This 1979 Pontiac Trans Am is said to be one of 11,554 Special Edition Trans Am built in 1979. Pontiac produced over 117,000 Trans Ams in the 1979 model year. This example would classify as fair to poor condition. The positives is that it is in running condition and looks to have new wheels and tires. However, the car has dents, missing spoilers and the paint is faded. The Trans Am is located in Santa Ana, California so hopefully rust is not too much of a problem. It is listed here on Facebook Marketplace for a reasonable asking price of $14,400. The ad has been up for a week.
The seller describes the car as unrestored and comes with a clean California title. In 1979, the only engine option for the Trans Am in California (due to emissions) was the L80 Oldsmobile 403 cubic inch V8 engine which was rated at 185 horsepower and 315 lb ft of torque. It was only available with the Turbo 350 automatic transmission and was considered the base or standard equipment for the 1979 Trans Am. In the other 49 states, there were two other engines that could be ordered including the L37 Pontiac 301 cubic inch V8 engine and the W72 Pontiac 400 cubic inch V8 engine. The L37 301 cubic inch V8 engine that was rated at 150 horsepower in 1979 and equipped with a 4 barrel carburetor. The rarest engine in a 1979 Trans Am was the W72 Pontiac 400 cubic inch V8 engine which was rated at 220 horsepower. The W72 engine came only with a 4-speed transmission.
The interior pictures shows that this car was loaded from the factory with power windows, T-Tops and the deluxe hobnail cloth interior. The deluxe interior came with upgraded seats and door panels. As can be seen, the interior is as worn as the exterior. The seats and carpet are worn through and the soft rubber gaskets have seen better days. If this car was actually optioned with the Y84 Special Edition package, it would have black with gold decals/pinstriping as well as a gold bezel on the dash, steering wheel and shifter plate. The steering wheel appears to have the gold spokes.
The car is riding on 15×8 factory aluminum snowflake wheels and aftermarket Cooper Cobra tires, all of which look new. The major body work looks to be the rear quarter on the passenger side and the front driver fender. Someone has added spoilers behind the wheels which was not factory. Maybe the passenger rear quarter spoiler added behind the wheel can be used on the front driver quarter since it is missing. All in all, this would be a fun car to restore and enjoy.
Lotta second-gen Firebirds on here recently. Not that I’m complaining
It’s kind of like Barn Finds’ version of Shark Week…
Chicken week?
Just a joke, I love the old ‘Birds!
Breaks my heart to a Trans Am in this condition, what a shame. Yet another abused bird with an unrealistic price.
A veritable plethora of Trans Ams on BF today, (more than usual) This one that may or may not have the L-80 Olds motor and is too much money, particularly if that indeed is the engine in it. Then the silver 10th Anniversary which may or may not have been a scam as the listing has been pulled. Then the white 5 speed. This one is the best one by far, but is also unreasonably priced. You seem to see more of these mid to late seventies Trans Ams for sale than just about any other car. I can’t be sure, but I wonder if it isn’t partly due to the fact that they appear to be much more of a “performance car” than they really are. Maybe watched “Smokey and the Bandit” too many times?
6.6 Liter with a slush box spells 403… That’s the only thing it can be. Not particularly desirable with a boat motor, a slush box and T tops. Way over priced and a lot more work to make it right than it would ever be worth.