Wanting to learn more about the man behind the club, I caught up with Richard about two weeks ago, through email. I asked him about the Trans Am Tribe and why he created it. His reply was "after talking to a few Firebird and Trans Am owners, it seemed to me that there were very few people that really knew a lot about these cars. There are plenty of Camaro people out there, but hardly anyone to wave the Pontiac flag. I bought a few books and did a lot of research on the Trans Am, and soon became the local expert on decoding and documenting these cars, specializing in 1978 T/As." And so the Trans Am Tribe got rolling, with more and more people joining. To keep active the Tribe has informal meetings "whenever and wherever we all get together." With a quarterly newsletter covering Firebird / Trans Am Topics and relative information, and an email question / answer option, the Tribe's members are insured against being kept in the dark.

Another question I asked Richard was concerning his favorite Firebird. He stated "As far as bone stock Firebirds go I prefer the Second Generation T/A. Especially the 1979 Special Edition Trans Ams." When asked why these were his favorite he had a lot to say. "First, 1979 was the last year for the mighty Pontiac 400 engine mated with a Borg-Warner super T-10 4-speed transmission with 3.42:1 rear gears. It was also the first year for the WS6 suspension to receive the 4-wheel disc brake option! Also it was the last year any Firebird would not be controlled by a computer. That makes it a breeze for a home enthusiast, as myself, to work on them." For the record the Tribe's Director practices what he preaches, with a garage-nest full of Firebirds. "The first is a 1978 Gold Special Edition that I picked up for only $2,500 in the local autotrader back in 1991." This car is one of only 1,267 built with the "mighty 400 and 4-speed combo." His second is a 1976 50th Anniversary Trans Am.(1 of 1,628). He mentions "I spotted the right front tire on a car lot as I drove by and remembered that only the 1976 50th Anniversary T/A had the gold honeycomb wheels." The last is a 1978 Macho Trans Am #86 (1 of 202). I was curious about whether he thought the newer Firebirds (4th Gens) were better or worse than the old classics. "I like both! The new 1998 Trans Ams have to be one of the best vehicles I have EVER driven! REALLY! They have really improved over the years! The Classics had their points...Raw horsepower and classic styling, but the new breed is far better overall." I am glad he feels that way, as I prefer the styling and handling of the 4th Gen birds myself.

The next thing I wondered was how much time he spent on the Tribe's homepage. "With new members coming in daily, I spend a couple of hours a day...and a bit more on my days off. I'm either on the computer or out in the garage. This is my life."

Richard also knows a lot about the Firebird specifically. For instance "1)There were no manual transmissions available on the Trans Am in 1980. 2)The Borg-Warner transmission replaced the Muncie late in 1974 although it kept the M21 option code. 3)1976 was the beginning of the Trans Am Limited/Special Editions with the 50th anniversary T/A. 4)etc, etc, etc.

And Finally, I asked what are essentials that every Trans Am Tribe member should know about- - - ---the Trans Am Tribe? "That if they have a question, to go ahead and ask! That's why we're here!" ---the Firebird they own? "We can decode your VIN and Data Trim plate information." ---you, the Director? "That I'm friendly, straight forward and here to help in anyway I can." ---Firebird history? "I don't expect everyone to know about it, but if it's of interest to you, check it out." ---Pontiac in general? "Just that they make the baddest car out there...the Firebird Trans Am! Go and test drive one today!"