Trans Am Specialties of Florida

Trans Am Specialties of Florida is a Miami business built around one car: the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, and above all the second-generation cars of 1970 to 1981. It sells Trans Ams from its own stock, restores them in its own shop and supplies parts through a sister parts store. The company is run by its founder, Rick Deiters, from a showroom and workshop on SW 142nd Avenue in the West Kendall area of Miami. Florida corporate records show the limited liability company was registered in November 2004, and archived copies of its website go back to 2007.

A shop devoted to the Bandit era

Deiters has been open about where the idea came from. On the company's About page he writes that he was 11 years old in 1977, the year Smokey and the Bandit came out, and that after collecting Trans Ams for years, restoring them for other collectors was the natural next step. In a 2017 interview with Voyage MIA he said that people told him a shop dedicated to a single, long-discontinued Pontiac was a bad idea, and that he went ahead because he believed other enthusiasts were looking for exactly that kind of specialist. He grew up in Venezuela, moved to Miami about two decades before that interview, and taught himself to build the company website in the early 2000s.

The business has drawn some attention beyond its customer base. In June 2017 it issued a press release announcing that it would present the original Pontiac brochure car credited with inspiring the Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am, owned at the time by a South Carolina collector, at the film's 40th anniversary event in Jonesboro, Georgia.

What Trans Am Specialties sells

The inventory is dominated by 1970 to 1981 Trans Ams, with a heavy lean toward the 1977 to 1979 Special Edition cars that fans associate with the film. Recent listings on the company's site include a frame-off restored 1973 Trans Am in Brewster Green with a four-speed at $179,900, while its sold archive shows low-mileage 1977 and 1978 Special Editions in the $139,900 to $149,900 range alongside 4-speed 10th Anniversary cars, a 9,000-mile 1980 survivor and later fourth-generation cars such as a 1999 30th Anniversary WS6. Project cars appear from time to time as well; a recent one was a custom 1979 Trans Am listed at $19,900.

The company also sells other American muscle cars. Its current listings on ClassicCars.com include a 1968 Corvette, a 1969 Camaro and a pair of 1970 Dodge Chargers next to its Trans Ams. In addition, the site calls Trans Am Specialties the exclusive dealer for the 70/SS, a modern car styled after the 1970 Chevelle SS, with a stated starting price of $146,240 plus a donor car. Shoppers comparing classic Firebirds and Trans Ams for sale will find it one of the few dealers anywhere that concentrates almost entirely on the model.

Restoration and parts

Restoration is the other half of the business. The company says it can build a second-generation Trans Am to fit a budget, from a driver-quality car to a full frame-off restoration, and from a matching-numbers Special Edition to a clone or a modern-powered build. Its completed-projects page lists customer cars that include frame-off restorations of a 1971 Trans Am 455 H.O. and a 1976 50th Anniversary Special Edition, as well as 1973 and 1978 cars fitted with modern LS engines and six-speed gearboxes.

Parts are sold through ClassicTA, a sister site that says it has worked alongside Trans Am Specialties for more than a decade, supplying Firebird and Trans Am parts for 1967 to 2002 cars as well as Camaro parts.

Buying from Trans Am Specialties: what to expect

The terms on the company's site are worth reading before you call. Its stated policies include:

• As-is sales. All sales are final and cars are sold as is, where is, with no warranty. Buyers may view, test drive and have a car inspected by a mechanic of their choice, at their own expense.
• Deposits. Cars are not held without a security deposit, and the company advises talking to its sales staff before booking a flight to see a car.
• Fees. Vehicle sales are handled by CH Auto Corp, and a $350 paperwork and transfer fee applies to all buyers.
• Financing and shipping. Financing is offered for qualified buyers through outside collector car lenders, and the company says it ships across the U.S. and exports to most countries on request.

Testimonials on the site describe out-of-state buyers purchasing cars sight unseen and having them delivered. Given the as-is terms, an independent inspection and written confirmation of numbers-matching or Special Edition claims are sensible steps; our guide on how to buy a classic car covers what to ask for.

Selling a Trans Am

Owners have two routes. The company buys second-generation Trans Ams and Firebird Formulas outright and invites sellers to call. Alternatively, its "For Sale by Owner" section lets private sellers pay a flat fee of $75 for a listing with up to 20 photos, or $99 for up to 50, and handle the sale themselves. That section is advertising rather than consignment: the site does not describe a consignment service.

Reputation

Trans Am Specialties of Florida has operated from the same Miami address for well over a decade. Its Better Business Bureau profile shows an A+ rating with no complaints closed in the past three years; the business is not BBB accredited. The review aggregator Birdeye shows an average of 4.8 stars from 276 Facebook and Google reviews. As with any as-is sale, judge each car on its own documentation and condition.

Visiting and contact

The showroom is at 13901 SW 142nd Ave, Miami, FL 33186. The company lists 305-412-5000 for sales, service and restoration, and also takes texts and WhatsApp messages. Because cars can sell at any time, call before driving over to see a specific vehicle.