eBay Find of the Day: Trans Am Hurst Hauler Wagon

The Pontiac Trans Am has always been a bit over-styled, to put it mildly. As the ultimate expression of the Firebird, the TA was always adorned with all manner of scoops, wings and bulges, setting it off from more mundane versions of Pontiac's pony-fighter. In the late '90s, the last-gen F Body got its final restyling before heading to the great automotive graveyard in the sky, and its overwrought design left very little room for external customization. Where there's a will, there's a way, though, and Automotive Services in Sterling Heights, Michigan managed to add some extra pizazz to the car's swoopy shape with a Kammback rear hatch. A Trans Am Wagon? Sign us up! All it's missing is a huge Screaming Chicken on the hood.

The one-off machine, known as the Hurst Hauler, has made it to auction on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $35K. Originally introduced for the Y2K SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the car went on to star in the 2001 Hot Rod Power Tour driven by the guys at Year One. Based on a 2000 WS6-equipped TA, the ram air-fed 5.7L LS1 small block has seen some extra tuning in the form of a Corsa exhaust, custom-ground Erson camshaft, Accel fuel injectors and custom ECU tuning from TTS Power Systems. The result is about 370 horses according to The General's official press release from back in the day, which we've gone ahead and pasted after the break. Be sure to check out our gallery of pics, including the car posing with Miss Hurst herself, Linda Vaughn. Thanks for the tip, Ron!

[Source: eBay Motors]

PRESS RELEASE:

THE HURST HAULER FIREBIRD (HAVE SPACE, WILL TRAVEL - QUICKLY!)

DETROIT - Hatchbacks have always been a boon to those persons who want the looks of a sport coupe but choose not to forgo cargo capability. In its past two generations, the Firebird body was modified and sculpted into a station wagon platform for concept vehicles. Now, with the Hurst Hauler, that Kammback roofline makes an appearance on the fourth generation Firebird.

Automotive Services, Inc., in Sterling Heights, Michigan, was the progenitor of the idea and performed the initial design tasks. Working with Custom Design Ltd., in Trevor, Wisconsin, the Kammback rear hatch and halo band were constructed. The attention grabbing Standox candy apple red hue, with orange tinting, was a custom mix.

Of course, the chassis components received their share of attention as well. Mr. Gasket/Eibach springs hunker the Hurst Hauler lower to the ground. Lakewood rear control arms and panhard bar keep things on the straight and level. The Hurst shifter is specially prepared with an integrated Line-Loc switch. Baer Racing brakes stand aft of 18" x 10" American Racing Torque Thrust II rims wrapped with B.F. Goodrich g-Force P295/35ZR18 rubber.

When Westech Automotive, Silver Lake, Wisconsin, toiled with extracting more oomph from the LS1 engine, they began with a balancing and blueprinting of the entire assembly. Valve springs and a custom-grind camshaft from Erson Cams work around the CNC'd cylinder heads. Accel fuel injectors, air filter, spark plugs and wires bring up the externals. Expelling the spent gasses is a Corsa Performance exhaust. When all this was completed, TTS Power Systems burned a special calibration module to make sure all the modifications worked together in a friendly fashion. And they certainly did, with the results being 370 horsepower.

The Hurst Hauler will also be a support vehicle for the 2001 Hot Rod Power Tour and piloted by the folks from Year One - The Next Generation. If enough interest is garnered from its exposure, the conversion components may become available through aftermarket venues for the 1993-2001 Firebirds.

Firebird Hurst Hauler

POWERTRAIN

* 5.7L LS1 V8 producing 370 horsepower
* 4-speed automatic transmission with Hurst shifter and integrated Line-Loc
* Corsa Performance exhaust
* Valve springs and a custom-grind camshaft from Erson Cam
* Accel fuel injectors, air filter, spark plugs and wires
* TTS Power Systems calibration module

CHASSIS

* Baer Racing Brakes
* Mr. Gasket/Eibach springs
* Lakewood rear control arms and panhard bar
* 18" x 10" American Racing Torque Thrust II wheels
* B.F. Goodrich g-Force 295/35ZR18 tires

EXTERIOR

* Specially built rear Kammback hatch and halo bar
* Custom -mixed Standox candy apple red paint