1993 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am | Retro Review

It's 1993, you're struttin' down to the Pontiac dealership, you NEED to test drive a brand new Trans Am! This is as close to that experience as it gets.
Show 1222 | Original Airdate 02-18-1993
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[@Jordi7174]

I miss Pontiac. 😢

[@CJColvin]

Same here mate

[@KevinM23]

Ditto

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

I have 88 GTA and that's why it is a keeper.

[@chaseman94]

I wish they were still around today going head to head with Dodge but aside from that where would Pontiac fit in among today's GM?

[@jordanimatedstreaming]

They made the 90's Grand Am sedan that thing was a POS that really stained the brand.

[@trevagraham1605]

This is really when Muscle Cars started to be Muscle Cars again.

[@snowmang3320]

Love my 93 formula even 30 years later I can still put down consistent 6.2 second 0-60 and I've had 5.8 with low wheel spin. Bone stock. Intake to exhaust factory. Just crossed 250k miles on Dec 6 22.

[@Finkledbody]

And how did you measure that? a stop watch? bahahahahahahahahah

[@snowmang3320]

@Finkledbody things called apps. That use GPS to measure and count 0-60mph. GPS stands for "Global Positioning Sensor". Welcome to the 21st century. You can keep your stopwatch

[@bradnimbus4836]

@@Finkledbody Did your 2 brain cells misfire that day?

[@jeremyb4493]

​@@bradnimbus4836he probably doesn't have a car or a license. Internet anonymity at its best/worst.

[@FWDSUXARSE]

I love my 98 with the LS1. I'm second owner since 2016.

[@danhoyland142]

This is when it all started to change and get good.

[@ryancoffey4327]

Hard to believe that car is almost 30 years old! It sure as hell doesn't look it's age!

[@TheOfficialCaseMade]

With a competent driver, ideal track conditions, etc... These were plenty capable of 13 second 1/4 mile times. That sounds average by today's standards, because it is. But in 1993, that was nipping at the heels of most anything Ferrari or Porsche had to offer, pretty unbelievable for a $20,000 car. Regardless of my general distaste for GM (and most domestic stuff), the 4th gen F bodies will always hold a soft spot in my heart. A '97 Trans Am was my first car, and what a car it was.

[@markpomerhn76]

I had the 88' Trans Am and loved it!

[@V8AmericanMuscleCar]

I still have it and I love it!

[@orchids3332]

Just yesterday I saw, on a used car lot, a 2000 base Firebird with 103k miles for 8 grand. Prices are going way up on these fourth gens. Ironically I was driving my 91 third Gen Camaro that is worth more. It's all nostalgia and at 50 years old I'm all about that.

[@pdennis93]

Wow. I bought my 95 Trans am with just under 85k in 2004 for $6000. I still own it almost 19 years later with almost 166k.

[@TinHatRanch]

Anyone that would buy a V6 F body for any reason, other than a swap, needs their head checked. The person who is trying to get $8k for one is out of their mind.

[@blaketindle4703]

I bought my 2001 Camaro in 2007 with 84,000 miles for $6,500. Currently sitting just under 125,000 miles.

[@blaketindle4703]

Yeah that V6 Firebird is worth about half that price lol

[@orchids3332]

It gets worse. Just this week I checked out a dealer that's selling a 90 base Firebird Bandit 2 with 70k miles for 26k. Has an 87 Formula 350 with 56k miles for 12k. Both are decent driver cars in decent shape but too rich for my blood. I don't blame the guy for trying though.

[@scottchaffee1004]

Keeping my Firebird maintained with fresh shocks and springs today. I love the styling and performance of this car.

[@michaelsimko7694]

The fourth gen Firebird is my favorite Firebird. The awesome futuristic retro styling and the V8 power make it a very attractive, eye-catching car.

[@FWDSUXARSE]

Reason why I'm not getting rid of mine ever. Best combination of old school with tuning abilities due to obd2. I popped my tuning cherry learning with HP Tuners on mine. Have license for any 98-02 LS1 fbody. Really helped mine as I've done upgrades to engine.

[@icyhotmike]

The firebird was the best looking Fbody

[@serfcityherewecome8069]

Huh?? The second-gen is almost universally recognized as the best looking. 🤔

[@arturrizov7]

3rd gen is my fav

[@Wesley_C]

This car is timeless.

[@HereForAStorm]

Weird seeing a T/A without T-Tops!

[@blaketindle4703]

Been nostalgic for third gen TransAms for many years. Now I’m also getting nostalgic for the fourth gens.

[@trudownsouth8490]

Timeless classic. These and the Z28s of this era when restored still stands out today. You can have all the current Corvettes and Camaros you want but a fully restored F body Trans Am or Camaro Z28 grabs much attention. You don't really see them anymore.

[@shawndon7374]

Personally I'm more of an IROC Z fan

[@trudownsouth8490]

@@shawndon7374 Oh yeah them as well!

[@pdennis93]

I have a 95 with ram air that I've owned for almost 19 years.

[@fernandorocha8459]

I love this car. Pontiac Firebird Trans Am and Camaro is my favorites cars

[@Jwdude123]

Because they disintegrated.

[@OLDS98]

Thank you for sharing the GM footage once again. It is appreciated. You miss Pontiac as a brand when you see videos like this. That car got better as time went on.

[@TJ-di1lb]

Still got my 2001 Formula Firebird in my garage 70k miles

[@03Lorac]

I got a 95 TA with ~50k ...love it

[@themaskedeconomist8404]

This man's voice would be America's national anthem

[@King5150Ed]

Got my 97 black ram air ws6 sitting in the garage now for winter hibernation

[@theeducatedredneck4144]

That car is capable of a 14.0 quarter mile !

[@dohc1067]

This stock version looks, but I also like the Gtp and Firehawk. One of my older brother's high school classmates, had one in white and called it the Day Rider. Either way, I love that v8 rumble and the way it handles the track.

[@danmccarthy4700]

I find it so hard to believe this was 30 years ago.

[@brd7477]

Right? I know exactly how you feel......

[@drift180x]

I like the styling of that thing, still looks great today.

[@hailstorm1986]

I've been very lucky to have owned two of these fourth gens and I absolutely love them especially my 94 Firehawk. I've noticed that finally over the last few years these cars are starting to get more respect and it's about time because they truly deserve it!! 😇🦅

[@jareknowak8712]

Pontiac ❤

[@dougsmith9571]

Best looking car of the 1990s.

[@hakeemsd70m]

Next to a '97 Corvette, I have to agree. Pontiac forever.

[@newfie-dean5803]

Considering it looks like it was carved out of a piece of plastic, definitely not!

[@jangofett8210]

I remember getting that Banshee in a hot wheel

[@pdennis93]

Note the dash in front of the steering wheel is different than the factory dash at 0:31 The break between the main dash and upper dash pad aka crash pad is much closer to the windshield on this pre production prototype than the factory car. They may have changed it to try to prevent the dash from cracking. It didn't work 🤣🤣🤣. I saw that style dash in person once. It's interesting. There is another good look at it at 4:05 I have a 95 myself. Mine ran 14.4 at 96 with a 2.3 60ft in stock form with a 4 speed auto.

[@snowmang3320]

Your depth of view must be better than mine cause it looks exactly like my 93 formulas dash 150 speedo and all but I can't see the difference of "closer to the windshield " I can't tell. oh and I don't have fog lights so no switch.

[@pdennis93]

@@snowmang3320there is a giant U shaped break between the upper dash pad and the part in front of the steering wheel. On the production car that break goes straight across. It's there, trust me. Like I said, I saw a pre production mule at an fbody show several years ago and it was the same way as the one in this video. You can see it a little better when they pan from the windshield of the car to the front at 4:05 It's a difference on top of the dash, not the gauges. Pause it right as John says the word "hood" and look at the right side of the pic. That's what I'm referring to. The upper dash pad has a different shape.

[@Slowgroovin]

Can see a lot of the cancelled 1990 Fiero in it's body design.

[@pdennis93]

I paid $6k for my 1 owner customer ordered in Hawaii 95 trans am in 2004 in Florida. It had just under 85k. I still own it almost 19 years later with just under 166k. I added 17" GS replica wheels in 2005 and ram air in 2008. It got a full repaint in 2016.

[@soulerflare7]

Wow , those cars aged really well .

[@JEdmund81]

Still looks awesome. Love this gen and the one after so much. Always preferred them over the Camaro.

[@raycoe2927]

Amazing styling.

[@floridamike2930]

I had a 93 formula LT 1 6 speed. one of the best cars I've ever owned. It would chew up the miles at high speed in comfort.

[@justgoofingoff]

Almost bought one till the insurance people told me what the premium would be for a 22yo. I settled for the Grand Prix SE instead, loved that car...

[@pdennis93]

In the 80s, my mom's friend's son went to the Pontiac dealer after getting a teaching job right out of college and bought a brand new car. He told his mom to call the insurance company to add it and she called him back a while later furious because the insurance company was going to drop him. He was confused and asked "why would they drop me for buying a Grand Am?" His mom said "oops, I told them it was a Trans Am." 🤣🤣🤣

[@markreyna4209]

I miss my Ws6.😥

[@craig.encinitas]

Reliving my high school years with this video. 🤘🏻 🤘🏻

[@CKTOlson]

My pops has that same exact car, hasn't run in 15 years. I'm gonna try to get it back up and runnin.

[@Thejordanenthusiast]

A V8 muscle car for under $20K? Get me a time machine to purchase one back then, especially with the inflation of modern muscle car prices being over triple the amount, and a pristine F-Body can fetch $25K (up to $10K on the low end).

[@oldtwinsna8347]

This clip states the Formula version was just about $18k. With inflation adjustment that is $37k. Mustang GT starts at $38k. And of course the Mustang GT today will murder this Firebird in every performance metric by considerable margin.

[@Thejordanenthusiast]

@@oldtwinsna8347 I was referring to the ZL1 Camaro, and most of Dodge’s lineup; those average $60-70K; but at least the Mustang is decently priced

[@jeremyb4493]

​@@oldtwinsna8347ya think? A stock car from 30+ years ago lol

[@ryancoffey4327]

I would love to have a 1993/94 Pontiac trans am especially with those wheels!

[@averyparticularsetofskills]

20k DAMN & SOOO much sexier than the Z28 was then ! (coming from Camaro IrocZ owner)

[@albear972]

Very descent performance specs for an American 1993 sports car. Many cars still had the anemic remnants of the cursed 1980's sticking around.

[@bobforpples]

Another stellar 1/4 mile time by MotorWeek.

[@jeremyb4493]

😄

[@camaro69green31]

3:57 The elevated camera shot shows the beautiful design of the forth gen....

[@WheelmanMike]

My first car back in 1998 ❤ and I wish I still had it

[@kyoakland]

I remember these my 89 5.0 mustang had real problems with these especially on the freeway even my 87 grand national had a issue but I got em

[@vinnybruce2874]

I own one and can't wait to restored it

[@blex5579]

the seats design is actually pretty good!

[@jasonweishaupt1828]

Tech has come a long way. Mom’s Malibu with turbo 4 will do the 1/4 in 14.1 at 99. I’d rather have the fire chicken though.

[@mikeg3202]

i just bought a low mike t/a 6 speed love it

[@davidaubin3902]

4:35 Full set of gauges

[@FirebirdDude]

YESSS!!! MORE FIREBIRD VIDEOS, PLEASE!!!!!

[@camaro69green31]

3:43 Californias Concept Camaro...... wow the forth Gen Camaro followed suit..... I love mine. The design is wonderful.

[@chrisheffner3024]

$21K, WOW. If I could only go back..............

[@ce9345]

Motorweek tested a 1994 Buick Roadmaster with the LT1 350. 0-60 was 6.9 seconds. You can't tell me the LT1 350 in the Roadmaster didn't have close to the 300 HP the corvette had. Yes, in the full-size cars, they used cast iron heads instead of aluminum.

[@darknessislight3689]

Pontiac Forever ♾

[@johnjones393]

That was my dream car back then. It's aged well in looks but now a V6 Camry will beat it 0-60. Progress I guess.

[@user-sq1nd6km5u]

but the generic box has no recognition compare to this car.

[@1972Ventura455ho]

I bought a 1994 GT TA new, oddly the auto LT1 powered cars were faster in the 1/4 than the 6 speed. The first and only time mine went to the track it went 14.0 @ 99 mph.

[@kyoakland]

I remember

[@accept_everything_]

I owned a '93 Formula in mint condition for 10 years. It was a cool looking car and sounded heavenly with its Borla exhaust. Although the LT1 with its crappie designed optispark was a nightmare to maintain 😑

[@danhoyland142]

Very little aftermarket support too

[@pdennis93]

The 95-97 vented optispark is much better. I still have the opti my 95 came with when I bought it in 2004. It may be the original with almost 166k miles. It did get an MSD cap and rotor in 2005 with 106k.

[@kyoakland]

Yeah but change that with the one with the seals and it would last for everything my 95 impala had the same problem

[@Diamondiam0nd]

@@kyoakland can u tell exactly what optispark model u have? or any link to it?

[@C4VETTELT1]

You people and this bullshit optispark crap!!! It's only an issue if the waterpump goes out!! Thank goodness they don't go out very often!! I've had two LT1 cars and have one currently, other than me messing up putting in one of the seals I've never had ANY issues with the optispark!! And the only reason I changed it to begin with is I had no idea on if the stuff was still factory or not. So I changed everything, hoses, belt, waterpump and optispark. Fixed the seal that I messed up and it's been running absolutely flawless! This is an early one so we'll see how long it lasts but I've heard that the vented optispark weren't really any better!! But them I hear people say they are!! I have no idea if any of these people are speaking from experience or just spuing bullshit they've heard!! I'm betting it's the latter!!! Because I've had two beat the hell out of both (still beating the hell out of this LT1 in my corvette) and never had any issues!!!

[@somejackball]

now i want my old 91 GTA back 😢

[@surfordie82]

Nice performance, but this '93 Trans Am looks pretty dowdy. Aztek wheels anyone?

[@Microjoey02]

"That carrr has da Lt'ahh 1" as my grandmother from the south would say😂🤣

[@gearheadAbe]

Long live the firebird

[@dennismeyer1358]

I miss pontiac also, l have a 91 Trans Am convertable 5speed, love it

[@stephenumphress5705]

F-body cars were NOT de-tuned, but rather were advertised as having less horsepower so that people might still opt for a Corvette instead. GM did the same thing with the LS1 when they put that engine in Corvettes and f-bodies about five years later. They literally made the same power. Obviously the Corvettes were still somewhat faster due to slightly better aerodynamics, less weight, better COG, and larger rear wheels.

[@markallen3293]

I bought a 69 triple green in 78. Someone dropped a 400 Catilina engine. Front heavy, but man she was fast in a straight line. By the way, I payed 1350.00. Sold her to my brother for 600.00 for college. I regret that. Loved that o'l gal. P.S. she was an auto on the floor, converted from the steering column.

[@billschlafly4107]

I bought a '95 TA in 1997. That was one bad ass street machine at an affordable price. At the time, the only thing I didn't like about the car was the skip shift nonsense. I sold it when my son was "on the way." So I drove a beater for a few years. I tried to go back to the TA in 2002 for the last hoorah. The problem was that I'd been driving a '96 3000GT for 2 years, which was far superior in build quality and it handled like a dream. The 2022 TA felt like an old truck in comparison. Faster? Sure. Big rumble? Sure. Cool factor...absolutely! But the 3000GT felt like a better sports car experience and it was paid for so I kept rolling it for another 6 years. Perhaps someday I'll own more garage space and pick another one up...3000GT that is.

[@fgeiger41]

I would've loved for GM bean counters to have been muzzled and allowed the F body to truly progress. The California Camaro concept and ProtoSport4 showed what they could've become.

[@Followme556]

These things are worth a mint now.

[@jorgeezequielhernandezpart6883]

I miss firebird 😢

[@GeeEm1313]

They look like thr previous generation, but more smoothed out. Beautiful car. I'd love to own one some day.

[@tomrodgers6629]

That T/A was to me like Mad Max's interceptor is to him. I actually lived out of that car for a couple of years. I was Mad Max. Lol

[@ADR.Hi-Gain]

AWESOME!!

[@gxdjoeybaby07]

beautiful!

[@jeremyb4493]

Test drivers seem to lose a second or more burning the tires off at launch with v8 rear drive cars like this. Oh well, great cars and great videos

[@PhillyDee215]

I have F-body brakes on my 400whp buick regal GS 3800. Direct bolt on👨‍🔧

[@TurboMan942]

No mention of the obscene catalytic converter hump on the passenger side floor? That was one of the reasons I went with a Mustang instead. I didn’t want to listen to passengers complain

[@blackice7408]

I've always wondered if there's no front grille, how does the engine bay and the radiator get the cooling it needs with a sealed front?

[@281crane]

Air is directed to the radiator from the bottom.

[@MrHighlyEvolved]

As the other comment said, it gets cool air from below the car. If you look closely, there is a black plastic piece under the front of the car that is angled down and slightly forward, and this directs air from under the car up to the radiator. The no-grille design is very distinctive, IMO, and in stark contrast to modern cars where the grilles keep getting bigger and bigger.

[@281crane]

@@MrHighlyEvolved 👍🏿

[@moparguy5876]

​@@MrHighlyEvolvedbottom breathers always had a very unique, sporting look about them

[@johnmcmullen456]

Air bottom feeder also for 1987-1993 Mustang GT.

[@Janet71990]

The all new KITT

[@rdpeach]

Cept for that crummy optispark system

[@Anderson-ky6ps]

Pontiac GTX esse me agrada bastante coisa é vê essa belezura mais pontent

[@devinbiz]

Loved these cars, but that 0-60 sounds slow in the numbers cars can get today

[@danziger69]

As much as I loved my 3rd Gens, the two 4th Gens I had were leagues better cars in every metric.

[@PANTYEATR1]

2002 WS6 or Firehawk me please💪

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Great looking cars! But boy the automotive industry have come a long ways on performance. Those are Toyota Corolla performance now a day’s!

[@wavelength1970]

Amazing my 2008 R32 is as heavy as one of these

[@icyhotmike]

Technology adds weight

[@blackericdenice]

1:30 it’s not detuned. It has a weaker cam than the Corvette.

[@mannybananas1322]

Why is the front end all covered? no vents for the radiator to dissipate hot air ???

[@pbfloyd13]

It's annoying how these cars still demand 15 to $20,000, but when you look at the performance you get for it yeah it makes sense...

[@ettorenamias]

Truth. My 94Z28 is great and will never be for sale.

[@motaz1975]

good ol reverse cooling and opti spark always breaking. the ls1 was SO much better.

[@isaiahwinbrone]

That car is nearly 30 years old it's a classic

[@motaz1975]

@@isaiahwinbrone yes and?

[@isaiahwinbrone]

@@motaz1975 the car is a beauty that's all I have to say

[@LeoM-zt3pl]

Reverse cooling is great. Keeps the intake cool to the touch and can bump up the timing for more horsepower. 25 year old optispark in my 97 SS LT1 working fine at 74,000 miles ymmv

[@markbehr88]

I like it

[@jjojo8365]

My dream car🥲⚘ alot people hate this car so much :(

[@281crane]

Mine too 👍🏿

[@michaelcoffey7362]

Cool 😀

[@metvelle]

ah the gold ole opti-crap era F bodies

[@andersonfirmino8925]

Nossa esse carro da época são muito bonito é endetico Camaro z28s que clássico amigão olha esse vídeo é sensacional 😀😁👍 parabéns pela postagem estamos muito aguardando alive pra ano que vem

[@andersonfirmino8925]

Muito da hora 👍👍👍 de assistir motor wekk

[@CJColvin]

The problem with this Firebird is that it looks too much like a torpedo/catfish just like the 4th gen Camaros are and not to mention too much plastic cladding as well unlike the original Firebird and Trans-AMs that had a really beautiful look to em and looked very sexy.

[@netowork3d]

👌🏽

[@JDMHaze]

i always preferred this styling over the camaro,,93-2002 camaros were hideous to me

[@MrHighlyEvolved]

I like the 93-97 Camaro, but the front end of the 98-2002 cars is hideous.

[@jamesruiz4005]

The interior in the pontiac was much better than the Camaros

[@runoflife87]

Using the same parts bin? Hard to believe, sorry. GM will always be themselves.

[@johnmcmullen456]

Grand Prix vs Monte Carlo likewise, especially with dashes.

[@user-sq1nd6km5u]

was the same damn thing i had both.

[@SomethingFunny454]

For so many years people have said gen 4 F bodies have "detuned" vette motor. They were never detuned, they are choked by the Y pipe single cat exhaust. Put a vette C4 lt1 or C5 ls1 on an engine dino next to the equivalent F body engine with open headers and they perform exactly the same. No "tuning" needed.

[@pdennis93]

Yup. My 95 Trans am A4 put down 245 rwhp and 283 rwtq on a dyno with only an MSD cap and rotor, a drop in k&n filter, msd wires and ngk iridium plugs, ie basic maintenance items. Given the normal 20% driveline loss for an automatic, that puts my power numbers at 305hp and 350tq which are pretty much what the C4 was rated at.

[@jacktorse2145]

Not completely true. Although the Caprice, Roadmaster, Camaro Z28, and Trans Am all have an "LT1" V8, they all got different camshafts and tuning via the PCM...hence the sedans and the pony cars considered as "detuned". The Vette had the most aggressive camshaft and PCM tuning as well as the least restrictive exhaust, which allowed it to make the most power out of the bunch. Some other differences: The F and Y bodies had aluminum heads stock while the B/D body got iron. Also the Vette got a 4 bolt main, while the rest had only 2 bolt mains.

[@Save_the_Stick_Shifts]

@@pdennis93 wow that matches my 94s back in the day. It was an A4. Added mid length headers, k&n intake, crane 210/224 small cam and it did 305 rwhp and 300 rwtq and ran 12.9s on street tires. Quick, for its day.

[@redslate]

They tested the Mid-Gen revision and *proved* on a dyno that the F-Car's LS1 was *NOT* "detuned" from the Corvette. The slight measurable difference matched what was to be expected from (drivetrain) parasitic loss. The only mechanical difference was the 'vette got a forged camshaft (negligible in performance). I don't doubt it was any different with the earlier 4th Gen's LT1.