For the 1980 model year, Pontiac elected to drop its large-capacity V8s from the Trans Am range. That left buyers to choose between two pretty asthmatic motors that were unlikely to set pulses racing. However, the company decided to dabble into the world of forced induction, introducing a turbocharged V8. It recaptured some of the Trans Am’s former glory, and from a sales total of 50,896 Trans Ams across all variants, an impressive 22,176 buyers elected to buy their new toy with a “hairdryer” attached. Our feature car comes loaded with optional extras and presents well for a classic with forty-two years under its belt. It has 35,000 original miles on the clock and is ready to head to a new home. Located in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada, the seller has listed the Trans Am here on eBay. It has received a single bid of $15,000, which is below the reserve. Those seriously interested may decide to exercise the BIN option at $21,000.
The seller admits that this Trans Am received a repaint in its original shade of Solar Gold many years ago and has remained untouched ever since. After decades of active service, it continues to present well. The paint shines impressively, and any flaws or defects are too small to be visible in the supplied photos. The panels are straight, but this classic’s rust-free status is the best news. The owner provides an excellent selection of underside shots, and the floors look as clean as you could ever hope to find in a classic of this vintage. There’s the occasional spot of surface corrosion, but the dreaded tin worm hasn’t sunk its fangs into this Pontiac. The original owner ordered the Trans Am with the optional glass T-Top, and the photos show no evidence that moisture has entered the interior. That suggests that the seals are intact and doing their job well. The trim and plastic have survived the passage of time and exposure to UV with no cracks or other problems. The 17″ Snowflake wheels are a later addition, and these wear new tires.
Lifting the hood reveals what sets this Trans Am apart from mere mortals. Pontiac offered these classics with a 301ci or 305ci V8, backed by a three-speed Turbo Hydramatic 350 automatic transmission. The high-capacity V8s were a distant memory, and neither offered motor could break the 17-second barrier if pointed at a ¼-mile. Turbocharging had begun to appear in motorsport competition after years in the wilderness. Pontiac elected to take their first tentative steps into forced induction with the Trans Am by bolting a Garrett TB305 turbocharger to the smaller of their two V8s. The result was a power output increase from 170hp to 210hp, while the ¼-mile ET plunged to 16.1 seconds. The downside for owners was that these motors emerged in an era that predated the development of sophisticated and reliable electronic fuel injection systems and engine management computers. As such, the Trans Am Turbo could prove tricky to tune and susceptible to atmospheric variations that could impact the fuel mixture. However, when everything was right, they offered a satisfying driving experience. To be brutally honest, I find the engine bay presentation of this Trans Am pretty disappointing. When you consider the seller’s claim that it has a mere 35,000 miles on the clock, I expected better. This is especially true considering how clean the exterior and underside are. You need to look beyond the presentation to appreciate this classic. The seller indicates that it has been appropriately maintained, which is vital for any turbocharged car. It runs and drives and appears to be a turnkey proposition. The seller doesn’t delve into mechanical specifics, but their approachable nature and willingness to entertain in-person inspections suggest they have nothing to hide.
The interior sends us mixed signals, although the news is generally favorable. Someone has swapped an aftermarket CD player into the spot usually occupied by the factory radio, and a wrap graces the Formula wheel. Otherwise, this Trans Am’s interior is original and unmolested. The seat upholstery is free from rips and tears, although the driver’s seat sports some wear and discoloring. It isn’t severe, and the buyer may choose to leave well enough alone. They could also fit a set of slipcovers or hand over $760 for a complete set of replacement seat covers. The carpet also shows minor stains around the driver’s feet, so a perfectionist could add a further $220 to the tally for a replacement carpet set. The rest of the upholstered surfaces appear excellent, with the wonderful machine-turned gauge fascia looking particularly clean. The seller indicates that the air conditioning doesn’t operate, but the rest of the interior features and options do. These include power windows, power locks, cruise control, and a tilt wheel.
By the time this 1980 model rolled off the production line, the Second Generation Trans Am had only around a year to live. The company would utilize some radical thinking to develop the next generation, focusing on weight reduction and aerodynamic efficiency instead of searching for extra horses to improve performance. It would take until 1985 for Pontiac to produce a Trans Am with more than 200hp under the hood, and it was nearly a decade before buyers could order a new Trans Am with a turbocharger. Some classics sell well when new but can disappear into the background as time passes. A few will re-emerge into the light of day with renewed vigor, growing in value as collectors recognize their worth and significance. That has been the story with the 1980 Trans Am Turbo. A few years ago, buyers could take their pick of low-mileage survivors for under $15,000. Now, those same cars can easily top $20,000. Higher figures are common, and while our feature car isn’t perfect, its condition and mileage combine to make the BIN appear competitive. It is also worth noting that Pontiac produced a mere 7,176 regular versions of the Trans Am Turbo equipped with a T-Top. The rest were spread between the Special Edition and Pace Car Edition. That makes our feature car a relatively rare beast. So far, the action has been subdued, but I won’t be surprised if it heats up as the finish line approaches. Will you?
There better be some iron-clad documentation to back up that mileage claim. I’m not buying that for a second. Looks like 135K to me.
Actually, assuming the odometer has rolled over once, it would have 157,031 kms which is 97,574 miles.
I have never seen a fan shroud discoloured like that. No Trans Am decals and no working a/c. I really hope that BIN price is in Canadian dollars.
From eBay:
Price:
US $21,000.00
We called these Turbo Turkeys.
Nice car, but I cannot believe with the engine bay and interior, and new paint it has only 35K miles on it, unless it was a very rough 35K miles, thinking 135K, but still in great shape for that mileage.
No decals, re-pop wheels, no AC, fan shroud from hell, 35k on the odometer….. not buying it…
How do you tell that they are reproduction wheels? (I see everything else about your post in either pictures or in the description from the buyer). Thanks.
Adam wrote in his story that they are 17 inch snowflakes. Pontiac never offered the snowflakes in 17 inches. These are aftermarket reproductions. Very few companies offer decent 15 inch tires anymore, a lot of people are upgrading to the 17 inch wheels to have better tire choice and better handling.
17″ tires were not offered in 1981. All T/As came with P225/70 tires that year, on either 15×7 or 15×8 rims depending on whether you got the WS6 package.
16″ rims arrived in 1984 on the 15th Anniversary Trans Am with P245/50 tires, and then as part of the WS6 and IROC packages the following year.
17s did not appear on the F-Body until 1996, as part of the SLP Camaro SS and Trans Am/Formula WS6 packages, shod in P275/40 tires
Anyway, with that bit of history out of the way, I concur that this looks too scruffy for 35,000 mile car. It looks more like well cared for driver with 100k-ish miles. Nothing wrong with that, but I wouldn’t pay a super low mileage premium.
@Bick Banter, no one implied that this car had 17 inch wheels before 1996. Year One reproduces the Pontiac snowflakes in 17 inch and the Chevrolet N90 in 17 inch sizes to allow fitting modern high performance tires to these cars.
https://www.yearone.com/Product/wheels/sfw179gldv2s
Don’t forget about the 305. That engine was thrown in by GM because they were retooling to upgrade their larger engines. They also put that engine in Camaro and Corvettes. This devalued these vehicles. Engine was a total joke and had many issues. Wish you luck getting 21k. Personally, I wouldn’t offer more than 10k and would have to see the vehicle up close first.
Dear Adam, the sight you work for is called Barn Finds, please dont loose sight of what sensible expectations ought be and joim the ranks of too many of those on here that also dont understand what a Barn Find is, synonamous with barn is dust.. ie, a very dusty engine bay.
For all yall who want to have the work done for you while complaining of price, maybe its time to realize your out of your league. Barn finds are for the lucky and few, those who seek and get their hands dirty. Sitting on your butt on the internet and complaining that a rare, rust free, clean AND cheap classic American steel doesnt just fall in your lap just earns you a sign ;)
Afford it, ship it, register it, fix it, clean it and get your fancy decals or just keep your senseless comments to yourself .
Pathetic when new, pathetic now. Too bad it took automakers soo long to figure the emissions, power and gas mileage equation out. Don’t worry about me bidding on this one. Now that they have, we’re not in a good place for petroleum powered vehicles.
That interior is filthy for 35k miles. Did the owner work in a foundry?
I think Adam did a nice write up on this end of an era classic American Trans Am. Sure, it has some needs, but the seller isn’t asking 40K like most dealers seemed to be priced at. Looks to me to be a well preserved car that someone used as a weekend driver. Pretty sure the thumbs up on the way through the neighborhood bring smiles to the driver and passengers. I’ve owned a few of these over the last 40 years and this one is definitely one I would be bidding on if I had room in the garage. Solid body, nice interior that will respond nicely to detailing, and a few weekends under the hood will make this an even nicer ride. The opening in the lower console was likely where the CB radio was – note the clamp on CB antenna on the back. We can complain as much as we want about how these were terrible underpowered cars after the heydays of the 70’s, but this was the end of the run and it was what was offered by Pontiac. A classic then, even more so today. Great stance and the 17″ wheels really set it off. Nice to see the walkaround video provided. This is what I like to see on Barn Finds – I like it.
I thought Adam did a nice job with the write up for this classic American Trans Am. Sure it may have some needs, but the seller isn’t asking 40K like a lot of dealers are for something that may not have nearly as solid bones to it. I have owned a few of these over the last 40 years and this one would definitely be of interest if I had more garage space. We can certainly argue about what corporate GM did to Pontiac’s final run of this generation, but this is what was in the dealer’s showrooms back in 1980. Someone checked the right boxes when they ordered this one. You can be sure the driver and passenger are certain to get lots of thumbs up when driving through the neighborhood. Detail the interior, although it looks pretty good to me, spend a few weekends under the hood to make it fitting the rest of the car and enjoy. The 17″ rims fit the car well and match the original design nicely and that new tire choice is spot on. The car has a nice presence and great stance. The walk around video included in the ebay listing should be mandatory on all listings. Nice car, I will be watching this one.