Buying Back My Turbo Trans Am 1460

#1
Buying Back My 1989 Turbo Trans Am:


Here is my story of my 1989 Turbo Trans Am. It all started when I was 17 years old and my grandparents set money aside for me to buy my first car. I ran across a very special Trans Am that was limited in production and was all white. The only two options where the leather interior and the t-tops. This car also had the distinct honor of being the Indy Pace Car for 1989.
I really wanted this car, but my mother was totally against her son having a Trans Am because of the V-8 engine (Old Days). Well, lucky for me this particular car had a V-6! After many visits to Taylor Pontiac in Akron Ohio and discussions with my mom, she reluctantly agreed to the purchase. Once the car was undercoated and the code alarm was installed I drove MY Turbo Trans Am home on a cold and rainy Ohio morning for the first time! Number 1460 and VIN Number 1G5FW2175KL248463 was my dream come true!
I drove my car sparingly through the years, but when the car had 1600 miles on it, I was making a right turn into McDonald’s on the corner of State Route 91 and 224 in Akron, OH and a drunk driver tried to go around me on the right side. My car suffered passenger side fender and front nose damage from the accident. The other driver was cited for the incident and my car was repaired at Akron Classic Auto Body (330) 376 – 8222. I had the guys at the body shop REPLACE the fender and the nose with GM replacement parts. Those parts were used on a drag car that I built later on.
Some more time had passed and I began college. I decided to move the car down to a house that we had in West Virginia. My family stored the car for me there for the next 15 years. When we would go down to our house, we would visit the car and I would drive it into town. During one summer, lightning struck the house and damaged the roof. The people who were hired to fix the roof had to gain access to the attic by using the trap door that was right above my car. They were careful, but not careful enough. There was a woodpile that was located right next to my car and one of the workers knocked some of the wood into my car and damaged the front passenger fender (again), the mirror, the rear quarter panel, and nicked the rear bumper. This caused scratches in the paint that went down to bare metal and 3 deep dents. I went down to Kelly Pontiac GMC in Buckhannon WVA (304) 472-2200 and bought some touch-up paint and “fixed” the car.
Hard financial times began to hit my family, like every other family in the country and we had to sell our house in WVA.
Upon the sale of the house, the car would not start. The fuel pump had seized up due to age. I had it flat bedded to Kelly Pontiac GMC in Buckhannon WVA (304) 472-2200 where the tow truck driver damaged the front nose along the bottom of the car causing a lot of spider webbing along the bottom of the nose. Now it would seem that, that would have to be repainted as well.
It took the dealership about a week to get the car running again. They also had to put a new ignition key with a new diode in the car because that had failed too. I finally picked up the car and drove it home.
What was heartbreaking about the entire episode is that, I brought it from a garaged environment to where I live now. For two years, it had to sit outdoors. I watched it deteriorate and I knew that it was time to let it go. I listed it on eBay. The last auction number was: 360219391918. I wanted it to go to a good home and for someone to appreciate the car for what it was and for what it stood for.
Hard times continued to rock my family. We have endured our house burning down, me getting laid-off, breaking my ankle, and finally I got really sick at the end of 2009, when I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. I had back-to-back exacerbations and I was in a bad state in December. I had an offer in January for the car from an individual and after talking things over with my wife, because at that time our own situation and future seemed so uncertain and bleak, I sold my dream for 12,000!!! I was not sure what our future had in store and it seemed like the right thing to do to keep my family going. I was told that the car was going to a good home and it would be well taken care of. January 17th 2010 came, teary-eyed, I watched my car being hauled away on the back of a flatbed. As a wave of regret washed over me, I turned and walked into my house. I was totally inconsolable for the rest of the day.
The next week our little pug Suki wound up with a neck injury. 3 bulged disks in fact! Great timing because she needed to have two of the three discs removed from her spinal column and that cost $3,000. I can say that, that was the best thing that came from selling the car. It saved her life and she is recovering nicely.

A few months have passed and it has come to my attention that the person who bought the car has sold my car for $22,000!!

The bottom line is that I have decided to get my car, number 1460 back! My grandparents bought this car for me and now my grandmother is very ill and having mini-strokes! She has expressed that she would like to see me get it back somehow and pass it onto my children, especially something that I had for 21 years! I had no business selling this car in the first place, but I did what I thought was right to support my family.

So here is the deal! I am going to others with MS by donating monies to Multiple Sclerosis Research Funds! During my quest, I am donating 15% of every eBay sale to some MS Foundation Charity to help the cause. Once I raise the capital to get my car back, I will donate 100% of the amounts collected minus the costs of general upkeep and storage costs for the car. I intend to take this car to shows, races, swap meets, etc. with this story and raise peoples’ awareness about MS and what it is. At these events, any donations will go to benefit the research to find a cure.
I can honestly say, once you have a disease like this, you can either let it control you, or you can take control of it.
You can check out my 2 ebay user id's: ltinc or buybackmyturbotransam.
 
#2
i am replying for my boyfriend as this is his account..this story kind of made me want to cry a little bit..these cars can have so much history. when he sold his tta and the towtruck came for it i wanted to cry then too and it wasnt even my car! good luck with finding your car, i hope it works out for you!!
maeghan
 

PhillyTurboSix

Administrator
Staff member
#4
Nice story! Hope you get to your goal of getting the car back. These cars are very special and after the turbo trans am reunion next year they are going to be even more special! Hopefully you can get it back by the reunion next year and bring it out. We would all love to see the car!
 

ttanewyork

Well-Known Member
#5
Nice story. Funny, the guy that I bought my TTA from about 5 years ago called me last weekend. He wanted to buy it back. I think I would regret selling it.
 

Rodimus_Prime

Well-Known Member
#6
Ive gone on 9 of the bike tours for MS, its called the MS150. My dad has been on something like 20 of them. We have both done quite a bit of work for MS, alot of good people in our local chapter
 

Mike Arrigo

Well-Known Member
#7
I am thinking that someday I will want to get #733 back from Jarred and Maeghan so please take care of it :eek:). I liked that car a lot since it was such a nice clean tight car.

Hello Maeghan, glad you and Jarred are enjoying your toys and by the way you guys make a great couple.
 
#9
I am trying to find out. I am tracking the car. i have every intention on getting my car back. I have also already raised mony for the MS Research Foundation. It feels good to help others. Sadly enough, my grandmother is not doing well, and has had another round of mini-strokes. I really have to step up my game. Every night and weekend I am up until late working on this project. I have a surprise for all of you that I am designing that I think you will all be excited about. It should be ready, once I get a couple more things put together. I have the prototype done!!!!!!!!!!!!!:tvhappy:
 

Buckeyetroop

Well-Known Member
#10
Goodluck getting it back. MS touched my family as well. You are doing a great thing with the foundation. I'm assuming it is still a very low mile car in great shape to bring $22k
 
#15
Well, I ran an autocheck on it and the new title and registration popped up in Washington MI. Anyone who has any information on this, please let me know.
 

Nick Wise

Well-Known Member
#16
You should be able to do a title check with the DMV. Not sure what it costs. But they will give you all the info you need about the new owner( address,phone #, etc..). Just need the VIN #. I have done this before on a motorcycle that I was trying to track down the owner of to get the title from. It was a big help, except for the fact that he was on the run from the cops.
 

kymmee

Silver Member
#18
I had never read this thread because I joined in August of 2010 after the posts. Its interesting to me because I know exactly where he was talking about when the car got hit the first time near the Mcdonalds. I have driven that road before (not with my TTA).

This car has endured a lot of bad luck in its past. Probably would not want to know all of that if I was the buyer.
 

pont1230

Well-Known Member
#19
good luck finding your car hope you find it soon,it's a great thing what you're doing raising money for the ms foundation.Be positive and never give up.
 

2QUIK6

Well-Known Member
#20
Well he was looking for the car in 2010 when this post originally started. The eBay seller says he bought the car in 2010???
 
#21
I remememer the entire story with this car and the eBay ad! I was looking for a tta at the time and it was like Christmas time, the car was listed for 20k then 18k then one day I called him and he told me he sold it . He didn't have the best pictures the front fender was slightly dented and the drivers mirror had a scratch in it and the rear quarter had a scratch as well . But at 18k for such a low mike car was a bit high but when I found out he sold it for 12k I was beside myself. He told me about his ms and that day he had an episode when the guy showed up and decided to sell it . I think his wife was putting a lot of pressure on him . Sometime passed and he regreted selling it. He went searching for it and from I remember the guy who bought it repaired it and never mentioned the repairs just said low mile car and dressed it up with a jacket model car and window sticker, I don't think he had the owner box but Trent the last owner still had it in the attic. Nevertheless the car has popped up from time to time prob with a few owners . The guy who Bought it from Trent never relisted it on eBay but other websites and craiglists.
So the vin wouldn't come up again of someone looked for it.
Well after all these years I wonder if the original owner is still looking for it. I also remember the car had gatorbacks still on it when he sold it they were just cracked from age but had plenty of tread.
There was Also a thread called 1460 scam if you do a search on turbo buicks as well

Now that was a long story
 
#23
You should be able to do a title check with the DMV. Not sure what it costs. But they will give you all the info you need about the new owner( address,phone #, etc..). Just need the VIN #. I have done this before on a motorcycle that I was trying to track down the owner of to get the title from. It was a big help, except for the fact that he was on the run from the cops.
Just for everyone's jee-whiz they don't give out name's and address's anymore on title search's, i don't remember what yr the feds passed that law but it had something to do with stalker's using it to find their victim's.
 

2QUIK6

Well-Known Member
#24
Just for everyone's jee-whiz they don't give out name's and address's anymore on title search's, i don't remember what yr the feds passed that law but it had something to do with stalker's using it to find their victim's.
That is correct, been that way around here for more than 20 years. If you have a friend that is an officer you may be able to get them to do it for you.
 
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