This 1978 Pontiac Trans Am is located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and is reported to have an odometer reading of 86,000 miles. The seller advertises the car as a Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am. While it is painted Starlight Black, the car is not a Y84 optioned car. It does not have a number of the telltale signs of the Special Edition Trans Am as optioned by Pontiac such as the gold pinstriping, gold grill inserts, gold dash bezel or gold spoke steering wheel. The car is listed for sale here on eBay and there are two days remaining in the auction. Currently, the bidding has reached $21,000 after 19 bids.

The car’s paint appears to be shiny and the aftermarket louvers look to be in good condition. However, a Pontiac enthusiast would quickly note that the car has been repainted and the decals on the car are for a 1979 Trans Am. The car is not optioned with the WS6 performance suspension that was first offered in 1978. There are no pictures of the engine compartment but the VIN indicates the car is a Z code car which means it was originally equipped with the W72 400 cubic inch V8 engine. This was the top of the line engine option in 1978 and was rated at 220 horsepower from the factory.

The car was originally ordered with the deluxe vinyl interior which came with upgraded seats and door panels. The car is well optioned with cruise control, power windows, rear defrost, but not factory air conditioning. The seller states the air conditioning compressor needs to be replaced but if you look at the dash, there are no center A/C ducts. Maybe the engine turned dash bezel has been replaced. The seats look very glossy and the armrests are faded and match the console lid. The seller states that the car has an 8 track player.

The car appears to sit high in the rear but that may be because of air shocks or the tires are undersized. The factory 15×7 snowflake rims are riding on BF Goodrich Radial TA tires. The welting on the spoilers has been replaced in front of each wheel well and remains unpainted. The car is said to be original and drive nicely. I am sure this might make a good driver for someone who is not concerned with originality or a perfectly restored driver.