Is the beat-up nature of this 1978 Trans Am a one-off, with someone just trying to sell a car he isn’t going to get around to restoring? Or is it an indication that we’re going deeper into the barns to surface examples of this model because the available supply of easily restored units is starting to slip? Whatever the case, if you want a TA project, this one, shown here on ebay, might be your next car. It’s sitting in Ravenna, Ohio, with a current bid at $4300 and the reserve not met.
The good news is that it’s a Y82 car, a “Smokey and the Bandit model” as it’s popularly called, officially a “Special Edition Trans Am,” as noted on the Pontiac documentation that goes with the car. Equipping the car this way from the factory cost about $1260 of the nearly $7,000 list price when it was new. The package, made famous by the movie but actually produced before the film and after it as detailed by the article here, was mostly about the gold accents on the car, the gold wheels, and the gold “screaming chicken” hood decal. Much of this is in perished condition on this car, which needs complete cosmetic restoration. The 1978 Y82 also had standard T-tops. Under 3650 of these cars were produced for this model year, so no matter what, you’ve got a rarity, and a popular one at that, in view here.
The seller notes that the car does run and drive, moving up your hopes, but then says that it is not numbers-matching. That can mean a few things, but let’s assume that he’s saying the engine is not the born-with mill. It’s still apparently an era-correct 400-CID block, and thus provides a foundation for your build. The engine and transmission are claimed to be rebuilt, so you can concentrate on body, paint, and interior as you spend your money. Despite being a Pennsylvania-delivered car (though the seller claims it to be southern), it is apparently not rusty, as a picture or two of the floor indicate.
So your job on this one is to add up the costs of a fix-up and then figure out where to push the price. Do you go crazy, or be conservative? It appears that the interior is pretty good save the dash pad, so you might be within budget there, but the body needs stripping down. Hopefully you don’t find past sins like rust or crash damage when you make that happen. If you do, then maybe you, like the current owner, will suddenly discover that you’re too busy to make a resto happen. Better hope at that point to find another dreamer to take on the job.
Doesn’t look like too bad of a job to make a fine looking TA. I own, run and work in a small body shop and from the mid 80’s to the mid 90’s my brother and I repainted 11 of these SE Trans Am’s. Screaming chickens and all of that gold double pin striping. I still have the crazy home made 1/2 inch wrench that we used to remove the flares ahead of the front wheels. A few had T-tops but not one had a manual. This isn’t far from me however I’ve done enough of them so have at it people.
If you mean it had maybe a olds 403 instead?You’re way better off with the pontiac 400.i would of gotten rid of that motor too,the 403 is a poor horsepower per dollar builder.
Paid $4,400 for my silver 77 400 cu. in. T/A 6.6 in 1980. This one may look a little rough but these things always looked bad if not top notch. It’s worth restoring considering what it is.