This Rare Trans Am Is The Muscle Car's Greatest Hits Album

Although Pontiac's Trans Am may not be the rarest of American tarmac warriors, they certainly stand for something inspiring. In an era where all muscle cars were effectively excommunicated from society, Pontiac kept the Vital Signs Monitor on until the eleventh hour, and boy did they go out with a bang.

When the plug was eventually pulled on the muscle car generation as we now worship, Pontiac decided to flip the bird in style and went out with a blaze of glory with this – the 10th Anniversary Edition, offered by Orlando Classic Cars. 

Trans Am’s have a special place in everyone’s hearts for exactly this reason. From the outside looking in, one may wonder what the fuss is about. An oversized car, with an oversized engine and a lack of power to justify any of the above. Yet, for the rest of us, it stands as a shining beacon that celebrates two decades of America’s finest, a breed of car never to be seen again. Or, at least, not in the same guise.

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Whilst Mustangs had retreated into the safety net of economy box territory and Mitsubishi’s were prancing around with the word ‘Challenger’ emblazoned on the bodywork, two special Trans Am variants continued to wave the flag. 

Two variants were available, slipping through the tightening emissions regulations with enough catalytic converters to stifle power down to just 180 horsepower from the 403 cubic inch Oldsmobile unit. Laxer states allowed the Pontiac 400 cubic inch motor to run with 220 horsepower. Yet, power is not the issue. It never was, because this is a Trans Am, and its legacy speaks for itself.

The 10th Anniversary Edition we have here, however, takes things even further. Of the 7500 units produced, most carried the less powerful motor mated to a three-speed automatic transmission. This example is just 1 of 1817 cars with the Pontiac motor and four-speed manual transmission. From a production run of 116,000 vehicles for the 1979 model year, that's rare!

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Not only does this example enjoy the most desirable specification, but it also has just 4000 miles on the odometer; if you can believe it. Looking at the interior still protected from the seat and mat covers, it’s not hard to see the condition. The radical silver leather interior gleaming as it did when it left the factory, along with the array of Firebird embellishments strewn around the car in any place Pontiac could fit it.

Although this may not be one of the raucous 400-plus horsepower muscle cars from the late sixties, it certainly stands as the ‘greatest hits’ album of the entire generation that preceded it, and that makes it magic.

For more information, visit the Motorious classifieds.

Source: Orlando Classic Cars.

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