Part 1 from The Story of the 1980s Quickest Muscle Cars:

• Part 1 – Pontiac Trans Am – Redesigning the Modern Muscle Car
• Part 2 – Buick Grand National – Finding a Replacement for Displacement
• Part 3 – The Most Badass 80s Performance Cars

In the late 70s, US car manufacturers were stuck between a rock and a hard place. The two fuel crises prompted the government to enforce new laws for vehicle emissions and fuel economy.

In 1975, the catalytic converter was introduced to capture CO, CxHx, and NOx. It worked wonders decreasing toxic emissions 10 times. However, it also added a restriction for exhaust gasses as well as additional weight on the already oversized American vehicles.

At the same time, action began towards reducing lead in fuels.

Lead was used in gasoline to increase the octane number – around 100 during the 70s. This allowed engines to run high compression ratios (11:1 was common at the time), without causing detonation.

Leaded gasoline was great for power, but lead is also a neurotoxin and after burning it freely for a couple of decades, there was a serious concern for public health. Coincidentally, lead also caused chemical deterioration of the new catalytic converters, so it had to go.

Forced to run on 91 Gasoline, engine designers reduced compression ratios to keep engines from tearing themselves apart. In turn, power dropped significantly.

Manufacturers were in a battle for survival

American cars grew heavier and engines made almost half the power they had a decade ago. More than all other, performance cars were hamstrung.

In contrast, Japanese cars were smaller, lighter and much more economical. Americans liked Japanese cars so much, the US Government had to negotiate a voluntary restraint agreement with Japan in 1980, limiting import to 1.68 million vehicles per year.

This measure ensured the American auto market was not overrun, but The Big Three still had to reinvent themselves and adapt in order to survive.

GM executives came to the realization that they did not possess the engine technology to deliver a lot of power that was affordable and in-line with the fuel regulations.

Up until the 3rd-Generation F-body, both Pontiac and Chevrolet designed their own engines to use in their respective muscle cars. For 1982, GM canceled Pontiac’s engine program and the Firebird received all its engines from the Camaro lineup.

The same year, the top tier Trans Am used the Crossfire EFI 5.0L Chevrolet V8 with a whopping 165 horsepower. And the available V6 barely made 100 hp and was not considered even remotely sporty.

Yeah, lame and then some.

The 1982 Trans Am was barely faster than the previous year’s car and only because the new F-body had gone on a serious diet.

In 1983, the Chevy 5.0-liter H.O. V8 came out with a 4-barrel carburetor, revised free-flowing exhaust, and aggressive camshaft. It produced 190 hp and appeared in all top-tier F-body models – the Firebird Trans Am, Camaro Z28 and IROC-Z.

Power slowly started to come back, but it was painfully obvious that engine technology needed to evolve dramatically.

Cutting out the fat

Pontiac Firebirds have always existed on the same chassis as Chevrolet Camaros – the F-body.

When it came time to develop the 3rd generation chassis used between 1982 and 1992, GM decided to focus on a modern, lightweight, aerodynamic platform.

The new F-body shrunk 5 inches in length and remarkably 7 inches in wheelbase, which improved handling through corners.

In total, the Firebird and Camaro shed about 500 lbs from their new bodies. The F-body wasn’t perfectly rigid, but neither was the Fox-body underpinning the Ford Mustang.

The suspension evolved – MacPherson struts in the front and a torsion arm setup replaced the leaf springs at the back. A massive steel beam connected the transmission to the rear axle to stabilize it under load.

In the later part of the 80s, high-performance Firebirds like the Trans Am GTA were available with the WS6 Performance suspension package. It added stiffer springs and thicker sway bars, as well as 4-wheel power disc brakes, quick-ratio steering, and a limited-slip differential.

These upgrades gave the Trans Am superior handling characteristics for a muscle / pony car.  So much that the 1989 20th Anniversary Turbo Trans Am almost rivaled the C4 Corvette on the track.

Streamlining the muscle

GM first used a wind tunnel back in the 50s when designing the Firebird I concept car. Twenty years later, as fuel economy became a top priority, the company decided to build its own facility, where full-size models could be tested.

The new wind tunnel went into operation in 1980 – just in time for the design of the new F-body.

Both the Camaro and Firebird featured a completely redesigned body and styling from the previous generation. However, it was Pontiac who really banked on aerodynamics.

At the front, the Firebird received a much more aerodynamic bumper and grille, a gently curved hood with pop-up headlights, and a heavily sloped windshield at 62 degrees. At the back, a single piece of curved glass formed the new hatchback.

The aero improvements continued with the little details – cone-shaped rearview mirrors and the concealed windshield wipers.

Seen from the side, the Firebird maintains a streamlined profile with smooth interfacing surfaces. The rear wing produces extra downforce and traction for the rear axle.

All these features gave the Trans Am a drag coefficient of just 0.32. Some sources indicate that as aerodynamic development continued, the Pontiac achieved a Cd of 0.29.

That’s what modern cars have today – 35 years later. No muscle or pony car at the time had such an aerodynamic body and very few sports cars in the whole world did.

Here are some stats:

• 1987 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 – 0.36 – 0.39
• 1984 Chevrolet Corvette C4 – 0.34
• 1986 Camaro – 0.34
• 1987 Ferrari F40 – 0.34
• 1986 Mazda RX-7 – 0.31
• 1990 Lamborghini Diablo – 0.31

Over the decade, the Trans Am evolved into a lightweight, aerodynamic, great handling vehicle. It was a rocket ready to fly. All it needed was a great engine.

The photos of the 1989 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am 20th Anniversary edition are kindly provided by PHS Musclecars.