Immediately after the announcement of the end of Pontiac, we say a flurry of interest in building new versions on the Camaro platform. Lingenfelter showed a TA concept car at SEMA last fall, and ASC publicized an upcoming conversion of their own. And while Lingenfelter has built four or five, we haven’t heard anything from ASC on the subject.
ASC Trans Am
Lingenfelter LTA Camaro SS
But the idea has stayed alive, and Trans Am Depot is the latest to pick up the ball. Unlike the others, they have an ace up their sleeve: The have legal right to use the name “Trans Am.” Does that make a difference? I think it does. The Lingenfelter is called the “LTA Camaro SS,” the ASC did use the name but never made the car. TA Depot even has a Pontiac badge on the front.
This is the project formerly known as the Phoenix TA. It is, as most are, Bandit (1977-’78) style. Tod Warmack from the Depot says they’re tooling for it now, with a T-Top demo car (some bodywork mocked up in fiberglass) ready for Trans Am Nationals in Dayton at the end of August. Production cars will be available a couple of weeks after.
To my eyes, it’s the most cohesive package of the three, but you’d expect that coming from guys as steeped in Pontiac as Tod and Scott Warmack. Hurst shifter, functional cowl induction, extractors–the Camaro doesn’t really lend itself to the treatment, but this is a slick job.
I dig these. They’re 20s (With PZeros), designed in-house.
Hot Rod has, I hate to admit it, a nice story on how the car came about. Tod would like you to know the car has developed considerably since those early prototype shots were released, and sent along the most recent “spy shots.”
They’re expecting prices on top of the donor Camaro in the $20-$40,000 range, which isn’t cheap, but a bargain if you’re cross shopping other big player in the continuation Trans Am game, Year One’s Burt Reynolds Edition Trans Am, which starts at $129,000 and goes up from there. That is an actual Bandit era T/A, though, with all of Year One’s considerable might behind it.
Continuation T/A comparo, anyone? Sounds to me like its time to take to the road, for a quiet little drive in the country. Or not.
GM may have betrayed the mullet, but the party in the back goes on.
I know, only tangentially relevant, but I’ll take any excuse to repost The Camaro Song.