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1973 Pontiac Trans Am: Brewster ‘Bird

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This Pontiac Trans Am is located in Canada, and is listed here on eBay with a starting bid of $10,000. I thought this price was a bit heady for a car lacking its original engine, but the seller is convinced the original color – one-year only Brewster Green – justifies the price tag. But with only 146 ever painted this color, it’s certainly a rare bird.

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The Trans Am is a pretty sweet ride, no doubt. It comes with the original Muncie 4-speed transmission and a non-matching Pontiac 400 motor that requires reassembly. Since the carpet is red, I’m guessing someone really did not like the original colors as I can’t imagine a green exterior would be paired with red carpeting from the factory. Still, the interior looks pretty clean despite the obvious color transformation.

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There’s the big gaping hole that will forever tarnish this car’s value. Given there appears to be overspray on the firewall, I’m guessing the red paint job was not done with a tremendous amount of care. Plus, it’s already flaking off the door jambs, so this Trans Am was definitely spray-bombed by somebody either looking to make a quick sale or who was bored with one of the rarest colors ever offered. Then again, green may not have been the color most Trans Am buyers had in mind when purchasing their dream muscle car.

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What a great photo – look at that front end! The hood scoops, air dam and classic Pontiac snout are nothing short of aggressive. Too bad the seller’s asking price is a bit high for a non-numbers matching car with the truly desirable paint colors buried beneath a river of resale red. For a car that appears to be sitting in a junkyard in Canada, however, it still looks savable – but at what price? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Comments

  1. Avatar Larry

    Well the hood is not the correct one from the factory. The twin snorkels at the leading edge were for the Firebird Formula. The Trans Am had the rear facing single scoop in the middle of the hood. So someone took a Formula hood & cut the opening in the center for the TA scoop…ugh.
    Brewster Green is far & away the rarest of the colors available for the Firebird, I went across country (Texas-Michigan) in mid 80s to look at and buy a Brewster Green SD-455 & sadly I left it due to rust issues in the rockers & quarters, wished I had a do over on that one.
    10k for the color…I’m not seeing it with so much missing & wrong, but there is a fool born every minute.

    Like 1
  2. Avatar Bill

    That hood isn’t right. The scoops were offered on the Formula. Looks like someone cut up a Formula hood to make it look like a Trans Am hood. Parts car.

    Like 1
  3. Avatar Dan

    There was a reason only 146 were this colour. This thing isn’t worth anywhere close to that asking price

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Bobsmyuncle

    Well that’s only 7500 for you Americans!

    %@&* ING exchange rate has ruined so many opportunities for me.

    Still high in my opinion. But the cynic in me has never accepted value in a colour that is not there.

    Like 1
  5. Avatar RonEBee

    Punky Brewster?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Leon

      Brewsters Millions !!!??!! Need that to spend on these projects

      Like 0
  6. Avatar DENIS

    I guess if ya don’t ask…….
    As much as I like Firebirds, we are a looong ways apart on price.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar RayT

    Lemme see if I have this right: the seller is asking a premium for a car that has a rare paint code, but will need to be repainted. After, that is, the new owner has spent more than the car would be worth on a near-total restoration and on finding/rebuilding/installing the proper engine.

    Okay. Whatever.

    Like 1
    • Avatar dj

      Well said and well put. Couldn’t agree more.

      Like 0
  8. Avatar Waldon Herdman

    I like green…in my wallet.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar jimbosidecar

    Another of those ridiculous negative cambered cars?;-)

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Frankie Paige

    Yeah, I like it when sellers ask alot for a car without the original engine, has been sitting, rusting, hacked up. Sure, it’s a rare color, but the buffoon who sold the original engine should seek help.

    Like 1
  11. Avatar WhiteLightning

    I had one of those ’73 Trans AM’s with a SD455 and was Brewster Green. It was an actual John Wayne “Mc’Q” Movie Car. That being said, there were only 8 of those period. Mine had the turbo 400 Auto and is seen in the movie once.

    It was rear ended into my wife late one night. The rear end was pushed under the front seat. It broke her neck and over 30 years later she still has troubles from the wreck. If it had not been for the fact that it was actually built for John Wayne as a movie car she probably would have died.

    I took it apart several times while it was running and NOTHING about this car is right. Besides what I have read here from your comments every one of you get it.

    Genuine POS! haha

    The gauges mare not proper, the seats are all wrong. The first thing I would look at is the VIN plate as they could be swapped really easily and it took a vast amount of knowledge to see matching numbers that jive with the VIN…

    Peace…

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Donnie

    If a person is trying to sale a car for that much he could put some wheels on it .It ant that hard to do.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Larry

    Just an FYI an original 1973 Brewster Green Trans Am SD-455 , in great original or Show Car restored will bring between $175k-$225 dollars, but this ain’t it lmao.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Mark S

    The only thing of interest to me is a 50’s parts car in the back ground. I wonder where this yard is located, As for the advertised car what a hack job $1500.00 tops.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Dolphin Member

    The SCM Guide says that 252 Trans Am SD-455 Pontiacs were made in 1973. Maybe if someone had to have one this could be a start, and they might even be able to justify taking the body down to metal and painting it in the original color if they want it bad enough.

    I’m no expert on these, but unless the SCM Guide is badly out of date they list these cars at only $35-55K for a #2 condition car. That seems low for a car with a special drivetrain that they made only 252 of.

    The beat up tag in the ad is sitting on a piece of wood, so someone would need to have a way of varifying that the tag says Trans Am SD-455 and that it belongs to this car. Better be an expert on these, or bring one.

    From the few photos it’s not the worst body we’ve seen. Problem for a lot of people might be the location: Nova Scotia, Canada, about 150 miles due East of Bangor, Maine, and half of that distance is the Bay of Fundy. Better go around the Bay, which adds another couple hundred miles to the trip.

    Like 0
  16. Avatar JD

    Yeah, it may have originally been Brewster Green, but there’s one big problem here. It’s red. The fact that it’s missing it’s original engine, and the guy couldn’t even take the time or effort to put the wheels on it, screams “Internet shark looking for a sucker to beat out of their hard-earned money”. These sharks always amaze me, but this is really bad. I agree – parts car. $1500 tops. Avoid.

    Like 0
  17. Avatar piper62j

    Nope!!! Way to high even in “American dollars”. Added to that is the shipping, engine, hood and who knows what else. This one is no bargain.. IMHO

    Like 0
  18. Avatar scottymac

    The Formula hood always made me think of an old lady’s saggy bazooms. Never wanted one after that!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Mark S

      Know there’s a picture that will be burned in.

      Like 0
  19. Avatar don

    DUMB AZZ seller! sorry just junk! you would need some DEEP pockets even to bring this one back, BIG THING is missing original engine!

    Like 0
  20. Avatar Ross W. Lovell

    Greetings All,

    So let me see if I have this right.

    I buy the car and whatever parts he has for sale along with the data plate with the VIN……….

    I restore it and because I transferred the VIN plate from that piece of wood to the car, that would make me liable for the federal offense, right?

    Just wanted to make sure as the seller can say he most definitely did not affix it, hell it was on apiece of wood when he found it and he’s not even 100% sure it was original to this vehicle. After all he didn’t take it off, that’s also illegal, he found it that way………………..

    Like 1
    • Avatar WhiteLightning

      Ross,

      Exactly my thoughts!

      Thanks for making that perfectly clear…

      ~ Buyer Beware ~

      Peace…

      Like 0
  21. Avatar Bobsmyuncle

    If I was in the scene I’d take note of that VIN because I can see it coming up again in a couple years with a different price tag and a different story.

    Like 0
  22. Avatar Mark

    I could be wrong but I thought Pontiac starters were on the drivers side of the bell housing, since I have a 1970 Pontiac Le Mans with the starter in that location and a friend of mine had a 1971 Firebird with the starter located there also. I’m sure it is a true 4-speed car, but the bell housing looks like it’ from a Chevy which is shaped to a point at the top of it.

    Like 0
  23. Avatar Brendon

    Maybe I’m missing something, but when I look at the ebay ad, the seller describes it in the copy as a Formula 400, which that hood would be correct for (minus the hole cut through it) One would need to see the VIN to determine if it’s a Trans Am or Super Duty, etc. Or get a PHS doc on it. It’s the article here that has it listed as a T/A

    BTW that Formula hood was originally designed for the Trans Am. Early concept sketches can be seen with it.

    Like 0
  24. Avatar Tyler

    According to the S code, that cowl tag is from a standard Firebird. A 73 Trans Am will have a V code.

    Like 0
  25. Avatar DesRyan Member

    This is a Formula, not a Trans Am – look at the Trim Tag – says W66 not WS4.

    Like 0
  26. Avatar Brenda Merritt

    It’s a 1973 Formula 400 Firebird. I had one. And I still have my 1973 Super Duty 455 Trans Am that I bought in 1982 in Coquille, Oregon. It was Brewster Green but my ex husband painted it Blue…he passed away in 2010 & my car is sitting next to his house that I now live in. Technically the car is now our 30 year old daughters & she is letting it sit there under a car cover rusting away. SAD ….but she wont let me have it back. I signed it off to my ex husband when we divorced in 1988 & have regretted it since. I AM THE 2nd OWNER!

    Like 0
  27. Avatar David Meichelbock

    That car is not worth 10 000 its worth 500 at best as is

    Like 0
  28. Avatar Joe Quinlan

    Also, the chevy bellhousing means the previous owner who hodge podged this poor car, (trying to replicate the “Chips” car for Ponch),wasn’t really all there.

    Like 0
  29. Avatar Drew Smith

    If it cheaper I can see making a corvette summer T/A clone .

    Like 0
  30. Avatar Brenda Merritt

    This is NOT A TRANS AM ! It is a 1973 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400 & burgundy was one of the colors offered on this year Formula. I had the exact same car & it isn’t worth near $10,000. Anybody thinking that this is a 1973 455 Trans Am obviously don’t know their Trans Ams. I just sold my 1973 455 Trans Am that was Brewster Green with a 4 speed manual tranny for $9,300 on ebay about 1.5 years ago. It was a numbers matching car & I bought it in 1982. It had 58,000 miles on it & I paid $1,100 from a friend of mine who bought it brand new.

    Like 0
  31. Avatar Terry Waldrop

    Definitely not worth the price a lot is missing out this car it doesn’t even have the original 455 or SD 455 whichever one it had the the original hood and hood scoop are gone to me it’s not even worth 2 Grand you’re looking at at least 50 plus Grand restore

    Like 0
  32. Avatar David Hendrickson

    I’d go $5000 U.S. But I’d only take cash!

    Like 0

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