Special Edition Vehicles - Pre-Production 1996 Trans-Am LS1 T56 V.I.N ending with EX. Fake or real ?

I don't post on this side often but locally I saw a 1996 Trans-Am with a factory LS1 & T56 for sale with 54 Kilometers not 54,000 KM but really 54 Kilometers.

The seller is saying it was a Pre-Production car and has from the factory a LS1 in it and the serial number is ending by ***************EX ( see pictures ) .

Car has been sitting in a control temperature garaged for all those years.

Fake or real car ?

Any real value ?



http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a1dc05b3127ccefc24af94232c00000030O00Act3LNk5YuG IPbz4E/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/




http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a1dc05b3127ccefc2509ed034a00000030O00Act3LNk5YuG IPbz4E/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/




http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a1dc05b3127ccefc24e04f634800000030O00Act3LNk5YuG IPbz4E/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/




http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a1dc05b3127ccefc256e54435800000030O00Act3LNk5YuG IPbz4E/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/




http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a1dc05b3127ccefc244a24637600000030O00Act3LNk5YuG IPbz4E/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/



I ran a CarFax with the serial number and surprisingly it is showing up as good :

2G2FV22P9T20027EX


Vehicle: 1996 PONTIAC FIREBIRD FORMULA/TRANS AM



Anyone with a full carfax just to see what it say ?

Vehicle: FIREBIRD 2 DR
Year: 1996
Build Date: Unk.

Found 24,814 vehicles matching your year and model in our database.

RPO Description Matches
UA6 THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM ANTI-THEFT(UA6)
5,120
UB3 CLUSTER,INSTRUMENT(OIL,COOLANT TEMPERATURE,VOLTMETER,TACHOMETER,TRIP ODOMETER) GA(UB3)
24,814
UK3 ELECTRONIC SYSTEM,ACCESSORY CONTROL ELEK ACSRY CONT SYS(UK3)
14,710
U19 SPEEDOMETER,INSTRUMENT,KILOMETERS PER HOUR KPH SPEEDO(U19)
742
U75 ANTENNA,POWER(CHROME) PWR ANT(EXPORT)(U75)
ANTENNA,POWER(CHROME) PWR ANT(U75)
14,401
VK3 LICENSE PLATE,FRONT MOUNTING PACKAGE FRT LIC PLT MTG PKG(VK3)
17,793
VS7 VEHICLE NON-SALEABLE NON-SALEABLE VEH(VS7)
20
V73 VEHICLE STATEMENT - US/CANADA US/CANADA VEHICLE STATEMENT(V73)
24,341
WD2 IDENTIFICATION - PROTOTYPE VEHICLE
20
WS9 MODEL CONVERSION FORMULA(MERCHANDISING OPTION) FORMULA(WS9)
6,294
W55 ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM OPYION E ENTERTAINMENT SYS OPT E(W55)
6,541
Y82 TRANS AM PKG BASE(MERCHANDISING OPTION) PKG,TRANS AM BASE(Y82)
4,775
Z31 IDENTIFICATION - PRICE SHEET ADVANCE
732
Z49 MANDATORY CANADIAN BASE EQUIPMENT MODIFICATIONS(CANADIAN) CANADIAN(Z49)
736
1SD PACKAGE-OPTION 04 (1SD)
242
1SZ PACKAGE OPTION- (1SZ)
18,955
12I INTERIOR TRIM GRAPHITE (12I)
21,063
122 TRIM COMBINATION LEATHER,GRAPHITE (122)
4,437
41Q MOLDING COLOR,BLACK (41Q)
4,978
41U EXTERIOR COLOR,PRIMARY (41U)
EXTERIOR COLOR,PRIMARY,BLACK (41U)
5,037
6HD COMPONENT FRT LH COMPUTER SEL SUSP (6HD) SUSP(6HD)
2,638
7HD COMPONENT FRT RH COMPUTER SEL SUSP (7HD) SUSP(7HD)
2,638
8TH COMPONENT RR LH COMPUTER SEL SUSP (8TH) SUSP(8TH)
4,140
9TH COMPONENT RR RH COMPUTER SEL SUSP (9TH) SUSP(9TH)
4,140
AH3 ADJUSTER,SEAT,4-WAY MANUAL,DRIVER 4-WAY MAN D/SEAT ADJR(AH3)
22,288
AK5 RESTRAINT SYSTEM,FRONT SEAT,INFLATABLE,DRIVER AND PASSENGER DRIVER & PASS F/SEAT INFL RST SYS(AK5)
24,814
AN4 RESTRAINT PROVISIONS,CHILD(CANADIAN) CHILD RST PROVISIONS(AN4)(CANADIAN)
736
AQ9 SEAT,FRONT BUCKET,DRIVER,PASSENGER,RECLINING RECL FRT BKT ST,LUXURY(AQ9)
4,105
AU0 LOCK CONTROL,REMOTE ENTRY(KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM) REMOTE ENTRY LK CONT(AU0)
15,415
AU3 LOCK,SIDE DOOR,ELECTRIC ELEC S/D LK(AU3)
19,167
A31 WINDOW,ELECTRIC OPERATED,SIDE ELEC SI WDO(A31)
18,776
B35 COVERING,FLOOR MATS,REAR,CARPETED INSERT(COLOR COORDINATED) RR CPT INS FLR MATS(B35)
24,451
B84 ORNAMENTATION,EXTERIOR,BODY SIDE MOLDING BODY SI MLDG(B84)
24,460
CC1 ROOF,HATCH,REMOVABLE PANELS,GLASS HATCH RF(CC1)
13,894
C49 DEFOGGER,REAR WINDOW,ELECTRIC ELEC RR WDO DEFG(C49)
20,621
C60 AIR CONDITIONER,FRONT,MANUAL CONTROLS A/C MAN CONT(C60)
24,730
DG7 MIRROR,OUTSIDE,RH & LH REMOTE CONTROL,ELECTRIC(PAINTED) O/S ELEC R/CON PAINTED MIR(DG7)
18,490
FE2 SUSPENSION SYSTEM,RIDE AND HANDLING RIDE & HANDLING SUSP(FE2)
6,294
FE9 FEDERAL EMISSION CERTIFICATION FED EMIS(FE9)
22,523
GU6 AXLE,REAR,3.42 RATIO 3.42R(GU6)
6,342
G80 AXLE,REAR,POSITRACTION,LIMITED SLIP POSITRACTION L/SLIP R/AXL(G80)
11,076
IL2 TRIM,INTERIOR DESIGN (IL2)
3,769
J65 BRAKE SYSTEM,POWER,FRONT AND REAR DISC 4-WHL DISC BRK(J65)
11,076
KG9 GENERATOR,140 AMPERE 140 AMP(KG9)
6,294
K05 HEATER,ENGINE BLOCK ENG BLK HTR(K05)
HEATER,ENGINE BLOCK(CANADIAN) ENG BLK HTR(K05)(CANADIAN)
736
K29 MODULE,POWERTRAIN CONTROL POWERTRAIN CONT MODULE(K29)
1,205
K34 CRUISE CONTROL,AUTOMATIC,ELECTRONIC CRCONT(K34)
20,695
LT1 ENGINE-GAS, 8 CYL, 5.7L(5.7P),MFI,HO 5.7P(LT1)
6,294
MM6 TRANSMISSION MAN 6 SPD, BORG WARNER, 85MM, 1ST 2.66, 6TH 0.50, O/D 6-SPD M/TRANS(MM6)
2,357
MN6 TRANSMISSION,MANUAL 6-SPEED PROVISIONS(MERCHANDISING OPTION) 6-SPD M/TRANS PROVISIONS(MN6)
2,357
NF2 EMISSION SYSTEM,FEDERAL,TIER 1 FED EMIS SYS(NF2)
22,523
NP5 STEERING WHEEL,LEATHER WRAPPED LEATHER WRAPPED STRG WHL(NP5)
15,523
NW9 TRACTION CONTROL ELECTRONIC ELEC TRACTION CONT(NW9)
1,208
N60 WHEEL(ALUMINUM)(PAINTED) PAINTED AL WHL(N60)
20,200
QFZ TIRE ALL P245/50ZR16 BW R/PE ST TL AL3 TIRE(QFZ)
1,624
R6Z CONTROL - SALES ITEM NO. 25
126
R7K CONTROL - SALES ITEM NO. 36
735
STE PLANT CODE- ST THERESE, PQ, GM OF CANADA ST THERESE,GM OF CANADA PLANT CODE(STE)
24,814
T43 SPOILER,REAR RR SPLR(T43)
4,287
T61 LIGHTING,DAYTIME RUNNING DAYTIME RUNNING LGT(T61)
736
T96 LAMP,FRONT FOG FRT FOG LP(T96)
LAMP,FRONT FOG(USED WITH TOURING YP6) FRT FOG LP(T96)
4,732

Based on the VIN it is coming across as an LT1.. looks like a factory installed LS1 though by how clean it is.. Who knows what GM might have done though.

LT1 ENGINE-GAS, 8 CYL, 5.7L(5.7P),MFI,HO 5.7P(LT1)
6,294



Ummm. It say LT1 motor ( like it should ) .

What do you think ?

We posted at the same time...:D

I am not sure what to think of it.. Usually if it is a factory optioned car, the vin tag should show it, although there might be another tag on the door, glove compartment, etc that you could check.. Might have just used the vin tags they had from their production cars, which would not note the LS1.

ok they did an ls1 swap.. next.

Do you know where the LS1 was used back in 1996 ?

Do you know where the LS1 was used back in 1996 ?

It wasn't.. First year for the LS1 was in 1997 in the Corvette, 1998 then got the LS1 in the F-Body. There is mention of a couple prototypes in 1996, but it says they were the LT4 and that was in an SS.

Also, why is the glove compartment all torn out? Does the computer or PCM sit back there? Or was this a swap by someone and they did not put everything back?

It wasn't.. First year for the LS1 was in 1997 in the Corvette, 1998 then got the LS1 in the F-Body.

Yeah I knew that part :D but I was referring to the guy who said : ok they did an ls1 swap.. next , ok but I was wondering where the motor was comming from ( which vehicule ) ?

Also, why is the glove compartment all torn out? Does the computer or PCM sit back there? Or was this a swap by someone and they did not put everything back?


Can't tell.

There was another thread on this a while back, I can't remember the outcome but it appears to be the same car. There was also a pre-production camaro/firebird that was used to test body components, it was red if I remember right. Some one did a great job faking all the "experimental" stickers on the parts if it is fake. The glove box is most likely missing because they had extra hardware hooked up to monitor and log data while testing.

Edit, here is the goofy red test car: http://www.camaroz28.com/99fbody/
Another thread mentioning the non-saleable code and EX code: http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/pontiac-firebird-1967-2002/1383349-interesting-car.html
Ebay ad link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PONTIAC-TRANS-AM-PRE-PRODUCTION-BRAND-NEW-/110646006104?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item19c3041158

Very interesting and sorry if it was a repost.
Since the car was in the Province of Quebec , I would have never thought you guys would know about it but with internet there is no distance or frontier.

There is only frontier when I buy parts in the US and they go thru border then I remember there is a frontier....:bang:






$$$$$$:eyes:

LOL! No worries on the repost thing, I thought it was interesting as well, and it pops up on occasion, I don't think anyone has ever been able to get a complete story on the car unfortunately. I guess some one just needs to pay the owner a visit for some brew and get info!

The guy is not too far from me so I may give him a ring just to see what he has to say about the car.

Do you know where the LS1 was used back in 1996 ?

i remember seeing an LT1 camaro with a huge bulge in the hood in a magazine around 1995-1996 that was supposed to be a test mule for the motor for the C5 vette. i suppose a 96 trans am could have been used too but it suprises me that it's got a 98 front end.

That T/A is a legitimate prototype that wasn't supposed to be sold. It has the RPO codes...

VS7 = not supposed to be sold
WD2 = prototype vehicle identifier

It's also a Canadian T/A

Z49 = Canadian

Is it worth anything? Hard to say. It was obviously saved for testing equipment. It's probably been run very hard.

This catalytic converter layout was used from '98 to '99. In 2000, GM switched the passenger side one to being similar to the driver's side one showing on this car.
http://i.ebayimg.com/18/!CFDJ+dQBmk~$(KGrHqN,!iEE1K774kb8BNT2J9BjN!~~_3.JP G

I think it's an interesting car. It was originally black when made. Odd that the underside is now teal/green. Unless you find somebody who worked for GM in Canada or Michigan back then, I doubt you'd get any history on it at all. It's possible that it would have been one of the cars camouflaged in spy shots.

i remember seeing an LT1 camaro with a huge bulge in the hood in a magazine around 1995-1996 that was supposed to be a test mule for the motor for the C5 vette. i suppose a 96 trans am could have been used too but it suprises me that it's got a 98 front end.

You're thinking of the Cor-maro test cars. They had a small hood bulge and were sitting on top of essentially C5 Corvettes so they had rear fender flares to compensate for the shorter wheel bases and wider wheels. If I remember right, they were actually used for testing Corvette C5 suspension and chassis components in addition to the LS1. The Cor-maros (at least 2 of them) probably pre-date this T/A. I bet this T/A was used around the same time, but maybe a few months later when they started the Camaro/Firebird LS1 plans.
http://www.ericandjessica.net/image2/cormaro.jpg
http://www.casualcorvettes.com/files/cormaro.jpg

If someone is really interested in the T/A... contact the seller and ask him what the date codes are on the front bumper and that will tell you when the bumper was made. There's three or 4 little things that look like clocks on the underside of the front bumper in the area leading up to the radiator. That will give you an idea of whether or not this car was converted to '98-'02 appearance in ~'97 or if somebody did it much later on.

^^ that could have been it but the one i saw was red and the hood seeemd to be more crude than the one you posted. it seemed like maybe it was a regular LT1 hood with the center section cut off and a black piece grafted onto it to allow for the higher engine.

there has been a thread on this car already heres the thread http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/pontiac-firebird-1967-2002/1383349-interesting-car.html

Kinda weird that it has the baby seat hooks behind the rear seat... Thought those came out in 2000??

from the Ebay link...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PONTIAC-TRANS-AM-PRE-PRODUCTION-BRAND-NEW-/110646006104?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item19c3041158

You guys have good sense of observation.
I think in Canada it is mandatory to have these hooks , even back in early 90's

^^ that could have been it but the one i saw was red and the hood seeemd to be more crude than the one you posted. it seemed like maybe it was a regular LT1 hood with the center section cut off and a black piece grafted onto it to allow for the higher engine.

If you ever find that magazine again, I'd really love to see a scan of those pictures and info. Everything you said is completely possible! :nod:

If you ever find that magazine again, I'd really love to see a scan of those pictures and info. Everything you said is completely possible! :nod:

I wish i could find it. i believe it was in an article about GM prototypes that included the caprice "vette" wagon from 1983 with the L98 and vette suspension for testing, a push me pull me twin engine chevy citation x11, the CERV3 corvette supercar (rememeber test drive 3?) and a V12 powered 1989ish caprice that was supposed to compete with the bmw M5 or thereabouts.

:secret2::secret2::secret2::secret2:

call at the GM tech center in Warren michigan , read this label and you will have your answer.....

I wish i could find it. i believe it was in an article about GM prototypes that included the caprice "vette" wagon from 1983 with the L98 and vette suspension for testing, a push me pull me twin engine chevy citation x11, the CERV3 corvette supercar (rememeber test drive 3?) and a V12 powered 1989ish caprice that was supposed to compete with the bmw M5 or thereabouts.

Somewhat OT, but related to GM prototypes. I remember a MCR article in the late '80s about what Buick wanted to do w/ their "homeless" Turbo 3.8L (following final production use in the TTA). It featured a Reatta, Regal and a 13-sec Estate wagon. A quick search turned up a similar article in GM Enthusiast (http://www.lesabret-type.com/TurboProto.html).

It must be fun working in GM's prototype shop.

What in the world is the car in the background Johnny?
http://71.18.236.175/images/Main/PPGturboReatta-01.jpg

Thats the car from the movie "The Wraith" with Charlie Sheen

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/images/users/uploads/9043/TheWraith.jpg

Well then, If you notice the fuse boxes on the driver side kinda looks like they were just thrown in there like someone did a swap, An also could explain the glove box an dash not all the way together??????????????????????? not sure though hell who knows with gm, My buddy has a 98 chevy silverado ext cab 3rd door truck, One owner low miles, Vin says it has a 350 vortec but the engine is actual 305, The block on the back even says 5.0 reason we know is it had to get new intake gaskets to fix the nitorous coolant leak on these older style vortecs

In the driver side engine bay there is no hole for the fuel lines like in a lt1 car. So im saying its either the pontiac version of the Cormaro or its a Vin Swap....

:secret2::secret2::secret2::secret2:

call at the GM tech center in Warren michigan , read this label and you will have your answer.....

very simple..........

What in the world is the car in the background Johnny?
http://71.18.236.175/images/Main/PPGturboReatta-01.jpg

almost looks like a fiat x 1/9, but with extensive body work.
maybe a fiero or mr2?

almost looks like a fiat x 1/9, but with extensive body work.
maybe a fiero or mr2?

It was a Dodge prototype used in a movie

http://www.thewraithcar.com/

It was a Dodge prototype used in a movie

http://www.thewraithcar.com/

I think mellor was referring to the Buick Reatta in the foreground in that pic.

I think mellor was referring to the Buick Reatta in the foreground in that pic.

Yup! Thanks!