Pontiac produced more Trans Ams in 1979 than any other year. One of my favorite colors was a 1979 only color of Nocturne Blue. This is example is located south of Portland, Oregon in McMinnville. It is listed for sale here on Craigslist for $25,000. This car was listed a week ago and represents a high-level driver that sits firmly in the “Survivor” category. While the ’79 model year saw record-breaking sales of over 117,000 units, finding one today with its original sheet metal and factory-born drivetrain is the real challenge for collectors.
The first thing you notice is the Code 29 Nocturne Blue exterior finish. It’s a sophisticated and, when polished, it has stunning depth and a metallic blue green color. The seller is honest about the patina; the paint is thinning on the roof and the hood’s “shaker” scoop, likely from decades in the sun and polishing. However, the body is remarkably dry and straight and the car is said to have been stored indoors for most of its life. It sits correctly on the hallmark of the WS6 Performance Package: the 15×8-inch “Snowflake” wheels. Unlike the standard 7-inch versions, these wider rollers give the car that aggressive, planted stance that defined the Trans Am’s final years of dominance.
Inside, the car is a time capsule of 1979 luxury-sport styling. It features the light blue Custom velour interior, with some fading. Pontiac referred to this cloth interior as hobnail. The dash appears to be uncracked—a rarity for these cars—and the engine-turned aluminum dash bezel still carries its distinctive swirl. Sitting in these high-back buckets, you’re surrounded by the “Cockpit” feel that Pontiac marketed so heavily. Everything from the factory AM/FM stereo to the deluxe trim panels remains intact, avoiding the common fate of being hacked up for modern speakers.
This Bird is powered by the L80 Oldsmobile 403 cubic inch V8 rated at 185 horsepower in stock form. While the purists often hunt for the W72 400 cubic inch V8, the Oldsmobile-sourced 403 cubic inch V8 was adequate for buyers wanting torque and reliability with an automatic transmission. It’s a numbers-matching unit here, appearing largely stock and unmolested. The engine bay shows its age but isn’t greasy or neglected. It’s paired with the Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 automatic transmission, a combination known for smooth cruising, though the real magic happens at the corners thanks to the WS6 suspension tuning and the factory-equipped four-wheel power disc brakes.
I know more about Camaros than I do Firebirds from this era but wouldn’t a T/A with gold stripes and wheels have tan interior? On Z28s, your interior dictated your stripe color, and every Nocturne Blue Trans Am with blue interior that I’ve ever seen has always had blue decals.