1979 Pontiac Trans Am 10th Anniversary - SOLD
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  • Overview & History
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With just 44,948 original miles, it’s a very nice survivor that still brings the thunder and puts a grin on your face like you imagined when you were nine years old.

If you were a car kid who grew up in the 1970s like I did, you have to admit that there weren’t a lot of new cars that really got your blood pumping. The Mustang was orphaned by its parents and adopted by the Pinto family, the Corvette became a kind of running joke that involved oversized necklaces and pinky rings, and the Camaro, well, it seemed to be having an identity crisis. But the Trans Am, now there was a car you had to respect. GM worked overtime to keep its horsepower under the Corvette, but everyone knew that was a sham, and the moment Burt Reynolds pulled that black Bandit out of the trailer and Jerry Reed whistled in admiration, well… let’s just say I can’t be the only kid who decided that he needed a flying chicken on the hood of his next car. Pontiac was still delivering the excitement, just in a slightly scaled-down 1970s kind of way, and you can’t say they didn’t give it their best shot.

For the Trans Am’s 10th birthday, Pontiac threw itself a little party and that included a run of special silver muscle cars that still packed a big block punch and a suspension that could harness it. Sure, they were a little more luxurious than their older siblings, a little larger and a little softer perhaps, but still every bit a muscle car in the traditional sense. They built a nice, round 7500 of the 10th Anniversary cars, of which 5683 were equipped with an automatic transmission like this one. With just 44,948 original miles, it’s a very nice survivor that still brings the thunder and puts a grin on your face like you imagined when you were nine years old. Oh, wait, that’s me. Well, you know what I mean—for guys my age, this is a very cool car.

The only way you could get a 10th Anniversary T/A was in silver with charcoal accents and a lot of decals, but it doesn’t seem overwhelming. In fact, parked next to a black Bandit car with all that gold pinstriping and gothic lettering, it’s almost a wallflower. To my eye, the look is far more successful than its cousin, the Camaro, thanks to flares ahead of both the front and rear wheel arches, a scoop that was still firmly affixed to the air cleaner and not the hood, and those glorious smoked taillights. Thanks to a repaint a few years ago, this one looks quite fresh and with so few miles, it obviously wasn’t subject to the rigors of daily driving or inclement weather. As a result, the sheetmetal is super straight, the doors fit surprisingly well for a ‘70s GM product, and it’s largely bereft of the usual creaks and groans you find in these cars. And don’t worry, all the decals were faithfully reinstalled, including the giant bird on the hood that’s so large that it bleeds over onto the fenders. But that’s part of what makes it so cool. There are a few blemishes here and there, but nothing that takes away from the overall look, and all the plastic bits are in great shape with no cracking or checking. If anything, the repaint and subsequent reassembly probably put it into better-than-new shape. Look at it—this thing looks great from any angle!

Inside, it’s pure Buck Rogers futuristic. I know, silver leather isn’t anyone’s idea of elegance but it seems to suit the Trans Am just fine (and GM had been putting silver interiors in cars since the ‘50s, so it was hardly a new thing). In this low-mileage F-body, it’s very nicely preserved with some modest comfort marks on the seats but no splits or tears. The door panels are excellent with a handsome red pinstripe around the perimeter and the carpets are ‘70s shaggy but not worn. Most of the good stuff was standard on the 10th Anniversary cars, with this one carrying goodies like A/C, power windows and locks, a leather-wrapped steering wheel on a tilt column, and a rear window defogger. This one carries the added bonus of a 10th-Anniversary-only digital AM/FM/8-track stereo with power antenna (that antenna is the only thing on the whole car that isn’t working properly). Pontiac gave you a full array of easy-to-read analog gauges in an engine-turned panel, both familiar styling cues that go way back with GM’s excitement division. Even the clock in the tach is ticking away reliably. The gear selector has its own engine-turned bezel and the passenger has a grab handle, which implies something about the guys who bought these cars. T-tops were standard (of course) and these seal up rather well thanks to new weather seals throughout and it includes the original storage bags. As a low-mileage car, it also includes the original space-saver spare and jack assembly in the trunk, and the spare has never been used.

Both engines in the Trans Am displaced 6.6 litres so they didn’t need to change the decal when you ordered an automatic transmission. When you did, you got an Oldsmobile-sourced 403 cubic inch V8 with 185 horsepower, which, coincidentally, was what the base Corvette motor was putting out in 1979. But it’s torque that moves the Trans Am, and there’s thrust available at any speed and the rugged TH350 3-speed automatic transmission is a willing accomplice. No, it’s not fast in today’s world of 800 horsepower Dodges, but with all that torque it feels punchy and remains a lot of fun to drive. It’s also nicely detailed underneath that hood scoop (which is still blocked off the way the factory intended) with corporate turquoise engine enamel that was done a few years ago during an engine-out freshening of the engine bay. It still inhales through the intake in the front fender and there are even tower hose clamps on the hoses. No modifications, no alterations, just a clean, stock engine bay that looks quite correct. It also runs great, starting easily and settling into a smooth idle after about 30 seconds on the choke.

The aforementioned TH350 3-speed automatic transmission is about as close to indestructible as something with moving parts can be, and all 10th Anniversary Trans Ams were WS6 cars, which included upgraded suspensions, a faster steering box, and 4-wheel disc brakes, which was kind of a big deal. The undercarriage is tidy and about what you’d expect for a low-mileage car, and it’s authentic right down to the 2-1-2 exhaust system with oversized catalytic converter. Shiny turbine-style wheels were standard on the Anniversary cars, with this one wearing recent 225/70/15 Firestone radials.

If you’ve been paying attention lately, you’ve probably noticed that ‘70s Trans Ams are red hot, mostly because guys of a certain age are grabbing the dream cars of their youth. In fact, a car very much like this sold in 2016 for $187,000—no joke. If you’re a fan, you’ll probably find that this one lives up to expectations and delivers a nice combination of performance, style, and comfort. This one neatly straddles the line between low-mileage preservation piece and use-it-every-day muscle car. It looks great and thanks to the durable hardware underneath, it should run practically forever with just gas and oil. And that’s a very cool way to relive your childhood.

Vehicle: 1979 Pontiac Trans Am 10th Anniversary
Price: SOLD
Stock Number: 115004
Odometer Reading: 44,948
VIN: 2X87K9L142656
Engine: 403 cubic inch V8
Transmission: 3-speed automatic
Gear Ratio: 3.08
Wheelbase: 108 inches
Wheels: 15-inch aluminum wheels
Tires: 225/70/15 Firestone radial
Exterior Color: Silver
Interior Color: Silver leather
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