autoevolution
 

1982 Pontiac Trans Am Gets First Wash in 27 Years, Knight Rider Theme Starts Playing

The third generation of the Pontiac Trans Am made its debut in late 1981 for the 1982 model year, and it was a significant improvement in styling and performance over its predecessor. On top of the sleek wedge design and the pop-up headlights, the model also came with a lower weight than the Firebird before it.
1982 Pontiac Trans Am 9 photos
Photo: Screenshot from YouTube video by AMMO NYC
1982 Pontiac Trans Am1982 Pontiac Trans Am1982 Pontiac Trans Am1982 Pontiac Trans Am1982 Pontiac Trans Am1982 Pontiac Trans Am1982 Pontiac Trans Am1982 Pontiac Trans Am
Although the Pontiac brand was discontinued in 2002, the Firebird model has always had a solid fan base. Both the third generation and the second generation of the model can pride themselves on this fact due to their presence in popular TV shows and movies.

The first and the fourth gen models had their share of appareances, but neither were comparable to what the two mentioned generations of the Firebird have achieved.

The iconic statute probably came from Smokey and the Bandit, where the second-gen Trans Am was Burt Reynolds's sidekick that carved a Firebird shape in the minds of most of the people who had seen the film, but also from Knight Rider, the TV show that made the third-gen Trans Am popular for many of its viewers.

The vehicle in this video has not been moved from its storage place, a garage, since 1995. We are writing about 27 years, but we have seen barn finds that look worse after fewer years spent off the road.

This example was initially a company car for its first owner, whose nephew managed to get in contact with Larry Kosilla of AMMO NYC. The owner was the only person who drove the car while it was being used, and the vehicle still has its original bill of sale, not to mention the original hubcaps, which are incredibly hard to find (and to keep).

Mind you, this 1982 Pontiac Trans Am came with a 5.0-liter V8, a four-speed manual transmission, and had a sticker price of $9,658 when it was new. To help give you an idea of what that kind of money meant back in 1982, it would be the equivalent of $28,645 in 2022.

Now, before being angry because car prices have gone through the sky this year, as well as in recent years, you should be reminded of the fact that vehicle safety has increased dramatically since 1982, and emissions have been decreased to a similar extent.

This vehicle only comes with 150 horsepower and 239 lb-ft of torque, which is not that impressive from a V8, albeit a carbureted one, but still, a V8.

With the math and history out of the way, time to watch Larry detail this Pontiac and show us that even professionals should be wearing a full face shield when cleaning a vehicle's underside. You will see why in just a couple of minutes after hitting play.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories