Photo: Craigslist
1979 was the icing on the Trans Am cake, bringing record sales that not even Pontiac hoped it could reach a decade earlier.
The GM brand started the decade with only 3,196 units before dropping even further to 1,286 units two years later. It wasn't the hit that Pontiac hoped the Trans Am would become, but the company remained committed to this nameplate and continued to improve it with every new model year.
All these efforts eventually paid off, with sales increasing in the second half of the decade until 1979, when the Trans Am broke all records. Pontiac shipped 117,108 units, with even the base Firebird remaining far behind with approximately 38,000 units.
One of the Trans Ams that rolled off the assembly lines in 1979 landed on Craigslist earlier this week, hoping someone sees it and decides to begin a complete restoration.
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand that this Trans Am requires a complete restoration. The owner doesn't share many specifics, but based on the photos, the car has been sitting for several years under the clear sky in their yard. As a result, it's safe to assume that the Trans Am requires the typical metal work, including on the floors where rust damage is very likely.
The Trans Am left the factory with a 403 V8 engine under the hood, and the same unit is still in charge of putting the wheels in motion today. However, it's unclear if the engine is still running, with the owner explaining that it worked correctly three years ago. Three years of sitting shouldn't be fatal for an engine, even if the car were parked outside, but you'll need a good mechanic to inspect what happens under the hood and tell you if the V8 requires major work.
If you have already checked the photo gallery and stopped at the mileage, here's the bad news. The odometer has already rolled over, so the intriguing number you see on the clock isn't accurate. That's a shame, as a low-mile Trans Am would have been significantly more desirable, so I recommend potential buyers check out the car in person before committing to a purchase.
The Trans Am doesn't sell cheaply, so if you don't mind spending $4,000 on a mysterious project, this 1979 release could be worth checking out. You'll need a trailer to take it home, considering its shape, but you should first contact the seller and ask all the questions to get a clearer picture. The car is located in Washington, DC, and it's likely still sitting outside until it finds a new home. It's unclear if it rolls freely, but that's very likely, considering the engine worked three years ago.
All these efforts eventually paid off, with sales increasing in the second half of the decade until 1979, when the Trans Am broke all records. Pontiac shipped 117,108 units, with even the base Firebird remaining far behind with approximately 38,000 units.
One of the Trans Ams that rolled off the assembly lines in 1979 landed on Craigslist earlier this week, hoping someone sees it and decides to begin a complete restoration.
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand that this Trans Am requires a complete restoration. The owner doesn't share many specifics, but based on the photos, the car has been sitting for several years under the clear sky in their yard. As a result, it's safe to assume that the Trans Am requires the typical metal work, including on the floors where rust damage is very likely.
The Trans Am left the factory with a 403 V8 engine under the hood, and the same unit is still in charge of putting the wheels in motion today. However, it's unclear if the engine is still running, with the owner explaining that it worked correctly three years ago. Three years of sitting shouldn't be fatal for an engine, even if the car were parked outside, but you'll need a good mechanic to inspect what happens under the hood and tell you if the V8 requires major work.
If you have already checked the photo gallery and stopped at the mileage, here's the bad news. The odometer has already rolled over, so the intriguing number you see on the clock isn't accurate. That's a shame, as a low-mile Trans Am would have been significantly more desirable, so I recommend potential buyers check out the car in person before committing to a purchase.
The Trans Am doesn't sell cheaply, so if you don't mind spending $4,000 on a mysterious project, this 1979 release could be worth checking out. You'll need a trailer to take it home, considering its shape, but you should first contact the seller and ask all the questions to get a clearer picture. The car is located in Washington, DC, and it's likely still sitting outside until it finds a new home. It's unclear if it rolls freely, but that's very likely, considering the engine worked three years ago.
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