Building Replica 1969 Trans Am

1. Front fender emblem: production T/As had no Firebird nameplate — just the Trans Am decal (factory promo/pilot cars in photos sometimes show the nameplate, a giveaway for a clone).
2. Behind the fender air extractors: same fender as a Firebird but without the grilles — the extractors actually work (relieving underhood pressure and front lift at speed, not engine cooling). Members differ on whether there are two holes (like the regular grooved emblems) or none.
3. Front bumper arrowhead: yes — the arrowhead emblem signifies the 400 engine. T/As did not get the chrome grille surrounds of the 400 Sport-option Firebirds; grilles were blacked out with a silver snorkel (one member reports a documented late car with silver/chrome grilles — production variance).
4. Hood Ram Air decals: only RA IV engines got them; an RA III T/A has no hood stickers.

Other details to get right:

• Interiors: black, parchment, and blue were most common (standard or Custom); a couple gold and green standard, one red Custom — no Gold Leather 1969 T/As.
• Spoiler: pedestals always painted blue; stripes on top of the spoiler were rare (most had none).
• Steering wheel: early cars used the wood wheel with PMD center cap; very late cars used the 1970-style Formula wheel with a 1969-specific horn emblem.
• Tires/covers: most likely the 3/8″ pinstripe Goodyears (not the 3/4″ block-letter Polyglas often seen on restos); wheel covers ranged from dog-dish caps to wire covers.
• Gauges: many T/As had idiot lights or the Rallye package without a tach; only a small percentage had the in-dash tach and stepped gauges.
• Trim tag: the rear spoiler was denoted by code D80/D080 (not all original T/As carry it); the VIN was not T/A-unique. Grilles used a different part number due to the blackout/no-chrome.
• Trivia: 20 1969 T/As were built at Van Nuys (most assumed Norwood-only); only 32 came with A/C; a few road-test cars were plain silver.