That phoenix is hand-painted! No stickers for this 'Bird...

Being huge fans of the Trans Am, we can’t help but get giddy whenever we are presented with a nice example. It doesn’t even matter what generation it is either – we love ’em all! With the second generation and late-fourth generation cars being your author’s favorite, we know a good thing when we see it.

Some of us still haven’t warmed up to the idea of converting production 5th gen Camaros to Firebirds, though  – especially without Pontiac being directly involved. It doesn’t feel the same now that Pontiac is no longer around to build Firebirds and Trans Am’s, and we always get skeptical and suspicious when we hear about another conversion being built.

That was until we received this video directly from Trans Am Depot through a message on our Facebook page. Apparently, this 2013 Camaro-turned-Trans Am was ordered by an undisclosed former NBA basketball player, who had made several trips to Trans Am Depot to help with the design of his car.

Some of the unique features to this ‘Bird include suicide doors that open up to 170-degrees, a clamshell hood, LED lighting throughout the entire car, a Bluetooth and one incredible Pioneer sound system. On that reverse-opening hood is a hand-painted phoenix, not a reproduction decal – you just can’t put stickers on a car like this.

It's not a Trans Am unless it has t-tops, son!

Although the NBA player wants to remain anonymous, we have to say that he’s clearly a Trans Am fan. The overall look pays tribute to the Smokey and the Bandit machines of yore, while the LED light installed inside the car’s front header panel immediately reminds us of Knight Rider. 

As far as power is concerned, it’s made known in the video that under the Shaker hood scoop is a blown LS3 that’s good for over 650HP – which is exactly double of what the last Trans Am WS6 left the factory with back in 2002. So is it a Trans Am? Technically, no. But it definitely serves the job of carrying on the legacy.