Although the 1980s were not kind to the Trans Am, a few models squeeked through that were decent performers, both by the numbers and on the skidpad. The Trans Am Turbo with the WS6 suspension package was one such car, and this example here on craigslist is a recent garage-find discovery that appears to be in excellent condition and wears a rare paint code with a rarer-still “Thunderchicken”-delete on the hood. The seller is asking $12,500 and is located near Portland, Oregon.
The seller notes that the interior remains in excellent condition and it’s hard to disagree from this angle. A solitary crack in the dash is said to be its biggest sin, while otherwise the butterscotch-colored seating surfaces, dash and carpets all appear quite nice. It looks like there is some wrinkling to the driver’s door panel, but otherwise, nothing major to fault here. The automatic transmission is reported to be a new replacement unit, installed around the same time the matching numbers engine was rebuilt.
Pontiac’s Turbo 301 pushed out 210 b.h.p. and 345 lb.-ft. of torque for 1980, an impressive number in the days of declining horsepower. The magazine editors at the time recorded a 0-60 run of 8 seconds flat, but running issues always kept the turbocharged examples from returning consistent testing data. Engine knocking was a common problem, so hopefully this example’s fresh engine rebuild will help keep some of these issues at bay. The WS6 suspension package should add stiffer components and four wheel disc brakes for improved turning and stopping.
The old-school Oregon plates lend some validity to the seller’s claims that this Trans Am is a high-desert car that hasn’t traveled very far from its original home. The body is said to be free of rust but that the occasional dent and scratch can be found. This example is also a radio-delete car, along with the aforementioned hood decal. The price doesn’t seem outrageous to me for a vehicle wearing a rare shade of Fiero Bronze paint, and perhaps that’s all it will take to find this T/A a home.
I like that…
Aftermarket shifter spoils the perfect interior, and what’s going on with that wheel arch?
Rust and bondo rot painted over. 😪
Damage or rust to rear quarter passenger side, terrible photos , not bright enough outside, inside are fine. It’s been molested.
Ditto on liking it. I think rather than a radio delete, the radio may have quit working otherwise why have an antenna and an open dash opening? Minor none-the-less.
At the time GM radios sucked. You could order a radio delete that would come with all the wiring and speakers. Then you would go and buy a quality radio and install it.
The electric antenna makes that claim very suspect, the electric antenna was a rare option on any F-body and the hole for he radio looks like it had a factory radio in it.
That’s exactly what I did when I ordered my 81 Camaro. The radio opening had a cover on it, but all of the wiring was there to hook it up and add your own speakers. Antenna was there, too, IIRC.
For 1980, great car! Styling, brakes, cornering… problem is the 200 horse power …. you could also get a hood scoop with three lights that turned on as you accelerated showing Turbo usage, gimmicky, sure but fine fun!
Wheels were sweet as well, nifty summer cruiser and decent price!
Hmmm, if I were going to invest in this, as rough as it looks, which isn’t too bad, I think I’d look into some of the modern building and turbo set ups. Fix the body and paint and leave them original appearing. Resto Mod, I guess. But this could be a really nice car I would think. And reasonable to fix, if the body doesn’t hold any unpleasant surprises.
always a fan of those wheels and that is a great color. Its got a lot going for it W6, bird delete – even the original space saver spare exits. These 301 Turbos were not the most reliable power plant and for a measly 200 ponies I can see why it wasn’t a big seller. All that being said $12.5 seems optimistic for this chicken dinner.
12.500 for any 80s is to me a stretch especially one with this unusual and undesirable to me engine and color choices.
Source a 400 or a 455 and dump the weakling 301. Would certainly make more than a measly 200hp.
The 455 H.O. Made 200 Horsepower In 1976! FYI
Don’t Knock The 301!
The black carpet when it should be tan to match the doors is making me suspicious……
I like the colors. That being said, ads like this bother me. Honest dishonesty…the pictures say one thing, the write up (in the CL ad) another…
The stripe decal MUST be rare, looks like it should be on a Camaro! :-)
lots of work there, i’ll pass
Radio delete with a power antenna, makes no sense whatsoever. Last tagged in 93 and expired in 96. What state issues three year registration? Black carpet is definitely a replacement.
They seemed concerned about painting it since it is so original, when the right quarter panel obviously needs repaired. Then there’s that tacky aftermarket side stripe. Sorry, too many things don’t add up on this one for my taste.
I owned an 81 Turbo TA med. blue every option including power ant. only delete was the screamin chicken haha, most fun car i owned for years! I have some great pics of me in the car packed away some where, at the Dukes of Hazzard filming ranch in front of their house and the Boars nest! Fun day for sure :)
I own a 1980 turbo WS6, it has 59,000 miles on it and has a 1972 455 H.O. and a 4 speed now , cool old car.
@Vegas Vic and Marc Boyce.
A nifty summer cruiser and a Fun Day for sure! Get it on the road and drive it. Give people something to look at on the highway other than all of those cars out there that look exactly the same and are so BORING. Drive a car like this and you would get as much, if not more, attention than a Ferrari. Who doesn’t love a Trans AM. And a Turbo at that.
Love ’79-’81 T/A’s, but not this one so much. Tacky stripe makes it look like a Z28 (not a bad thing, but this is a T/A after all). Agree with the condition comments – too much here to question for the price.
Not original at all, way to many non original things to point out i emailed the dealer i hope they correct the ad before someone gets ripped off
Nice but that 301 turbo not for me a good 350,400 or 455 makes and sound
better to me
Tiredness of the body doesn’t match the interior and engine. Must have been rough storage.
Sorry, but $6000.00 would be pushing it in my book, and I love T/As…