1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

Description

Yep, you're seeing that price tag correctly, and this isn't some project car, either! No, this 1979 Pontiac Trans Am is part of an increasingly hot segment of the hobby, and it's one of those honest cars that isn't perfect but isn't pretending to be, either. It runs well, looks good, and is loaded with options, so perhaps now is the time to make your move. You know you've been wanting one of these since you were a kid...

I like white cars, and I think the Trans Am wears it better than most. It makes the extroverted F-body look almost subtle, although there's no avoiding the chicken on the hood. It's in good condition and the finish shines up nicely and offers a soft gloss that suggest well-kept original paint and not a respray using modern materials. Panel fit is just OK, but an enterprising hobbyist could fix all that pretty easily and add some value, which is really what this car is all about: opportunity. It appears to be a southern car, so the problems that plague cars from up north are a non-issue, and even taken as-is, it gets a lot of appreciative glances here in the showroom. The decals, as I mentioned, are in good shape and offer a nice contrast to the usual black and gold T/As that you see so often. This car definitely has the right look.

Black buckets and tons of options make this Trans Am one to consider carefully. The seats are in excellent condition and are surely replacement seat covers, but they're accurately done so it's hard to say for sure. The three-spoke steering wheel lends a racy look that works perfectly with the engine-turned dash and round gauges. Desirable upgrades include power windows, factory A/C, and a rear window defogger, which was still somewhat uncommon in 1979. You'll note that the gauges look bright and crisp while the original Delco radio was dumped in favor of a slightly newer AM/FM/cassette head unit. Embroidered floor mats add a little color to the otherwise somber black interior and optional CC1 T-tops offer open-air motoring without the hassles of a folding top. The trunk is finished in black carpet, so it's kind of hard to photograph, but no worries, as everything is in good shape.

Automatic-equipped cars in 1979 got an Olds-built 403 cubic inch V8 whose torquey attitude makes this car a ball to drive. Big cubic inches like that make it feel effortless in just about everything it does. While most of the hardware is hidden under the big scoop on top, you'll note this Poncho still carries all its original smog equipment and there's still R12 refrigerant inside the A/C system, so it hasn't been modified or abused. The TH350 3-speed automatic transmission always seems to be in the right gear and the 10-bolt rear end will stand up to the big engine's power without complaints. You'll note that the catalytic converter has been ditched, which surely frees up more than a few horsepower and a Flowmaster transverse muffler in back gives it a suitable muscle car grumble. Classic Cragar mags are a period-perfect look that actually works really well, and they carry 225/60/15 front and 245/60/15 rear BFGoodrich T/A radials.

These cars are inching up every year and as the guys who grew up with them start looking for good nostalgia cars, this one will only get more desirable. Right now it's affordable and ready to rock, so don't wait, call now!