| TECH Junkie
Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Beaumont, TX
Posts: 3,983
| Modified models: misc: FireAm, Pro-Am, Harley, Hurst, Evans, Inverse 30th - Herb Adams VSE "FireAm" Trans Am (1977-1980) (Pontiac's contract engineer Herb Adams was responsible for the research and development that invented the original WS6 suspension package. First released on the 1978 Trans Am as an option, T/A handling was in a league of it's own in '78 & '79. Herb was contracted by Pontiac in '77 to build eight specialty Trans Am's that were modified production units to show the ease in which the T/A's could be converted into full-fledge race cars to replace the '77 IROC race series Camaro's. From this R&D the production WS6 option was born. Adam's formed his own company - Herb Adams (VSE) Very Special Equipment, Pebble Beach, CA; and then offered all of the Fire Am (for Firebird American) components for sale making it possible for enthusiasts to build complete Fire Am Trans Ams. He sold the pieces with which an individual could build their own Fire Am in step-by-step graduated levels of performance, choosing to stop at any level. The Fire Am started with the enthusiasts streetable regular production Trans Am platform. The ultimate level was a full-on Road Racing machine that was also street legal (barely). In 1980 Cars and Concepts offered the first "Dealer Network" Fire Ams. One 1976 Trans Am may have been converted as the initial test. Car & Concepts Inc, a Brighton, Michigan-based "dream machine" manufacturer, converted 1980 Firebird Trans Ams into bona-fide Fire-Ams by installing the VSE conversion package pieces (front and rear suspension kits, shorter springs, chassis bracing, lowering kit, rollbar, leather steering wheel, Goodyear GT Radials, remote battery, etc.) offered in the VSE catalog, plus exterior paint and graphics. Pontiac's original equipment powertrain is left untouched, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations as well as with OE warranty rules.)
- Pro-Am III Firebird (1995) (done by a company in Chattanooga, TN. The cars are base V6 Firebirds with large "Pro-Am III" lettering on the doors. The stock hood got a fiberglass ram air scoop attached to the top (looking the Firehawk/WS6 hood), but it's not functional. It also got side skirts, a dual outlet muffler, a numbered plaque, two-tone paint, chrome 5-spoke 16" wheels (with the original base tires), and different bumper covers.)
- Harley Davidson Edition Trans Am (1996) (Harley took a black Trans Am equipped with the WS6 Ram Air package (without the interior from the factory) and added leather/fabric seats, which are embroidered with the Harley Davidson logo. The car also has Harley Davidson decals on the front quarter panels just behind the tires. Only 40 are known to have been made, with most of them being distributed in Southern California.)
- Lingenfelter Hurst Special Edition Formula (1997-1998) (This car was born out of a special deal between Pontiac and the venerable Hurst Co. Hurst has been a part of the Muscle Car and Sports Car market for a long time. They provided shifters to several of Pontiacs cars throughout the 60s and 70s and also provided the T-Tops for the '76 and '77 Trans Ams. These cars were limited editions and an order-only car. The Hurst Firebird received a special black and gold paint job, a set of Hurst decals, gold anodized rims, and a host of engine and suspension upgrades. Lingenfelter took a black Firebird Formula with the WS6 Ram Air package and added a 58mm throttle body, LPE intake manifold, LPE CNC ported LT4 heads with hardened pushrods and guideplates, Competition Cams 1.6:1 roller rocker arms and heavy duty dual valve springs with titanium retainers, aluminum driveshaft, Hurst shifter, shorty headers and Borla cat-back exhaust. Power was set at 350 HP. The exterior has a wide gold stripe running the length of the car with Lingenfelter Hurst/Firebird decals and ground effects package. The custom graphics package was made by Kay Automotive Graphics. Inside, the head rests and floor mats we embroidered with logos and the car came with a dash plaque, alarm, and custom car cover. The price tag was $44,458 in 1997, and in 1998 it was $45,745 (the LPE additions cost $18,595 of that total vehicle price).)
- Inverse 30th Anniversary Trans Am (1999) (The F-Body brand team had aspirations for something special, a car they also wanted to use for the 1999 Detroit Woodward Dream Cruise. They started out with a navy blue metallic WS6 six-speed convertible. Several unique features were added to seperate this car from the rest of the pack. White 30th Anniversary stripes were used, magnesium corvette C5 rims were painted white with giant BFG G-Force rubber on them, white decals and badges, white convertible top, special 1 of 1 emblem, and a custom one-off two-tone interior was thrown in. The car also had some modifications such as BAER brakes, a Borla exhaust, and beefier suspension pieces. This car made it's debut at the 1999 Ames Performance Pontiac Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio. The car would later go on to be used as a Century 21/Pontiac promotion and sweepstakes give away. It was lost some of its original components, but John Skopos of Warren, Ohio has created a near-identical replica.)
- Evans Pontiac SevanSeries Trans Am (1999-2000) (The SevanSeries Trans Ams are dealer customs assembled by Evans Pontiac in Dallas, TX. At their inception, they were stock, fully-loaded Trans Ams customized by LG Motorsports and Evans' own body shop for the hood and badging. Evans stopped using LG Motorsports during the 2000 model year, though. "SevanSeries" is a tribute to "Steve Evans", the owner of Evans Pontiac in Dallas, TX. "S-Evans" is the derivitive of the "Sevans" in the "SevanSeries" name. Other than the Mecham TA, this was, at the time, one of the most powerful Trans Ams available from a dealer lot that wasn't a trade. Sevans cars dyno at approximately 360 Horses at the flywheel, which is 15 more than a stock Corvette C5. The gain in HP and TQ was directly attributed to the Raptor Hoods and the Borla exhaust running wide open. Second, SevanSeries number less that 200 for all model years. Less than 60 made in '99, and only 4 red ones. 2 were A4 and 2 were M6, one of which was totalled in 2001. 30 to 50 were made in 2000.)
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