This low-mileage Trans Am was built at the height of “Trans Am” mania, i.e., the year after the original Smokey and the Bandit movie made the car a star. This one is special because when it was brand new, the Pontiac was sent to John DeLorean’s brother’s shop to have a custom-built 428 V8 replace the factory 400. And in the next 43 years, the car has been driven less than 10,000 miles. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, this unusual Firebird is available here on craigslist for $44,000. Thanks for this way cool tip, rex m!
Burt Reynolds and his black 1977 Pontiac Trans Am gave Pontiac sales a huge boost. In 1976, Pontiac sold a respectable 47,701 of them, followed by 68,745 in 1977 when the movie was released in May. In 1978, the total rocketed to 93,341 copies after which sales tapered off as the luster of the movie had begun to wear off. Some 25% of Trans Am production in 1978 included the WS6 performance package, which this car is said to have.
The WS6 was a handling option on the Trans Am which gave it a larger diameter rear sway bar, tighter ratio steering box, 15×8 snowflake wheels, additional frame bracing, and other suspension changes. This seller’s car came this way, but with a 400 cubic inch V8, the biggest available in the Trans Am by 1978. But here’s where the story gets interesting. The buyer sent the new car to Leader Automotive, a speed shop owned by George DeLorean, brother of John. George was an engine builder and went to work customizing one for this Pontiac.
When the car arrived at Leader Automotive, they pulled the factory motor and replaced it with a custom-built 428 with 455 HO cylinder heads, Holley Dominator manifold, Holley carburetor, and Hooker Super Comp round port headers. The stock tranny was jettisoned in favor of a built TH-400 with a shift kit and 3000 rpm stall converter. The ratio in the rear end was changed to better accommodate the new engine/transmission combination.
This is not the first time we’ve seen this car. It popped up here on Barn Finds in 2016 when it was in Arkansas at the time. Whoever bought the car then has only added about 100 miles since, so that signals the assumption this is an investment-grade automobile. The red paint (not Burt Reynolds black) is original and looks great and the interior comes across as hardly used. Too bad eBay records don’t show what this car sold for five years ago to help is gauge the kind of appreciation it may have gained.
It may not be “Burt Reynolds black”, but “Burt Reynolds Red” is also a thing for anyone who has seen the film Hooper.
Looks like a sound runner
My favorite style for a Trans Am. I really like this one. Even though the engine is not original, I think it is actually priced fairly. Wish I could afford it.
Wish I could afford it, but I would have to drive it. I couldn’t leave a car like that in storage….
Now hang on, how can this be a DeLorean Custom ?
I see no white powder in any of the photos…
You’ll know it when you drive it..it will hug the white lines..
The Bandit wouldn’t care if it was red after stomping on the loud pedal! Sounds like a real mover with that worked 428, nice.
Do not like how the mileage line up in speedometer. Looks fishy, very nice car but numbers do not line up.
Again, I wish people would stop spreading old wive’s tales…this is, simply, not true. Most odometers did not line up precisely, geez.
By pulling that smogged-out 400 and putting in a free-breathing 428, they probably nearly doubled the car’s performance.
With that many miles on it, back in the day i wonder how this car passed the yearly exhaust sniffer test & visual underhood & undercarriage inspection (’78 model year emissions equip tampering laws), since the wide pellet cat conv would not clear a turbo 400 automatic(the reason the factory switched to the smaller 350 trans in ’75 on f-bodies).
I guess the cat converter was removed & it has true duals – especially with headers on it – note no underside pics of this car. hmmh.
& there were no compact aftmkt cat converters in ’78 either, i believe, to substitute in.
I would have thought a t/a with 4 speed manual & no power windows would have been chosen instead.
The vendor who made the glove box doors on 2nd gens should have been
changed or reprimanded – color faded even on this low mileage car that was no doubt garaged its entire life – nothing else inside is faded.
Interesting that the shaker still lines up with the hood opening with the aftmkt carb & intake!
Not all states have car inspection laws. Even today no state inspection in Florida.
It looks nice, but not sure on that price.
All WS6 were equipped with four disc brakes.
Not in 1978
Haha can’t believe nobody has made the joke about where are the “snow tires” on the car at!!