While the rest of the world was either loving or hating disco music in the later 1970’s, Pontiac engineers were trying to find a way to keep performance alive and get around Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations. Knowing that the days of the 400 cubic inch V8 engine were numbered, Pontiac built a special run of 400 cubic inch blocks in 1977 and stockpiled them for use in 1977-1979 Trans Ams. The engines were built with special components and designated as W72 400 engine. In 1979, only 8,326 Trans Ams and 367 Formulas were equipped with the W72 engine. This example is a 1979 Pontiac Trans Am with the W72 400 cubic inch engine. It is listed for sale here on eBay for a Buy It Now Price of $34,500. The car is located at a muscle car dealer in Sherman Texas which is just north of the Dallas-Fort Worth area close to the Oklahoma border. There are 13 days remaining in the listing.
I was 14 years old in 1979 and remember reading the January Car & Driver article that said “It will not come this way again.” referring to this last of the muscle cars to roll off a US assembly line. While the Challenger was now a 4 cylinder import, the Mustang’s best V8 produced 140 horsepower and the Camaro was equipped with an anemic 175 horsepower small block, you could still go into a Pontiac showroom and order a car with some guts. All Pontiac W72 engines were built with a special cam, 800-cfm Rochester 4 barrel carburetor, chrome valve covers, a high-capacity 60-psi oil pump and special piston rings. One of the reasons the engine performed so well was that Pontiac used 93.78cc 6X-4 designated heads on the engine to raise the compression ratio from 7.6 to 8.1. For 1978-1979, W72 engines came with larger air cleaner duct adapters, baffled oil pans, and dual turbo mufflers. The 1977 engines without the improved exhaust was rated at 200 horsepower.
All 1979 Trans Ams and Formulas ordered with the the W72 400 cubic inch engine were required to be equipped with a 4 speed manual transmission and 3.23 rear gears. Also, the WS6 suspension was a required option which came with 4 wheel disc brakes and stopped the Trans Am 19 feet shorter than the Corvette in 1979. Later in the year, Car and Driver named the Trans Am as the best handling car in the US in their September issue. This car is silver with a black interior. It is not perfect but is stock except for cutting the dash to add an aftermarket radio. The deluxe hobnail velour interior looks to be in excellent shape. The car has a number of options including air conditioning and tilt steering.
The 1979 Trans Am was a combination of power, style and performance. I ended up buying a W72 Trans Am three years later and drove it all the way through college. It was an amazing car that I sold 7 years later to buy a Corvette, which I instantly regretted. I have owned many W72s since and now have a 1979 W72 Formula. This Code 15 silver Trans Am has 64k miles on the odometer and the paint looks really good. The car is PHS documented and has been repainted once because it is doubtful that the original paint could hold up this long in the Texas sun. This car has all the right options and I prefer them without T-Tops, but to each his own. I hope this one finds a good home.
And the crease on the driver’s side front fender was not mentioned?
Trans Ams were once described as quintessentially American – all bulges and curves and voluptuous lines. Sort of like Marilyn Monroe or Jayne Mansfield.
Nothing wrong with that in my opinion.
This one is a beauty with all the right options. It comes from a time when GM was remarkably unafraid to push the styling envelope. The totally superfluous “Foilers” in front of the wheels, a gorgeous but questionably functional spoiler, and the iconic snowflake wheels.
I know my Corvette is a better car, mostly because it’s had 30 years of progress to get better. But I’d be sorely tempted to have one of these as my 3-season ride.
You are correct. Pontiac gave buyers the potential for a great performing car each year of the second generation in spite of the clogging government restrictions.
I bought my 1978 Trans Am W72/WS6 in high school. We opened the scoop, installed duals and turbo mufflers and let it breathe. No other manufacturer at that time was giving the speed potential and large engines like Pontiac.
A friend of mine had one of these in addition to a Corvette. He said the Pontiac would run circles around his Vette.
Funny story for u.
In 1976 the TA came with the Pontiac 400 or a 455 making between 185 and about 220hp
The 76 Vette only had the smog choked 350 making like 160hp.
The TA was FASTER than the Vette and it pissed off a LOT of Vette owners!!😄
I read that GM got a LOT of letters from slightly upset Vette owners!
Pontiac beat Chevrolet’s Corvette since 1973 not just 1976 and all the way up to 1979
I didnt read that it was 73 to 79 but wouldnt surprise me.
Yes When Pontiac lost the 400 in 79 they would not regain the crown until the 89 Turbo Trans Am was made. The first car to ever pace the Indy race without any modifications other then the strobe lights. Corvette came back in 1990 with boat motor ZR-1. Engine was built by Mercury marine .But they were designed by Lotus
I prefer the 78 as I think it’s much better looking, but this is a nice car.
This looks to be a really nice ’79 T/A 6.6 Trans Am find and this outfit, PC Classic Cars, seems to feature some incredibly nice cars and trucks with some very reasonable prices. The dash being cut up is a bummer for sure. If I was going silver though, I personally would go with a ’79 Trans Am T/A 6.6 Silver Anniversary model, but then you would be talking way more money too.
My wife, owned a ’79 Trans Am Y84 SE numbers matching with the 400 Poncho motor that my high school classmate’s father had purchased for him new. Now, thirty-two years later, she still talks about that car. My wife could really drive that Trans Am too. I think a time or two I noticed that screaming chicken’s facial expression indicating “please, you drive”. The fun factor driving that car was out of this world. The 400 Pontiac motor exhaust burble at idle, the scoop sticking out of the hood and the ear to ear grin shifting through the Borg-Warner Super T10 four-speed transmission when the Poncho motor came alive with the help of the Rochester Quadrajet. Her’s was loaded including T-tops which neither of us cared for and we learned to keep a really absorbent towel in the car. When rain was expected we just laid an absorbent towel from one seat over the console to the other seat or during driving over our laps and across the console. My wife’s Trans Am had the same seats as this one and they were so comfortable especially when it was very hot or very cold.
The only trouble we had with the car was the Reverse shifter mechanism that rotated the steering column in order to remove the key and lock the steering wheel failed and that was an incredibly expensive item only available through GM in 1986. Also, replacing the heater core turned out to be costly as well. I truly believe that the factory workers really took pride in building those cars because except for the T-tops squeaking at times due to old seals, that car never had nor developed one rattle. We sold it when we were expecting our first child.
I see this car is fitted with a “test pipe”, to make sure the factory catalytic converter was not plugged up! My grandfather had a book dated 1976 urging you, the reader, to have one installed…
79 was the Highest production year for the Trans Am and the looks and performance were at the top of the list for the year. I had a 403 auto Trans Am and hated to see it go but I could not keep a car long back then.
I had a 79 TA with the 301, 4sp. It was white with black interior and it also was a T-top car. To this day, I wish that I never sold it
I have a 75 round headlight TA white w/ blue eagle 73 000 miles keep in storage for my grandson
One of the worst front ends ever.
I like it!
But I like any Firebird from 70 to 81…..Ive had 3 in my 44 years of driving, I miss them but cant afford another now and my health is failing unfortunately.
A T/A without T-tops just doesn’t capture the feel of the era. These cars are known for open roof driving. Park this next to a T-top version of the same car at a car show, and you’ll get no love. W72 / 4-spd is the draw for this one. Wish they would have put a little more effort into that exhaust. Cherry Bomb mufflers with incorrect exhaust tips just doesn’t do this car justice.
If you HAVE to have one of these, it might be a good idea to pay up for one like this.
Make mine the exact color, but opposite – black with silver interior and T-Tops, please.
Sell it to a car guy that will appreciate it…..your grandson will want a fast all electric Honda or Toyota “classic”. 😁