The Second Generation Pontiac Trans Am remains one of the most highly sought classics from the 1970s. Although values for the 1979 Special Edition have taken a slight hit during the last year, pristine examples and promising project candidates generate strong interest when they hit the market. Such is the case with this 1979 example. Its paint is tired and baked, but it is rock-solid, and the original owner loaded it with some of the more desirable options available that year. If a straightforward restoration project has been on your Wish List, this Trans Am deserves a closer look.
Is there a more iconic color to find gracing the panels of a late Second Generation Trans Am than Starlight Black? Pontiac offered eleven paint shades in 1979, but the car’s star turn in the 1977 film Smokey and The Bandit undoubtedly cemented this color in automotive folklore. This car’s Starlight Black is faded and baked, a clear indication that it spent its life in a dry climate with harsh UV rays. However, it isn’t all bad news, because the same climate that baked the paint has protected the classic steel from the types of rust that often plague these cars. The exterior is clean, and with the seller indicating that the floors are solid, this is a project candidate where there should be no cutting or welding. The panels sport a few small bumps and imperfections, although none warrant steel replacement. The first owner equipped the Trans Am with a glass T-Top and rear louvers, and not only are these items present, but the seller includes an additional set of T-Top glass in the deal. One exterior highlight is the Snowflake wheels, which look remarkably good for their age. A few hours of work with a high-quality polish should have them shining like a new penny.
Buyers ordering a 1979 Trans Am received the 403ci “Olds” V8 as standard fare, teamed with a three-speed automatic transmission. This car also features power steering and the ultra-desirable WS6 options pack. This brought power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes to the party, as well as a larger rear sway bar and quick-ratio steering. Enthusiasts who prefer classics with responsive handling will welcome this news. The seller indicates that this Trans Am starts and runs, but it has sat for an extended period. It requires brakes and tires to become roadworthy, but the lack of rust and urgent panel work could make that an achievable short-term goal.
I was quite surprised when I checked the interior shots of this Trans Am because most of the cars I have seen with Starlight Black paint feature Black interior trim. I am aware this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, but this classic’s Camel vinyl will help it to stand out. It needs plenty of TLC, with the front seatcovers, carpet, and dash pad all exhibiting deterioration courtesy of wear and UV exposure. It retains distinctive Special Edition equipment like the gold-spoked wheel and matching machine-turned gauge fascia. The seller includes the original Build Sheet in the deal, revealing that the first owner wielded their pen freely when ordering this classic. It features air conditioning, power windows, power locks, a remote trunk release, a rear defogger, cruise control, and a tilt wheel. The dash houses an aftermarket CD player, although the seller includes the factory AM/FM radio/tape player for those considering a faithful restoration.
This 1979 Pontiac Trans Am Special Edition isn’t perfect, but its lack of rust, largely unmolested nature, and a long list of factory options help to explain why buyer interest has been strong. It has received twenty-six bids since the seller listed it here on eBay in Concord, California. The action has pushed the price to $7,500, which remains below the reserve. Tidy examples with this combination of options typically top $45,000 in the current market, suggesting that the bidding on this project candidate should at least double before the hammer falls. That doesn’t make it the cheapest project on the planet, but it would leave plenty of room to move on the restoration before its financial viability became doubtful. Are those thoughts enough to tempt you?
Too bad the original buyer didn’t opt for the 400 with a 4 speed. That and not ordering the T tops would have made it a keeper. T tops cut the chassis stiffness and add a lot of weight and the 403 can’t hold a candle to the 400. And the slush box in this car is a really bad idea. I had a 79 with a 403 and it ate the turbo 350 trans… Twice. Once under warranty and the second time I felt it going and traded the car. The 350 really can’t take the torque of the 403 and never should have been in the car with the in the first place.
Exactly! I hate t-tops for that reason, and the fact that they leak like a sieve!
There is another out there! That is so refreshing. I, too, will not buy an F-body with T-tops. We are few, but in the know.
Highly optioned. Few working.
Another ’70s Trans Am. Either Pontiac made a gazillion of these things, or most of the folks that bought them have seen the error of their sinful ways. I honestly fail to see why these things seem to be so popular, (or is it just a matter of people wanting to get off of them?) All the sins of 1970s automobiles
are present on these, (terrible performance, an almost total lack of quality control, etc.) I will admit that they are not an unattractive car, but in my opinion, that is where the desirability comes to a hard stop.
Charles, At the time, this car was a pretty big deal. They had become one of the few attainable performance cars people could choose from in the traditional sense of the word. For this reason GM sold thousands of T/As, Z/28s and Corvettes. It was a tough landscape. Most people will choose a new car over a fixer upper and Pontiac did sell a bunch of them. Almost a 100,000 in ’79. There’s a lot of them still out there. They transport their owners to another place and time. Regardless of how good a modern car is it can’t do that.
I second what Nelson C said. Actually they drive and handled pretty well, especially for the time. The chassis was well balanced and you could replace the subframe mounts that were rubber with solid aluminum ones and that took most of the chassis flex out. The 2nd gen cars had much more suspension travel than first gen cars and rode a lot better. Even the 403 had a good bit of grunt and the 400 with a 4 speed was strong even in the late 70’s. There’s a reason that a lot of people want them. Compared to a C4 Corvette they are a bit dated and don’t put super low profile tires on as they don’t like that, they like a bit of tire flex. But they were a very good car for the time and if you want something that’s classic a good one with no rust is a great weekend car.
True Charles Jenkins these cars were terribly built. I worked on brand new 79 cars at an Olds Mazda dealer. I hate to say it, but Mazdas of that area were better built than the Olds. The Olds body fit and paint was not so great. But they were solud with far more metal than today’s junk. Firebird of this era were everywhere. Noy any more. Most rotted to the windows.
Sold with a high bid of $17,475.
Steve R