ok guys i need help figuring some stuff out i got a 1978 trans am with 400(factory was 400) 4 speed, was told tranny and rear are original was told trans is super t 10 and rear was told to me 3:73 posi. car is blac with bird decals and light blue int. was told it was a special order package also it has t tops power windows and door locks as well as defogger and power trunk lock heres the numbers vin 2W87Z8L184715 COWL NUMBERS ARE 2FS87L 278961 24B A51W19LW19U 06E U3-287045 ANY INFO WOULD BE HELPFUL!!!!!!! thanks guys
The VIN indicates a Van Nuys built car with a 400 engine. (Z=Pontiac 400)(L=Van Nuys, CA)
2FS87 where:
2 is the code for Pontiac Division
F is the Firebird body style
S this code technically indicates a base Firebird. While the different levels of Firebirds have been assigned a code other than S (ie T for Esprit, U for Formula and W for Trans Am), these codes are never used on the trim tag. By convention, the Trans Am should show 2FW87 on the Trim Tag. The second digit of the vehicle's VIN number will indicate the proper code revealing the Firebird Series or sub-model.
87 Denotes a 2dr Sport Coupe
L (the lone L). Indicates that the vehicle was built at the Van Nuys, CA plant (the "L" is a carryover from when Los Angeles was considered to be the location of the plant). An "N" would appear in this position if the vehicle had been built at the Norwood, OH plant.
278961 is the body sequence number.
24B = Blue Lombardy cloth interior
A51 = Bucket seats
W19LW19U = 19 is Starlight Black exterior. The W's stand for water based paint. The L is the lower body color. U is upper body. Both were always the same on a Trans am.
06E = the fifth week of June (06 for June, E fifth letter of the alphabet is the fifth week)
U3 = Not sure (maybe some interior option on the dash)
287045 is the schedule number (don't know what it means. Never found anyone who does)
You can't tell if the car was originally a 4spd car from the VIN or cowl(although I suspect that it probably is). Also can't tell from the VIN or cowl data whether the engine is a base 400 or the W72 400. You need either PHS documents or a build sheet or window sticker.
A 3.73 rear was not a factory option on a 78. If the car was truely a 1978 W72 4spd then the rear would be 3.42.
Hope this helps.
