FROM THE EDITORS' DESK | IN THE NEWS | NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
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FROM THE EDITORS' DESKby Robert Thomas and Frank Ochal

Thanks to all of the new members that joined recently.

Thanks to Doug Lester, Doug Mire, Matthew Pietruszka, Mark Frank, John Witmer, Stewart Polston, Michael Cornell and all of the other contributors to this issue! Also many thanks to Todd Stahr, Justin Kwarta, Doug Lester, Bethany Orr, Bill Simcox and Brett Campbell on their continuing technical help to our members on our message board at http://board.firebirdclub.net.

I am sure you have noticed the improvement in the look and feel of the Eagle. The pages are brighter, the paper is better and there are more color pages with color pictures in better quality. We have made another change in printers to make a better looking magazine. The delivery of your magazine has also changed and hopefully the Eagle should be received with less damage. Let me know what you think of the changes.

In addition to the items found in our regular club store, more items including tote bags, caps, sweat pants, shorts and other items can be found at our Fieldhouse Club Store located at www.fieldhouse.com/nftac .

We have updated our payment form on our website to directly take credit card and PayPal payments. Your credit card is now checked for accuracy and verified and your order is placed into a shopping cart of items awaiting checkout. This type of program should be very familiar to people who pay for items on other Internet websites and is available on the PayPal/Credit Card website button. The old form will also remain for members that are comfortable with it.

Also there is a now a Local Groups/Activities section on the Club Message Board where each local club has its own section where local club items can be discussed.

You can now find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/firebirdclub and twitter in the groups/clubs section.

We have a new and improved club message board. You can access through the club website at www.firebirdtaclub.com or directly at http://board.firebirdclub.net . We have a members only section of the message board. You can use the user id and password on page 3 of each Eagle or you can get a personal id and password. To do so, register and then logon to the message board and send a message to us with a reply in this section or via email. This allows you to access the Member Only Question & Answer and Upkeep and Performance Hints Area.　 It also allows you to post items in the For Sale and Wanted sections as well as photos in the Member Photos area. Also there is a now a Local Groups/Activities section.

The club has a blog located at http://blog.firebirdclub.net . Members can publish items or comments to the Blog. The Club photo gallery is located at http://photos.firebirdclub.net . The same login is used for the gallery as the Message Board. Members can download photos directly here.

We now offer a 3 year membership or renewal rate which includes a free t-shirt or tech volume II CD. The rate is $95 or $125 for members outside the USA. And in response to many members we now have a 3 year eMembership for $65 which also includes a free t-shirt or tech volume III CD. So save some money and get a free t-shirt or tech CD in the process!

Classified ads are FREE to members but now you can add photographs of your items for sale. For $15 we will include a photograph of your car or item. Also the classified ads will now appear on our website and in the eEagle.

Remember we will send out the eEagle, our email newsletter in addition to the regular Eagle for members that have given us their email address. Our website address is www.firebirdtaclub.com and our email address is info@firebirdtaclub.com . The website has a "Members Only" section on the website. This section contains technical staff contact information, recommended repair shops, spare parts lists that members have sent in as well as complete current and past issues of the member magazine which can be viewed on-line or downloaded for printing.

You need an ID and password to access this area. You will find the current ID and password on page 3 of each issue of the EAGLE. These will change with each issue so use only the current ones listed. Also now you can to create your own id and password for the members only section. Submit the form on the members only page to do this.

Thanks for all of your support and to this issue’s contributors and I hope you had a great start to the new year!!

(top photo: ‘'89 Trans Am of Doug Mire)

EAGLE ADVERTISERS (including Accessories, Events, Insurance, Parts, Service)

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IN THE NEWS!

Pontiac - Oakland Museum Announcement

The Pontiac-Oakland Museum & Resource Center, 205 N. Mill St. Pontiac, Illinois has announced that a very special automobile related to Pontiac history will go on display in the museum. The car is the earliest known Pontiac race car, successfully competing for the first time in August 1926, Pontiac’s introduction year. This one-of-a-kind Pontiac will be delivered to the museum by the owners, Arnold & Lois Landvoigt, of Savage, Maryland on Monday, October 24, 2011 at 1:30pm. Anyone wishing to see and hear the car run should come to the museum at that time. The Landvoigts are leaving the car to be displayed at the museum for nearly a year.

On August 14, 1926 at the Sherrill Hill Climb, Sherrill, New York the Pontiac hill climb racer first saw competition. It finished first in class, the earliest known competition in an organized event by any Pontiac. The Landvoigts have done extensive research documenting the history of the car, followed by a complete and detailed restoration. In 2010 the car received its Grand National Senior Award from the Antique Automobile Association of America. The restoration attempted to conserve the somewhat rough fit and finish as the car was raced, based upon original photographs and ‘as found’ condition. A conscious effort was made not to refinish the machine to a level at which it never existed.

Museum Director, Tim Dye said "This is exactly the caliper of car we strive to have on display here at the museum. It is a unique and rare glimpse into Pontiac’s early history, enhancing the experience visitors have at the museum. I want to thank the Landvoigts for their generosity in giving up the car so it can be on display here".

'79 Trans Am in GQ Magazine

I wanted to let you know that my gold ’78 Trans Am Special Edition was recently used in a photo shoot for GQ Magazine and it appears in the June 2011 issue on Pages 222-223. It was a super-fun two day experience!

The photos and text that make up the article about a ‘Lost Highway’ can be found at GQ’s website: http://www.gq.com/style/wear-it-now/201106/mens-summer-clothes-road-trip-packing#slide=1 (Slide 1 of 6 is Hot, but advance to Slide 2 to see my car).

Allen Welbourn, Member #99-5206

PONTIAC OAKLAND AUTO MUSEUM

The Pontiac-Oakland Museum in Pontiac, Illinois opened July 23, 2011 and is home to 15 classic and antique Oakland and Pontiac cars, thousands of artifacts from dealer promotional items to signs, posters, and sales training aids, and an entire library filled with automotive-related print materials. The museum is located at 205 North Mill Street in Pontiac, Illinois.

Come see one of the world's greatest collections of Pontiac and Oakland automobile brand items. Antique and Classic cars, thousands of dealer artifacts, a comprehensive library of maps, brochures, original design drawings, service manuals.

For more information, 1-800-835-2055 or www.visitpontiac.org .

KITT Voted Top TV Car of All Time
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KITT, the talking supercar from 1980s TV series Knight Rider, has been voted the most popular TV car of all time.

The black Pontiac Trans Am, driven by Michael Knight, played by Britain’s Got Talent judge David Hasselhoff, received 35 per cent of votes in the capital.

Del Boy's yellow Robin Reliant from Only Fools and Horses came in second with 21 per cent and third favorite TV car was the Batmobile, with 20 per cent of the vote.

The survey of 2,000 people was commissioned by Netcars.com - the UK’s fastest growing car sales website - to celebrate its launch to consumers, following a successful introduction to the motoring trade in December 2010.

The General Lee, from TV show The Dukes of Hazard, came fourth with 11 per cent, followed by the classic Jag from Inspector Morse which won 8 per cent of votes.

Louis Rix, marketing director from netcars.com, said: "With such an amazing history of popular TV cars we were intrigued as to who the public would pick as the number one but let’s be honest, who didn’t want a car like KITT? Fast, cool and filled with a wonderful array of gizmos and gadgets it was – and still is for many people - the dream car.

"The series ended 25 years ago this year but people still remember KITT with so much affection, there will never be another car like it. But the great British public also loves a good underdog and that explains why so many people voted for Del Boy’s three-wheel Robin Reliant; it’s at the opposite end of the car scale to KITT but loved just as much."

Netcars.com Louis Rix added: "Most companies launch their offering by using celebrity personalities but our whole business model is very different - the cars are the stars. So it only seemed natural to launch with some of the most iconic celebrity cars of all time, including among others KITT, the Batmobile and Del Boy’s three-wheel Robin Reliant."

As a used car classified website, Netcars.com offers motorists the opportunity to search for their ideal next car and also put their current vehicle up for sale for a flat fee of £15. The car then stays on the site until it is sold; a completely new way of selling compared with existing formats, which demands payment on a bi-weekly or monthly basis to keep a car advertised online.

The website’s additional Car Advisor function also allows motorists to leave reviews of models they have previously driven and ask other reviewers questions or advice about future purchases.

The top five TV cars of all time

1. KITT

2. Del Boy’s Robin Reliant

3. Batmobile

4. The General Lee

5. Inspector Morse’s Jag

Another Trans Am Conversion

Check out what the guys at Heide Performance Products are up to! A new Trans Am conversion based on the ’69. They also are planning a Z28 conversion based on the ’69 - headlight doors and all! More information on Heide Performance Products at www.hppcars.com .

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NEW RODUCTS AND SERVICES

Technical Sections Volume 2

A complete copy of all the Technical Sections, topics, questions and answers published in the EAGLE from 1998 to 2007. Available on CD-ROM for PC or Mac or in a printed version. It is indexed by category such as electrical, suspension, etc. for easy reference and accessibility and contains over 150 pages and over 200 topics.

Available from the NFTAC by ordering on the website or by using the order form in each issue of the Eagle.

$15 plus $5 S&H for the CD and $20 plus $5 S&H in printed version.

It can be purchased as part of a 2 volume combo that contains Tech Sections Volume I & II (vol. II on CD) for $25 plus $5 S&H or Volume I & II both printed for $30 plus $10 S&H.

Eagle Issues on CD

You can have the last years of the Eagle since 1998 easily accessible on your computer. Indexed by issue. These publications, which are no longer in print contain numerous and diverse articles and photos. Enjoy all the entertaining and informative stories that you can no longer get anywhere else and at a reasonable price.

Available from the NFTAC by ordering on the website at http://orders.firebirdclub.net or by using the order form contained in each issue of the Eagle. $15 plus $5 S& H.