1988 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am GTA

Description

If a third-generation Trans Am can be considered a future collectable, this 1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA would be a good choice. From any angle, it's merely an extremely well-preserved third-generation T/A in great colors with a long list of options. If you remember these cars, you'll be happy to see this one so nicely preserved.

The GTA was perhaps the ultimate expression of Pontiac performance in the '80s. V8 engine, big tires, big brakes, big wing, it didn't mix words and stood unabashedly for all-out performance. The fact that the shape was still working so well more than seven years after its debut speaks highly of the original design, and few guys will argue that this isn't a great-looking muscle car. For a car going on 27 years old, it looks great wearing gorgeous Flame Red Metallic paint (a factory-correct respray) that was applied about twenty years ago, blemish-free ground-effects, and a reproduction carbon-fiber wing that replaces the damage-prone original. Add in the vented hood and taillights behind smoked Plexiglas, and you get the nastiest car this side of a Corvette. None of it gives any indication of what's going on under the hood, either, so while the GTA was the most potent F-body on the street, today it will definitely catch folks by surprise.

OK, so Pontiac was famous for their over-wrought interiors, but that's all part of the appeal today. The deeply bolstered tan cloth buckets are supportive and comfortable, and show the kind of gentle use that characterizes your favorite cars. The steering wheel is festooned with buttons, as is the dash, but GM stuck to simple analog gauges that worked better for performance driving than the digital setup from just a few years earlier. Of course, being the 1980s, there's a monochromatic gray finish on all the dash and center console surfaces, but like the bodywork, that was simply the fashion at the time. The GTA also came loaded with just about everything, including A/C, power windows and locks, cruise control, a tilt wheel, and power mirrors, and of course, the automatic transmission that was the "A" part of GTA. An AM/FM/cassette stereo was part of the package, too and it includes an '80s perfect graphic equalizer. The nicely tailored hatch area shows minimal wear and still includes the original space-saver spare and jack assembly.

The 5.7L TPI V8 was a desirable engine in 1988, and putting it in an F-body made it competitive with the mighty Mustang 5.0. With 225 horsepower on tap, it was a strong runner and the bulletproof multi-port fuel injection system is famous for torque output. The engine bay is tidy and well-maintained, with a new alternator and the A/C upgraded to R134a refrigerant. Underneath, the 700R4 4-speed automatic shifts quickly enough to make it seem like second gear is connected to your right foot, and it slices through traffic with ease thanks to the engine's fat torque curve. An upgraded exhaust system gives it an unbeatable exhaust note, but that's just about the only notable deviation from OEM equipment under the skin. And for the perfect '80s look it rolls on its original gold alloys wearing 245/50/16 BFGoodrich G-Force performance radials.

The ultimate low-profile high-profile car, this GTA offers something for everyone, especially if your first love is performance. Call today!