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 a blast to drive. And as everyone's favorite F-body, the black-on-black look is definitely back in fashion and looking better than ever.

I'm afraid that no 1980 Trans Am, complete with chicken, can be subtle, but why would you want it to be? It's in-your-face aggressive even though it's not over-wrought with contrasting colors, and this one is ready to rock. It's got a known history and yes, it's been repainted and that repaint is showing its age, but showing up in a car like this is still an event. 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 familiar and starting to look better with each passing year. The paint cleans up well and doesn't have that modern shine that gives away fresh paint, although the decals are showing their age. On the other hand, the urethane nose looks nice with no major cracks or impact damage the few bright pieces of trim are in decent shape. All-in-all, this is a driver-grade Trans Am that has the look but not the big price tag.

The black interior is in excellent condition and still looks contemporary today. Vinyl buckets are all-day 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 (they all work), and even the red leather on the 3-spoke steering wheel is remarkably smooth and supple without any evidence of sun damage. There's a later AM/FM/cassette stereo head unit 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 apparently never been down.

Pontiac's 400 cubic inch V8 was an admirable performer in 1980, delivering that muscle car feel that somehow survived the smog control era. The engine bay is largely stock, with Pontiac Turquoise paint still adorning the engine itself and that big air cleaner dominating the whole scene; you could clean it up and really make it look good without a lot of effort. Regular maintenance means it fires up easily and runs great and nobody will ever complain about the soundtrack from the fresh dual exhaust system with glasspack-style mufflers. It's backed by a TH350 3-speed automatic transmission feeding the original 10-bolt rear end and wow, did you notice how good the floors look? Factory "snowflake" aluminum wheels were desirable equipment on the Trans Am, but 225/70/15 white-letter tires were a $68 upgrade, although the 235/60/15 white-letter radials are (obviously) more recent than 1980.

Cars like this in top condition are pulling some pretty spectacular prices, so this is your opportunity to get an ultra-clean one that just needs a little TLC for a fraction of the price. Put in some sweat equity and cash in on the hottest trend in muscle cars. Call today!