Despite the fact that Pontiac produced its last V-8 in March 1981 and the marque was dropped by GM in April 2009, I’m still finding something new about our beloved Division that intrigues me each day!
While I most enjoy early Second-gen Firebirds and the large-cube performance engines that Pontiac developed to support them, I also enjoy the later ‘birds of that generation. Unlike early cars, however, they’re not followed as intently and despite being the hottest car in America going into the 1980s, Pontiac’s marketing focus was more on economy and emissions than on performance, so highly detailed factory information on the Firebird line seems scarce.
Still quite passionate about the last of that brood, I recently engaged in a discussion about Pontiac’s 1980 and 1981 turbocharged Firebirds. At a time when performance took a backseat to reduced tailpipe emissions and increased fuel economy, Pontiac gave 1980 and 1981 Formula and Trans Am buyers a high-tech performance engine option by creating a boosted version of its economy-minded 301-ci V8 that performed on par (at least on paper) with its 400-inch predecessor.
Pontiac’s venerable 400-ci was dropped from the production lineup after the 1978 model year as GM moved toward smaller displacement and shared power plants. Several thousand 400s were stockpiled for the 1979 Trans Am. To maintain Trans Am’s performance image for 1980 and 1981, Pontiac turbocharged its 301-ci V-8 to significantly increase its output.
It’s well documented in vintage Pontiac sales literature that the LU8 301 Turbo engine was emissions certified with A/C, a Turbo-350 automatic transmission, and 3.08:1 ratio rear axle. No other driveline options were available. For years, probably much like many hobbyists I believed that 301 Turbo also required WS6 suspension—which included J65 Front and Rear Disc Brakes and the cast-aluminum Turbo Flow wheel—as a mandatory option. That belief changed during the early 1990s when I happen across a gold 1980 Turbo Trans Am that was well-used but amazingly original and complete setting on an Omaha street.
Turbocharging was new to automotive industry during the late ‘70s. Known for innovation, Pontiac was first to market a turbocharged V-8 on an American performance car. Looking back today, the 200 hp rating the LU8 301-ci carried for 1980 may seem paltry, but it was cutting edge technology in its day.
Each time I passed by that Trans Am I’d think about how unique and innovative Pontiac’s turbocharged 4.9-liter was for its day. Under the guise that WS6 was required with the turbocharged engine, I recall being perplexed by this particular Turbo Trans Am’s body-colored Rally II wheels and the “4-Wheel Disc” decals on outside door handles. I guessed that someone replaced the original cast-aluminum wheels with stamped-steel Rally IIs but how the matching Solar Gold paint shared the same patina as the body was beyond me.
During the early-to-mid ‘90s, parked on the street in front of this house located on the corner of 27th and Poppleton Streets in Omaha, Nebraska was a used-but-original Solar Gold 1980 Turbo Trans Am that someone was using as a daily driver. Its gold-painted Rally II wheels left me wondering what happen to its original cast-aluminum Turbo Flow wheels that I thought were part of the required WS6 package with the boosted engine.
One day I decided to stop for a closer look and crawled beneath the car. Sure enough, I found rear disc brakes, but also took notice of the thin .625-inch rear sway bar associated with standard Trans Am suspension. Thumbing through my dad’s vintage Pontiac sales literature I soon learned of the standalone J65 Front and Rear Disc Brake option and it didn’t exclude Rally IIs. I then realized that those gold-painted Rally IIs were likely original and also learned that WS6 wasn’t a required option either, which explained the presence of the thinner rear sway bar. From that point on when discussing Pontiac’s 1980 and 1981 Turbo Trans Ams with other hobbyists I’d note that WS6 wasn’t required only to have more-senior Trans Am enthusiasts scoff and tell me otherwise.
As years progressed and I began collecting build sheets from various cars including 1980 and 1981 Turbo Trans Ams, I began seeing a pattern. Virtually every (non pace-car or special edition) Turbo Trans Am I came across was equipped with WS6, which proved to me it was a very popular extra cost combination. J65 Rear Disc Brakes was, however, on all other non-WS6 cars I’d documented up to that point, and that led me to surmise that J65 Rear Disc Brake axle (with 3.08:1 gearing) was required with the 301 Turbo. Well, when we surmise there’s always room for error and I was about to prove how true that is!
Pontiac included rear disc brakes with its optional WS6 package on 1979 to 1981 Firebirds. For those wanting rear disc brakes but not wanting to spring for the entire WS6 package, J65 Front and Rear Disc Brakes was a standalone option. I understood that WS6 wasn’t required with the LU8 301 Turbo engine, but for years I believed J65 was. I recently learned otherwise!
Because of the recent Turbo Formula discussion, I took a deep dive into my Pontiac reference materials to see if I could clarify the WS6 and J65 requirements for my own peace of mind. Here’s what I found.
Specifically, in 1980, neither WS6 nor J65 were required options with the 301 Turbo engine. Therefore, it was entirely possible for a 1980 Turbo Formula or Turbo Trans Am to be equipped with standard suspension and rear drum brakes. That also meant that the 15 x 7-inch Rally II was the standard wheel.
The Turbo Formula that Pontiac included as part of its 1980 press fleet was equipped with standard Formula suspension (same as base Trans Am) and Rally II wheels. Neither WS6 nor cast-aluminum Turbo Flow wheels were required options although both were available at extra cost. ‘80-81 Turbo Formulas are quite rare!
Where 1981 is concerned, the LU8 301 Turbo started model year production on hold-status. It was released in mid-August 1980. It’s unclear how many Turbo Firebirds were produced before the engine went back on hold-status in mid-October 1980. It then remained on hold-status until very-late-November 1980.
Up to that point, neither WS6 nor J65 were required options (neither was G80 limited-slip differential, which became optional on the Trans Am for 1981). So again, it was entirely possible for a very early-built 1981 Turbo Formula or Turbo Trans Am to be equipped with standard suspension, rear drum brakes, AND an open differential!
For a time during the 1981 model year, Pontiac required that Firebirds equipped with the LU8 301 Turbo engine also be equipped with J65 and G80 as explained in Car Distribution Bulletin 81-F-5.
Pontiac issued Car Distribution Bulletin 81-F-5 on November 21, 1980 stating that until further notice, the LU8 301 Turbo engine required both J65 Rear Disc brakes and G80 limited-slip differential. Any orders on bank not specifying both options would be returned and resubmitted with J65 and G80 or the order would be cancelled.
In my files was this build sheet of a 1981 Turbo Trans Am assembled on April 16, 1981. Notice the presence of “LU8 V8 301 Turbo” engine and the absence of WS6 suspension, J65 rear disc brake axle, and G80 limited slip differential. This late-year 1981 Turbo T/A was produced with standard Trans Am suspension, drum brakes, and open rear axle! And axle code 2PC in box number 11 confirms it!
Considering that the 1981 LU8 301 Turbo engine was on hold-status until late-November 1980, it stands to reason that all 1981 Turbo Formulas and Trans Ams produced once the LU8 301 Turbo was released would contain at least both options (J65 and G80). This mandate was, however, relaxed later in the 1981 model year as I have at least one build sheet of an April-built ’81 Turbo Trans Am that was equipped with drum brake axle and an open differential.
Obviously, the J65 and/or G80 issue was a moot point when WS6 was ordered in either model year.
So, beyond possibly learning something new for you, too, how many ’80-81 Turbo Formulas or Turbo Trans Ams have you seen with a drum brake axle and/or Rally II wheels? And maybe even weirder, have you ever seen a turbocharged Firebird with an open differential?