Steve sent the body to Bob Chalek of Musclecar Memories Restoration in Bellevue, Nebraska, for paintwork. Since the original underside and jamb finishes remained in excellent condition, Bob masked off those areas and stripped the rest of the exterior to bare metal. "The body was rust free and it only had a couple of small dings," recalls Bob. "We applied three coats of DuPont primer and then block-sanded it. Sealer was applied over the primer, and then three coats of DuPont Brewster Green base and three coats of DuPont clear followed. The topcoat was wet-sanded with 1,200-, 1,500-, and 3,000-grit paper before it was machine buffed."
While the body was being refinished, Steve cleaned and repainted the front suspension and subframe assembly, documenting with pictures any paint markings he happened upon during the process. "We repainted the Super-Duty engine in the correct shade of blue, but it wasn't taken apart. Because of leaks, we did install new gaskets in the transmission, though," he adds.
Reassembly began as soon as the freshly painted body was returned. "I wanted the car to be as original as possible and re-used everything I could, including the weatherstrip, but anything that was affected by the Texas heat or age, like hoses and wiring harnesses, were replaced. The headlight, parking light, and taillight bezels, grilles, and rear bumper are the un-restored originals. The original wheel flares were repainted, but we did install new welting because the originals were so badly cracked. We also tried to repair the cracks in the original plastic front valance several times, but finally replaced it and the lower spoiler with reproductions."
The Radial Tires
As the project neared completion, Steve had a choice to make before putting the Super-Duty Trans Am back on the road. A new option, which was eventually available on all models that year (besides the Ventura) was steel-belted radial tires and, in the instance of the Trans Am (or Firebird Formulas with the optional Y99 Handling Package), buyers could opt for GM-tread design GR70-15 radial tires over the standard F60-15 bias-belted units at extra cost.
Initially conceived by Pontiac...
Initially conceived by Pontiac Design Chief Bill Porter during 1970 11/42 Trans Am development to better integrate its Shaker scoop, the large Firebird hood decal (UPC WW7) didn't reach production until 1973. A total of 2,663 Trans Ams received the $55 option that year.
"The original owner added radial tires when he ordered the car, thinking that they'd be white-lettered. When it showed up with white lines, he wasn't happy at all," says Steve. "They didn't stay on very long, and when I bought the car, three of them came with it. Since I'm such a stickler for originality, I found a fourth and put the white lines on the car, but I can't say they'll stay. Like the original owner, I like it better with white-lettered tires too."
Conclusion
Since its completion in 2000, Steve has added no more than 100 miles each year to the Trans Am attending local area events, but he also had it at the POCI Nationals near St. Louis, Missouri, in 2005. "Wherever it goes, it seems to draw attention," he says. The rare combination of the Super-Duty engine, Brewster Green exterior with beige cloth interior, and its overall originality-all of which make this car so special to Steve-certainly contribute to that.
Beyond normal maintenance, Steve says the Super-Duty's future doesn't include much beyond local shows and nearby national-type gatherings. That will likely give him time to focus on his future projects-an Adriatic Blue '72 Trans Am (no, that's not a misprint), and an Admiralty Blue '74 Super-Duty Trans Am with a manual transmission. These two cars are in need of full restorations, and you can bet that this Brewster Green beauty will be the benchmark!
Vintage Pontiac sales bulletins...
Vintage Pontiac sales bulletins say that radial tires offer such benefits as extended tread life, softer ride, and improved wet and dry handling. Combine this with the Trans Am's already-impressive suspension package, including a 1.25-inch diameter front and 0.875-inch rear sway bars, high-rate front and rear springs, and the result is a formidable contender that was among the best handlers of its day. Production records indicate that a total of 2,850 Trans Ams and Y99-equipped Formulas received the radial tire option that year.
Mounted in the optional D55...
Mounted in the optional D55 front console is the original shifter that controls the PQ-coded M40 Turbo 400 transmission. Other options include: A31 Power Windows, C49 Rear Window Defroster, C60 Custom Air Conditioning, U63 AM Radio and Y90 Custom Trim. Everything is original, with the exception of new trim around the shifter and radio.
Do you think white-lined radial...
Do you think white-lined radial tires look out of place on this Trans Am? Believing they'd be white-lettered, the original owner opted for P85 GR70-15 White Steel Belted Radial Ply tires and, when the car arrived with these white-lined Goodyear Steel Belted Radials, he promptly replaced them with aftermarket tires. According to Car Distribution Bulletin No.73-53 dated May 24, 1973, white-lettered tires replaced white-lined on all orders preferenced from that day forward. Steve's car, which was built in mid-June, was likely preferenced prior to this date and subsequently received white-lines.
Most of the undercarriage...
Most of the undercarriage remains un-restored. Like the leaf springs, the original 8.5-inch 10-bolt rear axle housing a 3.08:1 gear set was repainted and reinstalled, and the factory spiral shock absorbers were repainted the correct color. "The original Super-Duty exhaust system with resonators was still on the car, but it couldn't be saved," added Steve. "So I went with stainless reproduction system from Gardner Exhaust Systems. It's one of the early systems that didn't yet include the correct-style resonators." The red-oxide primer throughout the entire underbody is completely original. The subframe was separated from the body, repainted the correct shade of semi-gloss black, and reinstalled with new rubber body bushings. Though he kept the original fuel and brake lines, the rubber fuel and brake hoses were replaced with modern units. The steel fuel and brake lines were chemically stripped to restore the factory appearance.
Original, low-mile vehicles...
Original, low-mile vehicles are always a treasure, and this Brewster Green '73 Trans Am is one of only 252 that received the LS2 Super-Duty engine in 1973.
Steve received with the car...
Steve received with the car every piece of paperwork the original owner had, including the original order form and window sticker (shown). Also included was a maintenance log noting date and mileage of warranty work and regular servicing, as well as each fuel fill specifying the date, odometer mileage, number of gallons and purchase price, and calculated fuel economy.