Hands up if you navigated the automotive world of the late 1970s. Keep your hands raised if you thought that it was a total drag. Yeah, me too. Cars that had previously been touchstones of the performance world were reduced to vehicles that did little more than convert fuel into noise, with engine power no longer a consideration. The Pontiac Trans Am was the best of the pony cars, but some people demanded more. A pair of brothers put their heads together to create the Macho T/A, a vehicle that incorporated some pretty basic tuning techniques to improve performance enormously. They produced 204 of these classics in 1978, and this is your chance to own an extremely nice one. The seller has listed the T/A here on eBay in Anoka, Minnesota. They set their auction to open at $31,000, but have received no bids at the time of writing.

Pontiac performed only minor cosmetic upgrades to its Firebird range in 1978 after undertaking a more significant facelift in 1977. The most visible was a grille update, with the Trans Am variant also receiving a minor decal refresh. This Trans Am rolled off the line in 1978, ordered in Cameo White. Its appearance is extremely tidy, with no major panel or paint imperfections. The seller doesn’t mention rust or a restoration history, and I can’t spot anything in their supplied images that causes concern. The trim, glass, and the 8″ Snowflake wheels look excellent, but it is the Blue decals that signal to the world that this Pontiac isn’t a garden-variety Trans Am.

The automotive world is full of lateral thinkers, and brothers Dennis and Kyle Mecham are among them. Their father owned a Pontiac dealership in Glendale, Arizona. All three were disenchanted with the emerging emission regulations and how these had effectively strangled the Trans Am. The brothers devised a scheme that allowed them to modify new Trans Ams without incurring the wrath of Pontiac or the authorities. They formed a company called DKM Performance and Design. The company bought new Trans Ams from their father’s dealership, then relocated each vehicle to the DKM facility for modification. The process was relatively straightforward. It involved rejetting and blueprinting the carburetor, altering the distributor’s advance curve, bolting on a set of headers and a dual exhaust with a pair of catalytic converters, and modifying the decorative hood scoop into a functional unit. A standard Trans Am’s 400ci V8 delivered 220hp, and although no firm figures have ever been quoted for the Macho, contemporary road tests confirmed that it wiped over a second from the factory T/A’s ¼-mile ET. What made the process so ingenious is that by purchasing the cars from the dealership and having them titled, they could return to the showroom floor to be sold as used vehicles. Doing so bypassed the authorities and their fixation on emissions regulations while ensuring the dealership didn’t alienate Pontiac. Only 204 of these classics left DKM in 1978, with the decals confirming that this was the 87th to receive the company’s special brand of TLC. The engine is hooked to a three-speed automatic transmission and a 3.23 Posi rear end, providing a perfect combination of performance and effortless driving pleasure. The seller confirms that this Macho runs and drives perfectly, making it a turnkey proposition for its next owner.

This Pontiac’s interior isn’t perfect, but its condition is comfortably acceptable for enthusiasts seeking a driver-grade classic. Trimmed in Blue cloth and vinyl, there are no signs of severe wear, stains, or abuse. The dash and pad haven’t waved the white flag in the face of UV exposure, and modifications appear limited to an aftermarket radio/cassette player with speakers in the doors and the parcel tray. The seller confirms that the factory air conditioning is inoperative, and this car is also equipped with power windows and a tilt wheel.

The 1978 Pontiac Macho T/A wasn’t a factory high-performance model, but enthusiasts recognize it as something special from an era when vehicles were pretty bland and uninspiring. Unsurprisingly, organizations like Hagerty don’t recognize these vehicles within their valuation system, but recent sales results suggest that the auction’s opening figure is realistic for a car of this caliber. It has attracted over 300 views in the past day, and 28 people have added this Macho T/A to their Watch List. It will be fascinating to monitor the auction to discover whether this Pontiac finds a new home.