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2013 Carlisle GM Nationals June 21-23, 2013 in Carlisle, PA. TTA's invited!

PhillyTurboSix

PhillyTurboSix

Administrator
Staff member
The 2013 Carlisle GM Nationals will take place June 21-23, 2013 in Carlisle, PA. We have registered the 1989 Pontiac Turbo Trans AM's this year! That's right we have our own class at a national event! Using the link below you can register your car for the car show ($40) under "326: PONTIAC - 20TH ANNIV. TRANS AM" If we get 25 cars registered, The TTA owners will get our own area complete with tent! Please consider attending/showing at this event - your car need not be a pristine show car to participate. Would be nice go get a mini TTA reunion again seeing some cars come out! I'm registered and ready to rock. There is a ton to do in the area. So bring em out and show some TTA support at this event. They also have a race track near by for those who want to race their TTA's. Hope to see some TTA's there!

Registation: 2013 Carlisle GM Nationals Showfield
(Remember to choose "326: PONTIAC - 20TH ANNIV. TRANS AM" under "GM Classification" when registering)

For more info, see the event's main web site: Carlisle GM Nationals - Collector Car Show and Swap Meet, Everything GM, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Cadillac, Oldsmobile
 
I am planning on going to the event, but as a spectator. Got burn out last year with long distance shows, so gonna leave the cars parked and check out everyone else's!!
 
Was thinking about attending with the GXP but now I realize I've got a wedding to attend that weekend. :wall:
 
I'm going with my TTA. Will be there Friday to Sunday. I have to check if when I registered I got the right group. Didn't know about this when I registered so long ago.
 
Just tell them your with MAGNA and you can park by us if you want. They have considered MAGNA the club/car of the event so they gave us the 20x20 tent to sit under. I'll have my TTA and my 86 there. Both are in the invitational so I'll be inside all weekend. I hope we get some TTA's there representing!! :)

Just got this e-mail for those on the fence!!


Save Money by Pre-Registering Today!
In just four days, the deadline to save 10% and gain an easier access to the grounds comes to an end. Via Gate-N-Go, if you pre-register by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 20, you'll save both time and money. We mail your window sticker weeks in advance of the event. All you have to do is stick it to your window before you arrive and cruise onto the NPD Showfield. More time, more money, more fun. Enjoy great guests like Bruce Larson, Bobby Allison, Dennis Kirban and more. With great displays, guests and a one-of-a-kind weekend, the GM Nationals are an event that you need to be part of. Call 717*-243*-7855 today or click through to the web and get involved.
 
I have never been to an event at Carlisle, but I have friends who attended Corvettes at Carlisle. I can attend one or the other this year, does anyone know how the size of this event compares to the Corvette event? On the Corvette page it says there are over 5k cars plus vendors, etc.
 
Can't wait! I'm all set up with the 86 GN and TTA to go up Thursday and I'm staying till Sunday.

There will be a display inside the invitational building of turbo Buick's. Tyler the event organizer likes the TTA's so much, he's going to display my TTA at the end of the line of Buick's with a poster with these words on it...



A TRANS AM WITH A BUNCH OF BUICKS?​

What you are looking at is a prime example of a rare, limited-production Trans Am that was produced in 1989. The Turbo Trans Am used the 3.8L turbo V6 from the Buick Grand National, making this an incredibly unique car. Below are a few specifications:​

- Only 1,555 Turbo Trans Ams Produced


- Created as a 20th Anniversary package


- Used as the official pace car for the Indianapolis 500, held on May 28, 1989

- The Turbo Trans Am was the only car to pace the Indianapolis track without any performance modifications whatsoever.


- The Turbo Trans Am produced 301 HP in stock form


- The 3.8L actually used different heads in order to fit the engine between the shock towers. The heads came from the FWD version of the 3.8L engine, and actually produced better HP.

So, while the Turbo Trans Am wears Pontiac skin, its heart is all Buick!​



What do you guys think? I think it's pretty awesome they are showing the love for the TTA's and I didn't even have to beg for a change! lol Typically I have to beg at these events to give the TTA's some respect! Tyler did it on his own. For a huge event like this to show the love it's a big step. I'll display proud representing the TTA's. As the years pass on we are loved more and more. :) I'm so sick of going to events and folks go nuts over a beat up turbo Buick and walk right past my GTA! :teehee: So if you guys can, bring those TTA's out to this event and show the love back!
 
I am definitely going to be there with #631. Only live about 30 minutes or so away. Jim, if you have any extra room in your trailer, bring a couple of the Ohio posters with you. I would like to buy a couple. Hope to see everyone there ( and no car trouble this time).
 
Sounds good Nick! I'll see you there!! Any TTA guys show up you get some FREE BPG TTA reunion posters! I have plenty left and they will be FREE to any TTA owners that come out WITH your car! :) And the nice part you can still attened if you didn't register yet!!

Just tell them at the gate your registering under MAGNA car club and come park with us! We will have a 20x20 tent with some BBQ going on so bring a chair and hang out in the shade with us! I think they are going to park TTA's next to the turbo Buick's.

The area for the Turbo Buicks is all specifically for that car. Our tent is right in the middle of that show field, so if guys want to show up late, you will still be relatively close to the club tent area. Everyone is welcome to come on Saturday. The admission will still be $40 for the show field (they are unable to do separate stickers and registration, so there will be a blanket cost of $40 for everything.) You guys can pretty much roll in any time between 7 am and about 2 on Saturday. The burnouts and stuff start at 4, so if you want some time to walk around, I would say make 2:00 the latest. If you come in Gate 3, that is the registration gate and also the main hub of the grounds.

So just get up bright and early and come on out! Can't wait for the burnout contest at 4. They must do that to keep the skeeters down at night! It's gonna be a blast! Bring something along for the MAGNA BBQ and chill out under the MAGNA tent! We are going to take this event over!
 
A good time was had by all, but that was too much to see in 1 day. Not enough time to chat with everyone.
Without touring the entire grounds, I saw 3 TTAs - counting Jim's in the special "Invitational" indoor display :toot:
Someone said that there were over 40 turbo Buicks (plus the TTAs?) in the MAGNA area - great job, Jim!!
Here is a photo of the MAGNA compound, taken from near the top of the grandstand.
jxs.JPG
 
Was a great show with great weather and lots to see. The Turbo Buicks came out in big numbers, there were a lot of them there. I saw 4 TTA's, 2 parked with the 3rd gens, 1 parked with the TB's and Jim's inside the building. There was also another one for sale in the "for sale" area. Talked with Jim for a while and he also introduced us to Andrew, the maker of the "Black Air" film. We told him he should make a film about the TTA's. I think he may consider doing it.

The number of 5th gen Camaro's that were there was insane! Lots of ones with mods and custom paint.

Jim's TTA in the display-
 
there was another TTA there with the Turbo Buicks for a while in the afternoon. He said that the 3rd Gen area was full, so he came over to park with the Buicks. I talked to the guy for a minute, he wasn't sure of his TTA# ("have to look at the letter"). He was a "mature gentleman", said that he has been dormant for a few years dealing with family stuff and car hadn't been out. It did not sound as if he was on this forum. I went back later to talk more, but he was busy... then gone. Car had PA tags, he said he lived near NY and it was a long drive... maybe out in the western part of the state(??).
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Wow what a great weekend! I had a blast! Was so nice to see you and the hubby Kymmee!!!! :dance: Glad we had some time to chat I was being pulled in every direction it seemed! I think I said hello to you twice Mark in passing! lol What an awesome event. They treated me like gold. Everything I asked for I got and the answer was always yes. I was there Thursday till Sunday. Being in the invitational class, I had to be there from Thursday till Sunday for the display. It was the first time I had the TTA on display like that. It was nice to just hang around the car as an on looker and hear some of the comments. I jumped in here and there and enjoyed schooling people about the TTA's when I could. :) They fed me on Thursday and a special luncheon on Saturday as well. They run a first class event and know how to do it right! I was very proud to have the car on display looking for everyone to see. They even made me a custom sign and I thought that was awesome. He wanted me in there along the turbo Buick's showing this is what came next kinda theme.

I did talk to the event promoter about a TTA reunion and he was all into it! He's a super nice guy and they love the cars. So this may be another consideration if we make that happen again. :clap:

Mark I did chat with the gentlemen you were talking about with the other TTA that rolled in late on Saturday. I felt bad for him when I first saw him. I was over by the 3rd gen cars and he was going up and down the rows with no where to park because that area was so packed. Trying to navigate around the packed cars and people was a nightmare! So I ran after him and walked with him from the 3rd gen area all the way over to the turbo Buick display and got him parked with us! It would have killed me for him to just park that car anywhere and not where it belonged with us! I spent some time chatting with him. Always awesome to hear the story behind someone's TTA. He might check in here on the forum as I told him top pop on it!

Huge thanks to all the TTA guys that drove out! Was nice to see them and shoot the chit with you guys and gals! The 4 days went by in a flash!
 
I think this is a bad combination of me being a relative [TTA] newbie and having a bit of a sarcasm issue :rolleyes:... but why isn't this a "TTA" (it has a turbo and it is a TransAm)? There were a couple of nice ones at Carlisle. Only thing that I can figure is that for we [on this board & within MAGNA] say "TTA" - and it is actually short for "89TTA"(?).
6fyi.jpg

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Thanks for any "explanations" :)
Mark
 
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I drove one brand new from Crown Pontiac in Greensboro NC, went 2 miles and turned around @took it back, at the time i lived in Level Cross NC and Crown Pont. gave Richard Petty a new TA to drive every year and he took it back as well... they were a dog as far as performance.
 
I saw the 1980 turbo TA's as well. I think they are very cool looking but the off white seats would be hard to keep nice. I have heard a lot of negative things about the engine too. I have looked at several of them to consider purchasing but always change my mind because of the bad rap the motor gets. I heard certain parts are hard to come by also.
 
lol great question Mark and I have the answer for you.. For a car to be considered a TTA.. the boost must reach more then 6psi! lol I drove one as well some years back and dear lord. I had to check under the hood to make sure there was an 8 cyl and a turbo in the car. I think my Honda Civic had more power! They are great looking cars always loved the body style, color combo, and design but wow very slow. I could be wrong but it's somewhere around 6 to 8psi is all the turbo puts out on them and you can't feel it at all. Nothing like our cars.

I was at a car cruise night a number of years back in my TTA and there was an 80 turbo T/A there. Super clean all stock looking low mile car. I was chatting with the owner and he was telling me how horribly slow they were. When the cruise ends, all these kids line up on the curb to watch all the cars leave. Some guys will smoke em up and there is a light there with 2 lanes and most times 2 muscle cars will get lined up together and they will race for 60 feet or so from the light and let out. I wind up at a light in front of all these people and who rolls up next to me... The 80 Turbo T/A I look over at him and he says to me... "Please don't spank me there is no way I'm even going to try and race you it will look so bad" lol I felt bad for the guy so we both took off slow together. The next light he thanked me! lol I was hoping he would just to see what the difference was! But I'd still love to add one to the stable!

:burnrubber:
 
I think - if Pontiac had been allowed to keep their V8 and the thirdgen Trans Am had gotten the 4.9 turbo Motor, that with some R&D it would have been a stout motor with the addition of fuel injection, intercooling and a better set of heads. Unfortunately, we will never know.
 
Mark T-TB said:
there was another TTA there with the Turbo Buicks for a while in the afternoon. He said that the 3rd Gen area was full, so he came over to park with the Buicks. I talked to the guy for a minute, he wasn't sure of his TTA# ("have to look at the letter"). He was a "mature gentleman", said that he has been dormant for a few years dealing with family stuff and car hadn't been out. It did not sound as if he was on this forum. I went back later to talk more, but he was busy... then gone. Car had PA tags, he said he lived near NY and it was a long drive... maybe out in the western part of the state(??).
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Click to expand...

Stephen Coyle has a nice collection, I know him from his DT500.

http://www.pronetisp.net/~coyle/mycars.htm
 
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