1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

Description

It's probably impossible to talk about any Trans Am, including this 1977 example, without mentioning "Smokey and the Bandit," but the fact of the matter is that these Pontiacs were the last of the true muscle cars back in 1977. Unlike posers such as the Mustang II and even its stable-mate, the Camaro, the guys at Pontiac were still building legitimate horsepower. Of course, you wouldn't bring a knife to a gun fight wearing bright red with a big black bird on your hood, so the T/A definitely brought the thunder along with its outrageous look.

With values growing rapidly on these fun '70s icons, this one sticks to the factory formula. It had a cosmetic freshening several years ago that included new code 75 Buccaneer Red paint and fresh decals, and although not perfect, it looks as dazzling today as Burt's black car did rolling out of the trailer, causing Jerry Reed to exclaim, "Ho ho ho!" The finish is very good, the reproduction decals are exact in every way, and as a southern car all its life, the original body panels are super straight. Go ahead, look at this car and tell me you can't see it spinning its tires all over those southern highways. And while the black cars were a slam-dunk for Pontiac once that movie came out, owning this Buccaneer Red one is a mark of distinction that you're a true Pontiac fan and only care about the hardware. It's also considerably rarer than basic black today, so if you want to stand out, this is one heck of a way to do it.

This one also sports a code 19N black interior, which appears to be almost entirely original and still looks amazing today. With just some gentle use marks on the seat covers, the seats are just as comfortable as they look. The carpets are still dark, the door panels show virtually no wear, and the dash pad hasn't been baked by the sun over the past three and a half decades. Engine turned panels dress up the instruments, which give a complete view of the engine's operation, and the console with its shifter for the TH350 3-speed automatic transmission underneath. This one also sports an unusual state-of-the-art AM/FM stereo, a working clock, a tilt steering column, rare cruise control, as well as factory A/C that sill blows cold. Wow! In addition, the trunk is clean and includes what appears to be the original mat.

Next to the Corvette, the most potent machine in America was the Trans Am, thanks to the numbers matching Pontiac 400 cubic inch V8 under the hood. It's clean and with a few matching Buccaneer Red touches like the giant hood scoop, it looks great under the hood. Things like the hoses, belts, and wires appear to be recent and the A/C still uses good old R12 for best results. The suspension is surprisingly capable, and there were few other cars better suited to getting out of trouble than the Trans Am, even with highway-friendly 2.56 gears out back. The floors on this one remain solid, the suspension and brakes are tight, the recent dual exhaust system sounds properly muscular, and those beautiful snowflake alloys wear 225/70/15 BFGoodrich white letter radials.

Go back and watch the movie, and I think you'll find both the film and the car have aged pretty well. This T/A is a heck of a lot of fun and will make you an instant celebrity anywhere you go. Call today!