1986 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Wheel Alignment

Article written by Bush Tyres

This 1986 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am visited Immingham depot recently for a full Wheel Alignment setup. This car looks ready to star in a reboot of any classic 80s TV Show, such as Knight Rider or Smokey and the Bandit! Read more about the car below, “10-4 good buddy.”

Firebird or Trans Am

What exactly is the difference between a Firebird and a Trans Am? All Trans Am cars are Firebirds, but not all Firebirds are Trans Am specification cars. The main difference is upgrades to the suspension and handling and horsepower on the Trans Am cars. There are also some harder to spot differences to the hood, spoiler, fog lights and wheels. The overall cars look very similar to an untrained eye, and you would be forgiven, especially here in the UK for not knowing one from another.

This owner’s example manufactured in 1986, imported in 1990 is a third-generation car. The Pontiac Firebird was produced across 4 generations from 1967-2002. The most famous examples being stars of the silver screen. The late Burt Reynolds famously drives a 1977 Second-Generation Trans Am in his classic road movie, Smokey, and the Bandit.

In the 1980s, a third-generation car was used as the star of the cult Tv show “knight Rider” starring David ‘The Hoff’ Hasselhoff. The now infamous K.I.T.T, (Knight industries 2000) talking car has a special place in the heart of any petrolhead over the age of 40 alongside many other great cars from TV/Film. The wide appeal of the Pontiac has lead to reportedly sales over 2 million Trans Am cars throughout its production.

3D Computerised Wheel Alignment

When this car was built in 1986, the standard wheel alignment was most likely carried out at the factory using string lines or in true Knight rider fashion, lasers, and mirrors. We now use fully digital 3D visualisers in workshops of today.

The system uses a specially designed 3D digital target to capture the dimensions of the alignment in “real time.” Initial measurements are taken and then compared to the factory specifications. The information is shown to the technician on a PC screen and any adjustments necessary are made. The suspension is then ‘locked’ into its new settings.

Once completed, the final measurements are captured, the results are printed for vehicle service records. Prices and quality of alignment or “tracking” vary from garage to garage.

You can always be assured that when you bring your car to Bush Tyres, American classic or not, you will be having this work completed to the highest standards possible by fully trained Alignment specialists. We recommend alignment is checked at every tyre change, after any major impacts or suspension changes and/or every 5000 miles in line with manufacturers guidelines.

For more information on Wheel Alignment for your own American Classic or modern cars, visit one of our local branches. Or alternatively book online today for your FREE, no obligation Wheel Alignment Check. Our team of experts will inspect your vehicle for any suspension issues and complete the initial measurements for your vehicle completely free of charge. We only ever charge for adjustments if needed.

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