Firebird and the Trans-Am series

[Jon Mello]

I wasn't aware of this Blood, Sweat and Gears book.  Thanks for your post letting us know about it.

[ko-lek-tor]

New Yahoo article that I thought may interest T/A fans. https://autos.yahoo.com/news/daytona-winning-firebird-actually-camaro-153039013.html

[Trans Åm]

I cannot verify the information to be true or documented officially, but there was recently a 1970 Pontiac Trans Am(VIN 228870N108148) that had some interesting history(allegedly) connecting it to Terry Godsall of T/G Racing. Very reasonable price for a 39k mile numbers matching early T/A. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1970-Pontiac-Trans-Am-Ram-Air-III-/282312026404?forcerrptr=true&hash=item41bb1ba924%3Ag%3AjAoAAOSwo4pYaoUU&item=282312026404&nma=true&si=pWgZyu5kZLNNZuPnJ2co2Ai3x20%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

The car was delivered new from the US to General Motors engineering of Canada in Oshawa Ontario on April1 1970. The car was used as a “test mule” for the next year while in the hands of GM engineering.

During this time, a prototype sunroof was installed to GM factory production standards but was never available as an option as Pontiac went with the T-tops. It works great and does not leak. The other notable change during this time was a Pontiac aluminum intake was installed possibly to mimic the Ram Air IV motor. It retains the quad 4-bbl with a manual choke.

 

In 1971 it was transferred to Terry Godsall of the Titus Godsall Trans Am Racing Team who sold it to the longtime owner in 1972. The car was never raced and was believed to be used for promotional purposes. It has never been plated/registered for legal road use.

I thought for future reference it'd be nice to have this down on this site.

[Steve Holmes]

This photo was posted on Facebook recently. Said to be the ex-Jon Ward/Jerry Titus Firebird in Mexico in the early 1980s. Its a rough photo, but interesting.


Photo credit Mandy Racing Team.

[Jon Mello]

Thanks, Steve.  Here's another photo of the car.  I do agree with the opinion of it being the former Ward/Titus Firebird (born originally as a '67 Camaro).

[Jon Mello]

Here are two pics of the same car from October 1969 taken during a support race for the Mexico City F1 GP race.

It still has the red upper body with white sides (as seen at Daytona) and the Firebird gills on the quarters but a Camaro front, sans grille.

[Steve Holmes]

Wow Jon, these are such cool photos. Thanks for sharing them. I especially love the two images from 1969. The hood scoop is a little funky, but the Firebird looks really tough here. Looks like the rear fenders have sprouted some flares.

This car sits very low in the front.

I assume Mexico had their own sedan rules? Those rear wheels look a lot more than 8 inches wide.

 

[group/7]

Is this the car that went to Mexico ? Titus at Kent '68.  I think this has been posted before ? sorry for the fold , magazine scan !

Mike

[group/7]

Jon, you posted this one back in October 2012,  your comment says Titus crashed this car in practice at Tremblant in '69. just thought I'd throw it it into the mix !


Mike

[Steve Holmes]

Hi Mike, yes you are correct, the car pictured in your top photo of Titus at Kent is the same car that Titus and Jon Ward (who built the car) raced to an impressive 3rd overall at Daytona 1969 and which then went to Mexico.

The car in your second photo is the ex-Craig Fisher Firebird that was raced during 1968 before it went to Dick Brown in 1969.

[Jon Mello]

Mike,

Steve is correct that those are two different cars. Below is a color picture of the Titus car at Kent in late '68, the same car that is #41 above and also #43 above.

[Jon Mello]

Steve, I don't know what the Mexican race rules were but they definitely allowed wheels wider than 8". Here is a photo from my collection of Ruben Novoa driving the ex-Titus/Ward Firebird down in Mexico. The picture is dated February 1970 on the back. I now has 1969 Camaro sheetmetal on the front and huge flares on the back besides the new paint job. This is the same car that is #41 at the Mexico GP support race (as seen above).

[Steve Holmes]

Jon, these photos are just outstanding, and so much fun to view. Thanks for sharing them. I particularly love the 1968 Kent image. Photos of this car in the US are few and far between. As a Firebird, it really only did two races that I'm aware of in this guise, albeit with different color schemes; Kent 1968, and Daytona 1969.

The Mexican photos are just as fascinating, and its amazing to see how the car evolved. Compared to the '69 Firebird owned by Bruce Thompson in New Zealand, which went through its entire life receiving only very minor changes, the Ward/Titus car went through several massive evolutions. I dare say when it was eventually rescued and brought back to the US, there must have been very little left of the original car in order to begin the restoration. Such is the life of an old race car.

[Jon Mello]

You're welcome, Steve. Here's a couple more pictures of the car from my collection. These are from March 1971 when raced by Daniel Muniz.

[Jon Mello]

Here's another one of the Daniel Muniz (ex-Titus/Ward) car from September 1971.