Topic: y 88s

[pontiacman]

what are the production numbers on the y 88s.
they only built them for a few months in 78, right?
im trying to talk this guy out of his "old gold car" and i was wondering if it was worth restoring.
car is in good shape but it is very tire and worn
he also has a 79 y 84 with so much vegitation growing up around it you can hardly see it.

[ta78w72]

They made about 8,000 of them.  Brett has those numbers on this site that you could look up.  I know they made 880 with the 403.  For a comparison, I have a pretty much solid body car that does need the front floor pans replaced (it appears that the kick panels leaked), new interior, and paint....plus lots of mechanical work.  But there is no other rust in the body.  The engine and transmission are sound.  I paid $2,800 for my Y88 403 last October.  It was pretty much complete but there are a few things I had to scrounge up.

Expect to put a lot of money into it.  That way you won't be disappointed if you do, and you'll be happy if things turn out better than you thought.  But they are beautiful cars when they're freshened up.

Also, make sure it's a Y88 and not simply a gold T/A.  One way to check is the T-Tops have a gold tint in the glass and they actually say gold on them.  I know these can be added, but there are other clues to look for sans a build sheet.  If you're really in doubt, pay for the PHS document on the car and you'll know for sure.

If it's too rusty....pass on it.  Find one that isn't.

[brian c]

If you need convincing to restore one....find me, I'll post some pics of mine

$$ Wise, you'd put the same into restoring any TA. There's really nothing on them that's specific to the Y88 other than the following:

Gold T-Tops
Gold tinted windshield

Those are the only differences. All the rest of the stuff was common place on any TA.

[Hitman]

You could only order the Y88 for a few months early in the year, but they kept producing them throughout the remained of the year to fill the orders.  You can see the production numbers here: http://www.78ta.com/production.php  A few of the dead giveaways on the Y88 is the Gold T-tops (no gold windshield) and the Camel Tan steering column.  Regular Gold Trans Ams didn't have the Gold T-tops and their steering column was black instead of tan.

[pontiacman]

it does have the gold tops and i saw a part of the build sheet to confirm
as for the y 84 its stanped on the cowl plate
ill grab pics this weekend and put them in my photobucket

[BACnBLK]

You could only order the Y88 for a few months early in the year, but they kept producing them throughout the remained of the year to fill the orders.  You can see the production numbers here: http://www.78ta.com/production.php  A few of the dead giveaways on the Y88 is the Gold T-tops (no gold windshield) and the Camel Tan steering column.  Regular Gold Trans Ams didn't have the Gold T-tops and their steering column was black instead of tan.

Good Info...... first time I've heard that all Y88's came with Tan steering column.

[brian c]

Hey Brett...Not to argue with you but the Y88 I have has a gold tint to the windshield instead of the standard blue across the top. One of the things I noticed when I dug into it...

[y88rick]

as a glass guy my soft ware does not back your thought. they had only one option of windsheild in 1978 and that was soft ray glass (green tint with a dark blue shade band on the top)
I have also had 2 y88's neither of them had any kind of gold sheen to the windsheild. both windsheilds were original on both cars.
other things not mentioned were the following items
gold nose crest emblem, gold bird in the shift button (if automatic)
gold bird on door panel inserts (if power windows)
gold bird in the wheel center caps
gold bird in the hord button
gold spoke steering wheel with tan wrap
tan steering column
gold dash bezel (probably faded to silver if original by now)
gold in the grille by the following sceme chrome outter gold wrap around and black in the back by the headlights
a brown molded pinstriping located all over the car
gold snow flake wheels all except the outter flat edge on 7 in and 8 inch wheels.l
black tail light bezels
gold tinted t-tops.
all of this can be added to any gold t/a so build sheet and or phs is helpful to add to the fact.
They dont call me y88 rick for no reason!! lol

[ta78w72]

There were no Y88 wheels.  They got the normal snowflake wheels that all the other Trans Am's got.  However, I'm not sure if you could order rally wheels with the Y88.  I believe there were examples of black and gold SE's with gold accented rally wheels. 

Funny that you could get color matching steering columns in the Formula but not the Trans Am.  I wonder why that was.

[brian c]

All I can say is that the front windshield (banner across the top) on my Y88 is definitely gold tinted. Does not have the typical blue running across it. No idea if its original or not to the car. If anyone has info on where I can find that out, I'll happily check it.

[ta78w72]

I just went out and looked at the windshield on my Y88 even though I don't believe it's original.  It does look like a gold tint to me.  However, it says on the glass "green shaded blue".

What numbers are on that window?  Y88Rick should be able to cross reference it, wouldn't he?

The numbers should be on either the passenger or drivers side corner.

[y88rick]

or in the center. keep in mind guys the older the windsheild that blue shad band fades and changes color as it is only dye in the laminate. some look purple after being 30 years old or more.


yes they got the normal snowflake wheels ta78w72, however the face of the snowflake was painted as well all except the outtermost lip on them.

look on my picture posted to get a much larger view of what a true y88 wheel is supposed to look like ws6 or not 7 or 8 inch. all gold minus the outter lip.

[Hitman]

All I can say is that the front windshield (banner across the top) on my Y88 is definitely gold tinted. Does not have the typical blue running across it. No idea if its original or not to the car. If anyone has info on where I can find that out, I'll happily check it.

Definately sounds like the windshield is not original to the car.  There will be codes on the glass to determine the date of manufacture of that windshield.

[ta78w72]

Nope, that's a 1978 WS6 15X8 wheel painted the wrong color.  It's not a Y88 wheel.  If you ordered a Y88 without WS6, you got the normal 15X7 snowflake just like all the other 15X7 snowflakes.  If you ordered a Y88 with WS6, you got the 15X8 wheel just like all the other WS6 cars.

The WS6 wheel was painted a dirty gold color.....almost a brown gold.

In 1979 they changed the paint color of the WS6 wheel and machined the outer edges.  Brett and I have disagreed about when the machined edge WS6 wheels were introduced.  He believes they came out during the latter part of the 1978 model year and I believe they came out with the 1979 model year.

And, on the windshield, I agree with you.  It justs looks gold but I think it's the normal tint that's faded.  Besides, I believe mine has been replaced.  But wouldn't it be interesting if, after all these years, we find another wrinkle?

[y88rick]

well them wheels were original to that y88. it was a later build 78 almost end of the run. they were painted like that right from the factory. yes they were painted just like a ws6 car my other y88 that my uncle now owns had came with 7 inch wheels. painted the exact same way and that is a 24,000 actual mile car. i have been into y88's since 1995 i have had a very long time to study that particular trans am all in itself.
as for the windsheild this is what happens over time. its just fade look at this non y88 regular ta windsheild its just fade in the dye.
so not to burst any bubble but i will side with brett on it as i have owned two that has proven this whether you chose to be open minded about it is your choice.