Author Topic: Cowl tag replacement?  (Read 4428 times)

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Offline 1976400

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Cowl tag replacement?
« on: August 10, 2010, 12:08:42 AM »
Hey people,
I'm new at all this forum stuff (I never had an interesting enough car to join one...) but hoping I do ok.

I've always wanted a Trans Am, since I was really young, and have just bought a 1976 400. I live in NZ and the support for Firebirds and Trans Ams is kind of lacking. There seem to be heaps of Mustangs/Camaros/Corvettes here, but not a lot of Firebird enthusiasts... they must be hiding from me.

Anyway, the TA I've bought isn't in too bad condition. I've verified the VIN and the engine matches and all that jazz but someone's had a go at restoring it and I've got heaps of '75 parts on it... kind of annoying. The person/people who've had a go at it have at some point found the build sheet (I can't find it anywhere) but I'm not too concerned about this. I'll contact PHS. But what's bothering me is that they've also taken my cowl tag. I know it's not really necessary but it'd be cool to have it. There's no way for me to find it - I can't even get a complete ownership history - so I wondered if I can somehow get a replacement? My hopes arent high about it but at least I'll have tried. It's nice to be able to contact people in the country the car actually came from. People here seem to think I'm speaking another language or something. Cowl tag? What's a cowl tag?

Thanks!
76 Trans Am - rather messed up - slow restoration in progress

**Right or wrong what's done is done/it's only moments that you borrow** - The Eagles

Offline eroc022

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Re: Cowl tag replacement?
« Reply #1 on: August 11, 2010, 02:41:40 AM »
I dont think anyone reproduces them.....then again the reproduction wouldnt match the car fully anyways as the body serial number or production number is on it..... I dont think that is actually stamped anywhere else on the car..... best thing  you could do is to find someone thats parting out an identical car to yours and see if you can get the cowl tag... but whatever you do DO NOT SWITCH OR TAMPER, OR REMOVE THE VIN NUMBER, It is illegal and can get your conversation locked on here.....
Eroc
Fixing the car that Restore A Muscle Car jacked up....

Offline fb_rider

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Re: Cowl tag replacement?
« Reply #2 on: August 11, 2010, 06:14:01 AM »
Here you go:

http://trimtags.com/

They aren't cheap, but you can get one.
1977 Trans Am SE w/W72 engine (sold)
1999 Trans Am Anniversary Edition #953 (sold)
2000 Trans Am Firehawk #263

Offline RENOVATIONS

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Re: Cowl tag replacement?
« Reply #3 on: August 11, 2010, 09:18:01 AM »
I dont think anyone reproduces them.....then again the reproduction wouldnt match the car fully anyways as the body serial number or production number is on it..... I dont think that is actually stamped anywhere else on the car.....

Evan is right...you're kinda' out of luck



Here you go:

http://trimtags.com/

They aren't cheap, but you can get one.



I listed another site in this thread also: (and yes, they're around $200. last time I checked)

http://www.78ta.com/smf/index.php?topic=11983.msg129591#msg129591
Jeff

Projects:
_____________
1978 Trans Am
1970 Camaro
1970 'Cuda
1987 Fiero GT
1982 Trans Am
1986 Corvette

Offline 1976400

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Re: Cowl tag replacement?
« Reply #4 on: August 11, 2010, 05:34:39 PM »
Thanks so much, I thought it'd be impossible to get anything like that replaced. Very helpful :) It'll probably be one of the last things I do but it's good to know that I CAN.
76 Trans Am - rather messed up - slow restoration in progress

**Right or wrong what's done is done/it's only moments that you borrow** - The Eagles

Offline 1976400

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Re: Cowl tag replacement?
« Reply #5 on: August 11, 2010, 05:45:39 PM »
Oh yeah, and I'd never tamper with the VIN. Quite apart from the fact that all my numbers match, they're sticklers for that kind of stuff here in NZ.. The way it works is that since it was imported in '86, it didn't have a New Zealand VIN stamped to it the way all imports did after '91. The registration on the car has been allowed to lapse. Because of this, and because it doesn't already have the NZ VIN, to have it back on the road legally I have to have it 're-vinned' with a NZ one. This doesn't do anything to the original VIN but allows it to be driven on the road here. If the Trans Am's original VIN didn't match it's old rego plates or the engine, I would never be able to have it on the road legally. So no worries lol I am an enthusiast. It'd wreck the originality of it if I did anything silly like that.
76 Trans Am - rather messed up - slow restoration in progress

**Right or wrong what's done is done/it's only moments that you borrow** - The Eagles