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| The Chickenalyzer |
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| Trans Am Large Hood Birds 1973 to 1981 |
From 1973 to 1978 Pontiac made 39 different hood birds for Trans Ams. From 1973 to 1978 the selection was pretty easy, only one hood bird color was available for each color offered on the Trans Am. From 1979 to 1981 the restriction was removed and you could get any color hood bird with any color Trans Am. Yes, even ugly color combinations could be had by checking option D60: Color and Trim Incompatibility Override. It is possible that many combinations were never made, for instance a gold car with a blue bird. However, in theory a buyer could order one. The most unusual color combination I have seen is a Heritage Brown one with an orange bird. I saw it as a used car on a Pontiac dealer's lot circa 1982. In 1981 Pontiac changed the Gold and Orange birds to a darker design mid-year, further muddling the count. Presumable the lighter colors were not showing well on lighter cars. The reproductions here were recreated by sampling colors from photos of Trans Ams with the style bird show. It is by no means accurate since computers and monitors can not duplicate the colors exactly. There are even some questions (i.e. what is the difference between a 1973 to 1975 blue bird and a 1978? or what is the difference between the standard 1980 charcoal bird and the Indy Pace Car bird?). If you know the answer please use the contact me form. |
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Blue Hood Bird Used from 1973 to 1975 Part Number 493634 |
Orange Hood Bird Used from 1973 to 1975 Part Number 493366 |
Green Hood Bird Used in 1973 only Part Number 493365 |
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Charcoal Hood Bird used from 1975 to 1978. Part Number 500666 |
Black-Clear, Yellow Orange, Matte Gold, Yellow Orange , Clear, Clear Hood Bird used from 1976 to 1978. This decal was definitely used on non Limited Edited Black cars in 1976 but it is unknown when the factory began installing the black feathered bird (right) instead. We can suppose that the clear feathers caused the black underlying paint to look cloudy. Part Number 527047 |
Black, Black, Yellow orange, Matte Gold, Yellow Orange, Black, Black,Black Hood Bird used from 1976 to 1978 on Black, non Special Edition Cars. Note the only difference between this and 527047 is that the feathers are filled in black. This decal is incorrect for non-black cars. Part Number 547163 |
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Black, Black, Dk Gold, Black, Black, Black for Black and Gold Limited Edition of 1976 and Special Editions from 1977 to 1978 Part Number 547045 |
Black-Clear, Lt Blue, Med Blue, Clear, Clear for 1978 Trans Ams painted in Martinique Blue. The decal is very similar to the 1973 to 1975 decal. Since this was the only time a blue decal was used on a medium blue car it is believed that the shades of blue are just slightly lighter than the '73 version. This theory is open for debate but the 1978 bird did carry a new Part number, 1003739. |
Light Gold, Medium Gold, Dark Gold, Ochre Decal used on 1978 Solar Gold colored Trans Ams (including the Gold Special Edition) and on 1979 Trans Ams. Part Number 10002974 |
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Blue Bird used on 1979 and 1980 (non-Turbo) cars. Part Number 10006159 |
Orange/Red Bird used in 1979 Part Number 10006150 |
Argent/Silver Bird used on 1979 and 1980 (non-Turbo cars. Part Number 10006161 |
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Oversize Argent/Silver bird used exclusively on 1979 Tenth Anniversary Trans Ams. Note that the wings extend to the fenders. This is the largest bird ever offered on a Trans Am. Part Number 10006163 Bird 10006164 Right Wing Tip 10006165 Left Wing Tip |
Gold bird used on 1980 (non-Turbo) Trans Ams, including the black and gold special editions. Note, this bird is darker in color than the 1978/1979 version. Part Number 10011810 |
Bronze bid used on 1980 non-Turbo cars. Designed for use with Fiero Bronze body color. This decal probably could have been ordered on other colors as well. Part Number 10011791 |
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Red hood bird replaced Orange for 1980. Part Number 10011783 |
Burgundy hood bird (non-Turbo) for use with Burgundy cars. Note, this probably could have been ordered on any color although not recommended. Part Number 100011813 |
Gold bird used on 1980 Turbo Trans Ams, including the black and gold special editions. Note that the flame coming out of the birds mouth was a separate decal running up the off center Turbo hood. Part Number 10011814 Flame 10013058 |
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Bronze bid used on 1980 Turbo Trans Ams designed for use with Fiero Bronze body color. This decal could have been ordered on other colors as well. Part Number 10011784 |
Blue Turbo Trans Am bird used in 1980 Flame 10013080 |
Red Turbo Trans Am bird for 1980 Flame 10013059 |
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Burgundy Turbo Trans Am bird for 1980. Designed for use with Montreaux Maroon cars this could be ordered with any color. Part Number 10011762 |
Argent/Silver 1980 Turbo Trans Am bird Part Number 10011815 Flame 10013061 |
1980 Indianapolis Pace Car decal. This decal is very close to the 1980 Argent/Silver design. Actual differences are not clear but this bird carried its own part number. Part Number 10013459 |
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First Design Gold bird used on 1981 (non-Turbo) Trans Ams, including the black and gold special editions. This bird is lighter in color that the Second Design bird for 1981 and was replaced by the darker gold after introduction. This decal did not show well on gold metallic cars. Part Number 10016939 |
Second Design Gold bird used on 1981 (non-Turbo) Trans Ams, including the black and gold special editions. This bird is darker in color that the First Design bird for 1981 that it replaced. Part Number 10018990 |
Charcoal/Silver non-Turbo bird for 1981. This decal has metallic flakes in it and appears to be almost black when viewed on white cars. Part Number 10016940 |
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First Design Orange for use on Orange Metallic and Yellow-Orange Trans Ams (non-Turbo). This design was replaced after introduction with the second design orange. Part Number 10016938 |
Second Design Orange for use on Orange Metallic and Yellow-Orange Trans Ams (non-Turbo). This design replaced the first design orange. | Red non-Turbo bird used in 1981 Part Number 10016942 |
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Blue hood bird for non-turbo Trans Ams in 1981 Part Number 10016941 |
Black Turbo bird used exclusively on 1981 Nascar Pace Car Edition Trans Am Part Number 10019167 |
Blue hood bird for turbo Trans Ams in 1981 Part Number 10016946 Flame 10016951 |
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First Design Gold bird used on 1981 Turbo Trans Ams, including the black and gold special editions. This bird is lighter in color that the Second Design bird for 1981 and was replaced by the darker gold after introduction. This decal did not show well on gold metallic cars. Part Number 10016944 Flame 10016949 |
Second Design Gold bird used on 1981 Turbo Trans Ams, including the black and gold special editions. This bird is darker in color that the First Design bird for 1981 that it replaced. Part Number 10018989 Flame 10018988 |
Charcoal/Silver Turbo bird for 1981. This decal has metallic flakes in it and appears to be almost black when viewed on white cars. Part Number 10016945 |
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Red Turbo bird used in 1981 Flame 10016952 |
First Design Orange for use on Orange Metallic and Yellow-Orange Turbo Trans Ams. This design was replaced after introduction with the second design orange. Flame 10016948 |
Second Design Orange for use on Orange Metallic and Yellow-Orange Turbo Trans Ams. This design replaced the first design orange. Flame 10019004 |