Could this 1981 Pontiac Trans Am really only have 1,132 miles? It appears to be a time capsule but it is hard to tell because there are no pictures of the interior or engine compartment in the listing here on eBay. The selling dealer is asking an astronomical price of $126,500 for this Code 29 Nightwatch Blue 4 speed Trans Am. The car is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania and appears to have a dark blue Pimlico cloth interior (Code 26B1).
The last year of the 2nd generation Trans Am was 1981 and it was also the last year for GM division specific engines. After this point, the Pontiac V8 would be no more. The base engine for 1981 was the L37 301 cubic inch V8 engine rated at 155 horsepower. After a hiatus in 1980, a buyer could once again order a 4 speed manual transmission in a Trans Am but it could only be mated with the Chevrolet LG4 305 cubic inch V8 engine rated at a measly 150 horsepower. The highest rated engine in terms of horsepower was a turbocharged V8 engine was designated LU8. This turbo 301 cubic inch V8 engine (4.9 liter) was rated at 210 horsepower in 1980 and 200 horsepower in 1981. The LU8 had a Garrett TB305 turbo and a Rochester Quadrajet 4-barrel carburetor.
This Trans Am has the optional Chevrolet LG4 305 cubic inch V8 engine mated to a Borg Warner T10 4 speed manual transmission. The first gear of the transmission is numerically higher giving it more low end power off the line. I assume this was to compensate for the anemic horsepower produced by the 5.0 liter LG4 engine. This Trans Am rides on factory 15×8 aluminum wheels that look new. Usually, the clear coat is peeling after 40 years. Year One makes a nice set of replacements that are less expensive than having the originals restored. Factory 15×8 snowflake wheels came with the Pontiac WS6 optional suspension which made it one of the best handling cars available in the late 1970’s and early 1980s.
In 1970, the first year of the 2nd generation Trans Am, Pontiac offered the Trans Am in only two colors – Polar White and Lucerne Blue. In 1981, the last year of the 2nd generation Trans Am, Pontiac offered the Trans Am in 13 different colors including white, silver, black, bright blue, light blue, dark blue (also known as Nightwatch blue), gold, yellow, orange, brown, red, maroon and charcoal. This is a striking and beautiful car but the asking price is also striking and probably not realistic in today’s market, at least.
The first question for a “find” like this has to be: WHY does it have so few miles? The answer can either be good (first owner kept it for display), sad (you pick the reason that fits) or bad (major mechanical failure right out of the showroom).
In any case, it’s doubtful anyone will drive it again, except perhaps on and off a hauler at car shows. Whatever real value it has will nosedive with each additional mile.
Worse, if someone were to want to drive it (like me), every consumable part (flexible hoses, drive belts, seals, tires, gaskets and bushings) will certainly be on the brink of failure if used. Wiring might also be an issue.
My personal opinion is that no car is worth anything if it can’t be driven, no matter how pretty it looks. YMMV.
Yeah, and for such a steep price why EBay? Why not an auction house? For so few pictures it just leaves a lot of questions, and then there’s the price, who came up with such an astronomical value? There are vehicles with a high value for certain reasons, even then I’m skeptical because a few people seem to say it’s worth this much isn’t necessarily true. I see auction websites adding time on the clock to drag out the auction to get more money, this to me is not fair. These
Sending a car to auction is expensive, eBay isn’t. Listing it on eBay might be a way to gain exposure before sending it to auction. There have been several instances of making cars or even whole collections “internet famous” before they hit the market, the Hobrecht Chevrolet dealership in Nebraska is the best example.
I could see someone thinking a late run 400 4spd Trans Am in similar condition possibly pulling this much money, but not a 305 car.
Steve R
I knew a guy where I used to live who would purchase a new Trans Am every year and put it up on jack stands in his shop. He just had a thing for them. I never saw them, but he told me about them at length. Ironically, he daily drove an old beat up pickup. He is quite old now, possibly deceased, so I wonder what will happen/happened to them (kind of like the old guy currently around the corner from me who has two Shelby Mustangs under covers in his garage). That’s how some of these cars wind up with few/no miles on them.
Ford did the same thing with their sweet 3.7 Mustangs. Low 1st gear in the Manual transmission cars, even w the tall rear gear they jump out of the hole pretty well. Sweet Poncho here bigtime.
It’s beautiful but at a high price (what the market will bear) that one could never drive it and lower the value. Good luck with the sale.. I know we’re all thinking not driving this is actually hurting the vehicle.
A no-reserve auction would reveal what the market will bear, more accurately. Their number smells more like supply-side price management, than competitive market pricing, to me -shrug-.
Really nice-looking car, though, the manual transmission would make that mediocre 301 quite a bit more fun to drive. The nose design has always appealed to me, on this generation of the car.
Ebay ad has the miles that could not be verified, so actual miles unknown just saying.
126 k is alot to say the least. Good luck to seller.
As one who loves every Firebird and Trans Am ever made, I must say, no way.
Looking at the underside pictures along with all the paint chips and small nicks. No way that mileage is correct.
For 6 figures my expectation would be all the seatbelts being the same color. The after-delivery undercoating raises suspicions.
Wow, just woke up…how long was I asleep?? …cuz it must be 2075 or something.
Why fresh undercoat on a car with 1100 miles? Who puts tire shine on the insides of the tires? And are those paint drips I see?
Looking at the pictures I see a paint run, chips. The door striker has paint on it, looks like a quick paint job. Not something you’d do on a low mileage car. I hear what all of you are saying about what the market will bear, but this is not a low mileage car.
Click … pass
9 yrs old seeing acres …of wheeze bag TA’s.
Look great but suck with low power .
You can do better with that kind of disposable income
This has the same rated horsepower as my Jeep TJ. A drag race would likely result in my Jeep winning since it has better gearing. Hard pass.
No engine pictures no thanks to a 305 everyday engine no matter what the miles are. The price is a hard pass and at that price you could buy 2 or 3 nice restored cars from the 1970’s and have a lot of money left over!!
There is no Turbo Turkey Trans Am on this planet worth what this guys asking.