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Vehicle
Description
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1980
Pontiac Trans Am Indy Pace Car
For Sale By Owner
Over $10,000.00 Invested. Reasonable Offers Accepted
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| 1980
Pontiac Trans Am Indy Pace Car numbers matching car. This
model features a 308 ci turbo engine with automatic transmission.
Ready for paint, runs great --- idles well. All gauges are
operational and intact. All receipts are available. Over
6K in parts are available. Hobnail cloth for seat. Over
$10,000.00 Invested. Reasonable Offers Accepted. |
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The
Codes That Count On The 1980 Firebird, by Thomas A DeMauro,
For High Performance Pontiac, August, 1995
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| For
1980 the Firebird took a turn for the worse. All the big-cube
engines were gone, there was no restyle and its age was
starting to show. Sales reflected the slip, with Trans Am
production dropping to less than half of '79's total due
in part to another recession. |
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| The
big news was the Turbocharged 301 option. On paper it was
supposed to be a real screamer. It had 210 horses and reduced
vehicle weight by well over 100 pounds. Theoretically, that
made up for the 10 horsepower cut from the previous year's
hot 400. Then reality set in. |
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| With
a Turbo 350 automatic as the only available trans (no 4-speed
could be had), combined with a cruiser 3.08 rear---not a
3.23 or 3.42 of past years---performance was lackluster
at best. Then there was the power band, or lack thereof.
Where the 400 made torque and horsepower from idle to nearly
5,000 rpm, the Turbo didn't really pull until 3,800 rpm
and then began to wheeze at a very low 4,400. High 16 to
low 17-second quarter-mile times were commonplace as the
striped, bespoilered T/A became stoplight Gran Prix bait
for Plymouth Arrows and 280 ZXs. Pontiac was holding its
breath until 1982. |
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| TOTAL
PRODUCTION |
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| MODEL |
ENGINE
SALES CODE |
ENGINE
CID |
TOTAL |
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| Firebird
Base, V6, V8 |
---- |
---- |
29,811 |
| Esprit
V6, V8 |
--- |
--- |
17,277 |
| Formula |
--- |
--- |
9,356 |
| Trans
Am |
L.37/W72 |
301 |
14,866 |
| Trans
Am T-Top |
L37/W72 |
301 |
8,692 |
| Trans
Am |
LU8 |
301
Turbo |
5,753 |
| Trans
Am T-Top |
LU8 |
301
Turbo |
7,176 |
| Trans
Am |
LG4 |
305
Chevy |
1,635 |
| Trans
Am T-Top |
LG4 |
305
Chevy |
896 |
| Special
Edition |
L37/W72 |
301 |
72 |
| Special
Edition |
LU8 |
301
Turbo |
103 |
| Special
Edition T-Top |
L37/W72 |
301 |
2,084 |
| Special
Edition T-Top |
LU8 |
301
Turbo |
3,444 |
| Special
Edition |
LG4 |
305
Chevy |
12 |
| Special
Edition T-Top |
LG4 |
305
Chevy |
463 |
| Indy
Pace Car |
LU8 |
301
Turbo |
5,700 |
|
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| MODEL
TOTAL |
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50,896 |
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| GRAND
TOTAL |
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|
107,340 |
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| SERIAL
NUMBERS |
 |
| The
first character is a number denoting the division. The second
is a letter that indicates the series. Symbols three and
four denote hardtop coupe, which was the only Firebird configuration.
In the fifth place is an alphabetical code indicating the
engine. The sixth spot holds an alphabetical code for the
year and the seventh is an "N" for the Norwood,
Ohio assembly plant or an "L" for the Van Nuys,
California plant. The final six digits are the sequence
number that ran 100001 up. |
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| The
VIN is stamped on a plate that is attached to the driver's
side of the dashboard and is visible through the windshield.
A sample serial number for a Trans Am model appears as follows: |
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| 2W871AN100001 |
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| 2
- Pontiac |
| W
- Trans Am (U-Formula, S-base Firebird, T-Esprit,
X-Indy Pace Car) |
| 87
- Hardtop coupe |
| T
- 301 Turbo Pontiac (A-231, Buick, S-265 Pontiac,
Y-301 Pontiac (W72), W-301 Pontiac G, H-305 Chevy) |
| A
- Model year (1980) |
| N
- Norwood (L-Van Nuys) |
| 100001
- Consecutive Sequence Number |
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| COWL
DATA PLATES |
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| A
data plate was attached to the top of the cowl, just ahead
of the windshield, on the driver's side. An example of a
Norwood plate for an Indy Pace Car Trans Am reads as follows: |
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| Line
1: BODY BY FISHER |
| Line
2: 80 04D 2FS87 N 123456 |
| Line
3: 12C 1TL T1U . L |
| Line
4: A51 CC1 A31 Y85 |
| Line
5: GR2 300250 |
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| Line
1:
self-explanatory. Line 2: denotes
the last two digits of the model year (80) followed by the
date code for when the body was assembled. On the data plate,
"04" represents the fourth month of the year (April)
and "D" represents the week, the fourth week of
April. The body style number is 2FS87 (base model). Code
"N" denotes the Norwood assembly plant. The remaining
numbers (123456) comprise the consecutive body number, which
has no direct correlation to the VIN. Line
3: Code 12C is the trim code for the oyster upholstery
that came standard in the Indy Pace Car replica, which is
followed by body color code (11L, 11U) Cameo White lower
and upper body. The "L" code denotes lacquer paint.
The period following the 11U may be just a place-holder
for the accent color. On other Pontiac models that offer
two-tone paint schemes, such as the Grand Am, a paint code
followed by an "A" would appear here. Also, if
your Firebird was equipped with a canopy top, its code would
appear followed by a "T". Line
4: Code A51 is the modular seat code, CCI denotes
T-tops and code A31 is power windows. Pace Car T/A's have
a "Y85" code stamped in line 4. A "WS4"
code would denote a Trans Am; the Formula's code would read
"W66" and the Esprit's code would be "W67".
Line 5: "GR2" and
300250 are not yet deciphered. |
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| ENGINE
BLOCK CODES |
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| Pontiac
stamped the two-letter engine block code (listed here) on
the front passenger's side of its V8 block below the cylinder
deck and on scanner labels that appear on the right and/or
left valve cover. The last eight digits of the VIN can be
found adjacent to the timing cover on the passenger's side
of the block. |
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| The
Chevrolet-built 305 ci engines had their block codes stamped
on a machined pad located on the cylinder head deck on the
front passenger's side of the block. |
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| Cu.
In. |
Code |
Carb |
Net
HP |
Trans |
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| 265
Pontiac |
XH,XR |
2-bbl |
120 |
Auto |
| 301
Pontiac |
XT,XW,X3,X9,XN |
4-bbl |
140 |
Auto |
| 301
Pontiac (W72) |
YN,YR |
4-bbl |
155 |
Auto |
| 301
Pontiac Turbo |
YL |
4-bbl |
210 |
Auto |
| 305
Chevy |
CEC,CEI,CEM,CMM,CEH,CMR |
4-bbl |
150 |
Auto |
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| CARBURETORS
(ALL CARBS ARE ROCHESTERS) |
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| Cu.
In. |
HP |
Trans |
Size |
Part
No. |
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| 265
Pontiac |
120 |
Auto |
2-bbl |
17080160 |
| 301
Pontiac |
140 |
Auto |
4-bbl |
17080272 |
| 301
Pontiac (W72) |
155 |
Auto |
4-bbl |
17080270 |
| 301
Pontiac |
210 |
Auto |
4-bbl |
17080274 |
| 305
Chevy |
150 |
Auto |
4-bbl |
17080502-504 |
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| DISTRIBUTOR |
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| Engine |
Part
No. |
Trans |
Comments |
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| 265
Pontiac |
1103450 |
Auto |
2-bbl |
| 301
Pontiac |
1103425 |
Auto |
4-bbl |
| 301
Pontiac (W72) |
1103407 |
Auto |
4-bbl |
| 301
Pontiac Turbo |
1103444 |
Auto |
4-bbl |
| 305
Chevy |
1103386 |
Auto |
4-bbl |
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| TRANSMISSION
CODES |
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| Transmission
codes (for V8s only) and locations are as follows: 4-speed
Manual: No 4-speed manual transmissions were offered in
any Firebirds in 1980. 3-speed Automatic: The Turbo 350's
code is on the governor cover, found on the middle rear
driver's side of the case. Also on the cover are the build
date code, production year and shift. The VIN was stamped
on the lower driver's side of the case. The transmission
codes listed here are for 1979. The 1980 service manual
supplement lists no codes, leaving us to guess that they
have not changed, so don't take this listing as gospel.
Also, the preliminary NVMA sheets indicate that the Turbo
350 installed behind the W72 301 engines had a lower 2.74-1.57-1.00
gearset, as opposed to the usual 2.52-1.52-1.00. This combo
also used a lockup torque converter. |
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|
Man.
Trans |
Auto
Trans |
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| Cu.
In |
4-Spd |
3-Spd |
Comments |
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| 265
Pontiac |
--- |
NA |
Turbo
350 |
| 301
Pontiac |
--- |
ME |
Turbo
350 |
| 301
Pontiac |
--- |
MJ |
Turbo
350 |
| 301
Pontiac Turbo |
--- |
NA |
Turbo
350 |
| 305
Chevy |
--- |
JC |
Turbo
350 |
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| REAR
AXLE CODES |
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| A
three-character code was stamped on the front of the passenger-side
axle tube to the left of the carrier case, to indicate axle
ratio and type. |
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| Gear
Ratio |
Standard |
Safe-T-Track |
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| 2.41 |
2PJ |
2PS,5PV |
| 2.56 |
2PH |
2PT |
| 3.08 |
2PC |
2PW |
| 3.23 |
2PD |
2PX,5PQ |
| 3.42 |
2PE |
2PY,5PM |
|
|
|
| *
A 3.23 and a 3.42 axle are listed in the service manual,
but no such options show up on the option sheets. |
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| WHEELS |
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| Wheel
part numbers were not listed as a change in the 1980 service
manual supplement. They may or may not be the same as 1979.
The June '95 issue of HPP contains all the part numbers
for the various steel and aluminum wheels. |
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| EXTERIOR
COLOR CODES |
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| Color |
Fisher
Code |
Applications |
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| Cameo
White |
11 |
All |
| Platinum |
15 |
All |
| Starlight
Black |
19 |
All |
| Tahoe
Blue |
24 |
F-body
only |
| Nightwatch
Blue |
29 |
Ex.
T/A & Formula |
| Yellow
Accent |
37 |
Yellow
Bird only |
| Tahitian
Yellow |
51 |
F-body
only |
| Yellow
Bird Yellow |
56 |
Yellow
bird only |
| Solar
Gold |
57 |
F-body
only |
| Barclay
Brown |
67 |
Ex.
T/A |
| Francisco
Red |
72 |
All |
| Montreux
Maroon |
76 |
All |
| Carousel
Red |
79 |
F-body
only ex. Form |
| Fiero
Bronze |
80 |
F-body
only |
| Ontario
Gray |
84 |
F-body
only |
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| Pontiac
mixed up the availability's of the interior layouts to include
a Color appointment Mix package, which combined Oyster seats,
door panels, rear seat armrests and other trim with a contrasting
color for the instrument panel, carpeting, steering column,
console and rear package shelf. Interiors were offered in
standard Oxen vinyl, custom Doeskin vinyl or Hobnail cloth
with Lombardy velour bolsters. Indy Pace Car interior code
reads 12C. |
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| INTERIOR
COLOR CODES |
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| Color |
Std.
Bucket |
Custom
Bucket |
Cloth |
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| Oyster |
12RT |
12N1 |
--- |
| Black |
19R1 |
19N1 |
19B1 |
| Blue |
26R1 |
26N1 |
26B1 |
| Camel
Tan |
62R1 |
62N1 |
62B1 |
| Carmine |
74R1 |
74N1 |
74B1 |
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| COLORED
APPOINTMENTS |
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| Colors |
Standard |
Custom |
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| Oyster/Gray |
12R1/16X |
12N1/16X |
| Oyster/Black |
12R1/19X |
12N1/19X |
| Oyster/Blue |
12R1/26X |
12N1/26X |
| Oyster/Camel
Tan |
12R1/62X |
12N1/62X |
| Oyster/Carmine |
12R1/74X |
12N1/74X |
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| CORDOVA
(VINYL) TOP COLORS FOR FIREBIRD CANOPY TOP |
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| Color |
Code |
Color |
Code |
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| White |
11T |
Gold |
63T |
| Black |
19T |
Maroon |
76T |
| Blue |
21T |
Gray |
85T |
| Green |
44T |
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| 1980
FACTS |
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| Base
models cost $5,948, the Esprit $6,311, the Formula $7,256
and the T/A $7,480 in 1980. The Pace Car cost a whopping
$11,194 in 1980 recession deflated dollars. |
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| Under
the hoods of the 1980 Firebirds and Esprits the familiar
3.8 V6 was standard, unless you lived in California. Then
you got the Chevy 305. The Bowties was optional in 49-state
cars as was the LS5 265 Pontiac engine, which is a derivative
of the 301. Production delays led to the 265's deletion
from the option list in early 1980. It's possible that these
engines never made it into the bay of a 1980 Firebird. |
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| The
base engine for the Formula was the normally aspirated L37
301, except for California, as usual, which got the 305.
The new Turbo 301 engine was optional, as was the W72 301
E/C engine that was rated at 155 horsepower. |
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| The
W72 engine received dual resonator exhaust like the turbo
and 305. It had a 274 degree cam installed in place of the
L37's 250 degree piece. Oddly enough, the 265 used the same
hot-for-the-day cam and turbo used the mild 250 stick. The
W72 seems to have gotten some tranny tweaks as well (see
the Transmission section). |
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| The
T/A read exactly the same under the hood as the Formula
except the W72 engine was standard, while the L37 was a
delete option with a $180 credit; so was the required 305
in California-bound T/A's. |
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| While
we are talking hoods, the Turbo cars got a new bonnet with
an offset power bulge to clear the elevated Q-jet due to
the turbo's placement. Schinella and Co. redesigned the
screaming chicken to show larger, more vertical feathers
and to spew flames over the bulge. Formulas got the same
hood--no bird--with the turbo option and non-turbo Formulas
retained the dual scooped piece. A boost gauge that consisted
of three sequential lights located in the back of the hood
bulge was a midyear option. |
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| A
Yellow Bird option (code W73) replaced the 1979 Red Bird.
The package remained mostly unchanged, save for the color
and the addition of blackout taillight panels garnished
with yellow stripes. |
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| The
black SE was still being produced, but it was the Indy pace
Car that stole the show in 1980. It had all the goodies
Pontiac could throw at it plus some extras that couldn't
be found on other T/A's, like a leather-wrapped steering
wheel, red instrumentation lighting, silver T-tops and embroidered
Firebirds in the door panels and rear seat. The exterior
was decked out in Charcoal Gray over Cameo White with red
accents and a superbird on the hood which, like the '79
Anniversary T/A, overflowed onto the fenders. |
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| The
NVMA spec sheet for 1980 indicates a 14:1 constant ratio
steering box was installed in all Formulas and T/A's, meaning
they all got the firm feel W56 box. This was a preliminary
document, so take this info with a grain of salt. |
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| Low-friction
ball joints were added to the suspension, while split front
speakers were added to the ever-growing list of available
sound systems and clocks received quartz movement. |
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| The
Formula steering wheels lost their gleaming gold anodized
spokes to black paint in Yellow Birds and Special Edition
T/A's on Nov. 20 1979. |
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| For
more information contact the owner directly at 623.974.1966
or 623.340.0735 or by email at jayklep2@cox.net. |
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