[Tunas73TA]

Car looks great.
Ill have to check it out in person. I'll be heading to Steve's shop in a couple of weeks as mine is almost done!

[165th]

Storytime…

I had previously mentioned that along with restoration updates, now and again I would share interesting stories about Adrian that are as unique as the car itself.

Post 63 and 66 in this thread revealed some of the stories of how people came across the car at various times during her life, some of whom not even realizing she was a one of one.

Post 76 recognizes and draws an uncanny correlation between this Adriatic Blue with custom blue/white interior car and the Bill Mitchell White pearlized exterior with custom blue/white interior.

Post 98 shared some colorful history of how the car spent time in service in east Texas farm fields where she was used to herd dairy cows.

In this post I’d like to share another incredible story, this about how close this car came to being a victim of attrition and lost forever. Had it not been for Steve Schappaugh’s diligent pursuit, the restoration of a numbers matching One of One ’72 Code 24 Trans Am would not be happening today:

Steve’s ownership of this car began simply in 2006 with a response to an Ebay ad in Houston for a ’72 Trans Am drive train that included a freshly rebuilt engine and unrestored transmission and rear end. After winning the auction when Steve showed up to pick up the drive train he asked what happened to the body. The seller showed him to a separate garage where the body was stored. The previous owner was apparently in deep over his head on a frame off restoration and had basically given up, and was planning to sell the drive train and discard and scrap the body. Steve talked the owner into including the body and lots of misc parts with the sale and Steve was able to return to Lincoln with a title and a box of bones that resembled an entire car.

On the return trip home, he and his driving partner sifted through details and wondered what exactly they had stumbled on. As they were reviewing paperwork, trim tag and engine vin, things just didn’t add up. The engine vin didn’t match the PHS but the 7F6 heads were present, the color DD on the PHS was confusing, the code 24 on the trim tag was not a Trans Am color and finally the blue/white interior was non standard. Steve returned to Lincoln still not knowing it was a One of One car, and was questioning the legitimacy of the deal all together.

It wasn’t until he completed some additional due diligence with PHS that the provenance of this car became apparent.

At this point, the location of the original block became critically important, so Steve reached back out to the previous owner to inquire on the whereabouts of the block. The previous owner was adamant the engine was original to the car and was unaware that the vin didn’t match. He gave Steve the contact information for the shop that rebuilt the engine. Steve contacted the shop to inquire if the original HO block may have been ‘accidentally’ swapped for a standard 455 block during the rebuild. After several conversations the engine builder finally admitted he still had the original block, and after a few additional conversations, Steve eventually met the engine builder where the original block was returned to Steve.

Subsequently, Steve had the engine rebuilt with the correct block. 7FS heads were done by Nunzi’s Automotive in 2000 and she still has her original 7042273 0132 dated carb.

Thanks to Steve for saving this car! I think undoubtedly if Steve had not stepped in when he did, parts of this car would be spread all over this country and this car would be gone for good.

That’s all for now….
Something tells me we are close to a restoration status update, so, with that said...

The road to Adriatic blue starts here.

[bird72]

When done, you should do side by side shots of it with a Lucerne one, to really show the contrast. This is a really cool thread on a great car.

[72projectbird]

I love the story behind this car.

This will be quite the T/A when its done!

[muscle_collector]

good job steve. man was the engine builder a crook or what was his explanation?

[165th]

teasers...

We kept the original paint fender extractors to use as a comparison to the new paint.

[165th]

As most of you know, Tim Burton's 'Lucy' is being restored at Steve's also. Here's some decent Lucerne Blue and Adriatic blue comparisons.

The last picture is the original spoiler tip and an older restored Lucerne blue tip from my Sister TA.

Pretty cool!

[Norwood]

S*** I better get my A$$ in gear

[keith k]

Very cool.

Looking at the pics of the freshly painted Adriatic.... I realize that the two diecast Lucerne Blue Trans Ams I have (two different brands) are actually closer to Adriatic blue than Lucerne Blue...

[tabob]

I agree. Both are much lighter in color than Lucerne Blue.

Greg, I can hardly wait to see this car done. It has been too long since I saw it in person and discovered that it was not a Lucy blue car as the owner in Spring, Texas in the 90's thought it was.

[W72-Bandit]

Man, thats gonna be beautiful!

[CAM400455]

I'm jealous as h@#$! To be able to walk out to the garage and see 2 blue T/As! I need to go take a cold shower!

[Norwood]

cant wait to see it next to mine. It is going to make it to the show?

[165th]

Originally Posted by Norwood

cant wait to see it next to mine. It is going to make it to the show?

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. It is shaping up to be a special build for sure.

Norwood, I think only 'Schauppi the Swami' can answer that one, but this last month of sub zero temps in NE brought on by the Polar Vortex hasn't helped things.

Besides, I can't show the car with a big hole in the hood.

[Lloyd-TX]

My Dad bought an Adriatic Blue '72 Grand Ville when I was 17 YO.

I know that my mempry ain't what it used to be, be the AB on that T/A looks dead-nuts on to me . . .

Congrats on gittin' 'er done! Can't wait to see the finished car!

[Norwood]

Originally Posted by 165th

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. It is shaping up to be a special build for sure.

Norwood, I think only 'Schauppi the Swami' can answer that one, but this last month of sub zero temps in NE brought on by the Polar Vortex hasn't helped things.

Besides, I can't show the car with a big hole in the hood.

Thats why I need to get my A$$ in gear

[sd455hota]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

good job steve. man was the engine builder a crook or what was his explanation?

He was a total crook. The entire thing was like a drug deal. I couldn't go to his business, we had to meet behind a grocery store. I think I paid around 4000 for the block. Well worth it in this case though.

We're shooting for the TA Nats with the car. We were hoping for the POCI but it doesn't look promising.

[PB]

Originally Posted by sd455hota

He was a total crook. The entire thing was like a drug deal. I couldn't go to his business, we had to meet behind a grocery store. I think I paid around 4000 for the block. Well worth it in this case though.

We're shooting for the TA Nats with the car. We were hoping for the POCI but it doesn't look promising.

You don't want to debut all your works at one show, do ya Steve?

[Judge273]

Originally Posted by sd455hota

He was a total crook. The entire thing was like a drug deal. I couldn't go to his business, we had to meet behind a grocery store. I think I paid around 4000 for the block. Well worth it in this case though.

We're shooting for the TA Nats with the car. We were hoping for the POCI but it doesn't look promising.

The TA Nats are looking like the show of the year! Well, POCI too if its a cruise to Wichita...

[4birds]

WOW! That color looks great Greg! (and Steve) Keep us posted with progress pics....I'm sure a whole lot of us are drooling about now.