Chassis And "Before" Photos Provided By Brian Kotarski
It can be said with little argument that Y84 S/E T/As are very special vehicles. But are they the most popular Pontiacs?
Though owners of other Trans Ams, GTOs, Judges and Super-Dutys would probably take you to task on this assertion, the '77-'81 S/E Trans Ams have two things that the others do not-a pair of Smokey and the Bandit movies that elevated their pop-culture status like nothing else seen before or after in Pontiac history. This '78 Y84 S/E has yet another attribute-it was the inspiration for launching a business for its owner that has flourished for 20 years.
When 23-year-old Brian Kotarski set out to find a Trans Am in 1984, he had $5,000 of hard-earned cash in hand. "My brother and I searched for nearly a year when we finally saw this one in the newspaper," Brian tells HPP. "After driving to Phoenix, we saw it sitting under a huge shade tree in the owner's front yard, wearing 60-series, low-profile tires. I wanted it!"
After much negotiation, for $5,300 he became the third owner. He returned the T/A to his hometown of Scottsdale, where it was originally delivered to Bud Beck Pontiac from the Van Nuys plant. This was also the home of the first owner.
The base price was $5,799 in 1978, but options added $2,411 to the tally, topping out at $8,573 with a $363 destination charge. Said options include: the W72 6.6-litre 400 T/A engine, A/C, Soft Ray glass, door edge guards, the lamp group, power door locks, power windows, the radio accommodation package, tilt wheel, the custom trim group (velour), GR70x15 WL tires, and, of course, the Y84 Special Edition Package. The Y84 S/E option brought with it gold exterior graphics, blacked-out exterior trim, gold interior trim, gold Snowflake wheels, and T-tops.
"After a new set of tires and replacing a broken pull strap, the S/E was perfect in every way," Brian recalls. "For over two years, it was driving bliss." Then he discovered GM's replacement cost for the S/E graphics. "Sold individually, these 44 pieces cost $960 wholesale ($1,900 today)," Brian laments. "Was I the only one who had to choose between food or decals? Probably not. In an effort to ease both my and others' pain, Phoenix Graphix was born."
Over 20 years later, the company philosophy is still "to provide the best products at affordable prices by producing user-complete kits." A dedicated staff offers 350 kits for many makes and models.
In 2000, after 16 years and 100,000 more miles of enjoyment, the T/A still looked great, but Brian wanted more. "I realized that only polishing the bolts and other reachable parts was not sufficient for this perfectionist's 164,000-mile friend," he says. "I decided to do a concours restoration, and the hunt for parts began."
Following an exhaustive four-year search for a restorer, Brian entrusted his T/A to Nyle Wing of Wings Auto Art (www.wingsautoart.com) in Ionia, Michigan. Though there was a two-year waiting list, once the project ensued in August 2006, it was a full-time effort with no delays. "This T/A was so well preserved that we were able to document many things as we took it apart," Nyle explains. "Brian has a vast knowledge of Trans Ams, and I have lots of experience with them, as well. All that combined with diligent research enabled us to restore the S/E to the best of our abilities. During the process, I had a new career of 'concours researcher,'" jokes Brian.
Body
After teardown, aircraft chemical stripper followed by media-blasting removed the old paint. The T/A was in such good condition that no body panels had to be replaced. Even the original spoilers were repaired and smoothed to remove the factory waves.
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