This 1980 Pontiac Trans Am is a turbocharged model dubbed a barn find by the seller. It seems to be in awfully nice condition for a barn find, so perhaps the barn was weather-tight and the Pontiac remained under a cover while it was off the road. Regardless of the circumstances, it appears to be an unmodified example of one of the more misunderstood cars of Pontiac’s maliase-era lineup. Find it here on craigslist with an asking price of $12,500 or best offer, and located in St. Louis.
The turbocharged 301 was largely lamented by muscle car enthusiasts, not only for its unconventional power delivery compared to a thumping, naturally-aspirated mill, but also because it wasn’t entirely reliable. Despite this, it delivered respectable power, especially in the torque department: 345 lb.-ft. seems like more than enough to get the Trans Am out of its own way, but I have to say – having never driven one – the YouTube videos documenting this model’s “acceleration” are enough to make you cry. These are not fast machines.
I wonder, then, how Trans Am enthusiasts view finds like this, even after they stop wringing their hands over what might have been. The cosmetics alone barely set these cars apart from naturally aspirate models, so you weren’t buying one just for the cosmetic enhancements. The interiors remained similar to other models as well, with the same cloth bucket seats and dash panel with multiple gauges. This one does seem to back up its claims of long-term storage, as the interior seemingly remains in fine condition. Door panels and sills look quite sound.
Such a massive engine with such modest performance – these were not the years you want to remember as a performance car enthusiast. Still, turbocharging would continue to improve to the point that it yielded some of the era’s most sought-after performance cars, like the GNX and the Pontiac Turbo Trans Am pace cars. Could the 301 be consider a pioneer in that regard? I’m not entirely sure, nor am I certain it would make owning one of these any more enticing – but if you own every other kind of Trans Am, a turbo model still belongs in your stable.
it’s a Formula instead of a T/A but really that just means no fender vents and plain front valance.
same lame 3.08 rear gear ratio, 3-speed auto and single-digit boost adder.
can’t tell if it’s got WS6 or not, likely no as memory is “4-wheel disc brakes” call-outs on the door handles.
still pretty cool car overall but not much fun when you punch the pedal
1st I’ve ever seen a Turbo Formula. Rare bird indeed.
A Couple of 301T’s Have run 12’s in NHRA Stock – They can perform – Also The 1978 SCCA Silverbird T/A used the Light but Heavy duty version 301 Block stroked to 366 ci. RA IV Heads made 600 hp > Beat all the Porsches @ Laguna seca in California 1978 :)
I had one back in the 80’s. It was no speed monster, but for regular daily driving is was acceptable. I often wondered, since all Pontiac V8 blocks from that era are the some size , that a larger displacement could be swapped in place of the crap 301, and maybe do a tweak to the turbo to match the upgrade…. A turbocharged 400 might prove interesting..
My mind went to the same place yours did, but in my head I went straight to “455”. Could be fun!
You guys are crazy! This turbo on a 455 would choke the engine before granading right into it. Back in the day people tried to move this stock turbo setup on a 350 and it only made 3psi of boost (301 maxed out at 7-8psi).
AND PLEASE STOP CALLING THIS 301 ENGINE CRAP!
301s for the turbo aplications were a different engine with many engine block reinforcements, forged internals, rolled fillet crankshaft with 2 instead of 5 counterbalances, a fully baffled oil pan, and a high pressure fuel pump, high pressure oil pump. Custom intake and exhaust manifolds yadayada you get my drift.
There are plenty of cheap turbos on EBay, I don’t think that anyone would bolt this stock one on a 400 or 455. I had a 403 Olds in my F-body. It is constantly criticized for being crap, but I drove a turbo 301 and it was much, much slower. Mine was even running 3:08 gears and I could easily walk away from the turbo.
the 301 was actually a low deck version of the Pontiac block!
Clean looking body but I’d have to take out the turbo motor and do an LS swap!!
These were very slow. Zero to 60 took about nine seconds and 1/4 mile in about 17 seconds. The car should have been at least a second faster by each measure with the advertised horsepower.
It’s a wonder GM didn’t get sued over that. The crew of Smokey and the Bandit II famously had to inject nitrous into the carburetor in order to get it to even spin the tires. And of course the 301 was kind of rubbish to begin with, so I believe there were a lot of reliability problems with these as well.
Nice car but from a very bad time in GM history, which included the X-car, Olds 350 diesel, and the Cadillac V8-6-4. Ugh.
Of all the firebirds that came with blue interior, you’d think this would be one. That tan does not go with it.
This car isn’t a Barn Find. It was on Marketplace in Illinois for a $8,000, the car is being flipped for a hefty profit Good luck getting $12,500 when it took the previous owner a while to get $8,000!!! While on Marketplace, I was interested until I saw the tan interior and how worn the cloth seats are.
As mentioned, this is a Pontiac Formula not a Trans Am which makes it pretty rare. There is a company in Wisconsin, TTA Performance, that makes aftermarket parts for these turbo cars that make them very respectable performance cars.
Pretty sure the 301 does not share the architecture of the 350/400/455, so no ez swap unfortunately.
Odd you HAD to get a/c with the turbo – a mandatory heavy duty radiator would have worked with turbo & no a/c.
I guess this is the very 1st application of a compact GM A/C compressor, since the big turbo pipes would be in the way of the HUGE traditional GM compressor over the Pontiac passenger valve cover.
I bought a new 79 Grand Prix , I was 18, it had a 301 in it, was no ball if fire, but the car moved ok for a Luxury car, had every option, unfortunately it got hit summer of 80, and I got rid of it, I sat in a Trans Am in the dealer and was looking at the turbo hood lights on the 80, TA, and knew I was a few years too late cause it was gonna be a dog, and I love Pontiacs, I still own a 73 455 Grand Prix SJ, and there was no way I was buying a Olds or Chevy powered one, so I bought a 80 Grand Prix w Buick’s horrendous V6 in it, which was no legend, as told by so many misinformed people born after myself and consider that junk motor the Holy Grail, people want to know what happened to GM, why all the foreign cars, that piece of crap pinged and knocked burnt gas, spewed roar fuel, so I got rid of it for a new Riviera, which had the Olds 307 in it, more junk, haven’t bought a new GM car since
Yeah, that 231 pretty well sucked back then, but they made massive improvements with it over the years & when they put it in the front wheel drive cars (with fuel injection) they were great engines. That Olds 307 was not much better, basically a boat anchor itself.
I never drove a Grand National, but I hear they were pretty fun.
A 1973 SJ Grand Prix with a 455 is without a doubt a lot more fun than the newer junk. Nice car, I would love to see a picture. Too bad you aren’t a member.
This is a very rare WS6 Formula if those turbo wheels are factory. Looks like it was optioned for max performance as defined by 1980 since crank windows and no t-top. I had a 79 400 4-speed WS6 Trans Am, my friend Len got an 80 Turbo TA to replace his Omega SX. The turbo felt good when new and around town but lacked at higher speeds and his had constant drive ability problems with stalling, hesitation, etc. too bad GM didn’t have a port FI solution ready for this motor, that would have made a huge difference. That WS6 chassis is a sweetheart however, yank the 301 and replace it with a built up 400 to really exploit the handling ability.
There are a couple of 301T’s running 12’s in NHRA Stock – one Won Vegas in NHRA Stock – limited mods per rules – they can perform :)
$3500, I’m taking it apart anyway, LS SWAP. Price goes down from here.
Sacrilegious to put a Chevy in a Poncho, when you see St Peter at the gates, he’s gonna bring that swap up