Not all Pace Cars live in bubbles. That’s today’s lesson if you’re staring at this rough 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Pace Car, which appears to have been left in the woods for the past 10 years and just recently dragged out. Its needs are many and it may likely be best used as a parts car, but the price seems fair with a $1,500 Buy-It-Now. Find this tired Trans Am here on eBay and located in the intriguingly named New Egypt, New Jersey.
To the seller’s credit, he doesn’t beat around the bush: this once-grand Pace Car is quite rusty. He states that when it comes to bodywork, the Trans Am will need “…fenders, doors, roof, quarters, trunk, and floor.” Fortunately, it looks to have decent glass and the awesome “Turbofan” style wheels, so there are likely some good pits to harvest off of this lost-to-the-forest Pace Car.
Honestly, the interior is not as bad as I was expecting. The driver’s seat is shot and I’m sure moisture intrusion is nothing short of dramatic. The automatic transmission may have some life in it, and the console and dash pieces look savable. The three-spoke steering wheel is a great look and could find a second chance at life in a different Trans Am as well. My question is always why was it parked? And why was it stored so poorly?
With 150,000 miles on the odometer, this Pace Car did not live a sheltered existence. It didn’t go directly into a bubble and sit in a climate controlled garage. The good news is it was used – extensively – and then apparently tossed aside when a mechanical fault, combined with the high miles, made it a losing proposition to fix. Is there any point to restoring this tired Pace Car or is it purely for parts at this point?
I had heard a lot of bad things about this engine, but if it went 150,000 miles, it must have been a good engine after all…makes me sad to see it in this condition…
I can’t attest to the engine longevity. Did’t keep my 1980 Turbo TA long enough to find out. But I did have the original turbo suck the seal out on the exhaust side and start burning oil like crazy at 55,000 miles in 1988. Real knuckle buster getting that replaced in my driveway.
Sorry its gotten into such poor shape…not sure what a good one brings, sure is neat with that Turbo.
Good lluck to the new owner!!
I sure would like to have a crack at this
TA…but it would take the rest of my life
To get just decent looking and running!
this is the same seller as that poor Chevelle….
No surprise there…
total waste of money, buy a daily driver fora few grand if U want a little TA
Such a terrible waste. The person who put it the woods should be ashamed. That is all that needs to be said!!!!