$130K Treasure: A 682-Mile Original, Mint-Condition, Full-Option Survivor '79 Trans Am

In 1956, the Jupiter C rocket flew 682 miles above sea level – setting a new altitude record. One man's record is another man's gearheaded treasure: that distance that marked a milestone in space conquering casts a unicorn aura over this remarkably good-looking 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am.

It is one of the lowest-mile examples left on Planet Piston, and this alone should make it worth the $129,900 asking price. We can only wonder what fortunate twist of fate saved this symbolic muscle car from the road. Forty-four years ago, very few people – if any – considered buying a vehicle from General Motors to transform it into a long-term investment.

Even more impressive is that the car is factory original, down to the last bolt, and has a serious list of options to brag with. Also, plenty of original documentation and literature attest to its lineage. First, the correct V8 is the Trans Am-synonym 400 CID (6.6-liter). The decal on the hood cowl ("T/A 6.6") gives it away, much to the pleasant surprise of any onlooker.

The four-barrel-induction American-made eight-banger is linked to the close-ratio four-speed Super T-10 manual transmission. 1979 was another year for the Malaise disappointment – from 1980 onward, the 400-cubic-inch V8 would be sent into permanent retirement.

General Motors claimed a 220-horsepower and 320-pound-feet achievement in this car – the epitome of "muscle" for that miserable age of multiple speed, power, performance, and fun restrictions. 223 PS and 434 Nm weren't a lot for the "performance division" of the then-largest carmaker in the world. Still, the biggest of Detroit's Big Three threw in the WS6 Special Handling Package to boost performance.

If you wanted the Trans Am with the 400 V8, you got it with the clutch-pedal, stick-shift version only, and the Special Handling Package was also mandatory. I see no problem with that, whatsoever, and neither did the original buyer of this stunning silver-on-black Firebird.

The Malaise era had the bothersome effect of plucking the fire out of Pontiac's bird, reducing it to a meager and silly Screamin' Chicken. Dragstrip majesty was out of the question – the monsters of the previous decade would utterly roast anything Malaise-born.

Hence, carmakers emphasized comfort, handling, luxury, and anything else they could think of that would divert gearheads' attention from the elephant in the room. As a result, our story's hero features T-tops, the aforementioned special handling package, and a special performance package with a Saf-T-Track limited-slip differential.

A host of goodies – including power steering, power disc brakes on all four wheels, air conditioning, the lamp group, a Rally gauge package, power windows, and power door locks – make the fresh Trans Am a desirable collectible.

The original Manufacturer's Statement of Ownership (MSO), the original bill of sale, and the two-page factory window sticker accompany the original delivery papers. As it would best fit this rare vehicle, the original owner's manual, original dealer brochures, and original build sheet are included in the sale.

And, if you haven't had enough of the "original" parrot talk, the original Uniroyal tires are still with the car. Not on the cast aluminum 15-inch wheels – as the gallery shows, the 225/70/15 BF Goodrich Radial T/A rubbers are new – but they're safely stored and will pass along to the next buyer.

With all the extra options, the car amounted to $9,940 and 45 cents – a hefty $3,291 over its base price of $6,299,45. Judging by the build sheet and window sticker, the first customer spared no expense and left no check box unmarked.

Apart from the already disclosed installments, this rare '79 Pontiac has a heavy-duty alternator, bucket seats with a center console, a remote deck lid release, a rear window defroster, and Soft Ray glass. Note also the door edge guards, removable roof panels, acoustical insulation, roof drip and window sill moldings, and the power antenna for the Delco-GM radio & Cassette with dual rear speakers.

A tilt Formula steering wheel, controlled cycle windshield wipers, custom trim group-vinyl, Charcoal hood decals, and graphics make this one of the best-equipped Trans Ams available. Intriguingly, this 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am was auctioned in January. The $85,000 high bid was way under the asking price – and we can't find any argument against this fact. The automobile had three owners during its forty-four-year life.

The Pontiac was sold new at Tower Pontiac-GMC in Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts, on January 17, 1979, to a local gentleman named Victor Madden. The dealership that offers the car for sale now, more than four decades and 682 miles (1,097 kilometers) since it left the factory, is the same one that handed over the keys to its original buyer. The ownership history is documented on all paperwork, with the subsequent two owners (also locals and definitely very attentive) being great caretakers of the Firebird.