General Motors redesigned their two pony cars, the Pontiac Firebird and Chevy Camaro, in 1982. In the process, they made them significantly more aerodynamic and some 500 lbs. lighter. So, they were peppier than the 1981 models and used less fuel. This first-year of the third-generation Firebird is the Trans Am performance model, made famous in the prior decade by Smokey and the Bandit. This car looks to be in survivor-quality condition with just 44,000 miles. Located in Richmond, Virginia, this Poncho is available here on Barn Finds Classifieds for $19,999.
Though front-wheel-drive had been considered, the redesign of the 1982 Pontiac Firebird continued to use rear-wheel-drive. With aerodynamics a priority, the slope of the windshield would be 62 degrees, steeper than anything else that General Motors built. A hatchback was added in the rear that required no metal to contain it (also helping to keep weight down, fuel economy up). Pop-up headlights were used to differentiate the Firebird from the Camaro. The buying public liked what they saw, and Pontiac sold nearly two-thirds more Firebirds in 1982 than in 1981.
As the story goes, this Trans Am was sold new in Wisconsin, then lived in California for a time, and has been with the seller in Virginia for the past five years. All sorts of documentation have been retained going back to the first sale of the car in ’82. The Pontiac sports red paint with black accents that are thought to be largely original and in good, but not perfect, shape (40+ years of scratches and so forth). It sports T-Tops with no mention if they have ever had any issues with leaking.
The interior is equally nice, though there is an amateur repair of a crack in the dash pad. As those things would droop over time, the headliner has been recently replaced. The cassette player and factory air conditioning don’t work and need looking into. Under the hood lies a 305 cubic inch V8 with cowl induction, presumably enough to get the job done. It’s paired with a TH-200C automatic transmission.
You may want to get a new set of tires as they’re date-coded from 20 years ago but have plenty of tread left. Some brake work was done on the car recently, so it should stop just fine. If you’re a fan of this era of the Pontiac Trans Am, it might be hard to find one any nicer. But don’t expect to see Sheriff Buford T. Justice in your rearview mirror! Two videos are provided, one as a walkaround and the other from a cold start.
The 82 is a personal fave. The viscount seats are awesome on looks and i prefer this model shifter v/s the t-bar of later years. The Cross-Fire efi when well ajusted and the tbi’s properly balanced are great. The maligned reputation of this system come’s mostly from mechanic’s that never understood it. But let’s not forget that efi was still a black art in the early 80’s for tech’s that were still doing points and condensers. The turbo hydro-flush 200c was the weak link and not one of the better G.M. ideas.A good rebuild might be in the plans. The a/c and radio are minor issues so whom ever gets this classic and cares for it will have a wonderfull machine
Robert do you recall when that TH 200 went away? Was it as soon as OD came in in 84?85? On another note, ive finally learned to come here rsther than read the comments in the main section. I can only take so much idiocy from haters saying “these are slower than a new Toyota Sienna….blah blah blah.” Guys dont buy these today to race anyone. They buy em to relive their younger years and feel that way once again. Like sniffing a box of crayons. Or a lotta guys like me who couldnt afford them when they 1st came out. Loved the new 82 F bodys. We had the 82 Z28 w crossfire and Dad put maybe 40K miles on it without an issue. Traded it wben his midljfe crisis tapered off enough to drive a big Electra again
The Thm 200-4c arrived in 83 with an extra 10 ponies for the cfi system. I still have a popular mechanics out of 83 that had a long term Z-28 with o/d and said it was one of the worse transmissions they ever drove. I’m guessing particular to their car. And its true that for me purchasing something like this is to relive now that i could afford it my younger years.
This car is probably one of three in the country that still has the plastic hubcaps.
We called them bowling balls back in the day. Mine were missing when I bought mine used. A friend of my brother’s offered to get me a set for $50. I agreed. He delivered. Didn’t ask where he got them. Was a fun car.
The old Knight Rider caps!!
Even Motorweeks test drive unit in 82 was short of one when delivered. Pontiac must of had a hell of a time with warranty replacements.
Back in 1986 there was an identical Trans Am in my local junkyard. Someone rich (or very dumb) totally destroyed it by beating the crap out of it. The tops of the inner fender wells were dented from going over jumps and bottoming the wheels out in the fender wells. I’ve never seen a four year old car get beat up that bad.
I’m the seller of this gem. Thanks for write-up, Barn Finds, and for all the nice comments! It’s great to see that others appreciate this generation and year of Firebird. To answer some of the points made:
– The transmission has a service receipt for a rebuild in 2018. As noted, they are not the best transmissions, but this one shifts well. If I were keeping it I might consider pickling the TH200C and putting in a TH350. Hawk’s Motorsports makes a kit for this.
– Any third gen owner will admit all the t-top cars leak. This one has all new weatherstripping installed. A pressure wash will let some drops in, but it’s as good as it can be in terms of sealing.
– The radio works fine, but the cassette player eats tapes. I was pretty bummed when my Iron Eagle soundtrack bit the dust.
– I never use the A/C as I like to drive with the windows open, but I can have it repaired for the right offer price.
Couldn’t agree more with the comment re: performance. Cruising in this car is the closest thing to time travel. Also the way it uses gas a light foot is less taxing on the wallet.
For me when i think of smokey and the bandit its a 77 transam that 82 one is almost perfectvjust needs painting black and calling k.i.t.t
Had one. Total POS. Loved it at first. Had just become single at 40; mid-life crisis car. Where to start. Roof leaked a LOT. Burned oil so much that it clogged up the catalytic. After that once it warmed up, it would stall out anywhere. Got stolen twice. First time found stalled in nearby city. Second time barely made it off campus where I worked when it stalled. Local dealership was stumped. Said they contacted GM but there were no advisories about it so my problem. Spent $100’s on that car. Last GM ever bought.
I wonder if the orig 200 trans was the same one as in the 1st Chevette.
Another story from my youth- when I was about eleven or twelve years old my uncle bought a brand new 82 Trans Am(I think) that was grey or silver with the same wheels as this one. The first time I ever went fast in a car was in my uncle’s T/A. I grew up in southwest Pennsylvania about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh, where there is no such thing as a straight road. New Year’s Eve he drove me and my cousin home from another uncle’s New Year’s Eve party and took us up route 48 in Elizabeth township at way over the 35mph speed limit. From that moment on I was hooked on fast cars. I’ve loved cars since I was old enough to hold a matchbox car in my hand, but after going for a ride in my uncle’s T/A I was a horsepower addict from then on. I remember being amazed that a car could go that fast on such a twisty road and vowing to myself that one day, I was gonna own a fast car and drive it on twisty roads at above the posted speed limit for the rest of my life. I know that a 82 Trans Am isn’t considered fast compared to modern cars, but it was such a rush for a broke kid going for his first “fast” ride, and it felt plenty fast enough for my younger self.
Finally got my first fast car in 1999, a 1991 Ford Taurus SHO with a 5 speed. I loved that car until it started needing a lot of work done that I couldn’t afford and traded it for a Nissan Sentra SE-R which was a great car in its own right.
Now I’m pushing 50 and have owned a warehouse full of fast cars and my current car is pretty fast for being a family car, but I’ll be finished paying my car loan soon and then I’m going to buy the baddest-ass car that I can reasonably afford (20+ GT500, GT350R, ZL1 etc) and I’m keeping it forever. I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a kid.
Sorry for my boring stories but it feels good remembering that day.