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The Trans AM LE-SE German Style Font
 
 
 
TRANS AM
The above "TRANS AM" was written with the Windows Element Font.
(As you can see, it matches the decal on the car perfectly!)
It's very easy to add to your Windows fonts.

 

This is the same font that GM used to create the now famous,  Trans Am logo with the old German letter look!  Our club did an extensive search to locate the font and it's name.  We ended up finding it for sale on a German website!  So far we have used the font for our club shirts, the registry certificate, mailing labels, and other club related things.  It's too cool!!!

Here is a little history behind the font called Element:

 Element was created by Max Bittrof in 1933 and is referred to as a Nazi style font.  Here is an excerpt from a book titled: An Encyclopedic Survey of Type Design and Techniques Throughout History; "I was surprised to see Erich Meyer and Max Bittrof, designers of so-called Schaftstiefelgrotesk or "Nazi" typefaces" Max Bittrof also designed some German bank notes; click on the picture to see more.

The font was digitized by Gerhard Helzel.  Our club purchased the four styles of Element font directly from Mr. Helzel, and they look like this:

This is his website: Gerhard Helzel  Below is a little history on him;

Diplom Engineer and painter from Hamburg who designed or digitized over 210 Fraktur fonts [see my compilation of his list]. He is heavily involved in the Bund für Deutsche Schrift und Sprache. Helzel is the designer at Delbanco-Frakturschriften of DS-DtWerkschrift (1997), DS-Fruehling (1996), DS-MaximilianGotisch (1994), DS-MaximilianTitel (1994), DS-Post-Fraktur (1997). He has hand-digitized over 200 Fraktur fonts, including

  • BreitkopfInitialen (2000). Breitkopf Fraktur was made in the 18th century.

  • ElementSchmalfett (1998). Element is a modern Textura by Max Bittrof (1933, Bauersche Giesserei).

  • GotenburgA and GotenburgB (1998-2000). Gotenburg was originally designed by Friedrich Heinrichsen (1935-37, Stempel AG).

  • HamburgerDruckschriftFett (1996). Hamburger Druckschrift is due to Friedrich Bauer (1904, Genzsch & Heyse). According to "Blackletter: Type and National Identity", Hamburger Druckschrift "is an accomplished entry in this category of hybrid typefaces made before the 1st World War. They work within the black-letter tradition while borrowing lighter weight, softer curves and more open proportions from roman. Bauer maintained the structure of broken script, but subdued any flourishes. The width of his letters are generally wider than in traditional frakturs and, as in Jugendstil hybrids, some lowercase letterforms are modernized." It has been used as headliner for "Hamburger Nachrichten" which was stopped by the Nazis in 1939. Today's "Hamburger Abendblatt", the daily Hamburg Times, is still using it as headliner.

  • HumboldtFrakturGross (2000). Humboldt Fraktur was made by Hiero Rhode (1938, Stempel AG). HumboldtFrakturKlein (2000).

  • KochFrakturSchmaleHalbfette (2000). This font is due to Rudolf Koch (1910-1921, Gebr. Klingspor), and was originally named Deutsche Schrift. Digitized in 1998. Mainzer Fraktur. Mars Fraktur (free family).

  • RatdoltRotunda (1998). Named after Erhard Ratdolt (1443-1528), typesetter. Designed by Wolfgang Hendlmeier in 1989. Available at Delbanco.

  • Weber Fraktur.

  • WieynckGotischLicht (2001). A font by by Heinrich Wieynck (1926, Schriftguss Dresden), inspired by William Morris' work.

Helzel also offers a free "Frakturconverter" program for Windows which transforms Antiqua fonts into Fraktur fonts.
 Email to gerhard.helzel@freenet.de

It is still unclear who at GM picked out the font for the Trans Am LE and SE, and where they got it from.  If your reading this and have some knowledge about it, please email us with your information.

Below is an example of what one creative person did with the font after he bought it.

This is one of two awesome valve covers a man had made for his Trans Am. Below is a picture of it on his car.

  Now you can buy this font to use for your Windows applications!  Element comes in Normal, Bold, Schmalfett, and Fett.

$25.00

By the way, if your interested in purchasing a set of valve covers like this for your Trans Am, below is a link to the company that made them!

http://www.strelkabuilt.com/