Vehicle Description
1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Coupe
One of the changes to the Trans Am that arrived in 1979 was a
redesign of the front nose utilizing a polymer made of closed cell
urethane called Endura, which first appeared on Pontiac's 1968 GTO.
As Hemmings wrote in 2018, "Perhaps more importantly in the
automotive world, it freed up the designer to create essentially
any shape and to incorporate the bumper into the car's paint
scheme. According to Thomas Bonsall's Pontiac: The Complete
History, 1926-1986, the Endura bumper "was one of the great styling
innovations of all time because it permitted stylists to blend the
bumpers into their frontal styling. Until it came along, front
bumpers usually had the look of having been added to a design,
rather than being an integral part of it."
For consignment, a 1979 Pontiac Trans Am with a black Endura nose
and the recipient of a freshening of the exterior, interior, and
engine, as we'll learn. Its numbers matching transmission is on
board and to what will be the delight of many, is a 4-speed
manual.
Note: Due to modifications of the emissions control devices
installed by the manufacturer, please check your local, state, and
federal laws to determine if this vehicle is applicable for use on
public highways in your area
Exterior
The Endura nose design moved the grille in 1979 from next to the
headlights to under them in a smooth layout that helped with
aerodynamics. Our car is coated in fresh two stage Starlight Black
enhanced by orange, red, and gold graphics that include the
screaming chicken which appears in miniature on the B-pillars.
Front wheel flares are tied together with a lower chin spoiler and
the inky black coat of the car flows over the three piece rear
spoiler and meets the smoked tail lights that flow continuously
across the back with the help of a matching door to the gas cap.
Silver edged T-tops break up the black temporarily, but the smoked
tops bring back the blend. The 15-inch Pontiac Snowflake wheels
have been refinished and the interior cells painted gold, and
they're wrapped in 255/60R15 tires with a late 2022 date code.
Paint, panel gaps, and decals all look fantastic. One spot of faded
paint in the body seam is the only imperfection we note on the
exterior.
Interior
Sammy Hagar would approve as this rocker is wearing red on the
interior, starting with the vinyl door panels with carpeted lowers
in good condition. Buckets seats in front wear their original red
Hobnail cloth which as it ages, reveals more of the gray background
and as typical, the driver's seat here shows a touch of wear in
that way. The other seats, including the passenger bucket and 2+2's
in the back, are in great shape. Interior panels, often the subject
of fade, have been repainted and look very good. Red continues on
the standard T/A steering wheel and the center cap shows some minor
cracking which is pretty typical for this soft material that sits
in the sun. The dash and its turned metal design within the red
vinyl pad looks fantastic and a push button AM/FM radio lives in
the center above a storage bin. The tall shifter cants rearward for
better ergonomics and only a small slit prevents the center console
from being near pristine. The plush red carpet is new and provides
a luxurious floor covering while the trunk is barren, clean, and
houses a space saver spare.
Drivetrain
Under the hood, the 400ci L78 V8 wears a 4-barrel carburetor
surrounded by an air filter that tucks under the shaker hood scoop.
This 1971 engine is rated at 300 horsepower. The engine bay
presents very cleanly and does not veer from stock appearance. A
numbers matching Borg Warner T10 4-speed manual transmission sets
this car in motion and the power disc brakes were recently rebuilt
and are found on front and rear wheels. They have new master
cylinder, booster, lines, calipers, and rotors.
Undercarriage
A new gas tank starts our scan of the underside where we find very
clean conditions. The true dual exhaust entered stock style
mufflers before they terminated just beyond the rear axle in single
pipes with no typical Trans Am splitter present. There is also no
catalytic converter. We note a touch of oil on the transmission
body but no sign of surface rust or any other errant fluids. The
underbody panels are especially clean in their satin black finish.
Coil springs are found up front with leaf springs in back.
Drive-Ability
There was a special version of Trans Am called Macho T/A in this
era and while they were visually enhanced, it doesn't take but a
minute to feel macho behind the wheel of any Trans Am. The sitting
position, the long hood in front, and of course that hood scoop
bulging above an eagle is just too cool. A pump of the gas and a
turn of the key and this T/A rumbles to life and sets us on our way
with first gear engaged. Good power, amazing handling, tracking,
and braking are all the ingredients of a well sorted car that looks
and sounds great. All functions work as intended which puts the joy
in joy ride. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these
functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot
guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your
purchase.
70's Trans Ams have wings. Not just on the hood, but in the
collector market. They're headed to the moon and there's no sign of
slowing. Get one now so that in ten years, you can wipe your brow
and say "whew, glad I got in when I did.". This is a fine example,
clean all the way around, and ready for a new pilot to ride this
bird home.
2W87Z9N122830
2-Pontiac
W-Firebird Trans Am
87-2 Door Hardtop Sport Coupe
Z-400ci 4bbl Pontiac V8
9-1979
N-Norwood, OH Assy Plant
122830-Sequential Unit Number
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
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