Firebird Trans Am Kammback Concept

[Sledgehammer]

1978 Firebird Trans Am Kammback

This interesting car was a concept car built by PMD (Pontiac Motor Division). It was labeled as the "K" car for Kammback. The car never saw production but two models were specially constructed in Italy for GM's Design vice president David Holls. The concept was to put out a Firebird station wagon that would provide a performance car to the public. The write-up that is the fifth picture gives a good description of the origin of the car. A silver wagon and gold wagon were built (total of two) and were 100% factory original as they appear below. The gold wagon has been destroyed reportedly due to internal company issues.

From stationwagon.com: "The 10/1/98 issue of Old Cars magazine has a short article (pages 23-24) on an experimental 1978 Pontiac Firebird 'shooting brake' station wagon. Constructed for GM by Pininfarina, they were dropped from production plans because of their projected $24-25,000 price tags (in 1978 dollars). There were evidently two running versions constructed - one Firebird, and one Trans Am. It's doesn't look like they had a tailgate, but had two 'gullwing' doors that gave access to the rear cargo area. The Firebird was crushed by GM, but the Trans Am survived to be upgraded to 1979 specs and taken on the show circuit again.

Credits: Pontiac Firebird Station Wagon Concept Cars

[Sledgehammer]

1986 Firebird GTA Kammback

This is the GTA Kammback. It was a concept car where Pontiac tried to design a Firebird with a station wagon style rear extension. It obviously never saw production but the car does have some fans out there and actually is not a bad looking car with a whole lot of functionality. This car may have been developed in an effort to take care of the most basic problem with third generation F-Bodies; a lack of space in the back end. A white wagon and red wagon were built (total of two). The white wagon has long since been destroyed in a fire, so this is now a one-of-a-kind and is all factory original with no modifications. Both these cars also featured the Recaro Seat Option, available from 1985 to 1986 (not to be confused with Recaro Edition, from 1982 - 1984).

Gert Hofman of Holland writes: "In 1986 somebody at Pontiac really lost it and designed a station [wagon] model for the Firebird and called it the Kammaback. Pontiac, of course, never produced it."

Credits: Pontiac Firebird Station Wagon Concept Cars

[Sledgehammer]

misc info

More Info - The Type K Back in 1970-71, Chevrolet entertained serious thoughts of bringing out a production Camaro station wagon. Preliminary development went along jointly between Chevrolet and Pontiac, but the project faltered when the two divisions couldn't agree to use interchangeable doors on the Firebird and Camaro. The original Firebird Type K was done in 1977 under the direction of GM executive designer David R. Holls. Studio stylist Jerry Brockstein did much of the detail work. The first type K (for Kammback) was conceived on the base Firebird, not the Trans Am. Early prototypes were built of fiberglass. Since production in this country seemed out of the question, GM Design vice president William L. Mitchell met with Italian coachbuilder Sergio Pininfarina and arranged to have two metal-bodied Type K's constructed for show purposes. In late 1977, Pininfarina delivered the twin wagons -- a silver one with a red interior and a gold one with a natural beige interior. These were 1978 cars, later converted to look like 1979-80 models. At one point, Pontiac and Pininfarina checked into the possibility of building Type K's in Italy or in a special U.S. plant. These limited-production customs were intended for the American market at a list price of $16,000. Convertibles were also contemplated at that time. However, inflation and other costs soon raised vehicle price to $25,000, so the plan ended up on the shelf. The Deco International Corp. of North Hollywood, Calif., began building Type K replicas in May 1980. Conversions cost about $15,000 and consist of fiberglass over a steel framework. Side windows raise electrically on gas cylinders.

Credits: Pontiac Firebird Station Wagon Concept Cars

[092326001]

it reminds of the mangusta rear end
it looks supricingly good, except for those tail lamps

[henk4]

next .week I'll post some pictures of a C3 shooting brake.

[faksta]

next .week I'll post some pictures of a C3 shooting brake.

No need to wait for so long - here's the piece of art...

c3shooting.jpg

[dydzi]

interesting piece of history. rear end looks like a 365 GTB/4 shooting break of panther westwinds to me

[roosterjuicer]

i gotta say i kinda like the ideas of those side windows opening out like that.

besides that, the car is nasty.

[NSXType-R]

No need to wait for so long - here's the piece of art...

That's a weird little chop.

I like the looks of this car. Does it count as a breadvan? My favorite breadvan is still the Z3 coupe though. Nice little car.

[Turbo.Jenkens]

I actually like it. Looks much better than the 1997 Rageous Concept: