Take a look at this 1979 Pontiac Trans Am Bandit edition for sale here on eBay for $16,000 or best offer. This car can be found in the town of Chelsea in Alabama. With some work, this barn find will be ready for some Smokey And The Bandit type antics!
Burt Reynolds made the Pontiac Trans Am cars very popular. The one featured here carries the WS6 Y86 code meaning it is one of the cars designed by Pontiac to look like the car used in the Smokey And The Bandit II movie. In 1979, Pontiac changed the front end, moving the grilles to the lower bumper. I have always preferred the 1978 grille. As can be seen from the photographs, the “Screaming Chicken” decal has been worn away.
What is the appeal of these cars? The long low body style had been around since 1970. The fender flares and the spoiler on the trunk serve no purpose but add a muscular look to the car. The T-tops, which were known to leak, gave you an open-air feel and was the closest thing to a convertible you could get in 1979. The movement of the air intake sticking through the hood was mesmerizing. Maybe part of the appeal is the letters that call out 6.6 liters? Look inside and see the bucket seats, console and the machine turned dash inlay. Who can forget the honey cone gold wheels with raised white letters? The only thing missing is a CB radio and its antenna mounted on the roof.
This ad has all the right words. It is an unrestored southern car with original paint with only 41,338 miles on the odometer. It runs good and has a clean title. Extra parts are included such as carpet and another truck lid.
Consider the full description of this car. 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Bandit II Edition. Pontiac equals performance. The Firebird was originally a “pony car.” The words Trans Am were associated with road racing. In the decade of the seventies, who didn’t want to be like Burt Reynolds or ride in the car with him?
yeah; no.
don’t care how much the market has moved on these, this ain’t ever gonna be worth even $10k to me.
403 smog motor, fun-sapping auto trans, 40 years (ouch, it hurts to realize this) of its best years already in the mirror, faded paint, faded bird, faded glory.
There are two parts to the hobby, memories and investment. You have to ask yourself which one are you in it for.
That said, Pontiac was the lone ranger with the Trans Ams of the post Arab oil embargo era. Ford offered the forgettable Mustang 2, Chrysler had the Little Red Wagon and Warlock pickups.
Today, you can build your classic with a staggering array of upgrades for everything that was “wrong” with it when they built it, or you can make it look like it did 40 years ago.
Granted, you can buy a new Challenger for the asking price here but only you can answer this question: which one do you want to ride around in?
The new Challenger. 10/10
Those are the “snowflake” wheel, the honeycomb, not cone, wheels are completely different.
It’s Dave.
Dave’s not here.
I know, I’m Dave.
Dave who?
Me, it’s me, Dave!
Dave’s not here…
Oops! Wrong Smokey! But Dave’s right here, and he’s right. In my 1970’s opinion this Trans Am is far better-looking than today’s Challenger (which isn’t bad, btw). Of course this car needs a ton of work and $16K sounds like Dave’s 1960’s buddies lit up a bowl and came up with a price.
He and dave have definitely been smoking something. No way near 16 K.
This has the “snowflake” wheels.
I do appreciate that this 403 car has the correct engine call outs on the shaker.
It seems all the others have been switched to the “T/A 6.6” decals that only belong on the cars with the Pontiac 400 engine.
If I recall. You had to get 4 speed to have 400 engine. Correct Me if I’m wrong. Since Burt passed everyone thinks these are gold mines and want top $$$$.
BRIAN, correct. 400 was 4sp. only for ’79; 403 was auto only. The last 400s were actually cast in November of 1977. I think the supply was used up by midway through the ’79 model year.
Thanks for the info.Thanks for the info.
10,000 400’s were stockpiled from 1978. This was the factory-rated 220 horse 400, as the 77’s were rated at an even 200 horse. NHRA listed these engines in the ’78 and ’79 Trans Am at or near 260HP as I can attest to this figure as I dyno’d my 79 TA and it responded with that exact 260 horse figure.
It’s not a “chicken” sticker, it’s a phoenix. Learn something about cars before you insult them.
Mel, I think everyone knows it is a phoenix. The “screaming chicken” nickname may have originally been intended as a rebuke of Pontiac back in the day by auto mag scribes for the very in-your-face decal, but the moniker has become a term of endearment over time and now is commonly used by those who love and collect these cars.
Sadly, the car in Smokey and the Bandit 2 was a Turbo Trans Am. And like this one, the ugliest T/A ever made.