball' hubcaps like KITT from Knight Rider. I love 1982 Trans am's. I am a huge Knight Rider fan and to me KITT will always be a classic.
This is giving me flashbacks of my 83 Trans Am I owned in 1991-92 when I was 19. It was black and gold, like the one in Smoky and the Bandit 3. The cross fire backfired on me once, the motors on the lights went. I dented the front fender and covered it with a LeBra. Being 19 at the time, I couldn’t properly maintain it and beat on it that year. Ended up selling it to a friend for $600.
I never liked the bowling ball wheel covers back in the day as a kid, but I love them now!!
Now that you pointed it out, I can’t stop looking at the gap near the headlight cover. 😂
Another great video on your beautiful gen 3 Trans AM. Thanx for sharing.
I think I'm a bit disappointed and surprised to learn you have a Trans Am!! I love your large luxury cars!! I didn't expect this!
Thank you! Excellent car you have! The 3rd gen cars have timeless styling. They look great today but back then they were amazing. Whenver you see old photos outside the factory, the F-cars look amazing but all the other new cars look really really old. I forgot the man's name that designed the 3rd gen F-bodies, but he is a master
A very fair and honest review.
I love my 82 Trans Am.
Agree 100% with your comments.
"I'm definitely not taking this car out in salty roadways." - and I immediately felt relieved.
Absolutely beautiful. Not the best version of the third gen with the low hp engine, but by far the best looking version of this generation.
It's 75F and sunny here in the Houston area--my kind of winter! I was a guy in my 20's when this came out. Like so many of us we still liked the seventies body and interior (the 70 1/2) Firebird more. Great video!
That's odd, I live in Houston as well and it's rained all day....No sunshine here.
@@john1959ism I actually live in Lake Jackson, 45min south. Used to live in Bellaire and owned a home in Stafford. Amazing how different our weather can be!
@@loveisall5520 yep, that explains it🙂.
It's -15F here in Eagle River WI today 🥶
I love these Night Rider mobiles. Awesome styling all around.
You kept this car in great shape, not many miles on it, and that color is perfect, Beautiful!
As to the year 1982, this year produced one of the best looking cars ever built: The '82 Toyota Supra P-type. This car was slow, but it was beautiful and basically a Japanese Jaguar XJS. With the same performance and twice the fuel mileage~
Very interesting. I didn't know that GM pushed the "cheapskate" envelope so as to not include a glove box, and put a Chevette transmission in there! Anyway, this video is much better than the other guy who uses the terms "quirks and features" on YT. Much more relaxed and casual. Very enjoyable. Thanks for sharing.
They stuck the THM 200 in everything, including Malibus and Cutlasses. Engines like the Buick 231 V6 and Olds 260 V8 were so weak they didn't overstress the trannies much. It was soon gone once the four-speed overdrive automatics (700R4 and 200R4) came out.
Those should have come out 20 years earlier, as the overdrive gear dramatically improved highway fuel economy in any car in which it was installed. 1500-1700 rpm at 65 mph.
The light duty transmissions were about fuel economy. They put a lot of effort into making them as efficiant as they could, even using low drag brake calipers and those streamlined wheel covers.
Adam, those aftermarket body side moldings are adhesive & can be peeled off. The “tips” are separate add ons so you could just cut it square and stick the tips on to finish it off. The factory installed body side moldings were stick on with that gray butyl tape and was a royal P.I.T.A. doing any paintwork & having to remove/reinstall the moldings. I had a loaded black/gold ‘83 WS6 with the LG4 5.0 with the four barrel feedback Quadrajet & the 700R4. Had really great handling but pretty slow overall. Quality, fit & finish was sub-par at best.
Unless someone drilled holes in the sides and riveted the moldings on.
At that time it was quite popular to order those moldings from the factory. When you see a random car that has them, it’s much more likely they’re factory than aftermarket.
@@kc9scott
In that year if memory serves me correctly, they were solid color textured and I also believe that on every car so equipped they were black. I was in horror one day when I visited a Buick dealership and every car was ordered without body side moldings and they put these cheap “rivet on” moldings. The installer was drilling lots of small holes in the sides of the new cars and applying these cheap moldings that looked good (?) for maybe one year, before they started to deteriorate from the elements. I guarantee every little hole drilled in the side of the car developed rust too.
@@kc9scott yes, but the factory installed (& the dealer installed accessory type) were both adhesive & they were all black, no chrome.
That's a gorgeous 1982 Trans Am. It's very rare to see one on the road, especially when it looks original. I love the KITT look but in my opinion the factory is more appealing to me.
I love the KITT look 82 Trans am,most awesome car ever to be built,Adam's is beautiful too especially with those Bowling Ball hubcaps,like KITT. I have driven a KITT replica back in 2018 and he was awesome to drive,he also talked just like in the show.
I had that exact car (same color) back in 84. Mine had the crossfire injection. Kept it for about 7 years. Loved it back then.
Thanks for bringing this thing out again, and even in the snow for us to view! It does bring back memories like you say, I remember seeing these everywhere when they were still new, even in the winter, only up to the windows in salt🙂 People bought them as daily drivers and just used them up. They were still pre-galvanized steel back in those days, so many of them rusted out bad like everything else GM of the period -and just got used up and went to the used beater market or the crusher after 10 or 12 years. Making your example all the more rare -perfect for the channel actually. Cheers Adam!!
_WE NEED MORE VIDS "FROM THE" 80's 90's & Aught's FROM THIS GENIUS!_
Adam you ARE the man sir 🙏🏽
Very nice Adam. I like the clean look of he early model, esp the wheels.
I love that design a lot. I love that "sweet grin" of the front and that plain panels at the sides upwards. I own a 1988 Formula in Germany. I think you missed one one-year-only thing: as far as I know, only the 1982 had double mufflers at the rear. From 1983 on it was a single muffler.
Lovely car. Also Knight Rider "forced" me to have one one day. I like it that you never thought about to convert it and let it like it is. Perfect.
An incomplete list of things I would add:
1) this car has the door panel eagle emblems which were 1982-only, and there was more than one style, and many cars did not have them at all, so that's at least three different combinations from the factory. this could not be specified with an RPO code, so it's seemingly random. the design style of the door panel eagle itself is like no other eagles found throughout the car on the horn button, hood, sail panel, taillights, hidden behind map pocket, etc. door panel eagle has far more in common with second-gen 1970-1981 styling cues than it does with anything during 1982-1992, so that's definitely a nice quirk. perhaps the quirk of all quirks.
2) the horn button with small silver laminated eagle is specific to 1982 and possibly early 1983. it changed to a cheaper single-piece plastic horn button after that.
3) the 1982 gauges are back-lit in blue/green, which went to orange/red in 1983.
4) the 1982 odometer has 6 digits, so it rolls over at a million miles. this went to 5 digits in 1983, so those roll over ten times quicker, at a hundred thousand miles.
5) the 1982 Trans Am mirror housings and rear spoiler are painted in flat black, regardless of body color. they would've gone to color-keyed, glossy red, if the car was a 1983.
6) the badly-fitting headlight can be re-adjusted for better body fitment.
7) zip ties are the best solution for keeping on the hubcaps. they run through the holes at the back of the hubcap, and around the wheel spokes. you can get by with three per wheel. they can just be cut off whenever needed, so they are not intrusive or liquefied the way that silicone is.
8, etc.) many LG4 Trans Am's, in 1982 only, had a flat hood with no hood scoop. the ones that were lucky enough to get a hood scoop had a plastic dummy plate anyway, blocking the hole shut. only Cross-Fire LU5 Trans Am had a mandatory hood scoop, and it was functional, as on this car. the 4-speed manual transmission was unavailable with the LU5, so it was mandatory 3-speed automatic. the "top dog" combination of LU5 engine and WS6 with 4-wheel disc brakes had a very very short overlap, mid-model year 1982; legend has it these cars were only built for about a week. the list goes on and on.
don't quote me on this one but I believe the 1982 Cross-Fire LU5 was the first fuel-injected F-body since 1969, two body styles earlier.
Being in high school in 1982, I remember the advertisements for this car in magazines back then. They said the car had a very low coefficient of drag. The bowling ball wheels helped the number to get lower they wrote.
Thanks for posting! This is the TA of my childhood. Love the styling and overall look of this car. Like others have said, the 15 inch wheels look well in proportion here.
Thank you. I particularly enjoyed this one because it's an outlier within your collection. My fascination with mid-1970s Firebirds is similar in tracing back to a particular NBC show.
The Rockford Files?
I was a car salesman in 1992 at a Ford dealership,and a lady traded in her 84 Firebird.It only had 39,000 miles.I was able to buy it for $2350.It was a pretty plain Jane.2.8 V-6,automatic ,vinyl sate.It drove great.Not a lot of power,but it did ok once you were at cruising speed.I loved the orange lit dash with all of the gauges.But rattling and squeaking would drive me crazy.
And at 50,000 miles,the engine sometimes would start clattering something horrible .So after nearly 2 years,Sold it for $2300.Oh,and it had a couple minor dents when I bought it,and it was that wonderful GM blue paint that peeled off every-time you washed it.
A fine example Adam. I had an ‘86 T/A 5.0 not a ball of fire under hood, as you said, but where it lacked power it made up for with its styling and the fun to drive feeling with the T-tops off.
I KNEW you would bring up K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider! As would I.. LOL.. Wish we still had my wifes red 88 Formula with the WS 6 package. What a handler! I never saw such a thick front sway bar!!
If Pablo Picasso drew a sketch of a C4 Corvette, it would look like this thing. And seriously, a Chevy 305 with a THM200, in a Pontiac! Lordy, it’s no wonder so many young car buyers in the eighties were heading to VW, Honda and Audi dealerships. Thanks for the malaise era history lesson Adam.
Excellent contrast in the snow! It still is a great looking car, especially the early years in its most pure form. I'm trying to remember but it was either the Corvette or Cavalier of that same year that also had the faux screw heads that you had to watch out for. As a GM tech we were given a pen magnet to 'diagnose' stripped screw heads for the customer...
I think it was both Cavalier and Corvette. I was sellling Chevrolets for Schonlaw Chevrolet on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood California that era.
The best looking TA ever.
My dad bought a new 1983 T/A with the carb'd 305 and manual gearbox. Same color as this one and the same wheels and bowling ball (lol) caps. I loved that car and it was a treat, as a 16yo in 1983, to drive it to school. Thanks for the memories!
Adam. Best part of your videos. Is the comments. I absolutely love reading these guy's stories about their memories. From working in the industry to family members owning one. I just love the nostalgia that each of your video brings. I sit for hours just reading these great stories that these men and women share in the comments. It's the best! So much history uncovered by your media business!
As always, a handsome presentation. Your vast knowledge never ceases to impress. A pleasure to listen and view.
This clown doesn’t know shit. I’ve taken him to school more times than I can recall. That’s why he hides and doesn’t respond anymore.
Beautiful 82 Firebird Trans Am! I love it in red with the black stripe just as much as black with the gold stripe.
The rear wiper is cool. I can’t say I’ve seen one. I recall working on an early camaro with the vacuum operated hood scoops that opened when floored. Rare options are always cool 😎
That would be an 82-83 LU5 car.
When I was 20 , I so dreamed of having this car . I did buy a 84 camaro Z 28 H.O. in 1990 and it was a fast car with a modified valve body transmission. It was a bullet proof car .
The tire size looks fine. I prefer to have rubber instead of excessive metal that modern hideous cars have (less blow outs, better ride on less than perfect roads, etc.). Even though I am not a GM guy, the 3rd generation Firebird, is one of the best looking cars made in Automotive history. If you have Eagle GTIIs, then those must be quite old ( a shame they don't make them other than a few random sizes anymore as they're still better than a lot of modern tires made by Goodyear). Thank you for sharing it.
Lovely car. Always liked the Firebirds from early 80's .. something about the shape of them.
Those artificial Allan tops are so awesome on the instrument panel and doors it really looks aviation-themed, over-the-top, and unapologetically bold, especially for GENERAL MOTORS' typically coservative styling.
Nothing better than boldness that ripens with age.
That's a wonderful car, the colour is beautiful!
Bro I’m so jealous. My brother growing up had a 83 Trans am Daytona and I was in love with it. Iv tried to find a clean 82-84 Trans am that not stupid expensive with no luck. Your living my recurring dream since I was 9 years old. Thank you so much for this video. It being out my inner 9 year old.
Thank you for the tour of this Firebird, Adam. Is it such a nice clean, well-maintained example!
Wow, those seats are really cool looking!
These looked SO MUCH BETTER than the Z28 Chever-Lay version! I was 16 when these came out and I thought they were awesome!
Even if they kinda sorta turned into "trailer park heroes".....
[I was a fan of these until Volkswagen put out the '83 GTI, with 90 hp and 2200 pound curb weight and similar performance to the Trans Am]
Great video!
I bought a brand new 1982 TA but mine was silver. I got every option you could get but not the cross fire. I worked at the Chevy V-8 engine plant where they built the engine for that car. The cross fire set up was the first year and only year. The V-8 were the same other than the intake set up. The second day I owned the TA I bought the Hanson honeycomb rim for the car and got rid of those frisbee covers. Coolest car on the road.
My favorite year Trans Am. Nice ride sir!
The early versions of this car were and still are absolutely striking, even if the later versions were actually much better cars. If buying one as a collector's item and not a regular driver, I would definitely favor design over quality and performance.
100% Agree I love the styling of the 82 year.
Love the 3rd gen f body, I have an 87 Z28, not an iroc, plus i had an 84 camaro berlinetta, and I used to work at a camaro/firebird rebuildable salvage yard where they sold rebuilder cars and parts, I can't tell you how many 3rd generation f bodies I stripped and cut up, but they were a dime a dozen back then
Thanks for this informative video. 4 cylinder as a base engine. Wow. I bought a new 78 T/A and drove it for 4-5 years before selling it for a down payment on a house. It was a fun car to drive. I have never even sat in this generation T/A so it was very informative. Glad it has you as a steward to keep it original
We bought a new off the lot 1990 Pontiac Formula 350 in red, no t-top, WS6, dual cats, grey cloth interior , from Pat Clark Pontiac in Vegas. It was the only 350 car on the lot without ground effects or the GTA package. Loved and still love that car, made a mistake getting rid of it.
Where did you get such a cherry 82’ Trans Am?! It’s BEAUTIFUL! 90% of third gen F bodies are absolutely trashed, but this one is gorgeous.
Watching this video makes me want to finish my 83 T/A Daytona Pace Car resto-mod project
Wow. That l̶o̶o̶k̶s̶ is super clean! Awesome car... Just FYI you can adjust the whole Right Hand headlight assembly...
2 bolts you'll have to take the black grill off to get to them. 👌
Great video very informative. I had a 1985 T/A. Traded my 84 Sunfire Turbo 4 speed in on the T/A. The Sunfire was really fun but kept breaking down. The Trans Am was very dependable. Zero issues except once the tumblers failed in the ignition key. Mom drove an 82 Phoenix LJ. Those where the days!
Bowling ball hub caps looked incredible!
I had the exact same car!
Same color, hood scoop, interior.
Lol
Loved it!!!!!!
Your video brings back memories of my first car.
I really loved the design (that asymmetrical hood scoop was unique + the popup headlights, etc...) and this was what prompted me to buy one. My car was also red, automatic with the T-top, fabric seats almost exactly like yours. For the most part it worked well. Sadly, I had a small frontal impact which damaged the front bumper and this was never put right, with none of the local body shops seemingly able to match the paint properly. I have a vivid memory of continually find screws that worked themselves loose and collected them all in the ashtray. I ended up selling the car on to a teacher who paid through her credit union. I then went on to get a Saab 900 Turbo SPG, which was leagues better quality-wise.
Thanks for the video.
Very well done video. Nice and relaxing delivery, and plenty of detail included.
In Florida these cars disintegrated. All that plastic warped and cracked. Spent countless hours fixing up auction cars, attempting to make them worth selling.
Yours is about the nicest example I’ve ever seen, in recent years. Definitely a good looking automobile.
I had a 1983 Pontiac trans am in exact color red cherry color. With the 14” wheels. It had the 305 with the carb and auto. It was basically a strip model. It had a heater, roll up crank windows and am/ fm radio. It did run good but slow as molasses lol. This was back in 1990-91.
one of my favorite all time cars
The hubcaps elevate the car's profile. I can't take my eyes off of that car!
My dad had an 82 and 84 fully equipped with power windows,am/fm with a cassette deck player and the power antenna that would pop up from the right front side panel,oh as a little kid from four to thirteen years old I felt like a king.
Knight Rider was new on TV at the time.
My friend had one in the early 90s ...for the displacement not that many hp... but the torque made it a blast to ride around in. Another friend had a 87 GTA. Also fun
I owned an 82 T/A, currently own a 1989 Formula with about 46k miles. Even my 89 isn't fast. It's very peppy and it's pushing maybe just over two hundred horsepower if I'm lucky. But I'm not into it to racing or abusing the car in the least. I love the car because it's beautiful and handles very well, it's very fun to drive its extremely nostalgic. Your T/A is Beautiful.