Silver 1969 Trans Am RAIV==Prototype==

[Bigmoe]

I am new to this group but wanted to share this amazing story of Pontiac history and the development and introduction of "The Trans Am" by Pontiac as I have uncovered and been apart of for the last several years. Currently this car is at Supercar Specialities in Portland Mich.where Scott Tieman and his crew are doing a nut and bolt restoration on it. I always figured the best way to prove something was try to disprove it first. So,after my talks with Eric Dahlquist(writer of the 1969 Motor Trend article that showed the Silver TA,Jerry Titus and one of Titius\Godsal Racing 1969 Trans Ams) I always wondered why the Silver car was even in the picture...Well that is because its his car! He is showing the street TA and the race car. According to Rick Titus his father bought 6 cars from Royal Pontiac in early 1969,5 cars that TG racing turned into race cars and the Silver car. It was wrecked in the left frt suspension according to Rick when Jerry bought it(hence the big discount on the PHS) and the car was taken to TG and repair by Jerry himself. His signature welded steering box bolt washers he did to the race cars is present on my car as well and the steering box that displays P "prototype" with stamped id numbers not cast and contains 16-1 ratio blueprinted internals. Rick says that Paul Lamar took the car and areo tested it. I talked to Paul and he said he had it at ElMiage drylakes and Stardust in Vegas testing the downforce & lift for both street car & TG's race cars. Talked to Steve Kelly(writer of Hot Rod article)about his test,he said that John Delorean himself called him and brought the Silver TA to him for a 2 week test drive. Steve said he had the car at Riverside twice for press tests and that John D told him that they were behind on the car compaired to the Judge and would him do the article. All these happened before Jerry got the car. Rick said the Silver car was his senior prom date car and that later in the summer of 1969 Annie Titus(Jerrys wife) traded the car for $2500 at Universal City Datsun for a new Datsun and he would drive by and see it sitting on the Used Car lot and was so mad that she got rid of it like that. Thats is when it turned into just another muscle car sitting on a car lot and not a protoype,magazine test car or a Trans Am Racing Superstars dailey driver.
What I still am trying to track is who bought it from that point. Its just amazing the number of people that touched this car are still around and that they remember this stuff. I was connected by Rick to Doug Innes,DustyRhodes they were TG employees and talked about the 1968-69-70 Trans Am season and have sent me some amazing photos of back in the day stuff. The latest issue of High Performance Pontiac has PMD achive photos of the Riverside test day and just a story of the development of the TA

[Bigmoe]

2011

[Fast67VelleN2O]

Awesome car! I would love to see the prototype steering box.

[Bigmoe]

14-1 ratio

[Xplantdad]

Cool!!

[69VN]

Love it! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif

[GaryC]

Always liked the 69 Trans Am's. Use to see a white one every morning when I was walking to the school bus in Atlanta. The silver one looks great without the stripes. Man!!!

[jbsides]

Great pics and story, Bigmoe.

Although I think they have moved at least once, Universal City Datsun (now Nissan)is still in business in West LA. The guy who opened it back in the day was from the old country and somewhat of a business success story. His employees were very loyal to him. I bet if he were still around he would remember the car!

[RealBoss302]

GREAT car and story, a genuine piece of Muscle Car history. Thanks for taking the time to share, I'm confident everyone enjoyed it like I did.

[70 copo]

Art Flynn a former Engineer at Norwood assembly actually drove the first production TA off the line and right out onto I-75 for a test drive.

WOW...That was a great looking car in '69 <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif

[Tenney]

Cool car!! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[Bigmoe]

Yes...Universal City Datsun was started by Morrie Sage and I understand that was the 1st Datsun dealership in the country that opened in early 1969. The address 4245 Lankershim BLVD. now has a BMW dealership there.

[PeteLeathersac]

Cool car and story, love the Titus connection too!!!
Nice Morrie Sage read @ the below link, looks like he passed away in 2011 but an amazing life...and man!
http://www.universalcitynissan.com/our-founder-morrie-sage.htm

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif
~ Pete

[Bigmoe]

This picture is Steve Kelly writer for Hot Rod magazine in 1969 .He road tested the Silver TA at Riverside Raceway in Dec.1968 during the press test for the 1969 Judge and Trans Am and also wrote the March 1969 Hot Rod article.

[Lynn]

Am I dreaming, or wasn't the ORIGINAL plan to use a 303 engine? Really big bore, really short stroke? I KNOW I remember reading about its development back in the day. Supposedly made huge power for such a little motor.
Did any of those engines survive? I am guessing none made it into a production car.

Back then, Pontiac was making (or commissioning) several weird powerplants. U have a few old mags with pics of Pontiac expirementals engines.

[92646]

I think most of the 303 motors ended up in Long Beach with Tom.

[scuncio]

Boy is that a cool car. I wish I'd had the foresight to photograph the special cars we drove when I worked for the magazines.

[Bigmoe]

A few vintage magazine pictures

[Bigmoe]

Vintage PMD press photo

[Bigmoe]

Thought I would share the latest update happenings. Scott and the Supercar Specialties crew are hard at work with the car with completion hopeful for summer/fall. The unveiling is set for the Nov. MCCN. I can't wait to show it off to everyone! The September High Performance Pontiac's feature &quot;Transcendent American Supercar&quot; featured this car in part 3 about the Trans Am prototypes. The coolest thing was the archive GM photos that show the Silver TA on track at Riverside Raceway. Prior to these photos all I had was the stories told me by Steve Kelly(Hot Rod magazine writer) about the car being at the track for the press intro twice in December 1968. That event was organized by Pontiac's PR assistant director George Stevens and Jim Wangers prior to the release of &quot;The Judge&quot; and &quot;Trans Am&quot;. One of the more significant pictures in that article was a under hood shot that showed the trim tag from the left side view. As all of you know its one thing to say it its another to prove it and these photos are another piece of the puzzle of this PMD SUPERCAR.

[Bigmoe]

Thought I would share the latest update happenings. Scott and the Supercar Specialties crew are hard at work with the car with completion hopeful for summer/fall. The unveiling is set for the Nov. MCCN. I can't wait to show it off to everyone! The September High Performance Pontiac's feature &quot;Transcendent American Supercar&quot; featured this car in part 3 about the Trans Am prototypes. The coolest thing was the archive GM photos that show the Silver TA on track at Riverside Raceway. Prior to these photos all I had was the stories told me by Steve Kelly(Hot Rod magazine writer) about the car being at the track for the press intro. That event was organized by Pontiac's PR assistant director George Stevens and Jim Wangers prior to the release of &quot;The Judge&quot; and &quot;Trans Am&quot;. One of the significant photos had a left side under hood shot of the trim tag. Just one more piece of the puzzle of this PMD Supercar.

[Bigmoe]

More Pics.

[Xplantdad]

Cool!!

[WILMASBOYL78]

I have always thought these were some of the coolest cars ever to come from the General...

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/Can-I-Have-It.gif

[dykstra]

Way cool! Thanks for sharing.

[markinnaples]

A shame they didn't make any T/A's in silver, they look great.

[ZiggyL78]

Great story and very cool Poncho.Back in the day I was a diehard Chevy fan and didn't know a lot about Pontiacs.A local AM radio station in Toronto called CHUM did a weekly road test on any muscle car that was given to them.A woman down the street from me had a 69 Trans Am and they did a road test on that car.They were really impressed on how fast the car was.There was a rumour going around that the car was a 303 but I really dought it.
Thanks for sharing.

[Lynn]

In addition to my question about the 303 motor, I THOUGHT the prototype TA was a 68. Was I dreaming that?

[Bigmoe]

Yes....Pontiac did install the experimental 303 in a Trans Am street car and it was road tested in several magazines around the release of the production version only offered with Ram Air III or Ram Air IV engines. These 2 articles prove that at least (1) TA got that motor and 4.33 gears. A close look in the CARS pic. on page 25 show the TRANS AM logo on the left rear quarter panel and on page 22 the GM lic. plate 2958 also appears on page 22 of the above HPP article at Riverside. Never noticed that till now...Wonder if PMD had the press test the 303 and no tell them?

[Bigmoe]

More

[markus37]

I recall that the 303 engines ended up with Buck Baker for the Nascar ponycar series and he won lots of races with them.Great short track engines, narrow power band where you can run a tight gear and keep the RPM up...unlike a road course which needs a wider power band,

[tjs44]

Actually the NASCAR cars used the 366 engine.Started life as a RA V engine and raced as a RAIV.Building one right now for my 69 Bird as a RA V.Tom

[bashton]

We are truly honored that the MCACN show is the place this one will be &quot;unveiled&quot; after the restoration. What an awesome and historical Mucle Car.

Special Thanks go out to Curt and Scott for making this happen!

Bashton
MCACN Managing Member

[Bigmoe]

Came across another 303 Trans Am test in October 1969 Car Craft

[bashton]

Just in case you missed this;

http://www.mcacn.com/3272014.htm

And for those who don't know, you an sign up for our weekly MCACN updates here;

http://musclecarandcorvettenationals.com/subscribe/

Bashton
MCACN Managing Member

[Bigmoe]

Time for some updates... after 2011 Trans Am Nationals I decided to nut n bolt this car and taking some mis steps at first but now this PMD piece of history is taking on the level it deserves. Scott Tiemann and his Supercar Specialties crew are hard at work and I am getting so excited and will share pictures of the build. Along with all else, SOPWITH Motorsports CEO Steven Cox(MECUM auto auction commentator) and I traveled to The Peterson Museum in California and filmed Rick Titus(son of Jerry the original owner) and Gene Wilfield(the designer or the first Trans Am) for the to be completed documentary on the Silver TA. Rick shared his stories as well as Gene bringing the ORIGINAL charcoal pencil drawings he presented to John Delorean in the PMD board room.

[olredalert]

----Curt,,,Probably just a typo, and not a big deal, but its Gene Winfield, I believe. Looking forward to seeing this piece of Pontiac history done!!!.....Bill S

[Bigmoe]

Opppppps. Thanks for the catch. Gene is an amazing man still works in the shop choppin tops &amp; customizing cars in his 80's. Don't think he really ever got credit for his contributions to the Trans Am. Soon as I figure out how to resize my pictures of him and his drawings &amp; Rick I will post them

[Bigmoe]

These are the original charcoal pencil drawings that Gene presented to John Delorean in early 1968. Also Rick Titus joined us to share his memories and stories about the Silver TA and talked about his father Jerry Titus's TG Racing shop carrying the flag for Pontiac in the SCCA Trans Am series. Once the car is finished the hope is this documentary will be picked up by Discovery or Velocity to tell &quot;The Trans Am Story&quot; of how this car came tobe and all the others followed.

[Bigmoe]

O...it was first called &quot;Firebird Cam Am&quot; NOT &quot;Trans Am&quot; as you can see on the sketch pad cover

[m22mike]

Can't wait to see this Poncho @ the Greatest show on earth.. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[Bigmoe]

Tons of work has been done by Scott &amp; his crew at Supercar

[Tenney]

In good hands!

[Bigmoe]

.

[Bigmoe]

The Silver looks awesome!!

[GreenLS6]

Car Looks fantastic !!!

[bashton]

WOW...looking great! What an honor it is to host the Unveiling of this historical car. Scott and his crew always due amazing work and his attention to detail is outstanding.

Now that the chill is starting to hit the air, (although I DO have several more weeks of water skiing ahead) I say bring on November!! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif

Bashton
MCACN Managing Member

[Bigmoe]

Found a new NOS dash and had the very early original stacked gauges restored maintaining the original date codes.

[Bigmoe]

Things are coming together

[Bigmoe]

Hey Guys,
The video link below is the work of Motorsports TV Production Sopwith Motorsports www.sopwithmotorsports.com (http://www.sopwithmotorsports.com) The (3) are a part of the 30 minute show that we will be released as a documentary. This PMD piece of history is brought to life with Gene Winfields story of the birth of the Trans Am and confirmed with Rick Titus. This is so cool!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96EF...lei8t_b_cix_ew

[Bigmoe]

Try this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96EFDB1KQBE&amp;list=UUCyfMYVlxlei8t_b_cix_ew

[Bigmoe]

XN code Ram Air IV

[m22mike]

Nice work <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[Bigmoe]

Big push and tons of hours to get ready for the MCACN Nov-22-23 lookin like a car

[m22mike]

Nice gaps... <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif...I know that's allot of work. Will check it out in Chicago.

Mike

[bashton]

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/drool.gif <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/drool.gif <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/drool.gif

Bashton
MCACN Managing Member

[Bigmoe]

Coming together!!!!

[iluv69s]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: m22mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice gaps... <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif...I know that's allot of work. Will check it out in Chicago.

Mike </div></div>



Nice gaps?? Way better than GM !!! Awesome job and awesome car !!!

[John]

.... Man that car is looking great <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif

[Bigmoe]

This is a PYPES system that was fitted the sent out for coating. I love the PYPES sound it was my choice over Gardner.

[Bigmoe]

Lots of hours here aligning the frt. end on 1969 Firebirds.

[markinnaples]

Wow, nice.

[Xplantdad]

Cant wait to see it in person!

[302moz]

Looking good.The front ends on the firebirds have way too many parts. I will be going through the same thing on the 69 trans am soon.Camaros are alot easier to restore.

[bkhpah]

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/11/full-10-18109-dsc_0007.jpg
1969 RS/SS 396 convertibles are no picnic either...BKH

[Bigmoe]

Yea.....on all fours

[69VN]

Excellent restoration Curt! The best '69 Pontiac I've ever seen! Awesome detailed engine compartment, etc! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif

Sal <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[Tenney]

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[Bigmoe]

Heading to Supercar Specialties today to pick it up!!! Can't wait

[ZLP955]

Wow, that is stunning!

[brent396]

Very nice <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/drool.gif

[mockingbird812]

Beautiful!!!!!! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif

[DaJudge]

Looks great !!!!!!

[mssl72]

Beautiful job!! I hope to see it in person sometime.

[Bigmoe]

What a awesome weekend! The car was a star! It was great to meet some of you guys and always nice to put a face with a name. Nice TV and magazine coverage of this show too.
http://youtu.be/loM9-kas0ho

[Tracker1]

Pictures DO NOT do this car justice - it is a stunner among stunners.

[A12pilot]

Bigmoe, we met you at the show. I didn't get the chance to thank you for the opportunity to have my wife pose by such a rarity. Thank you!!! That is a stunning car!!!! It was our pleasure to meet you! Unfortunately, that's the only shot I got and it's a tad blury. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/11/full-18993-18899-image.jpg
Happy Thanksgiving to you.

Cheers <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif

Dave &amp; Kelly

[markinnaples]

That T/A is evidence that it's a shame the didn't make the '69 T/A in more colors. Beautiful car.

[Bigmoe]

Its been a amazing ride for me and this car but, this special car and piece of Pontiac history deserves tobe be in big collection not sitting in my little garage behind my house. So I have decided to sell it at Barrett-Jackson 2015 Scottsdale and it is scheduled for Saturday Jan.17th around 5:00 pm lot #5059. Thanks to all you guys for the wonderful comments. This is truly a once in a lifetime car and I will forever be apart of the story and tried to do everything to be sure it was done to perfection.

[GTO_DON]

I heard it was for sale at Mack when I was there speaking to JM. Hope it does well for you.

[Charley Lillard]

Can I have it ?

[tjs44]

Just numbers in a check book Charlie!Tom

[tjs44]

Anyone know what day this car goes off at BJ?Tom

[Charley Lillard]

Sat night

[tjs44]

285 K

[302moz]

I think that was very good money for that car.The 69 ta is one of my favorite cars on the planet.But that car was did not have the POP of a white/blue production one.Plus the auto killed it.

[John]

.... With buyers premium .... $313,500.00

.... as per their website

.... Very neat car <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif