i saw a white TTA Conv in Long Beach CA..

[nordy racer]

I know, I know it to have been a clone, but it looked nice . the wife and i were watching the hoilday event in Long Beach and i couldn't get my camera out to take a shot of it. It had all the correct badging around the car and the tag was "TTACONV". couldn't track it down to talk to the owner but i wanted to know if anyone had any info on this car?

 

[72firebird]

I know, I know it to have been a clone, but it looked nice . the wife and i were watching the hoilday event in Long Beach and i couldn't get my camera out to take a shot of it. It had all the correct badging around the car and the tag was "TTACONV". couldn't track it down to talk to the owner but i wanted to know if anyone had any info on this car?

actually there was one made, you can kind of read about it here Virtual Silver for some reason their pictures aren't working. However I think Rich is out in GA so I doubt it'd be in CA for a car show.

 

[Jan Larsson]

One is still in CA, been featured in some magazine from 89 or 90. The guy ordered one new, had the dealer send it out to ASC for the conversion as could be done with any Firebird/Trans Am at the time. This is what Jeff @ PAS did with the covertible Rich got just that Jeff sent it out himself to ASC and had it done to one of the pilot cars.

Supposably there's 1 more out there that was converted at the time by ASC, frankly anyone could have had it done.

 

[Quiky One]

That's awesome. To bad you couldn't have snapped a pic.

Jason

 

[GDNF2ET]

Some pics.. Car Motorsports - Richs TTA

 

[mr.turbota]

I saw one at a local car show, in SoCal, back in the early '90s.
It wasn't one of these two, but a third one that I know of.
Otis Chandler bought it, done by a dealership in SOCal, in the early '90s as well.
Different Ca plates, I put a picture of it in my one book.

George

 

[davege]

I herd of a Corvette collector who was trying buy one of the Convertables in So. Cal. He is also iterested in either on of my cars. But I am not selling! I do not have any details on it. This may be the car.
- Dave

 

[nordy racer]

thanks guys..that makes me feel a lot better, i was thinking i was going crazy .. I'll keep my eyes open around here in SoCal and my camera ready..

 

[victorp]

Re covertible TTA

Hello
I am the Corvette collector that was looking at that car.I did drive it and look at it very closely for purchase.After a lot of deliberation I felt it was better to find a "factory produced" cloth TTA. If anyone out there can help, it would be greatly appreciated.By the way I have crossed over from Vettes.I do now own a 71 trans Am 455 ho 4 speed car.I love it and can't wait to get an 89 TTA to be it's stable mate.
Happy holidays to all.
Vic

 

[RobR]

I'm pretty sure 3 of them were built back in 89.

 

[Metal]

I'm pretty sure 3 of them were built back in 89.

That's what I've heard as well.
Rich's opinion is his car is one of one because it's the only one PAS had made a convertible and not one that a dealer or owner requested be made a convertible.

 

[TTA850]

Rich's opinion is his car is one of one because it's the only one PAS had made a convertible and not one that a dealer or owner requested be made a convertible.

No difference in my opinion between Jeff(owner of PAS)sending his out to be converted by ASC and other owners/dealers sending theirs out to ASC.

Fact is Pontiac did not officially offer a convertible Firebird untill 1991 and even then it was not offered on the GTA model for 1991 or 1992. No GTA was ever a factory authorized convertible, so any GTA(and TTA)convertible should be considered an aftermarket conversion in my opinion.

Steve

 

[mr.turbota]

I agree with Steve.
Pontiac didn't do it, and neither did PAS.
ASC did.
Yet all had warranty thru Pontiac.
Also, come to think of it, the TTA ragtop I saw, that Otis Chandler owned, had different plates, so it could be #4.

George

 

[UNGN]

No difference in my opinion between Jeff(owner of PAS)sending his out to be converted by ASC and other owners/dealers sending theirs out to ASC.

Fact is Pontiac did not officially offer a convertible Firebird untill 1991 and even then it was not offered on the GTA model for 1991 or 1992. No GTA was ever a factory authorized convertible, so any GTA(and TTA)convertible should be considered an aftermarket conversion in my opinion.

Steve

It's true that it wasn't a factory conversion, but 20 years from now, at a car show, there are 5 TTA's and one is a convertible, the crowd will be around the convertible, no matter who did it.

'Clone Hemi 'Cuda converts don't sell for a $2 million dollars, but they still sell for $200K.

TTA's sell for what?

 

[Quiky One]

TTA's sell for what?

Not even a fraction of 200k.

Jason

 

[UNGN]

Not even a fraction of 200k.

Jason

Not yet, at least

If the late Otis Chandler had a convert TTA, I would think a few years TTA converts will be worth mega bucks.

He was the the guy than made 'Cuda prices go insane back in the early 90's when he paid $110K for a 440-6 convert (now that car would sell for $600K at Barrett Jackson).

 

[72firebird]

I dunno it's kind of a touchy subject. I mean in 1972 Pontiac made a red and white Trans Am for the guy who ran the SCCA organization. The red and white was never a true Trans Am combination and I don't think it ran down the line as being read and white but I could be wrong. That car is still considered really rare and addored by many Trans Am collectors. Although I still agree with most of you that it's not a true TTA convertible, it's as close as anything is going to get to it.

 

[davege]

I dunno it's kind of a touchy subject. I mean in 1972 Pontiac made a red and white Trans Am for the guy who ran the SCCA organization. The red and white was never a true Trans Am combination and I don't think it ran down the line as being read and white but I could be wrong. That car is still considered really rare and addored by many Trans Am collectors. Although I still agree with most of you that it's not a true TTA convertible, it's as close as anything is going to get to it.

Jared,
I know this is a grey area. The reason this 1972 Red T/A is valuable, is Pontiac built it and it is documented. It was their idea. In the case of the 89 TTA convertables, they were done by some one outside of Pontiac. Rich's claim, I consider a stretch, is that Jeff (owner of PAS) represents Pontiac. I would argue he does not and his car is no different than the other two done by ASC. But then the bottom line is, if the car is perceived to be collectable and rare, some one would consider paying top dollar for it.

If I was spending the money these day's I would find a MSO car with less than 50 miles on it and buy that. Even then it would be a long time before I would see any real return on the investment!
- Dave

 

[Jan Larsson]

On the other hand Rich's TTA Conv was the pilot car featured in many magazines before being sent out to ASC and it was owned and driven by Jeff B for I beleive 6 month or so. Rich did show me the original documents of the car when I visited back in 2002 so he got full history to go with the car. The TTA conv looks really cool, I got to see it and sit in it but unfortunatly not get a ride in it as the battery was flat ... I did get to drive the maroon mule and that was a blast

By the way the 3rd gen convertible (firebirds) do look great even if they were build with Camaro parts :biggrin: Would not mind a TTA convertible at all

 

[TTA850]

It's true that it wasn't a factory conversion, but 20 years from now, at a car show, there are 5 TTA's and one is a convertible, the crowd will be around the convertible, no matter who did it.

'Clone Hemi 'Cuda converts don't sell for a $2 million dollars, but they still sell for $200K.

My point was that there was no "factory" convertible TTA, not that it wouldnt attract a crowd at a car show or big bucks at an auction - after all most people at car shows dont have a clue what they are looking at, especially when it comes to TTA's, and after watching barrett jackson it's obvious alot of those buyers have more money than brains.

I know this is a grey area. The reason this 1972 Red T/A is valuable, is Pontiac built it and it is documented. It was their idea. In the case of the 89 TTA convertables, they were done by some one outside of Pontiac. Rich's claim, I consider a stretch, is that Jeff (owner of PAS) represents Pontiac. I would argue he does not and his car is no different than the other two done by ASC. But then the bottom line is, if the car is perceived to be collectable and rare, some one would consider paying top dollar for it.

Dave I agree with you 110% - the TTA convertibles will be perceived as collectable and rare, and will bring top dollar regardless of their authenticity.

Personally I like the cloth/hardtops better :biggrin:

Steve