By my reckoning, I have written nearly 6,000 articles during my time at Barn Finds, but some cars stuck in my memory better than others. That is the case with this 1978 Pontiac Macho T/A. The moment I saw the first photo, I knew we’d featured this classic previously. Some investigation confirmed this and revealed that it has hit the market at least three times since 2019. It continues to present superbly, needing nothing but a new home. You will find it listed here on Craigslist in Coto de Caza, California. If you want to make it a part of your life, you only need to hand the owner $30,000 for that privilege. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Pat L. for spotting this beauty.

The Macho T/A was the brainchild of a pair of brothers and represented a creative way of circumventing new car emission regulations to extract improved performance from Pontiac’s iconic Trans Am. We’ll get to that part of the story soon, but it is worth reflecting on the visual changes that separate a Macho from a regular Trans Am. The creators offered buyers the Macho T/A in twenty-four paint and trim combinations as part of the purchase price. However, if a buyer wanted something genuinely unique, an additional $150 saw the vehicle receive a few personal touches. This T/A rolled off the line wearing Martinique Blue, a shade the company only offered in that model year. While graphics like the iconic Screaming Chicken remain intact, the Macho pack brought additional White decals, including the car’s build number. This is #101 of 204, which is clearly visible on the front fenders and rear spoiler. The paint looks flawless, as do the panels and graphics. There are no apparent defects or problems and no evidence of leakage or damage to the T-Top. The tinted glass is spotless, and the wheels exhibit no signs of stains or physical damage.

It is hard to fault this T/A’s interior because it presents superbly. White upholstery has a reputation for developing stains and yellowing, but that isn’t the case with this classic. The remaining upholstered surfaces, carpet, and plastic continue the flawless theme. Someone has slotted a CD player into the spot normally reserved for the factory radio, but I can’t identify any further additions. Creature comforts don’t seem impressive by modern standards, but air conditioning, power windows, and a tilt wheel were all welcome in 1978. The console wears the badge confirming the build number, but this also leads us to a fascinating fact about the Macho T/A. The reality was that the package was not cheap, adding a staggering 31% to the sticker price of the Trans Am upon which it was based. That helps explain the low build total, but the survival rate is surprising. The Macho Registry indicates that of the 204 vehicles produced in 1978, only 120 are known to still exist. This vehicle is counted among them, as it features on their site.

Now that we have covered the presentation and condition, we can get down to what helps a Macho T/A stand out from mere mortals. This Trans Am rolled off the line at the height of The Malaise Era, and while Pontiac fought an ongoing battle to retain its place as the General Motors high-performance brand, it was losing the war against regulators. Things grew tougher at the end of 1976 when the company withdrew the L75 version of its legendary 455ci V8 from the range. Pontiac’s “powerhouse” motor for 1978 was the W72 version of the 400, producing 220hp. Compared to the 185hp buyers received in a Camaro Z/28 and the 139hp pumped out of the engine in the Mustang II Cobra II, it was obvious the Trans Am remained the king. However, some people longed for more, and among those was a pair of brothers from Glendale, Arizona, Dennis and Kyle Mecham. Their family owned a Pontiac dealership in Glendale, and the brothers hatched an ingenious (and completely legal) scheme to bypass new car emission regulations. They created a company called DKM Performance and Design, which purchased new Trans Ams from the dealership. The brothers performed some upgrades that fall under the heading of “rudimentary tuning” before selling the completed cars back to the dealership. The upgraded Trans Ams, now known as the Macho T/A, could legitimately leave the showroom floor as used vehicles. That allowed them to successfully bypass the emission regulations. The work performed wasn’t rocket science, but the impact was profound. DKM rejetted and blueprinted the carburetor, transformed the decorative hood scoop into a functional unit feeding cold air into the motor, modified the distributor curve, and added Hooker headers and a full dual exhaust with a pair of catalytic converters. The suspension received some TLC, with the front ride height receiving a 1½” drop, Koni shocks graced all four corners, and the original tires made way for 60-series rubber. Was the result worth the effort? The stopwatch doesn’t lie because the Macho T/A stormed the ¼-mile in 14.3 seconds when a standard Trans Am took 16 seconds. Compared to the 16.8-second pass for the Z/28 and the 17.4 for the Cobra II, the Macho T/A was a performance winner. This “Macho” is a numbers-matching classic in mechanically good health. It comes with the appropriate documentation from DKM and has a genuine 90,000 miles on the clock. If the new owner wants to drive this beauty home, it appears nothing is stopping them.

An old proverb says, “he who hesitates is lost.” That can often be true, but it may not be the case for those seriously interested in this 1978 Macho T/A. This vehicle previously sold at auction in October 2019 for $29,700. It reemerged on Craigslist in April 2021 for a cool $48,000. It is unclear whether it sold then, but the photos and location suggest it didn’t. It would seem logical that such a rare car would appreciate, but that isn’t the case when you compare the price last year with the current listing. If you were sorely tempted before but failed to act, this could be your chance to prove that old proverb wrong.