W72 400 4 Speed: 1979 Pontiac Trans Am

As Sammy Hagar said, ’79 will be the end of the road, if you wanted horsepower overload! This 1979 Pontiac Trans Am is for sale here on Craigslist. The car is located in Hillsboro, Oregon which is west of Portland. The seller is asking $20,000 and this car’s condition is somewhere between a driver and a project. For collectors of second-generation GM F-bodies, not all 1979 Trans Ams were created equal. While 1979 marked the undisputed peak of the Firebird line, performance purists universally target one specific configuration: the coveted W72 Pontiac 400-cubic-inch V8 paired with a four-speed manual transmission. Many thanks to Curvette for sending it to us.

You can see from the window sticker that this car was optioned with the right performance goodies. While the majority of 1979 Trans Ams left the factory with automatic transmissions and Oldsmobile powerplants, the W72 four-speed models hold a revered place in automotive history. Because Pontiac officially ended production of its legendary 400-cubic-inch engine block in 1978, engineers stockpiled approximately 10,000 units to give performance enthusiasts a proper farewell in 1979. When ordering the W72 performance package in 1979, a buyer was also required to order the WS6 handling package. The WS6 Special Performance Package upgraded the chassis with four-wheel disc brakes, a stiffer sway bar, a tighter power steering ratio and 15 inch aluminum “Snowflake” wheels.

This car is painted in Code 19 Starlight black with a black vinyl deluxe interior. The deluxe interior came with upgraded seats and door panels. The seller states that this car is originally from southern Oregon and comes with lots of receipts. The original build sheet turned black with age but the seller does have the reproduction window stick and PHS docs to prove it is authentic.  It has new tires and new body bushings. The engine, rear end and transmission have been rebuilt.

The engine compartment looks pretty clean with much of the factory components. While a buyer could opt for the L37 301 cubic inch V8 (150 hp) or the L80 Olds 403 cubic inch V8 (185 hp), the W72 400 cubic inch V8 came with chrome valve covers and dual-muffler exhaust.  It delivered 220 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque. It was mated strictly to a four-speed manual, with only 8,326 units produced. This car is not perfect but it is a good start and driveable.