The seller describes this 1980 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am as a complete, numbers-matching car finished in its original gold paint, with only minor rust and no accident history. It rides on the desirable WS6 performance package, identifiable by its 15-inch snowflake wheels, which the seller says show no curb rash. The car also has its factory Fisher T-tops, intact spoilers and air dam, straight doors and trunk lid, good plastic bumpers, and factory smoked tail lights. Power windows, power locks, tilt steering, and cruise control round out the equipment list, along with the WS6’s quick-ratio steering box. It comes with a clean title, and the seller isn’t interested in trades. The Trans Am is located in Streator, Illinois, about an hour west of Joliet, carrying an asking price of $12,000. The seller listed the car here on Craigslist on September 1, and nearly two weeks later it is still looking for a new home.
There are only four pictures in the listing and so instead of a picture of the interior or engine compartment, the seller shows a picture of the trunk. At least it looks like it has the original spare tire. The seller’s ad title calls this car a “Bandit,” but the photos show a solid gold car, not the black-over-gold Special Edition that earned that nickname from the “Smokey and the Bandit” films. Pontiac built just 6,178 of those genuine Black Special Edition Trans Ams for 1980, a small fraction of the model’s total run. This car is a standard-trim Trans Am, still desirable, just not the specific edition its ad implies. As mentioned, the car is riding on 15×8 factory aluminum wheels which indicate the car was optioned with the WS6 suspension although these wheels could have been added and you can buy aftermarket examples. The car is riding on aftermarket BF Goodrich Radial TAs.
Pontiac built 107,340 Firebirds for 1980, including 50,896 Trans Ams. Buyers outside California chose between a 301-cubic-inch V8 rated at 155 horsepower, or a new turbocharged 301 producing 210 horsepower, the era’s headline performance option. California and high-altitude cars instead received a 305-cubic-inch Chevrolet-sourced V8 rated at 150 horsepower. Every 1980 Firebird, regardless of engine, came with an automatic transmission, since manuals could no longer meet that year’s emissions rules. The turbocharged V8, designated as LU8, was exclusively available in the 1980-1981 Firebird Trans Am and Formula models. The Turbo 301 cubic inch (4.9 liter) engine produced 210 horsepower in 1980 and was rated at 200 horsepower in 1981. The LU8 featured a Garrett TB305 turbocharger and a Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor.
Solar Gold was Pontiac’s factory gold shade for 1980, and it matches the color in these photos far better than the “green” listed in the ad. Buyers that year could also order interiors in Oyster, black, blue, camel tan, or carmine, in cloth or vinyl. The tan tones visible in this car’s cabin and trunk are consistent with the factory Camel Tan interior. Mislabeled paint and inflated nicknames aside, a rust-light, numbers-matching WS6 Trans Am with T-tops and a clean title still has real appeal for Pontiac buyers.
Based on the two pictures that show the car in profile, his definition of “minor rust” is optimistic for everyone but a seller. For the price being asked the ad needs more and better pictures as well as description.
Steve R
Unless they’re somewhere else, I don’t see the front wheel flares or the air dam that goes in between them under the front bumper. The post claims they’re intact.
I think the 12k asking price is spot on for a turbo T/A but in this condition it’s a bit of a stretch , I am seeing rust in almost every panel ( in the pics provided ) a large dent in the passenger door , and who knows what else it is hiding ! The rusted out shell and beautiful black T/A in the background kinda tells why this one is for sale.