A 1979 Trans Am with only 12 miles
06-07-2009, 01:56 AM
#41
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You guys almost sound like you think the car sat in a salt bath outside. I have bought and sold many collector cars and this one is an all original piece of history and the real deal. As good as it gets. Many suspension pieces were bare metal or lightly painted and would rust almost instantly. Bare metal rusts in days without some kind of coating. IT WAS 1979!!!! Cars rusted out in five years of driving them in the Midwest. Exhaust systems lasted only a few years. To drive this car would be impossible and a real shame. All the oil seals are likely shot and will leak. Vaccuum hoses are cracking, etc. It is a muesum piece even with the light rust. The window sticker probably was caused in transit from leaking T-tops. They all leaked back then.
06-07-2009, 06:38 AM
#42
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I agree with you completely. Any car that is completely original and has sat for 20-30 years or more, will certainly have it's issues. Being up north, unless someone was under the thing once a month for the last 30 years with a can of WD-40, it's going to rust. No question. Without someone maintaining the rubber hoses and weatherstripping, that stuff is going to crack and show it's age too. At this point, if you replace anything or try to clean up the cosmetic aging issues, it'll only take away from it's value as a truly all original. Great car.
Wasn't knocking the car or saying that it wasn't the real deal, but I would have thought if it was a museum piece(stored indoors for the last 30 years that wouldn't have happened), I'm a Florida boy and we don't have the issues down here that are prevailent up north. No doubt it is a very cool piece of Pontiac history.
06-07-2009, 08:16 AM
#43
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I had a 1978 Trans Am. Solar Gold, 400 Pontiac. My uncle bought it brand new in 78. All thru the 80's when I was a kid, that car was all i ever thought about. Going to uncles house and just looking at it I used to drool, let alone him taking me for a ride with the ttops off.
Finally when I turned 16, I had saved enough money from my after school job, and my mom matched my savings to buy the car. Mind you, this was 1996 and he sold it to me for 4k. The car had 55k summer only miles.
In stock form, the 400 smog motor and 2.56 limited slip, well, was a pooch. When I turned 18, the motor came out and got built, along with tranny and a 3.73 installed. After that, that car would go down the street sideways thru first and second gear. Lots of fun. Ended up selling it in 2003 to get my first boat. I miss that car.
Brad is right, in 79, the 400 Pontiac was only available with the 4spd. All the auto's were olds 403 motors. I believe pontiac stopped building the 400 in 78, so the 79's with 400's got leftover 400's from 78. Which there werent many in 79 with pontiac motors.
IF i ever get another one, it will be identical to this one! The new Burt Reynolds Edition
http://www.yearone.com/yodnn/Portals...4/Default.aspx
Finally when I turned 16, I had saved enough money from my after school job, and my mom matched my savings to buy the car. Mind you, this was 1996 and he sold it to me for 4k. The car had 55k summer only miles.
In stock form, the 400 smog motor and 2.56 limited slip, well, was a pooch. When I turned 18, the motor came out and got built, along with tranny and a 3.73 installed. After that, that car would go down the street sideways thru first and second gear. Lots of fun. Ended up selling it in 2003 to get my first boat. I miss that car.
Brad is right, in 79, the 400 Pontiac was only available with the 4spd. All the auto's were olds 403 motors. I believe pontiac stopped building the 400 in 78, so the 79's with 400's got leftover 400's from 78. Which there werent many in 79 with pontiac motors.
IF i ever get another one, it will be identical to this one! The new Burt Reynolds Edition
http://www.yearone.com/yodnn/Portals...4/Default.aspx
06-07-2009, 08:30 PM
#44
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I had a 1978 Trans Am. Solar Gold, 400 Pontiac. My uncle bought it brand new in 78. All thru the 80's when I was a kid, that car was all i ever thought about. Going to uncles house and just looking at it I used to drool, let alone him taking me for a ride with the ttops off.
Finally when I turned 16, I had saved enough money from my after school job, and my mom matched my savings to buy the car. Mind you, this was 1996 and he sold it to me for 4k. The car had 55k summer only miles.
In stock form, the 400 smog motor and 2.56 limited slip, well, was a pooch. When I turned 18, the motor came out and got built, along with tranny and a 3.73 installed. After that, that car would go down the street sideways thru first and second gear. Lots of fun. Ended up selling it in 2003 to get my first boat. I miss that car.
Finally when I turned 16, I had saved enough money from my after school job, and my mom matched my savings to buy the car. Mind you, this was 1996 and he sold it to me for 4k. The car had 55k summer only miles.
In stock form, the 400 smog motor and 2.56 limited slip, well, was a pooch. When I turned 18, the motor came out and got built, along with tranny and a 3.73 installed. After that, that car would go down the street sideways thru first and second gear. Lots of fun. Ended up selling it in 2003 to get my first boat. I miss that car.
06-07-2009, 08:53 PM
#45
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Neat car, and as good as it gets for the late 70s I suppose. Power was anemic at that time though... probably 180hp or so. 1979 was probably the low point between horsepower wars of the 60s-1970 and the more recent era.
06-08-2009, 08:31 AM
#46
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My next door neighbor bought two new Trans Ams in '79 (I was 15 years old at the time). One was a silver 403/auto car and the other a 10th Anniv. 400/4 speed car. The kid next door was a year younger than me. One day, he decides to back the 10th Anniv. T/A out of the garage for whatever reason. He did not get the door latched and it caught on the garage door opening as he backed out and sprung the door bad. Made me sick! That car brings back lots of memories.
06-08-2009, 09:28 AM
#47
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The rare 400, 4 barrel, four speed, true dual exhaust that was only avialable in the 10th anniversary edition (1817 made) was 230 hp and 310 ft tq. There are three cars that I know of with less than 1000 miles. But none even close to only 12 miles.
All this talk about performance of these old cars is odd to me. I have owned some of the fastest late 1960's - 1970 factory muscle cars ever made. Other than a lot of cool noise they really are lousy cars to drive. True collectors do not buy cars for how they drive, they buy them for the impact they made on the public then and now.
All this talk about performance of these old cars is odd to me. I have owned some of the fastest late 1960's - 1970 factory muscle cars ever made. Other than a lot of cool noise they really are lousy cars to drive. True collectors do not buy cars for how they drive, they buy them for the impact they made on the public then and now.
Last edited by Brad Zastrow; 06-08-2009 at 09:36 AM.
06-08-2009, 09:59 AM
#48
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The rare 400, 4 barrel, four speed, true dual exhaust that was only avialable in the 10th anniversary edition (1817 made) was 230 hp and 310 ft tq. There are three cars that I know of with less than 1000 miles. But none even close to only 12 miles.
All this talk about performance of these old cars is odd to me. I have owned some of the fastest late 1960's - 1970 factory muscle cars ever made. Other than a lot of cool noise they really are lousy cars to drive. True collectors do not buy cars for how they drive, they buy them for the impact they made on the public then and now.
All this talk about performance of these old cars is odd to me. I have owned some of the fastest late 1960's - 1970 factory muscle cars ever made. Other than a lot of cool noise they really are lousy cars to drive. True collectors do not buy cars for how they drive, they buy them for the impact they made on the public then and now.
Sam
06-10-2009, 04:36 PM
#49
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It probably came out of the Norwood {Cincinnati} plant in the winter and got salt on it then...They drove them down the street for loading(Some of them had quite a ride
}. That would explain the rust.
I,m not really into T/As but...I thought the 6.5was the 400 Pont motor and the 6.6 was the Olds 403 ?
}. That would explain the rust.I,m not really into T/As but...I thought the 6.5was the 400 Pont motor and the 6.6 was the Olds 403 ?
