1980 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

Description

There's no doubt that the color combination totally makes this 1980 Pontiac Trans Am special, but it's also heavily documented and a blast to drive. With everyone cruising in their black Bandits or silver anniversary editions, this lovely gray-over-red T/A is one heck of a standout.

If a 1980 Trans Am, complete with chicken, can be subtle, this is it. It's not in-your-face aggressive, it's not over-wrought with contrasting colors, it's merely clean and nicely finished without needing to resort to excessive flash. The Ontario Gray paint still looks great with only a few signs of having been driven (of course), but also plenty of evidence that it was always someone's special car. All the usual Trans Am styling cues are there, from the deep front air dam to the hood scoop to the blacked-out taillights, and all of it is quite nicely presented. The paint cleans up well and doesn't have that modern shine that gives away fresh paint and the decals fit well and look crisp. Even the urethane nose looks nice with no major cracks or impact damage and the bright rub strip along its flanks adds some nice contrast. All-in-all, this is a really nice Trans Am that marches (just a little bit) to its own drum.

The red cloth interior is pure 1980 but it works very well with the charcoal gray paint, creating a flashy complement to the understated bodywork. Cloth buckets are grippy and comfortable, perfect for the kind of driving you're likely to do in this Trans Am, and they're in excellent shape for being 33 years old. Matching carpets and door panels are likewise well-preserved, and here's an interesting Trans Am fact: the little round Firebird emblem on the door panel is used to hide the location of the standard window crank on models like this with power windows. The engine-turned dash and gauges are in great condition, and even the red leather on the 3-spoke steering wheel is remarkably smooth and supple without any evidence of sun damage. The factory AM/FM radio remains in the dash and if you enjoy open-air motoring, T-tops are part of the package. The trunk is nicely finished with factory mats and a space-saver spare that's never been down.

Pontiac's 4.9-liter V8 was an admirable performer in 1980, delivering a nice balance between torque and economy. The engine bay is largely stock, with Pontiac Turquoise paint still adorning the engine itself and that bit air cleaner dominating the whole scene. Regular maintenance means it fires up easily and runs great and nobody will ever complain about the soundtrack. It's backed by a TH350 3-speed automatic transmission feeding the original 10-bolt rear end with towering 2.41 gears on a Posi inside. Given that the 86,949 miles shown are likely authentic, it should be no surprise that the underside is in good condition, with 1980-vintage undercoating and what appears to be the original catalytic converter. The Rally II wheels were standard equipment on the Trans AM, but 225/70/15 white-letter tires were a $68 upgrade, although the BFGoodrich T/A radials are (obviously) more recent than 1980.

Documented with the original window sticker, build sheet, owner's manual, and original sales invoice, this is a great-driving T/A with a lot of history behind it. If you like the color, you're going to love the car. Call today!