Got your mullet on? This 1978 Pontiac Trans Am WS6/W72 is a prime example of my junior high school dream car–or at least the one of my mullet-wearing friends! And this one looks pretty darn nice, although it’s not perfect. It’s being sold here on eBay, where bidding has been hot and heavy so far and has driven the price up to $7,855 as I write this. What a nice car!
You can’t get more period than this! T-tops, WS6 suspension and W72 400 cubic inch V8 plus probably the most extroverted graphics ever fitted to a production automobile. Ok, perhaps that last claim could be argued with, but there’s only one kind of car with a “screaming chicken” on the hood! The seller tells us that the driver’s side quarter panel has been repaired, and the paint is a couple shades off. I do appreciate what seems to be an honest seller.
There are a few spots of concern, though. This is on the dash, and you can bet there’s some leakage that caused this in the first place. This could be a tricky repair, but if you deal with it before it gets worse it might not be too bad. It’s not something I want to take on, though. However, you have to give the seller credit for being as clear with the pictures as they have been.
Thankfully, the underside of the car doesn’t look bad. A little bit of surface rust, but nothing to really worry too much about. There is also some rust beneath the rear bumper that the seller includes in a picture.
The interior is gorgeous, although I don’t think the Hurst shifter is stock. But I’ve seen so many in cars of this vintage, it can definitely be called a period accessory. The velour seats look nice, and the new carpet (no, that’s not the original stuff) looks very nice. It’s certainly nice for some folks that it’s a manual transmission, although I know most are automatics (and I can’t remember riding in one in high school that was a manual).
The engine was actually rebuilt less than 2,000 miles ago, and while the Edelbrock carburetor isn’t original, I really don’t have a problem with it as I’ve had nothing but good experiences with them. The seller does tell us that there’s some bearing noise in the original four speed transmission, but honestly that should be a pretty straight forward repair. I like this car a lot, but the rust in the dash has me a little scared. Do any of you have experience repairing Camaro/Firebird rust in that area? Let me know in the comments what you think of this car–and do any of you still wear a mullet?
Via Wiki it looks like 7,796 Gold Special Edition’s with the 400 built.
Never, ever have seen a TA without a console. Pretty cool.
Had a 77 T/A w/ W72 and 4sp. Pretty quickly got tired of the odd shaped barrel shift knob and the proximity of console storage bin to shifter. So, I removed the console and replaced the Pontiac barrel shift knob with a white Hurst ball knob. Fell easily to hand and no more interference with the console storage bin when whippin’ thru the gears. Note that this car, like mine did, has manual windows, an enabler to removing the console, as the power window control switches were located on the console.
I specifically ordered my car w/o power windows – thought it was silly to have that feature on a 2dr. As I recall from seeing these new, most had power windows. Miss that car.
I do agree with Tom, the last 3 TA’s I saw with a manual transmission had a console and 2 others that were Formulas also had consoles, and the front suspension has the no engine look. BTW no A/C?
The build sheet shows the car came with both AC and center console.
What are the yellow plugs for on the bottom of both door jambs?
Steve R
Ziebart served this one well. these cars were typically total rust buckets.
This could be a nice driver with maybe a day of work on details. I’m just not sure I want to relive high school.
Rusty dashboard is very common on these second generation F-bodies. First place that I look when I go to look at one for sale. Have to take the windshield out to properly repair it. BTW I also noticed the lack of a console and found it odd.
Wow.. this one brings back memories. My brother went to the dealership and ordered a 1978 TA. Being 18 and limited on funds, he did not opt for the Gold Special Edition (as is the case with this one) but did opt for the gold color. Paint was mis-matched at the factory. The thick chrome on the T-tops shows they were the tops made by Hurst, which were prone to leaking, and lead to the rust at the dash. My guess is somebody pulled out the center console to fit the aftermarket shifter. Center console was standard for both stick and auto.
I had a 79 same solar gold I think that was the name of the paint ,mine had the olds 403 ,looked a lot faster then it was still fun 😎
Talk about the apex of Seventies ‘greaserdom’!……Somewhere Vinnie in Jersey is shaking the coffee cans filled with pennies and trying to fit into his doubleknits!
But the shifter makes it a possibility.
I am?
Yup, had a little rust on the dash.
A friend and coworker bought one of these new in 78, same color. I wasn’t fond of the color or the terrible ride quality but it was a fun car. It would beat you to death on a poorly maintained road.
Some of these did come with a factory Hurst shifter. My ’79 did. So I’d say the shifter could be stock. The handle on the shifter is definitely not stock. Even with a factory Hurst, the grip was still a Pontiac part with the logo and the shift pattern shown on it. The velour seats don’t look good to me they are worn flat and dingy. I’d replace the upholstery if it was mine. As others have pointed out, the console was stock, if it’s missing then someone removed it.
Removed to replace carpets.
Interesting vehicle, as it is an original Solar Gold car, but not a Y88 SE, which shouldn’t have happened. It also has the SE bird, as well as other decal clues, but is minus the pinstripes, gold grills, gold emblems gold steering wheel and dash, and color matched column and steering wheel pad. It originally had a console, hard today when that was removed. The hurst shifter is original to the car, but the shift knob is not. So, yeah, it’s an odd bird, but a cool one.
Solar gold was an optional color available to anyone who checked the box, back in the day when you ordered your car, instead of buying what they have on the lot
Most of the time the steering wheel and colum are the same color ,mine was
Nice start for a project car. If you don’t want to do it .let me no. I’ll take it. I would love to do a 78 bird.
A guy I know bought one new, the same color. I do not think the car has ever seen rain. The last I remember it had a little over 12,000 mi. on it. He has a couple of other ones he got new to.
Owner does say console is missing and he has the a/c compressor. I’ve seen a few where the owners removed the console like this one. Would like having one but since can’t afford this one I sent $20 for tickets on a Bandit styled one a contest is giving away! LOL
Up to $10,200 so far.
I love Poncho’s all of them
Beautiful.
Grab your guidos and your stellas and head to Detroit Rock City while jamming to David Naughton’s Makin’ It.