79/80 TA owners - tell me about your rear lights

I have just bought a TA here in the UK and Im a little paraniod that its not what it seems which has made the following little thing seem significant:

My TA's rear lights (still wired for US use) have 4 red lights and one white in each cluster with one lisence plate bulb. My Clymer manual says thats correct for an 80 TA but a 79 should have 3 red lights and 2 licence plate lights.

Which is correct - the manual or my car?

Thanks guys - Im gonna have a million questions before Im done!

Reply to
Christopher Drew
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Throw out any manual that's not a GM shop manual. They are all useless.

The Haynes manuals written for the Firebird are among the absolute worst I've seen, they are SO wrong.

A 79 T/A has one license plate lamp. A 1978 has two (one on each side). Clymer probably copied the Haynes data, sounds like something they would do.

Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 26k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going.... '80 T/A project car...

Reply to
Bigjfig

Thanks Joe - I now realise that its the moveing of the license plate that flags the difference - nice to be reasured though!

I sussed the Clymer manual was of little use - more 'this is a V8 engine' rather than - this is YOUR V8 engine. I have always found Haynes really good for UK cars and Jap bikes but I will heed your warning.

I really need a good manual as this is a project car thats been messed with plus its my first Firebird so I need lots of exploded diagrams and/or photos to let me seperate whats right and what isnt. Would eBay be a place for a GM shop manual (Im in the UK remember). Whats available on CD-ROM? I have seen some very comprehensive looking CD's advertised but cant remember what they where called.

As an aside - any UK owners care to share their UK legal lighting mods for their 79 firebirds?

Reply to
Christopher Drew

Yes, Ebay is a great place to get them. I've bought from:

Dave's Books (EBay seller ID) Dan Bower at snipped-for-privacy@tir.com Dan Klein at snipped-for-privacy@aol.com

All sell on Ebay, and all are fair. I believe they will ship internationally.

Alternatively

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sells them new, but shipping may be expensive as they just charge you whatever they feel like. LOL

Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 26k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going.... '80 T/A project car...

Reply to
Bigjfig

internationally.

Thanks Joe, I'll check these sources out as soon as I get chance.

Reply to
Christopher Drew

In looking for manuals, the 1979 Ponitac manual was a supplment to the 1978 manual. You'll need both both. The Fisher Body manual was a whole manual for

1979. Use to have a 79 TA and remember having to have the 3 manuals to be complete.

These may now be on CD-ROMS.

On other manual you will want to have is the 1980 Firebird Assembley Manual. About 3 years ago either AMES or Performance Years offered it for around $

75.00 US. It could be out of print.

What is nice is that there are many drawings detailing how a majority of the Firebirds were to be build.

Reply to
Seppburgh2

Thanks for the info - having worked on the TA a little now it seems the Clymer manuals wiring diagram for 1980 is actually a good match for my 79 so I'm OK for now but will keep an eye open for the resources you have suggested.

Reply to
Christopher Drew

Because the 1980 diagram is actually the 1978 diagram with a supplement for

1980 :).

Get the right manual before going any further.

Joe--ASE Certified Parts Specialist & 10th Ann.Club Tech Director '80 Carousel Red Turbo T/A, 26k orig. '79 "Y89" 400/4 speed 10th Ann. T/A, 57k orig '84 Olds 88 Royale Bgm 2 dr, 307 "Rocket" (lol), 141k and still going.... '80 T/A project car...

Reply to
Bigjfig

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