1979 Pontiac Trans Am Coupe

Vehicle Description

Every once in a while, we find a car where the story is every bit as important as the condition. This remarkable 1979 Pontiac Trans Am was purchased directly from its original owner and has traveled just 33,000 original miles in nearly five decades. Rather than being restored, modified or cosmetically recreated, this is an exceptionally well-preserved survivor that still carries the unmistakable character of an original car. Finished in its beautiful heritage brown metallic with the iconic gold Trans Am graphics, gold snowflake wheels and matching Camel Tan interior, this car is an incredible time capsule. The paint has wonderful depth and shine while still displaying the honest character you would expect from an original 47-year-old automobile. The body is exceptionally straight, the panel fit is excellent, and the original-style graphics and trim present beautifully. This isn't a freshly restored showpiece where everything has been made new—it is something increasingly difficult to find: the real thing. Inside may be even more impressive. The original Camel Tan interior remains remarkably well preserved, from the patterned bucket seats and carpeting to the dashboard, console, steering wheel, door panels and engine-turned instrument panel. Even the areas that typically reveal years of use tell the same low-mileage story. Equipped with factory air conditioning, power windows, power door locks, tilt steering, cruise control and the desirable removable Fisher T-tops, it is a wonderfully equipped example of one of the most recognizable American performance cars of the era. Under the shaker hood is the 6.6-liter Oldsmobile 403 V8, backed by an automatic transmission. The engine compartment has intentionally not been cosmetically restored or dressed to look new. It retains the hoses, hardware, finishes and natural aging that belong on an original survivor. The car runs excellent and is exactly the type of engine compartment we like seeing on an automobile whose originality is such an important part of its story. The underside tells that same story. It has not been blasted, painted or cosmetically refinished for photographs. The original floors, structural areas and chassis remain exceptionally solid and retain their factory-type finishes and undercoating, along with the normal dust, cobwebs, age and minor surface oxidation accumulated over the years. We would much rather show it honestly than cover 47 years of originality with fresh black paint. Perhaps one of the most remarkable details is that the Trans Am is still riding on its original Goodyear Polysteel Radial tires mounted on its original gold snowflake wheels. Those tires are an incredible preservation piece and further support the life this car has lived. Due to their age, however, we consider them display/collector items rather than tires intended for regular highway use. Documentation is another major part of this Trans Am's story. The car was purchased directly from its original owner and is accompanied by an extensive collection of original paperwork, Pontiac literature, maintenance and service receipts, owner's materials and other documentation accumulated over nearly five decades of ownership. Also included are service manuals along with multiple boxes of spare and replacement parts the original owner accumulated through the years. We have not attempted to individually catalog every piece, but it all stays with the car and provides another fascinating look into the history of a Trans Am that remained in the same hands from new until we acquired it. This isn't simply a 33,000-mile claim attached to an old car. The condition of the automobile, its beautifully preserved original interior, original Goodyear tires, remarkably solid survivor underside and the extensive documentation and materials retained by its original owner all tell the same story. There are certainly restored 1979 Trans Ams with shinier engine compartments and freshly refinished undercarriages. That's not what this car is—and frankly, that's not what we would want it to be. Restoration can be duplicated. Originality cannot. For the collector looking for an honest, nicely preserved, one-owner 1979 Pontiac Trans Am with 33,000 original miles, extensive documentation and the kind of untouched character that disappears a little more every year, this is a very special automobile. It hasn't been restored to look like a 33,000-mile Trans Am. It is a 33,000-mile Trans Am. For more info contact Kevin at Mashburn Motors