How is this for a strange Firebird?

[Ghoste]

I've never seen one of these before but I'm guessing after this shortlived option was done the crew who designed it got right to work on the Aztek.

[tan top]

yeah thats odd ..looks like some kind of fiero rear glass option 

[Ghoste]

And look at the bodylines, it's still a big hatch just like the glass version.

[Rallye]

There's a white firebird with that same rear window option living just a few blocks from me.  I just thought it was some kind of aftermarket deal.   

[Charger-Bodie]

I think that is an aftermarket piece. I know the aftermarket makes one like that for Vettes ,Cause we had to install the hidious thing on a customers car a couple years ago. 

[BrianShaughnessy]

That's the 1 year only '88 TA GTA Notchback.    Sorta rare among 3rd gen fans.

They did reproduce those decklids in aftermarket / fiberglass also.   

The real ones had special high back rear seats that were the same as the ones put into the '89 Turbo GTAs  - aka: the highly sought after TTA with the buick GN motor.

[Ghoste]

I believe it went two years actually but the second year only saw a single example built.  It was a factory option; RPO-A88 in GM speak.

[PocketThunder]

has a hint of the new monte carlo look to it.

[Old Moparz]

I don't remember the magazine, but I used to see ads for the rear hatch conversion all the time. It was after market in the ad, but I didn't know that Pontiac offered it. I think had had only seen 2 in person my entire life, & they looked too odd to me.

[hemigeno]

Shortly after I got out of college in '88 I tried ordering a new GTA with that notchback decklid.  The '89 catalogs showed a couple of cars with that treatment, and the picture of that red one actually looks awfully familiar.  Personally, I liked that look - partly because it was different from what everyone else had.  It was getting late in the '88 model year when I started talking to them, so I decided just to wait until the '89s were able to be ordered.  Pontiac still listed the option in the salesman's ordering information, but when they tried to place the order for my car (on the day after the '89 order sheets came out), the factory processed the order without the notchback option.  A few days later the salesman just got a note that said the option was "no longer available".

There were definitely '89 notchbacks shown in the brochures - even if they didn't make many/any - but I don't know if I've seen a 1988 GTA notchback in person.  I think factory notchbacks are pretty rare.

[Charger_Fan]

Speaking of strange Firechickens, I was watching a Rockford Files episode a few nights ago & one of the female characters was driving this.



Nobody in the show acted like it was out of the ordinary at all, I had to rewind that spot a few times to get a good look at it. I found more info on it tonight; http://www.wqik.net/kammback/index.htm

[Ghoste]

I've seen that thing before.  I didn't have enough sense to take any photos of it way back then though.

[billfury]

If you were to visit Staten island NY in the mid 90's,you'll see TA's & IROC's with that hatch.

[IowaCharger69]

I think you might still be able to buy that hatch from YearOne??? You used to be able to when I had my 82 about 11 years ago...

[Shakey]

Speaking of strange Firechickens, I was watching a Rockford Files episode a few nights ago & one of the female characters was driving this.



Nobody in the show acted like it was out of the ordinary at all, I had to rewind that spot a few times to get a good look at it. I found more info on it tonight; http://www.wqik.net/kammback/index.htm

I've seen a Corvette version of this.

[Magnumcharger]

Shortly after I got out of college in '88....

What did you take in college Geno?

[hemigeno]

Shortly after I got out of college in '88....

What did you take in college Geno?

College courses?  I received a BSBA (emphasis in Finance/Banking) from Mizzou after dabbling with a few other prospective majors.

College cars?  Hmmm... started with an '80-something Ford Tempo, moved to the venerable/indestructible 1979 GMC 3/4ton 4x4 pickup, and finished off with a pretty stout 1978 Trans Am (400/4-speed/2.73 gear ratio  ).  That '78 T/A was a pretty nice car, and had incredible top end speed - until the lifters pump up and the valves start floating that is    That car is the reason I was looking at a new Poncho right after graduation.  Handling-wise, the '89 was a much better car, but I still enjoyed taking that T/A out on interstate runs even after purchasing the GTA.  The guy that eventually bought the '78 took the engine apart to rebuild it (again), and said every pushrod was bent... badly...

[BrianShaughnessy]

I think you might still be able to buy that hatch from YearOne??? You used to be able to when I had my 82 about 11 years ago...

I couldn't find them listed online anymore.     Used to see them advertised but then I'd see people selling them off after they didn't work on them for awhile also.   I saw and could have bought a real black notchback several years ago but passed it over as it was kinda mashed in the front and basically... I don't like the look anyway. 
But then I found this link to a place down south... behold... the notchback conversion lives!  http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/camarofirebird82-92fiberglassrearnotchbackhatch.aspx

There's some of the development history on the gtasourcepage here:  http://gtasourcepage.com/newdevelopment.html

Meanwhile a couple places started to make very nice quality replacement rear wings for late 80's birds to replace the rubber crap that cracked while they were new at the dealer.   I bought one from ramairhood.com several years ago.

I still have my '89 Formula and a '90 GTA here at home.   GTA has 190K on the clock now.  Getting tired and beat up being my daily driver for years.    I had an '83 V6 firebird also.

I passed on a 55K mile TTA a few months ago.    Car was local since new and has been stored for years since the original owner passed but I didn't feel like parting with $20K