As Federal emissions controls continued to choke power out of V8 engines, Pontiac dropped its biggest displacement motors in 1980. So, the standard fare in the next-to-last year of the second-generation Trans Ams was a 301 cubic inch V8. But there was a bit of light at the end of the tunnel as a turbocharger could be ordered. The seller’s Solar Gold edition appears to be a turbo survivor with 47,000 miles, but it needs a bit of mechanical tinkering for continued use.
Trans Am sales were “down” to 51,000 copies in 1980 as the “Smokey and the Bandit” effect from 1977 had finally worn off. Peak Trans Am sales were in 1979 at 117,000 copies as the Burt Reynolds hit Good Ole Boy movie proved to be a huge boost for the Pontiac Trans Am (which debuted in 1969 as a limited-edition model). Besides big engines, the 4-speed manual transmission was gone, too, with the TH-350 automatic being the only choice. A Trans Am paced the field at the 1980 Indianapolis 500 and 5,700 tribute examples were produced, but the seller makes no mention if this car has any connection to that.
We’re told this Trans Am runs but needs some work to be road-ready, but the seller doesn’t elaborate on what that will entail. The body and paint look good with a nick here and scratch there. The matching interior seems to need nothing but someone behind the wheel. The seller inherited this car and needs it to disappear, so perhaps he/she will be willing to “talk turkey.”
This Pontiac spent a lot of time in the garage, which would explain the lower mileage. But if it has had only one owner, that is not discussed. The auto has those cool Honeycomb wheels and removable T-Tops with protective covers when stored away. If you want to take this classic off the seller’s hands, it can be found in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and is available here on craigslist for $12,000, no trades. Hats off to Barn Finder T.J. for keeping us busy with tips!
My best friend in high school had a gold ’80 Turbo TA that wasn’t as highly optioned as this one (didn’t have the 4 wheel discs, T-tops or fancy wheels, etc.). Lord, I spent a lot of time in that car in high school and early college.
I remember when they got the car (I was in the 5th grade) and we went for a ride and his Mom told his dad, “Rog, kick in the turbo” and he’d floor it for us!
In later years, I made a fatal error of telling him where the temperature gauge should be (roughly) and he then proceeded to drive around most of the time with the heater on, trying to cool the engine because he thought it was running too hot. Imagine driving from Phoenix to Tucson in the summer with the windows down and the heater on!
The heater situation reminds me of the line from the Gumball Rally movie, “Either the car gets hot or we get hot!”
“What’s behind me, doesn’t count.”
You know, I’m a car guy and have removed a catalytic converter from a ‘70s car or two…But that doesn’t mean I don’t understand the value in having standards to improve living conditions for all of us. The auto industry learned to make 600 HP cars that are cleaner than a 1970s Honda CVCC specifically because of such standards…Just sayin