I own a 1977 Trans Am. My son and I restored it 6 years ago. Paid only $2K for it. Yes - The origional owner gave it away. There were brand new Edelbrock heads, manifold and carb in boxes in the trunk. We changes out the rear gears to 3:63 and installed a new tremec 6-speed manual transmission. This thing FLIES...People comment at every red light. Stopping for gas becones a car show. We average 12 MPG but who cares. We will be adding her to some of our up coming videos soon. LOVE IT!
same! i paid 2k back in 2013 for my 79 TA its my first car, it was a roller but i dropped in a 1970 YS 400 motor from a gto rebuilt with a cam, headers, ram air 4 replica intake for D ports, ARP rod bolts .30 over, my dash corners were rotted so were my floors but i welded new metal in the dash properly, the floors i just patched for now, doing the body and paint, its solid and original someone in the 90s or something a cheap body and paint job on top of the original paint, i always laugh at the LS guys for saying "i get good gas mileage", exactly who cares, i always tell them to buy a Prius haha, if i wanted an LS id just go pick up a 2010-2012 Camaro SS 6spd, (autos aren't LSs with those), that way you get everything new lol i prefer the torque on the Pontiac
I just bought a 1977 Pontiac trans am 6.6 t-top car automatic and need some work it's all there it's all original it looks like a repaint original color is yellow how long did it take to get your car restored
Trans Am for sure was awesome but we also had Grand Torino, Dodge Charger, GMC Scottsdale, oh yeah we loved all our t.v. cars and trucks. Heck even a red convertible Mercedes that Bobby Ewing drove was neato!
@@rudybigboote3883 I even liked the cab over peterbuilts and kenworth semis from back then. Thanks to B.J. and the Bear, Convoy, and of course Smokey and the Bandit.
@@tobyketchum6186 Thanks. I am clueless how I got the first date. I think I just stumbled across the keyboard and did not proof read. That was embarrassing.
I was born in 1971...and I wanted one of these for as long as I can remember... I have always been in love with that body style. The color doesn't matter. They're gorgeous.
Many of my peers in high school went nuts over this model. One of the guys that I graduated with had one. To this day we still have Burt Reynolds to thank for the publicity in which it would generate. God rest his soul!
I had a 1980 Firebird in high school. I loved the Trans-Am....I just couldn't afford one. They were pricey then and still command a lot of money today. Shows how great they were. Great video. Brings back memories.
Lots of childhood memories in these cars. Fueled my love for cars for life. Nothing finer than a 1970-1973 Trans Am 455. The 68 Firebird Formula was another stunning Pontiac.
Well I am glad to say that I own a gold 1979 Trans Am, and it still runs like the old days. The engine is still original, it has not been touched and not to mention that every other week some one comes to my house asking if I want to sell it. Of course, the answer is no, I wouldn't trade it for a new car. This is my one and only favorite car. It has been with me for more than 35 years.
Its true, the PONTIAC TRANS AM was the coolest car thru out the 70s,,GM should have gotten rid of buick and kept PONTIAC, it makes no sense,BRING BACK PONTIAC!
Agreed. They should have kept Pontiac stateside, and Buick in China. Buick overlaps with Cadillac too much in some ways, and to get close to a Pontiac in a Chevy meant taking on a lot of different optional trim packages. There's a niche that sits empty (sporty and not overpriced) unless you get something Japanese.
I remember in the 70s, barely, lol, seeing one cruising by the lake in my hometown. I was on lunch break from school, and couldn’t take my eyes off it!! What a badass machine!! I still remember that excitement today!! I own a 78 Solar Gold SE now, and I’ll never part with it!!
I really loved my 1976 455 4-Speed. Bought it in 1987 for $3,500 low milage. Best car of the 30 cars I’ve owned, including 9 corvettes, even my 92 ZR-1. I loved the way the shaker “shook” while going through the gears.
That 455 had even better low end torque than the vaunted 400 Pontiac which the video lauds 4 minutes in. Although 70s Trans Ams were heavy cars, that 455 big block WOULD move them, especially with bigger tires installed. And especially if you freed up (replaced) the narrow exhaust with 3 inch pipes and headers.
@@scottyscotty4558 You got lucky!! I'm still looking! Did you watch the auction for the actual Rockford car a few months back at Barrat Jackson? Got somewhere north of $120K as I recall!
I like those.I almost bought one.I had a 90 Bonneville 3.8 FWD sunroof,bugundy,grey leather.I got it cheap,my 86 Firebird SE had gotten taken over by my girl.One day she wanted to race.I blew her (well my) doors off with this 4door Bonneville.I started tuning,KN Air Filter Homemade Ramair.Hypertech chip and ended up loving my sleeper.It even had IRS and 4Wdiscs.Factory aluminum wheels.Sport pack gauges that lit up orange (even a tach!).I was looking for an SSEi Supercharged when I came across the GXP.Anyway these cars made me see that I didn't have to have V8 RWD only to have fun.
The GAGT's are quite underrated. Most people don't realize it's in the category of "slow car you can drive fast". Not a slouch, but people expecting performance get disappointed when it's not punchy enough for it's sporty looks. Where it shines is when you stick with factory FE3 option or go to a firmer aftermarket suspension. Basically it sits flat and sticks to corners (with good tires) no matter how stupid you try, but unlike the smaller cars known for handling like Miata, MX 3, or Civic DX, you have a usable trunk and passenger leg room.
Those firebirds and trans-ams of the mid 70's and early 80's were big and slow but their styling is what gave these cars their appeal. If you see one of these vehicles on the streets today in mint condition they're a guaranteed head turner.
Big & slow? Slow by todays standards yes, but during their time they were the fastest American cars built. Certainly in 1979. Was faster through the 1/4 mile than the vette.
fm1235, The Firebirds were among the quickest of the lame, but if You were an adult in the 60's, the EPA's 70's was a most hated time for performance vehicle's. Although I must say they put race car work on Our daytime schedules, because everyone wanted to go faster.
I hear you. When I see ignorant posts about how slow these cars were, it makes me laugh. I owned a couple I know. Also comparing time periods is important. In 2011, I purchased a 2001 TA WS6 w/5K miles on it, museum like condition. I flew up to NC from South FL to pick it up. I drove the car home. My daily driver was/is a 2011 Shelby GT500. I remember recalling how under-powered it felt for the 1st few miles. Had a blast driving it home. My point is, I was used to driving a 550hp car everyday, getting into a 325hp car from 20 years ago was an eye opener considering how fast the 2001 TA was considered in its time.
My first car was a blue '79 Trans Am, purchased in 1981 while I was in high school. Kept it for 11 years and sold it with about 65k miles. Car handled great and thought it was fast...then I drove a Buick Grand National. That was my second car. :)
I bought a new 1979 6.6l Trans-am. I went to the dealer with $10,000 CAD and took it home. The strange thing was that the engine block was painted orange. I found out later that orange engines were manufactured in Canada in 1976 and had about 20 hp more than US engines. I took the car on a timed one mile run and it hit 137 mph. After breaking in the motor, I went on a road trip from western Canada to Los Vegas, LA and San Francisco. I made Los Vegas in 20 hours (1600 miles) but had to outrun the police in Idaho because I did not want to go to jail. Made my escape successfully when I crossed the Nevada border. I loved that car but it stared to rust away. I sold it to a body shop man who I know would take care of it. That was in 1998. I miss that car. I have owned 4 Pontiacs and I think GM should bring them back. PS. I now have a Chevy ss and it is great.
Love the story. My sister in her teens drove a 78 6.6L white with the red and orange bird. It was by far the best car any of the family owned. As a pre-teen and early teen I will never forget going for rides in that car. Never. I saw a similar car just the other day at a car show and I nearly cried. Gawd I love the styling of these cars and the nostalgia it brings back.
this was an excellent and informative video, i truly enjoyed it and as an owner of nearly every 2nd gen and a proud owner of a WS6 LS1..i can truly say i love pontiacs...my first car was a gold '79 WS6 T/A...it handled incredibly well, and even the stock '79 T/A beat the stock '79 L-82 CORVETTE...the '73 SD-455 4-SPEED ran a 13.4 at raceway park while i worked there and was showroom stock...so much for ''some people'' saying they were slow..slow compared to what ? a VEYRON ???..the 2ND gen's were incredible..i just subscribed..thanks again.
I had a 1976 Trans Am.. one time I was looking at it and told my friend it looked like an exotic car.. he just laughed... GM was really into European styling especially Ferrari for Pontiac.. this body style just gets better with age
I have own 5 Trans Ams., and some GTA's .They where the fastest car I ever owned and one was the slowest. I have owned a 1974 SD-455 undoubtedly the fastest car I ever owned and I have owned a 1968 Shelby GT 500 KR, a 1967 427 Corvette coupe and a 1970 454 Corvette coupe, just to name a few. . The slowest car was my 1980 turbo trans Am,lets leave it at that. I drive a 2006 Corvette ZO6 today, and my 30 year old son has a red 2001 ram air Trans Am 6 speed LSI with 36000 miles.
I love Trans Ams.I've had a couple myself.When I was an alinement tech I got to drive a 67 Stingray 427/435 4spd and find it hard to believe that a 74 S/D was faster.Wish we could make sure!It's possible,my dad raced aS/D TA 30 years ago and just barely won,and he was on a built KZ900!
Duane, you are my hero. I bought a brand new 79 TA, standard Olds engine (403 I think). Seven years later it was having problems, probably nothing major but I purchased a brand new 86 Vette so sold the TA. I own a corvette still, my third one, but boy do I miss that Trans Am. I wish I had kept mine all these years.... Good on you dude!
@@sdcoinshooter Got a 81 t-top formula in 85 and a 86 corvette in 91,still have both cars. Prob had 60+ cars and trucks over the years but i kept them.
My dad has a hard top (not t-top like the Bandit, unfortunately) blue 1978 Trans Am with the 4 speed manual, 400 pontiac engine (you have to be careful with these later 70s trans ams because most of the ones with the 6.6L option were given lower output olds 400s instead of the pontiac 400), the true shaker hood (I think I read somewhere a lot of these later trans ams had faux shaker hoods), 5 spoke mags, and black leather interior. Its a slick looking car and i've heard it's fast but I wouldn't know from experience since it's sat in the garage since 1982. I guess it spun a bearing that year and when he went to have it fixed, he also decided to have the engine balanced and never got around to putting the engine and transmission back in once he got the drivetrain back from some high end performance shop (the drivetrain is packed in storage at my uncle's garage). As far as I know, it just needs the drivetrain installed and a little general maintence from sitting in a garage for 35 years and he's got a cherry sub-30k mile 78 trans am with 220+ hp and perfect condition exterior/interior. And even if somehow he got it all together and I learned how to drive stick like an expert, he'd still never let me drive it. Still, because of growing up around the car it's the most badass muscle car of any era to me.
We had a 78 gold Trans am with t tops...it too had the true pontiac 400 in it. My stepdad had that car from 1979-1994....I turned 16 in 96 and he sold it right before I got my learners permit. I was heartbroken because that car and Smokey and the bandit have always been my favorite. I just knew I was gonna get it as my first car, but I was wrong. He sold it to my brothers friend who wound up wrecking it about 2 years later, and it got that junky olds 403 as a replacement in it when it was rebuilt. It was never anywhere close to the same after that. Those cars have a timeless look that stand out no matter what they are next to, and they look just as good going to a red carpet event as they do cruising down the highway. One day I will own one. As it is I have had my share of mustangs that I've been happy with, but I hope to own a 78 Trans am one day
My grandpa has the 77 black t top trans am and it has been sitting in the garage for like 20 years he barely drove it anyway he's gunna be passing soon and I hope I get it
I had a fully loaded 1981 turbo trans am. Blew the motor and the turbo charger three times within 20,000 miles. But, I loved the car and I really miss it.
In 1977 I was in the 8th grade and all every guy talked about was the black and gold Trans Am, and Smokey and the Bandit only fed the craze and love for the car. Corvette? Nah, over-rated, expensive junk, give me a '78 "Bandit" Trans-Am was what most guys would say. lol
My uncle used to buy near-totaled Trans Ams and rebuild them. I remember him taking utterly demolished cars into his shop on one Friday and two weeks later, bam, factory new look. I collected up bits of trim and logos that the garage dudes would let me have when we'd visit him; wish I still had that stuff.
In January 1979, after ordering , and waiting three months for a Z28 Camaro that never came, I bought a black on black 4 speed, WS6 Trans Am with T-tops from a Chevrolet dealer. The car was new. It only had 63 miles on it. I didn't even know about the 400, 403 difference, and had never seen Smokey And The Bandit. I just knew that it was beautiful and I wanted it. I bought it and have had it for one month shy of 43 years. I recently had the engine rebuilt, and had it painted. It looks as good as when I bought it. I love my Trans Am and will never sell it.
The way it was restyled over that generation and kept it “fresh” AND increased sales,is unheard of in the automotive industry today.I owned a ‘76,’77 and a Bandit/special edition’80,all sadly sold :(
One of the best looking cars ever the only new car that I like as much is the new hellcat as far as styling it’s a shame Pontiac had to go away I still miss them
My dad was so disgusted by Pontiac being killed. He said well Chevrolet finally got their way. I agree. Pontiac always made a well made and usually fast car. Everything was one step above Chevy without breaking the bank😊.
I love a TRANS AM they were the car of my youth.I myself had a yellow 79 ,that I had brought from a 70 year old lady ,it was the 6.6 and that car would run. later in life I got another one,a red one this one had the small v-8 it was a looker. My uncle had one when I was growing up it was a 1972 white and blue.Whit the 400 4 speed nice car.
I had the 1971 Formula 455, 4 and, no PS, NO PB,NO A/C. It came from factory with the 455 Ram Air V. That's the same as was in the Judge. It Dyno'd at 600+/ 5500rpm. Engine was rebuilt 2X time at Motion Racing in Lynbrook NY. Qtr times were under 13 sec, and over 125 once. Then the rebuilds started. They told me there were only 235 made.
My first car at 16 was a 78' T/A black with gold accents, t-top & black interior with 400 6.6 I would love to have that car again. I had so much fun with it. I got into a lot of trouble with it too! lol
I had a friend who had a 76 and got picked up for drag racing. He told his dad about the ticket the day before he was suppose to go to court. His dad said if he came to him earlier he could of gotten him out of that ticket. That car sat in their garage for a year not driven. It was such a shame.
Shawn Badpawz my brother had 2 of them at the same time, liked borrowing them, he didn't like me bringing them back with bald tires though, liked his split bumper camaro with the 396 he put in it. He's got a silver anniversary ta w out ac or t tops, 4 speed too
After viewing this vid, just another reason why I just love my 1976 TA...Next in line to the wife, of course...Great vid by the way....A few items I was unaware of, but most of them I distinctly remember showing up on other competitor models in that era...Ciao...
I own a '76 400 & '94 LT1 Trans Am. I have Driven the early 455 & late 350 TPI, They were all Torque Monsters. Engine size and Power Levels change, but the Firebird Body Style is Iconic. Today the older smog exempt 1st & early 2nd Generations can be made to go Faster Top Speeds Plus Go around Corners, just as good as they Ran in a straight line originally. All it takes is Money. But the F-Body has such Classic Muscle popularity today & a Cult Following due to Smokey & The Bandit that aftermarket performance & Original parts are available plentiful just like Corvette and small block chevy 350 parts are.
PhenomProductions23 EXACTLY. 67-81 for me, I prefer really only the carburetor compared to common fuel injection, but 1981 will be the last Camaro or Bird I'll ever see as any good. I've had 1981 TA, 79 Camaro RS, and 79 bird. I love it.
The spoilers were effective they were tested and at hwy speeds it generated 50lbs of down force on the front and rear. Herb Adams helped in that development. I believe the article can be found in "Fabulous Firebird" book.
Exactly! I was impressed reading about this car on how it was designed not just to look and roar, but to handle above others and have functional aerodynamics creating downforce. Great cars! Like an American made BMW =D
I sincerely appreciate your respectful presentation, of these lovely and timeless gems, without levity and comparison to modern car performance - I am annoyed by commentary that, unlike this presentation, does nothing but make fun of everything from the past.
This '79 TA owner was surprised as well at no mention of the WS6 Performance Package. That package which includes the wider snowflake wheels along with advanced for its day 4 wheel disc brakes and is a must for those considering purchasing a TA. If one can find a 2nd Generation T/A equipped with the Pontiac 400 engine which also provides a Borg Warner transmission and Hurst 4 speed manual shift, Fisher Hatch Roof (T-Tops), the aforementioned WS6 Performance Package as well as the upgraded hobnail cloth interior, one would have the essential options. Air-conditioning and power windows are nice options as well as locks, although the door locks are probably the most expendable option. In 1979, Pontiac manufactured approximately 2700 T/A's equipped as described. Although most T/A's still being driven are black and the silver TATA (Tenth Anniversary Trans Am) is a popular model, Pontiac's poster car for that model year featured a special one year only available exterior color, Nocturne Blue along with the obligatory Camel Hobnail interior. Pontiac kept refining the styling of the car until 1979 when it produced what many consider to be the iconic Trans Am. It was all downhill after that since the supply of the 400 engine ran out during the model run and the party was over.
In 1986 I bought a 1977 trans am for 2500 dollars. It was all white with a blue bird and blue writing on the body. It was then and still is the most beautiful car I have ever owned and I have had several Camaros and a Corvette. I bought it in Tampa FL while I was on leave in the air force and had to report for duty at Ellsworth air force base in South Dakota. That was the best road trip I ever went on. That car stood out against anything that was out during that time and the the great thing about the Trans Am of the 70's is they still look great even today. What a car I am glad that I got to own one. Wish I still had it!
I do like a nice Camaro/Trans AM car of the year makes from '67-'81. Once the third generation hit I was done with them. I just don't like them from '82 on.
I came home from high school one day in 1972. In the garage was a Springfield green brand new $3,400 Firebird 350! My dream car! My dad sold it to me in 1975 when I graduated for $800! What a gift!
My wife and I bought a brand new 1980 Turbo Trans Am Black And Gold trim with Black interior, T-Top. I had Just turned 21. Bought it in Houston TX, I was there from 79 to 81 for Construction Work before returning to Las Vegas. Man I Loved that car😇
Totally right on! I had a '79 with Nocturnal Blue (I think that's what it was called) with tan cloth interior. I loved that car and would love to get another one. The Trans-Am was untouchable in every way. You sat up really straight in that seat cause you knew you had a very special car under you. And it handled like a dream. Oh the good old days. This video hit it right on. When I did a test drive I remember mentioning the steering wheel being as good as it gets.
Very informative, and it still brings up a few more details. Why did the Pontiac 400 last so long after the demise of the 'big blocks' of the automotive industry? There are basically two Pontiac motors, small and large crank journals and the large journal (455) ended in 1976. The small journal family (265-400, except 301) were externally identical except for bore size basically. So, in the simplest terms, to make a 400 you overbore a 350, with virtually no production cost difference. The rear spoilers were 3 designs over the 2nd generation time period. The end tips of the spoiler for 1970-73 fell short of the rear quarter bodyline. In 74 the caps extended over the bodyline. There were 2 designs of splitter exhaust tips. In 1976 the tips were chrome plated. However the 50th Anniversary Pontiac TA initially had BLACK chrome tips for a short production time. I have an NOS black chrome tip in my parts. The early T-tops leaked like a convertible in a rainstorm with its top down. Sorry. Excellent video!
I have always loved the second gen F-bodies. both the Camaro and the Firebird were awesome cars. they were the first GM cars with real modern handling. while the handling is out dated by most modern cars, they are still handle very well. they average around .70-.90G on a skid pad, depending on sway bars and tire combo. the TA was always just a little better than the Z/28 in this area. the current 6th gen Camaro SS pulls .98G on the skid pad. so they were very good handling cars. I am currently restoring a 71 Camaro SS 396 4 speed car, however I as still keeping my eyes open for a 74 SD455 or 77 400 TA to add to my collection.
@ Shad, Exactly! Pontiac had the edge in pony car handling, that only got better during the 70's with better quality tires and computer designed rubber bushings, better springs, shocks and sway bars, etc. Chevy jumped on board with its new for 77 Z28s, but Pontiac always had the better handling car with a WS6 equipped T/A, not to mention, more power. Later versions ever had 4 wheel discs optional, something Chevy waited another 4 yrs to get. Ironically, Pontiac took their idea of computer designed, engine and tire combination suspension offerings ( RTS) from Buick's AcuDrive of '73, but made it better. It rode firm, but not harsh like the Z cars did. Ford had nothing like it in the Mustang II. Chrysler gave up yrs before, after the Challenger T/A and AAR Cuda's. No late 70's F body Mopar could handle like a T/A. And they certainly didn't have the power, with 175-195hp 360s, as opposed to Pontiac's 180-220hp offerings, with REAL 4 speeds as std on most combos. The poster nailed it when it came to why the 80-81 T/As were so gutless. CAFE standards killed the 400, leaving Pontiac with just 3 of their own engines in the entire line up. Indeed the L72 400 for 79 was the swan song for American old school h/p engines. It was the last time 1 could ever get a big inch engine with a 4 speed from the factory. The Olds 403, Chevy 305, and indeed the Pontiac 301s were a joke, even those in turbo form. My dad always wanted a 77-78 T/A when they came out.. but here in Chicago, they were the #1 car to get stolen, and insurance was silly expensive, so he never bought 1.
I had a 1980 Turbo with a built 455. It was beautiful and as flashy as it was, still a real sleeper as it looked stock. Had a lot of kills in that car.
I owned 3 Trans-Am's from the mid 70's. A 74 with a 455, a 77 Bandit Edition and a 78 W-72. They were all fun to drive. I wish I still had one of just one of them. They were great cars.
I had a 1977 Trans Am in black with a gold screaming chicken and gold wheels. It was amazing. I special ordered it. When it came in I went to the dealer in downtown Wheaton and saw it driven down the inside ramp from the upper level. The car was special. It felt like you were launching the Trans Am. The steering was heavy in feel but road sensitive. The thick steering wheel gave the feeling of control. The sound for that time was music. I would compare it to a large M car in road feel. It did not have the acceleration of today's 600+ HP engines but for the day, it still felt strong. Those were the days.
I had a 78 with a chevy 305 in it (stock from Pontiac) and Hurst-Hatch t-tops, Had the Formula hood but i'm not sure if it was actually a Formula or not. Still regret selling that thing.
I miss my 1976 TA with 4 speed. Owned it 8 years, 1981-1989. Bought it from my neighbor who owned it new. I restored it after 5 years and eventually sold it when marriage and house came along. Long live the Fire Chicken! Thanks for the great video.
I am thankful for those who served in WW II, but have the utmost respect for those who faced the consequences of desertion instead of fighting in the dreadful war in Vietnam.
Driving a Trans Am is unmatched by non. Yes they look great and when sitting on the porch it's difficult not to stare at it. But even though it retained your attention almost always. The amazing good looks didn't even scratch the surface of the excitement this car produces. As you stared from the porch. You begin to realize that only driving it was going to full fill your desires. After climbing in. It was like your body was supposed to be there. Your left hand automatically fell on the steering wheel and your right comfortably fell onto the console and your right hand landed on the shifter. I reached over the seat to the floor grabbing the keys. They weren't extravagant. And when they jingled the excitement began. I slid the key into the ignition. Pumped the gas 4 times and turned the key. The entire car seemed to jump to life. You instantly here the choppy exaust note. You can feel the engine all through your body. Through the seat, the console and the steering wheel. You can see what you're feeling as the entire car is dancing to the tune of the cam shaft. Even though all your sences are flooded you realize there is more to come. As you push down on the clutch you put the shifter in to first. By letting out on the clutch and applying gas.i began to move and the bassy tone got deeper and louder. At this point you almost completely stimulated. The only thing missing was a jolt of adrenaline. So I disengaged the clutch and was revving the engine. My rpms hit 2k and I side stepped the clutch and floored the gas. She squats down and takes off with a squeel of the tires. My rpm gauge hit 6k and with the quickness the clutch goes in, shifter goes into 2nd, clutch gets side stepped again and the gas gets smashed to the floor. And with a big chirp of the tires I was on my way to 6k again. There's that adrenaline jolt. At this point I'm in heavan and nothing can match that feeling. My TA wasn't just a car. It's a life style. It's a presence that can't be matched.
@Shawn Stafford No. Which pains me at almost every waking moment. I bought a 77 TA in 01. I drove it daily till I pulled and rebuilt the Pontiac 400. Which is my favorite engine. It just sounds so good. Especially when it's cammed up. I sold it in 06. I decided to pick me and the family up and move to South Dakota from Ohio. Every waking day I yurn for a 2nd gen TA to enlighten my life again. I was looking for another in 2015. But found the first Camaro I ever rode in. I had waken it from a 16 year slumber. I had planned on getting a TA after getting the Camaro close to finished. But due to so poor decision making. The last 2 years didn't produce anything. And I'm having a hard time holding on to the Camaro I have. Trying to keep a hold long enough to get on my feet. But soon I will be where I want to be and then I will have a 2nd gen TA. Along with a stupid fast road course inspired 82 Z28 Indy 500 edition Camaro. But like everything, only time will tell.
To me the most impressive Trans Ams were the 455 Super Duty of the low to mid 70s. The cars had 8.5 to 1 compression. They would easily run mid 13s if optioned right. They would run with the late 60s and 70 model Trans Ams.
I knew a guy who had I think it was a 79 TA, and believe me, the Z28 hood scoop was much better, since any time you kicked in the 4 barrels, the slat to the scoop, facing the driver, opened up. It sure impressed a lot of people I knew, because they never saw a hood scoop on one of their cars, much less one that would open up.
My dad bought my sister a 77 Bandit Trans Am brand new for graduation -she was 17 and getting ready to go off to college - After almost 3 years of numerous repairs he had lost his patience and traded it in- The T-Tops always leaked , the breaks were going out every other week , the Doors seemed to drag and always rattle - this is just the few items I remember -know matter what , as a much , much younger brother -I always loved that car !!
Still have my 1776 TransAm in the garage, waiting for the restoration. 400 Automatic. I changed the flap in the scoop to make it open like the earlier car. Made it a little louder, and it was a power adder you could feel. Standard equipment included your choice of Automatic or 4 speed transmission. Rallye Wheels or Snowflake wheels, Positraction rear. Extra cost was Air Conditioning, fancier interior, electric windows, and a better radio. Mine is the base car with no options, and radio delete. All the good stuff was standard. The 455 was optional, but required a 4 speed stick. The Automatic was a concession to my wife. GM kept Buick and dumped Pontiac, because the Chinese like Buicks. Pontiac outsold Buick, but the new owners in China wanted the Buick.
I bought my 1978 gold special edition Trans Am June third 1978. It has the TA 6.6 engine with Super T10 4spd.manual transmission with 3.42 gears. I still own and drive this car over 45 years later. Options included the WS6 handling package, and all other options except for power windows and air conditioning. it has less than 40,000 miles and is is all original condion including original paint. Had to replace brake master cylinder, waterpump, and tires. Everything else besides fluids and filters are original. LOVE THIS CAR!!
The Air Extractors on the Fenders let the Heat out but also Re-leaves Positive Air Pressure Build up in the engine compartment from High Speed Highway Driving the Front end of the car doesn't Lift or Float like other Cars with out them.
Designed in part by no other than John DeLoran. John wanted a car for Pontiac that could handle better then the Camaro. The GM demanded that all cross shared platform would have less hp than their GM counter part. This means even to the last days of Pontiac. The Trans-Am were 5hp less than the same engine equipped GM. His solution back then, was better brakes, better aero, lower center of gravity. The T/A simply handled better than the similar built Z-28 in 1971 till 1981.
ramairgto72 Cool one of my favorites 1972 GTO do you have 455 or 400 well hang on to it and if you do sell let me know that was the last year GTO. 73 doesn't Count kinda Lol 13 years ago I saw the 1972 White Convertible GTO here in Phoenix AZ that was in HPP Pontiac Magazine that one was totally Restored and it had a 455HO Engine that car originally came from St. Louis Owner of Pontiac Dealer there ordered for his wife in 72.
Klaus, sorry this is a year late, never got the note. I built that car from the ground up, it has the 400, it's rebuilt with Forged parts and RAM AIR III heads and a Comp Cams 292H .501 on .501 . 3,400 B&M converter in a TH475 with a stage 3 B&M shift kit rebuilt with TCI race kit. I ported and polished the heads myself, had the heads rebuilt and shaved. I beamed and polished the rods and everything is ARP bolts and studs. It was a frame off, every piece of rubber was replaced, every bushing, every exterior bolt was replaced with SS. I have a bunch of VFN fiberglass parts on her, so many that VFN has my car on it's webpage.
I am truly a Pontiac guy. First car was 68 GTO conv 1 of 461 HO 360 hp also 68 GTO hrd top coupe . Ram air 1 4-speed. Ram air 3 heads. 1 of 757. 80 turbo trans am red black int. All cars were daily drivers for years. PMD
I have always loved the 70-73 Trans-Am. The probably is that these cars are low production thereby making them hard to come by and now they cost a lot. Back in 1979 you could buy this vintage of Trans Am for $4,500. Even then they were not easy to find for sale. Got a 454 Corvette instead as it was much easier to find.
Had no idea that T Tops were standard at the end of production.. Great video.. The two kids across the street from me growing up who I was great friends with had the 50th only with no T Tops and they had a blue 79 with the 403. Of any muscle car from the 60s and 70s I would love a Trans Am. Mark my words, these will blow up in value as time goes on. An investment worthy of making..
@@narika14 I'm actually a Pontiac fan, but Fiero and Grand Am didn't really seem like highlights. Fiero GT maybe, they got closer. Have to look up Montana SV6. My mom had a regular Montana, perfect for old ladies to go to the beach in.
I miss the Trans -Am, they were hotter than vettes back in the 70's and lesz expensive, but most of all tbe wide track handling, wide & low, plus fat tires! wow
