Pontiac Historical society link?

[Olddog1500]

Could someone post a link to the pontiac historical society. I am also in need of information on VIN numbers and such, i am looking at a 79 T/A that is supposed to be an original 400/4spd car and just want to be sure of what I am getting. Thanks for any help you can offer!
Bob

[volkerc]

Originally Posted by Olddog1500

Could someone post a link to the pontiac historical society. I am also in need of information on VIN numbers and such, i am looking at a 79 T/A that is supposed to be an original 400/4spd car and just want to be sure of what I am getting. Thanks for any help you can offer!
Bob

Post your VIN and your engine code (to be found on the front right side of the block below the head, 2 letters stamped in the block) and I can tell you, if you want more info post all the numbers you can find on your cowl tag, below the windshield on the left side(driver)

[Olddog1500]

Originally Posted by volkerc

Post your VIN and your engine code (to be found on the front right side of the block below the head, 2 letters stamped in the block) and I can tell you, if you want more info post all the numbers you can find on your cowl tag, below the windshield on the left side(driver)

Havent purchased the car yet and havent wrote down the VIN yet, I was just looking for the links and information to research when the information comes available.
any clues where to research this? If not I'll email you the VIN when I get it.
Thanks for the reply!
Bob

[volkerc]

Originally Posted by Olddog1500

Havent purchased the car yet and havent wrote down the VIN yet, I was just looking for the links and information to research when the information comes available.
any clues where to research this? If not I'll email you the VIN when I get it.
Thanks for the reply!
Bob

If you are in the hunt, get a Firebird Red book! Published by Motorbooks International, will give you all the codes, and production numbers.
A 400 engine in the VIN will always be designated by a Z in the vin for 79 cars and some others, so the beginning of the VIN will be :
2W87Z9...... for a Trans Am
2U87Z9...... for a Formula
2X87Z9..... for a 10th Anniversary

the 9 is for the model year (1979),followed by an N or L for the assembly plant, Norwood or Van Nuys, an then the consecutive sequence number.
Engine code for a 400 manual is actually PWH (usually just 2 letters,different for 79)

With that info you should be able to find out if you are dealing with the real thing until you get yourself a book...Good luck!

[Olddog1500]

Excellent information Thank you. I may be confused a bit, where in the VIN will it let me know if original 4 spd?
Thanks again!
Bob

[volkerc]

Originally Posted by Olddog1500

Excellent information Thank you. I may be confused a bit, where in the VIN will it let me know if original 4 spd?
Thanks again!
Bob

It will not tell you anywhere in the VIN! If the VIN will not show a Z, then it will not be a 400 Pontiac in there, or I should say the car did not come with a Pontiac V8 if there is no Z in the VIN. Option code M21 eventually to be found on the cowl tag will designate a 4 speed manual transmission. In order to verify matching numbers/authenticity you need to make sure you have the PWH engine code on the block with a Z in the VIN. The cowl tag will give you info about equipment and original color, but it will not give you all the info.Say, you are lucky to find an all original car, chances are the original build sheet might still be in the car, to be found eventually under the carpet or under seats, that will give you all the info about how the car was equipped when it was build. The historical service will give you a copy of the equipment sheet/sticker based on the VIN, but it will still not be able to clearly tell you if the block came with the car. Thats when you have to look for all the date codes and stamps.Also 400 blocks had a 6X head casting, designating cylinder heads of this and earlier years, this number can be found to the left and right of the block, embossed on the 2 center exhaust outlets, where the exhaust manifold bolts onto, just above it, you can't miss it. If you see anything else other than the 6X then the heads have been changed or the whole block. 6X heads are so called "smog heads" the earlier 70 designs had different numbers and therefore different chambersizes and higher compression than the 6X heads.Any more questions feel free to ask...

[volkerc]

some production numbers for '79 400's with manual transmissions:
Regular Trans Am 2485
Trans Am with T-Tops 2917
Special Edition With T-Top 1107
10th Anniversary T/A 1817

[Olddog1500]

Once again, excellent information, you appear to know your business! I hope to be able to verify these numbers in the next few days. Crossing my fingers because so far this is word of mouth my buddy has kinda thing. It is reputed to be a 400/4spd car not sure about T-tops and I think the original color is the brown metallic with Camel interior. I havent messed w/ these cars in 10 years, I had a 78 4sp Z-28 and a 77 400 T/A and sadly enough I am not recalling facts as easily as I thought I would. Thank you for your help, I may need more

[binarychick]

Actually, I would like to look on dealership's old records of who purchased what. When I was but a young greenhorn, I purchased a firebird in Indianpolis, In, way back in 1970'ish. I want to know what I purchased in my ignoramus days