Vehicle Description
Exterior
The Starlight Black exterior is in nice condition for its age. The car looks just in person as it does in the photos. As one can see in the photos, the paint has a good gloss and smooth finish. Often many Trans Am's will have particularly chipped up front ends; this car does not and even the low and vulnerable front spoiler is in great condition as one can see in the photos. The wheels are in good shape and the tires have about 95% tread left. They are sized 225/70R15, which is correct acceding to the QGR code on the PHS documents. There are no major imperfections that have been intentionally excluded from the photos. The paint obviously has some age to it and some imperfections as one can see in the photos. There one small chips in the windshield, but if the future owner would like we can have it replaced prior to delivery for $300.
Being an original California car and living its whole life in a temperate west coast climate, this Trans Am has never been subject to harsh winters or salty roads. The trunk is clean and as one can seen in the many photos of the underside, this Trans Am is totally solid. We have also included specific photos of the spring perches, lower front and rear quarters, and other areas on the car most prone to rust.
This Trans Am has a stamping on the radiator core support, which is pictured below. The core support shows a "10 18 78" stamp, or October 18, 1978. This stamping would be correct and original as it precedes the car's build date of the fifth week of October, 1978 (10E). As one can imagine, if this Trans Am had ever sustained even a minor front end collision this part would have been repaired or replaced. The original stampings are great to see in tact.
The Trans Am looks just as good in person as it does in the photos.
Interior
The Black Hobnail cloth interior of the Trans Am looks fanstastic and is almost all original. The seats are in excellent condition with no tears, rips, or split seams. Please note that these appear to the original seats and skins, not some cheap aftermarket covers or reproductions. The carpet looks great with no stains, rips, or holes. The dash is in excellent condition with no cracks, fading, or sun damage. The original door panels look great with no cracks or splits, and both door pulls are solid and in tact. The package tray looks great with no warping, fading, or sun damage. All of the gauges work as they should beside the oil pressure gauge. This car has not been smoked in; there is no aroma of cigarettes what so ever. Please note in the video below how both seat belts operate and retract properly. This is a very common problem on this era "F-Body" and a small, but very important, detail most buyers do not think to check. Trans Am interiors from this era are not known to wear well over time and the excellent condition of this original interior is a huge testament to the meticulous care this Trans Am has received throughout its life.
The interior looks just as good in person as it does in the photos.
Mechanical
This Trans Am appears to be in very good mechanical condition. It starts right away every time, idles well, and runs great. It is an exceptional driver that feels great on the road and at highway speeds; it drives like a 21,000 mile car should drive. In the video below one can observe the car accelerating on the highway up to about 70mph, shifting through all the gears, braking to a stoplight, and going through some curves. Please note that it shifts well, runs great, there are no strange noises or vibrations, and the car performs quite nice overall. The brakes are responsive and do not pull to one side or the other. There is no smoke when starting or driving the car. It runs cool and does not overheat. Also, the engine is clean and nicely detailed as one can see from the photos. The horn works as do all the exterior lights, wipers, and blower for the heater and a/c on all speeds. The a/c works and blows cold; one can see the a/c compressor engaging properly in the video below. The power door locks click, but do not work. The speedometer, tachometer, odometer, temperature, fuel, and battery gauges all work, and even the clock runs. The car now has true dual exhaust with no catalytic converter and a very healthy exhaust tone. This Trans Am has lots of power and handles great. Not enough can be said as to how much of a pleasure it is to drive this car, especially with the T-Tops out on a beautiful day.
Overall Condition
Overall, this 1979 SE Trans Am is in excellent condition and is a true bargain at our asking price. The market on for the Special Edition Trans Am is very strong right now and low mileage original cars are much more desirable. Any vehicle can be restored, but a car is only original once and originally cannot be duplicated. This Y84 is a great value and will only appreciate over time.
This car turns heads and gets tons of attention wherever it goes. Cars like this are the Barrett Jackson and stars of the future. In fact in 2016 Barrett Jackson has sold a 1979 Y84 Trans Am for $55,000, a 1980 Y84 for $71,500, a 1980 Y84 for $110,000 and a 1979 Tenth Anniversary Trans Am for $187,000, though it did have very low miles. Someone could easily enjoy this vehicle for several years and sell it for more than the purchase price with minimal effort.
Thank you for looking and please do not hesitate to email or call with any questions.
