1999 NHRA package

[justinmc978]

Ok man I really appreciate it. One more question. Which one is better?

Formulas are low optioned, usually no t-tops, have cloth seats, and look just like the V6 cars, but are rare and known to be much lighter than Trans Ams, the looks make them sleepers too. WS6 formulas are very rare, and fetch higher prices than the T/A WS6's generally.

Trans Ams are usually fully optioned, all LS1 Trans Ams have t-tops, leather etc. they have the cool body kit and spoiler, high visual impact, many more made than formulas.

[suede]

a Camaro is...

get your fish outa here lol

[35th-ANV-SS]

PS - Here is one of the RPO code listing websites.

http://performanceworks1.com/LS1%20r...tion_codes.htm

[BANDITCAR]

plus, you said you have a 99 WS6, did you look for the WS6 option code on the door? You didn't mention it in your other posts. Someone might have thrown a hood onto a sleek beak and stuck a badge on the back.

[goof4080]

sleek beak. lol. my baby used to be one of those.

[nhraformula]

Sounds like you have a Formula that had a WS6 hood added to it.
Formulas are lighter than T/As and more rare to boot.

[justinmc978]

he has Y82; trans am

[Lauree]

Hi, I just joined and saw your post. You did a FANTASTIC job selecting that car. I too have a 1999 NHRA Official Car, mine is dark blue. I bought mine new from Dave Gill Pontiac in Columbus, OH. These cars were "special ordered" by each official during (in my case) the Spring Nationals. My car had the stall converter, performance chip, 3-23 ratio rear axel (3-46 was standard), 12-disk CD player, premium wheels, and a remote starter added.
Your car is SPECIAL because Pontiac didn't modify it, NHRA did. I have been looking for another one for the past 14 years, and you are as close as I have come to finding another. I saw the gentleman who sold me my car a few years later working at Dennis Pontiac; he told me that after selling my car, he had a bunch of people stop in and asking to have the stickers put on their cars. He said sorry, NHRA contracted that work out, so those people were SOL. There's no way of knowing who did the work on these cars since they contracted in each city they were in. Pontiac has no knowledge of the info, and NHRA has no knowledge (believe me, I have tried to find out).
Enjoy your SPECIAL car, they only made a handfull, and each one is special.
Blessings,
Lauree

[35th-ANV-SS]

I wasn't aware our cars had "performance chips". Was that different in 1999?

[Lauree]

No, the official had it added.

[kingls1]

I wasn't aware our cars had "performance chips". Was that different in 1999?

No, the official had it added.
Been looking for one for sometime now and nothing! Some day my persistence will pay off, however jokes aside our cars are equipped with a PCM and not a "chip". Sounds like this was some stickers added to some cars to bump up the price. Not sure if no one (Pontiac, NHRA) have no knowledge of this being done leads me to think it was a dealer spec. build.
Do you still have the window sticker? I'm interested to see how this car was sold

[35th-ANV-SS]

I wasn't aware our cars had "performance chips". Was that different in 1999?

No, the official had it added.
Been looking for one for sometime now and nothing! Some day my persistence will pay off, however jokes aside our cars are equipped with a PCM and not a "chip". Sounds like this was some stickers added to some cars to bump up the price. Not sure if no one (Pontiac, NHRA) have no knowledge of this being done leads me to think it was a dealer spec. build.
Do you still have the window sticker? I'm interested to see how this car was sold

I know we have PCM's and not chips

[Lauree]

Hi,
Sorry about your luck, they really are hard to find, maybe (if you don't give up) someone will come off of one. The dealer also had a white one driven by another official, but it sold just before I got there, or it would have been mine. They had a red pick up too, I saw it, but I didn't pay too much attention to it, so I cannot give you any info., I was still in a trance from test-driving my car.
I do have the window stickers in my glove box, it only lists stock Trans Am information, it adds nothing about the NHRA additions. Ironically,at the time, nobody wanted these cars because they had a few (mine had 1,000) miles on them, so I actually got it at a discount. Those 1,000 miles and the idiots that passed these cars up saved me $5,000.
The NHRA only came to Dave Gill Pontiac in Columbus (at that time). I don't know why, I don't care why, all I know (for sure) is that the dealer had nothing to do with changes the officials made to my car, all they did was supply the car, or truck in some cases.
It all ended when the Spring Nationals left Columbus.
See, I never really followed the NHRA series, I liked watching the races, but I live too far away to put that much time into following them to the track. The entire reason I have this one is a fluke. I called them asking if they had any TA's on their lot because there was none near my home, and that is where it all began.
Until you see one, you won't find one. They are more scarce than the special editions listed in 2000-2002, simply because they were modified for one individual, and not made for mass marketing. I'm not taking anything away from any other Trans Am, of any kind, I love these cars, all I can tell you is what I know. By the way, after I bought the car, I found out about the chip by one of their service technicians when I took it back for regular servicing. The technician called it a performance chip, the salesman never mentioned it so I'm not so sure he knew.

[35th-ANV-SS]

Any pics? Welcome to the site.

[kingls1]

I know we have PCM's and not chips

Jon my post was to Lauree to explain that we do NOT have a Performance Chip in them that in fact we have a PCM that requires a tuner to change things around with a program.
However the NHRA seems to have the only Performance Chip that was only used in a handful of these one of a kind cars. I would love to see some pics sounds like a great car.

[jrbonds]

I'd like to see pics of both these cars.

[Firebirdjones]

You guys haven't seen these birds with the little "NHRA emblems on them? They otherwise look like any other 4th gen firebird out there, they just have a couple of small emblems on them that if you weren't looking for them can easily be passed up.

It's not a new concept, dealers all over the country have been doing this since the 60's, basically cars with their own little twist on it to boost sales.

Anyone remember the California Special mustangs that were sold by a few dealers only in Cali? Or the Twister Mustangs sold from dealers out of Kansas with little tornado decals on them?
Colorado had special Buicks in 68-69 with Colorado Special emblems on them sold only at dealers in Colorado.

Some had more graphics than others like the "Twister" mustangs for example were stickered up to really stand out, but under the skin they were the same as any other. Other examples were simple emblems and not much else.

[Firebirdjones]

Here is a link to one of the Twister Fords that sold at Mecum the other day for those that are curious...

Basically an SCJ mustang under the skin exactly like mine, but this one was ordered as a Twister (a sticker package) for Kansas DSO's

1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Twister Special 428 Cobra Jet, 9,365 Original Miles for sale by Mecum Auction

[2002ssslp]

a Camaro is...

[JohnnyBs98WS6Rag]

Hi, I just joined and saw your post. You did a FANTASTIC job selecting that car. I too have a 1999 NHRA Official Car, mine is dark blue. I bought mine new from Dave Gill Pontiac in Columbus, OH. These cars were "special ordered" by each official during (in my case) the Spring Nationals. My car had the stall converter, performance chip, 3-23 ratio rear axel (3-46 was standard), 12-disk CD player, premium wheels, and a remote starter added.
Your car is SPECIAL because Pontiac didn't modify it, NHRA did. I have been looking for another one for the past 14 years, and you are as close as I have come to finding another. I saw the gentleman who sold me my car a few years later working at Dennis Pontiac; he told me that after selling my car, he had a bunch of people stop in and asking to have the stickers put on their cars. He said sorry, NHRA contracted that work out, so those people were SOL. There's no way of knowing who did the work on these cars since they contracted in each city they were in. Pontiac has no knowledge of the info, and NHRA has no knowledge (believe me, I have tried to find out).
Enjoy your SPECIAL car, they only made a handfull, and each one is special.
Blessings,
Lauree

Here's a registry for NHRA T/As:

List of NHRA Build Numbers - LS1TECH

These were RPO 1SH, essentially they were a marketing package that included a package of other options (like the 3.23 ratio rear for the A4 instead of the standard 2.73.......... the 3.42 rear was for M6 cars only) and a few decals/badges, and limited color options.

Overall, there weren't that many made, a few hundered. However, they weren't converted by NHRA or dealer for any track official (although I've heard of dealers adding the badges w/o the RPO, so there may be a few of these oddballs out there). They rolled off the factory line like any other Firebird. And if a "real" WS6 has NHRA badges, it's not a "real" NHRA car, it won't have 1SH since it was not avail w/ WS6.

No offense, Lauree, but I'd like to see documentation on your NHRA-modified car. Not saying it wasn't modified by NHRA, anything is possible with cars modified after they've rolled off the line. But from your description, it sounds like your car is NOT one of the "NHRA Firebirds" that have RPO 1SH. Anyone can add a "chip" and stickers to a car and claim it was modified by some sanctioning body. I've been on these boards since Sept '98 when I bought my car and this is the first I've heard of any Firebird being modified by NHRA for track officals.