slimwhitman

Are there any Straman convertible owners out there? Straman was one of the many convertible makers of the '82 -'86 Firebird and Camaros. They were very well built, since Straman was known for converting Ferraris & Rolls Royce into convertibles to a very high level of quality. One Straman Ferrari is on ebay right now, for sale for $275,000! I have seen them as late as a '90 Straman convertible Firebird(not all were ASC that late!)

We have discovered that Straman placed serial numbers on each car. We have found the sequencing number on the Honda CR-X and the Nissan 300ZX built during that same time. I want to start a psuedo Straman F-body registry on this thread, but I need your help!

These cars have a stamping on the convertible top frame that had a sequencing number. It is a small number (size of a fingernail) that is located close to your head when seated in the driver's seat, on the metal rail above the driver's door window. So far, numbers have all read "ST1xxx" (the xxx numbers vary). It would be great to know if the F-body cars also have this stamping, and what it says. We also need to track the build date on the silver straman sticker in the door jamb for this registry.

Post what you find, here.

Post something like this (copy & paste, then edit it):
Straman ID# | Year | Straman Build Date | . . Color . . | Location |
. . ST1035 . . | 1984 | . . ... Nov 83 . ... . . .| ... Black ... | . CALI .. .|

911rsq

do you have a pic of one of these conversions...i'm not familiar with it

slimwhitman

slimwhitman

slimwhitman

911rsq

do they have the same basic look as the ASC when the top is up? sorry from getting off topic on your thread, just a interested in a new vert to me

slimwhitman

Looks similar to the ASC cars, but a little different. The ASC cars had the hard cover over the folded convertible top when it was down.

911rsq

cool... top's a little longer in the rear but looks good. well good luck with your search and registry

Dale

iTrader: (12)

New to me as well. But it may explain one of the ebay cars we were trying to figure out late last year.

Larry Dunlap

I bought a 90 Firebird off ebay a few years back and it was supposedly a Straham conversion. Here are a few pics. The top just laid down and there was a cover that buttoned it down. The cutting around the convertible mounts in the rear was a bit ragged, not what I would call top notch job. I don't own the car any more, I sold it locally after a short time.

PHS

I bought one in 1995, it is a 1988, I'll check on the numbers.

injdinjn

It looks like the ones from the boat builder in FL everything attached with button snaps.
I like the ASC much better.

PHS

It had the snaps on it for the cover when the top was down, but we got rid of most of them when we bought a new top. What is ASC??

slimwhitman

The "ASC" cars are the ones that are "factory convertibles" offered by Chevrolet from '87 on, and Pontiac from '91 on. ASC was the subcontractor that converted those Camaros and Firebirds into convertibles for GM. Several other companies (like Straman) also converted Camaros and Firebirds that were sold as new convertibles at new car dealerships, but were not authorized by GM. ASC also converted the pre-'91 Firebirds for Pontiac dealers. Though these were obvious conversions to do since ASC was already converting the Camaro, the Firebird versions were not authorized by GM, and are therefore not "factory authorized"....just like the Straman cars.

Straman cars were considered by many as the best conversion....far better than the ASC cars....but ASC owners prefer not to agree with this. After all, Straman was famous for his Ferrari, Rolls Royce and Mercedes convertibles. Owners of those cars expect the best, and Straman was the man (and the company) to give them the very best. Straman would not taint thier reputation with a lousy F-body conversion.

injdinjn

If there is one in or near Orange County Ca I'd like to see it.

FYI, ASC built firebird convs starting in 1986. The only way to get one was to order it thru a PMD dealer, the car was ordered as a T top and sent directly to ASC from the factory. You could NOT take your car to ASC and have it converted, ASC's contract was with GM and they were not allowed to do privately owned cars.

slimwhitman

This statement is correct except for one part. ASC did NOT contract the '86-'89 Firebird conversions through GM. The only reason they did not convert private cars was so they did not have to deal with the hassle of private owners. They preferred to work directly with Pontiac dealers. Same was true for many of the companies that converted cars into convertibles in that era.

ASC converted other cars into convertibles for dealerships like the Olds Toronado, Chevy Monte Carlo and the ASC McLaren Capri/Mustang. None of them were contracted or authorized by GM or Ford, but were promoted to and sold to new-car dealerships. If you have proof to the contrary, please submit it here. (Of course, the factory authorized ASC conversions like the post-'87 Camaro, post-'91 Firebird, Cavalier, Celica, Eldorado, etc are not part of this discussion!)

injdinjn

What is OKFOZ's opinion on this?

Guest

How about you post proof of this statement?

PHS

Here is what I found, couldn't make out the month on the build date
Straman ID# | Year | Straman Build Date | . . Color . . | Location |
. . STF10124 . . | 1988| . . ... 88 . ... . . .| ... Black ... | . Costa Mesa, CA .. .|

injdinjn

PHS
Where are you at Id like to see your car.

slimwhitman

The proof is the fact that there were no GM/PMC order codes for these '86-'89 Firebird Convertibles. There was no GM/PMC advertising for them. There was no recording of this information in the GM archives. As far as GM was concerned, they didn't/don't exist.

ASC advertised these non-factory conversions directly to Pontiac dealers, not to GM or to private individuals. Straman, AutoForm, Matrix3 and the rest did the same thing (though some would sell a conversion directly to private owners).

This is not any surprise to anyone that knows how the new-car dealer aftermarket worked. ASC had been providing services to new-car dealers for a decade....things like T-tops, sunroofs, vinyl roofs, aero do-dads and the like. There were lots of companies doing this type of work for new-car dealers all over the country. These type things are not considered "factory installed" or "OEM" because the dealer went to an outside vendor to have the work done. All work was warranteed by the vender, not by GM.

Also keep in mind that ASC was also converting the Monte Carlo, Toronado and ASC/McLaren Mustang/Capri to the new-car dealer market. These were also not "factory authorized" conversions. And as far as GM/Ford was concerned, they did not exist, either. This was a very common practice and does not de-value the quality or provenance of the car.

Disclaimer: All comments above do not relate to "Factory Authorized" conversions by ASC like the Cavalier/Sunbird, Eldorado, Celica and the post-'87 Camaro & post-'91 Firebird and others.

slimwhitman

This is GREAT information. Records show that 608 of the Firebird/Camaros were converted by Straman. I find this hard to believe when your car is an '88 and is serial number 124 (the 124th F-body conversion). Production started in '82 and would have peaked in those first few years. If you repaint the car, be sure to preserve the door jamb sticker. It is your only link to the car's provenance.

I hope other owners read this thread and reply to help me document the Straman cars and understand the accuracy of the sequencing. You can email me privately at kcdesoto1(at)hotmail.com if you prefer not to post here.

slimwhitman

I just found another Straman GTA. This one is an '88 model in Reno. Car is for sale and can be seen here:
http://reno.craigslist.org/cto/1155051516.html

Or...if the listing is gone by the time you see this, you can contact the owner:
775.722.3229 or jpco(at)cccomm.net

He gave me the sequence number on the car, so I include it here:
Straman ID# | Year | Straman Build Date | . . Color . . | Location |
. STF 10122 . | 1988 | . . ... Mar 88 . ... ..| ... Red... | Reno,NV |

PHS

Seems like a low price for a rare car, I was thinking mine was worth way over 20 thousand?? Whats up with the wing, it isn't like mine,looks like it was replaced??
Anyway thanks for posting another person who has one, that's always interesting to know.

slimwhitman

Yep...He said he recently added that wing because the old one was cracked.

Note that your car is #124 and this car is #122 in the production sequence.

88GTAvert

Your convertible could be worth 20K+...if its museum quality? Post some pics of your Straman, I'd like to see more pics of it. I've seen some excellent ASC versions sell for 6-12K but I don't believe I've seen any F-Body vert sell for more than 20K.

macertheracer

I have seen them advertised for $25K but don't know if they sold?

Chris F1

Is there a Straman registry? I recently bought this 1984 Z28 convertible, which was advertised as a Straman. I have not found any visible tags on the car indicating who did the conversion, but there are remnants of what appears to have been a tag or sticker in the driver side door jamb. What I know about the history of the car is that it was ordered by a Chevy dealer in Ohio, delivered to Connell Chevrolet in Costa Mesa, CA (same city as R Straman?), sold to original owner who lived in Indiana, the car eventually ended up back in California, before I bought it and brought to Texas. The car has just under 62k miles now.

I'm interested in finding out how many Straman Camaro convertibles were completed, both in 1984 and in total.

vinny R

Cool car Chris! I have always liked these early Z28's and yours looks really clean and well maintained!

vinny R

I am assuming we are talking about quality of the work when you refer to the word "lousy". I have never seen one of these in person but from the pics listed it just looks unfinished IMHO. ASC did a much better job of the finished look by covering all the top frame with a liner, new rear panels to hide the folding arms which give a factory look, and the taneau cover. I never liked the way the top just folds down and sits there all wrinkled, I am following this because the info you are giving is great stuff on the history of our verts. I always have liked the "aftermarket" conversions like the AutoForm but just would not own one for the reasons I stated above.

I see you have 2 here from this site, can I ask how many of these F-body Staman conversions do you have in your registry now?

Mshell1234

I have an ‘87 Straman. Love love love my car. I’ll check the number…stay tuned.

slimwhitman

Also, please look up the 'Fans of R. Straman built Coach Convertibles' group on Facebook. Good group there.

Roorancher

Got news for you....as you've mentioned twice now that straman converted Rolls, Mercedes and Ferrari.....
ASC also had contracts with many foreign and exotic car manufacturers in their haydays, like BMW, Saab, Mercedes, Infinity, Nissan, Porsche, and many full size American cars.

My 91 TA is an ASC Conversion, and I much prefer the look that the hard tonneau gives the car when the top is down. It's a much cleaner look. The Straman boot is sloppy, IMO, and reminds me of the covers on my boat.

LAFireboyd

iTrader: (3)

You can write-off one TA, white, 87-90, I believe.

I saw it in a San Fernando Valley junkyard in the mid 2000s. I had no idea what it was, until now in this thread today. I was with another TGO member who is a 'vert guy, and we were both like, "what is this?" It was definitely different. We thought somebody must've had their own car converted, and that it was a one-off.

The thing I remember most was that "chopped" aero wing that's seen on two of the TAs in pictures in this thread, the white one and the black one. Whoever modified those aero wings did a good job. Looks factory-made. It would've been a nice update to replace the standard spoiler for a simple deck lid mounting.

slimwhitman

It's fun to resolve a long wondered mystery. Straman was just one of a half dozen companies converting 3rdGen cars into convertibles before ASC started building them for GM. It was a very wild time.

Roorancher

I agree that the "fit and finish in these convertibles is LOUSY. It looks like a cheap boat cover inside and out....In fact, all the covers on my 84 Larson Silverline Runabout (that I purchased new in 84,) fot much better than the tops on these cars, even after 40 years.
About every aspect of the installation disturbs me, but what I find most disturbing is the fact that the "leading edge" of the top protrudes above the windshield header about 1/2". I cant imagine what erosion would do to that fabric over time.....

My ASC convertible is attached.