1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

Description

If you missed the boat on the last wave of muscle cars that turned into investments, the time is now to pick up a '70s Trans Am. Not only are they finding a large group of appreciative collectors, but they're a lot of fun to drive, too. This nicely preserved '77 Trans Am offers a great color combination and a genuine Pontiac 400 under the hood, not to mention a shift-it-yourself 4-speed manual gearbox.

Code 69 Brentwood Brown was this car's original color, but it's easy to see why it was repainted about 20 years ago in gorgeous Starlight Black. Yes, it looks just like the car from "Smokey and the Bandit" now, but having sold a bunch of these, it's pretty obvious that Bandit cars are what people want. Black is also a classic color that will never go out of style and doesn't look quite as cartoonish as some of the other color variations that were available that year. In the 20 years since it was repainted, it's lived in a private collection and has been driven about 1800 miles, so it still looks quite fresh overall thanks to an easy life. The gold decals are in excellent shape with no peeling or checking, and all the plastic body parts like the chin spoiler, fender vents, and urethane front bumper are in excellent shape. It also carries T-tops which are still a highly desirable option (yes, they were optional), and you'll be impressed by how well this F-body fits together, suggesting that it's been properly maintained all along.

With Starlight Black, the tan cloth interior looks amazing and is a lot more comfortable in the sun than black vinyl. Like the rest of the car, it presents quite well with few signs of age or use, although the carpets might be a little faded from the sun. Plastic and vinyl parts remain excellent, including the dash pad, arm rests, and center console. Of note, this car carries power windows, with that round, black Firebird badge fitted to hide the window crank hole. It's also loaded up with things like A/C, power locks, a tilt column, and an AM/FM/cassette stereo that's period correct. All four seats remain excellent and while the door panels are a little faded, it would be a mistake to replace them because the interior has a great uniform look that's very appealing. The trunk is highly original, too, with a correct space-saver spare and the original mat.

Look past that Trans Am hood scoop (which wasn't functional anyway) and you'll find a Pontiac 400 cubic inch V8. It's in good order preserved and looks like it's only a few years old instead of a few decades. There's still plenty of blue engine enamel on the block, the hood scoop fits tight atop the original 4-barrel carburetor. It starts easily and has more power than you expect for 1977, but this was, after all, the fastest car you could buy that year. The 400 Poncho is linked to a Muncie M21 4-speed manual feeding a sturdy 10-bolt rear. A brand new exhaust system gives it a great bark, and the suspension is an ideal combination of ride and handling. And the Trans Am "snowflake" alloy wheels were arguably the best-looking of the era, with these wearing a set of 225/70/15 Goodyear radials.

You missed the first-generation Z/28s when they were $25,000 cars. You missed the Boss 302s when they were affordable. Don't miss this one, too. Call now!