As prices for cars built in the 1970’s have accelerated, there are just a few cars that have gone to the moon. One is the black and gold 1977-1978 Pontiac Trans Am optioned with the Special Edition package. A perfectly restored 1977 example just sold at Mecum for $150k including the buyer’s premium. This example is an unrestored 1978 car that is said to be owned by the original owner. It is listed here on eBay for a Buy It Now Price of $27,000 but there is an option to bid on it and that price is currently sitting at $10,600. There are three days remaining in the auction. The car is sitting in Belk, Alabama. The Y82 Trans Am was a Special Edition option painted black with gold stripes and built in the Norwood, Ohio plant. The Y84 Special Edition was identical but built in the Van Nuys, California plant. Pontiac also produced the Y88 Special Edition Trans Am in 1978 which was gold with black stripes.
The car is said to be unrestored and looks that way. It is 90% original according to the seller and equipped with the W72 engine option. In 1977 and 1978, the Trans Am was built with three engines. The L78 400 engine was the base engine and produced 180 horsepower. California buyers got the Oldsmobile 403 cubic inch V8 which was only available with an automatic transmission. The W72 400 cubic inch V8 engine option was introduced in 1977 to replace the L75 455 cubic inch V8 that was ended in 1976. The engine was rated at 220 horsepower in 1978 and was adorned with chrome valve covers. All 4 speed cars Trans Ams in 1978 were built with the W72 engine option.
The interior of the car is pretty much untouched. The car is optioned with the deluxe interior, tilt steering, air conditioning, power windows and rear defrost. The dash has a wave in it and part of it is broken by the radio. The Lombardy cloth seats are usable but need to be recovered with new foam and the console will need replacement as well. The body will need work as will the floor pans. This car is equipped with Hurst T-Tops which were known to leak and are probably the cause of the rusty floor pans. There are other rust spots in the trunk and the seller suggests a full frame off restoration.
The car rides on factory 15×7 snowflake wheels. It is interesting that the Trans Am had T-tops as an option since 1976 and the Camaro did not get them until 1978. There were 93,341 Trans Ams built in 1978 out of 187,287 total Firebirds. Only 3,345 of these Trans Ams were built with the special edition package and Hurst T-Tops. To identify a 1978 Trans Am from the prior year, the primary difference was the grill. It changed from a honeycomb design in 1977 to a cross hatch design in 1978. While this Special Edition Trans Am is a running example, it will need some work to make it nice.
It’s a cool car but not 27k cool especially being an automatic. imo.She looks pretty solid except for floors and the trunk drop downs.Need better pics of the trunk. Bet it needs door hinges especially the drivers side.Still has that awful pancake CC too. 10k car tops imo.Needs a LOT of work , time and $. glwts.
You noticed the pancake cc also lol
In addition to new hinges,this car probably needs sub frame connectors.That was the achilles heel with these cars.A big block making lots of low end torque in a unibody construction.these cars develop stress cracks in the roof corners and body sag like a banana in the middle and eventually ill fitting doors,i know from first hand experience with my 76′ and 78′ Trans Ams i owned.
For my own education, what is a “pancake CC”? A type of coil?
Catalytic converter
6 figures after investing $80,000 at one of these rapist shops at today’s prices? NOT! 94,000 auto with rust repairs. Be upside down easily in this car. Been watching too many high end auctions on television. Maybe $80,000 maybe!
Thanks for the info., Bruce. Interesting to know that Pontiac made all these different Y8X models.
Are any of them more valuable than the others?
Thanks for reading Barn Finds and my write-ups. The Y8X designation varied by year.
It was introduced in 1977 and the Y81 was the Special Edition (SE) without T-Tops and the Y82 came with T-Tops. Over 15,000 SE’s were built.
In 1978, all SEs had T-Tops and were designated Y82 or Y84 and painted black with gold stripes. The Y82 had Hurst Hatch T-Tops and the Y84 had Fisher T-Tops. Pontiac also produced the Y88 SE Trans Am in 1978 which was gold with black stripes. This was the only year for the Y88. About 3,600 black SEs were built and over 8,000 Y88s were built.
In 1979, the only SE Y8X was the Y84 which covered all black and gold SEs. Out of 9,874 SEs, only 1,107 were built with the W72 400 4 speed.
For 1980 & 1981, the Y84 designation continued for the SE and, as in 1979, the car could be ordered with or without T-Tops.
Bruce, thanks for explanation.
My buddy’s brother must have had a ’77 SE because it was black and gold with no T-Tops. I remember it had the ’77 – ’78 nose treatment.
That was one really nice car.
PRA4SNW: Here is my 1981 Y84 Turbo Trans Am
Very nice!
Now I know why you love these so much!
Where trans am firebirds and Pontiac missed the boat. The 70 & 71 trans am should have been a sister to the Z/28. LT1’s M22’s 12bolts.
Googled 71 TA vs 71 Z28 and found a drag race. Z28 was an L78 396 rated at 375 HP. All 71 TAs were 455HO rated at 335 HP. Trans am ran a 13.11 to the Z28 13.16. Ratings are just ratings.
Drivers racers for sure Nick. 🏁
i would like to see a better picture of the tag or window sticker. Y82 had gold headlight inserts, gold machine turned c=dash and gold sterring wheel center cap. All which is missing.
I agree – It has a mixture of Y82 and standard Trans Am parts. The dash trim, the grille surrounds, and the wheels should all be gold toned. Pontiac Historical Services is still in operation, so there would be no trouble getting a copy of this car’s original invoice, which would settle the matter.
If you don’t have smog inspection in your state you can install a set of headers with 2 1/2″ exhaust and go get a few hundred for the converter$$$.