When you look at the corporate culture of General Motors as a whole in the early eighties, it was a miracle that the Camaro/Firebird/Trans Am and the C4 Corvette even existed.  The emphasis was on fuel efficiency and profits.  Still, there must have been enough performance enthusiasts at the company to pull off such radical redesigns under the noses of the bean counters.  While they had their faults, cars like this 1985 Pontiac Trans Am for sale on Craigslist in Clarence, New York will eventually be recognized by automotive historians as the milestones that they are.  This example, which is fully loaded and equipped with the WS6 suspension option, has been extensively refurbished and is a running and driving example with a few more hurdles on its way to perfection.  Is the price of $12,500 reflective of the early third-generation Trans Am market right now, or is the seller in need of a market adjustment of the price to find a buyer?  Thanks to Mitchell G. for the awesome tip!

When the third generation Pontiac Firebird/Chevrolet Camaro F-bodies came out, the new cars were radically different than their predecessors both in styling and mechanicals.  Brand new features such as hidden headlights on the Pontiac versions, fuel injection, four speed automatic transmissions, five speed manual transmissions, and a much more aerodynamic body with a hatchback in the rear added up to a tremendous amount of change in one year for any car.  The cars were a sales hit, and this body lasted for ten model years.

1985 marked the first update to the styling of these cars.  Despite a blunter nose, more horsepower, and several other minor refinements, sales remained flat at around 100,000 cars.  Performance-wise, the cars were much improved.  In a Motor Trend magazine road test in October 1984, the updated Trans Am for the next year did 0-60 MPH in 7.7 seconds, and the quarter mile in 16.1 seconds at 84.5 MPH.  While the lowliest economy car can probably best those numbers today, that was quite fast for the time.  It is hard to describe just how low performance sunk in the seventies, and how slow the climb was out of the malaise-fed mire.

The 1985 Pontiac Trans Am you see here is described by the seller as an excellent driver-quality car.  It was ordered with every available option, from the taut WS6 suspension to the T-tops cut into the roof.  In the ad, the seller catalogs the immense amount of replacement and refurbishment that has been performed on this Trans Am.

According to the seller, the interior was treated to new panels and upholstery.  It also received a new dash panel, carpet, and door seals.  All of the glass from the windshield to the hatch was replaced with used glass in better condition due to the old glass being scratched and foggy.

Outside, the rims were sanded to presumably remove oxidation then painted over with a clear coat and buffed.  New tires were then installed.  The taillight lenses were also replaced with used units in better condition.  From there, the car was completely buffed and waxed.  The seller makes it clear in the ad that it is a 1985 car and there are minor paint problems.

It is under the hood that most of the refurbishment of this Trans Am took place.  The original 305 cubic inch V-8 is still in place and wears the factory-tuned port fuel injection system.  These engines were rated at 205 horsepower in 1985.  The only downside is that this V-8 was only available with the four-speed automatic transmission.  This original engine has been treated to new exhaust from the Y pipe back, top side engine gaskets, exhaust manifold gaskets, timing chain, various O-rings, a fuel pressure regulator, and all of the engine sensors. are new as well.  Also, the transmission has been rebuilt, and the air conditioning compressor, radiator, and the heater core have been replaced.

Underneath, the replaced parts list includes the drag link, the tie rod ends, the idler arm, the rear brake calipers, the brake lines, the rear differential pinion seal, u-joints, and the front wheel bearings and seals.

The car is said to run, drive, and handle great.  The only remaining issues are that the air conditioning system needs to be recharged and the electronic side view mirror control is not working at this time.  Other than that, you have an early third-generation Trans Am that someone has done the sorting out for you.  While some may balk at the price, it is likely that much more than that has been spent in the search for perfection in this car.  This is likely a fair price when you factor in the work it would take to get any other example to this point.