2006-07-11 18:57:17 · 6 answers · asked by kamran a 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Car Makes ➔ Pontiac
The Pontiac Trans Am, was named for the series
2006-07-12 15:02:42 · answer #1 · answered by 69 FstBck 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Pontiac developed the Trans-Am, initially, to run in the Trans-American (or abbreviated "Trans am") race series. Trans am racing had limits on its engine sizes, however. Only small block engines (I believe they couldn't be over 305 cid) could be used. When Pontiac put the Trans am on the market in 1969, it was offering a 400 cid ram air 3 engine in production cars (cars that would be sold to the public). Pontiac was criticized by members of the press, automotive industry, and those involved with the Trans am racing. "What is the point", they were asking, "of naming a car after the Trans Am series if you are not going to offer the same engines that would qualify it for the racing series?" Pontiac then decided to borrow the Chevy 305 cid engine from Camaro's Z-28 and put it into the Canadian Trans Am's to qualify for the racing series. I believe, in order to qualify for the Trans Am series, that Pontiac also had to put the small block engine into production cars (similar to other racing venues, these cars had to be street vehicles that are made race ready with performance tweaking done here and there-not by upsizing the engine). Since Firebirds in the U.S. only used Pontiac engines (as opposed to Canada, who used Chevy engines) Canada's Pontiac Trans am was used in the races and, I believe, the 302 engine was put in Canada's production cars. Pontiac was originally planning to put a 303 cid engine into its U.S. Trans Am vehicles. They changed their minds and decided to use larger engines.
2006-07-12 22:15:22 · answer #2 · answered by 36phonenix 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Trans Am was named after an automotive racing leage, kinda like NASCAR, when the car was first produced. The car was based off of the Chevy Camaro to give GM more cars, & therefore more advertising in racing at the time.
2006-07-12 02:04:36 · answer #3 · answered by Daddy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only thing I can assume is that its short for Trans-American since it was built to span generations. I will do more research since you've sparked my interest with an excellent question.
2006-07-12 02:03:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
for the trans am racing series
2006-07-12 02:03:14 · answer #5 · answered by glock509 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Read about it here.
2006-07-12 13:44:24 · answer #6 · answered by monte 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋