Yes, another “Bandit” Trans Am, this time a 1979 example. There seems to be no shortage of these but their popularity has come into its own over the last several years. Being a ’79, this is the first year of the “controversial” redesigned Endura nose piece. I say controversial because, based on comments that I have fielded here on BF, people seem to either love it or hate it whereas its predecessor (’77-’78) generally gets a more favorable review. This example seems pretty generic as second-gen Bandits go but let’s see if there’s anything special here that is really notable. Calling Gadsden, Alabama home, this Trans Am is available, here on eBay for a current no-reserve bid of $15,200 with three bids tendered so far.
Back to that comment about “controversial” styling. The buying public was having none of that back in ’79 as Pontiac hit a high-water mark with 211K Firebirds finding first-time buyers. Another record set was with the Trans Am, which made up over half the total, with 107K copies seeing the light of day. So, popular these were as well as hardly being rare. The seller states, “Has some rock chips and scratches” but the exterior, as near as I can see, presents well – certainly for a driver. Subjectively speaking, I prefer a non-Bandit version, sans the screaming chicken hood decal but I know this is a desirable configuration. As much as I like Pontiac’s Rally II wheels, the gold-hued honeycombs on this car are just perfect!
By ’79 Pontiac was getting out of the V8 engine business. Some Trans Ams built this year were powered by leftover 1978 400 CI Poncho powerplants, which I understand are the hot ticket, but this car possesses the more commonly found 185 net HP, 403 CI Oldsmobile engine. Backing it up is the lighter weight, but still sturdy Turbo-Hydramatic 350, three-speed automatic transmission, as opposed to the heavy-duty 400 that had made appearances in earlier, more powerful T/A’s. The listing claims, “runs and drivers perfect“. It’s a stock-looking engine though the underside images denote headers and removal of the restrictive transverse mounted muffler (good!) and the catalytic converter (maybe bad depending upon inspection requirements in some states). The mileage recording is 37K miles but there’s no claim to that reading so it may be a once-around number.
The black vinyl interior shows quite well and gives no evidence of tears, splits, missing components, abuse, etc. Of the pony car competition, I have always thought that the Firebird – the Trans Am, in particular, did the best job on its interior material selection and seat designs and this car is no exception. This is a T-Top edition, hopefully, a non-leaking version but there’s no evidence or reason to assume a problem. The only other thing to note is the radio, as is often the case, it’s a replacement for the original Delco unit and likely is a combined CD player.
There you have it, nuttin’ special going on here, it’s just a generic ’79 Trans Am, one of 107K produced. That said, this T/A shows as a perfectly fine example and a perfectly suitable driver-condition car. Considering the interest in these late second-gen Trans Ams, and the fact that this is a no-reserve auction, someone may end up getting a pretty good deal here, wouldn’t you concur?
ZZZzzz… All Trans Ams are Bandit cars nowadays…
Where is that confounded 455 HO I had lying about with those round port heads?
I’ve always wanted a “Bandit” Trans Am but the prices they sell for are way overpriced for a beautiful but poorly built, underpowered malaise era car.
It was looking pretty good until i saw the olds 403 under the hood,this motor unlike the pontiac is not a horsepower builder.just can’t do much performance wise with them.my 76 trans am started of with 185hp but it was a pontiac 400 and when i was done with it,she was making over 300hp.403 olds? I don’t know what they were thinkin….??
The 403 came with it and that’s what I would stick with for value of the car. Those engines can do better than 185hp, but yeah, the 400 Pontiac is better. 300HP out of a Pontiac 400 isn’t outrageous at all. I did a little better with a 400SBC that was relatively mild.
Sure i could of went further with it,but it was a daily driver and wanted to run 91 or 93 octane gas.single digit mileage
It’s an Olds engine
It’s strange the shaker decal is T/A 6.6 which would denote a pontiac 400, 6.6 LITRE would have been an OLD’s 403, however only the 400’s came with the BW Super T10 4spd, so with this being an automatic someone must have changed the shaker
Bruce, it seems that most of the 403 T/As have had their shaker decal replaced with the T/A 6.6.
I guess it must be an embarrassment to show up with the 6.6 Litre decal.
I have a Challenger RT Scat Pack 1320 now and it does a lot better on gas than my Camaro did or this car. Quicker and faster too. stops better too.
Potato / Potahto.
I have built many 403s they are excellent street engines. Performer style cam and true dual exhaust you are at 300hp (crank) same as a 400 Pontiac
I was keeping it mild and actually it was about 325 /w 385 ft lbs torque.still wouldn’t touch a 403 unless it was with a cherry picker for removal.poncho power!
In 1979 The “T/A 6.6” was the Pontiac 400 that came with the 4 speed only, the automatics got the 403 Olds and said “6.6 litre” on the scoop. I prepped these at the Pontiac dealer in 79 and flogged many. .
Your right and this car has the T/A 6.6 decals so it’s a Pontiac engine or someone has changed the hood scoop/or decals
It’s the latter, it’s definitely an Oldsmobile engine. The fifth VIN digit, K, verifies it as a 403, not to mention that it just looks like an Olds engine.
JO
I saw the same thing. I have had 8 of the 79 old 403 Trans ams. Does this have ws-6 package?
Oil filler tube is a dead giveaway that it’s an Olds engine. Hard pass…
403’s are great engines.Heads ,cam, headers,offy 360 spreadbore intake 3:73 gear w/ a posi carrier , shift kit in the 350 or 400 trans,curved to spec HEI and a dialed in qjet and you’ll have dr. Olds smiling.imo. Pontiac 400’s were awesome too but don’t underestimate a emmision era Olds engine when done right for power and reliability when spiced up a little bit.
I have built many 403s they are excellent street engines. Performer style cam and true dual exhaust you are at 300hp (crank) same as a 400 Pontiac
Exactly!!! Don’t knock it till you try it
The olds 403 was made only 2yrs and have one cylinder head option a 83cc head giving you only 8.1cr.the blocks are weak and can’t take more than 6000rpm.pontiacs have better valvetrains,heads that are available in 72cc for 10:5.1cr or 87cc for 8.1cr.and at the end of the day it costs more to build up a 403 and it can never reach pontiacs hp capability.
There are other cylinder head options though. The question is, how much can the low end take? Considering how over square it is, in a perfect world it could rev like hell. Having dealt with the 400 SBC, my concern would be Siamesed cylinders. Keeps them cool as power goes up becomes critical.
403 was available in 77-79 and stock 4A head flow is pretty good especially with porting. Cams, aftermarket aluminum heads etc cost the same and sometimes even less than the Pontiac stuff.
I though the TA 6.6 was the w72?
315ft/lbs from the olds mill. 3.23 ring and pinion gear ⚙️ std.
Pontiac apparently also offered an optional 3.08 and a 2.41 ! for the cross country drivers.
Always will love the look of these cars. So cool.
My Fiances hairdryer moves more air.
On another note, the body work and paint on this car is terrible. It’s the down side of black paint. Everything shows and this car is showing a lot of back body work and poorly aligned panels. Whoever buys this will spend big $$ to make it right.
Cool car, at 19k with 9 hours to go. I have done similar restos, getting the paint done before the chassis, interior, trunk, etc done, “will get to it one day”…. If looks could kill. Seller shows enough to know what you’re getting into, if you know what you’re getting into….
SOLD for $19,200.
My 1977 Grand Prix SJ had an Olds 403, the year GM got caught using corporate engines in all their car lines. I never had any trouble with the 403, except it ate gas like a pig. I didn’t buy a Grand Prix to go fast, just cruise with those Hurst Hatches in the trunk. Miss that car.
I think you are all missing the big picture here.
Your knowledge of power plants and power details are interesting.
However this is Not a true Bandit.
The gold stripping is not correct.
Bandit has gold stripes around fender wells, and the front air ducts intire inserts were gold also not just striped.
And it also had a stripe across rear bumper, and the back edge of spoiler.
The true Bandit did have the 6.6 pontiac 400 with 200 hp.