Classic
DREAMCARS Mount Dora, Fla. (352) 385-1945
www.classicdreamcars.com
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1979 PONTIAC FIREBIRD
TRANS AM "T.A. 6.6 " SPORT COUPE
THE 1979 MODEL PONTIAC FIREBIRD "TRANS AM' WAS THE SINGLE, MOST POPULAR
VERSION OVER ANY OTHER YEAR - EVER BUILT - BY PONTIAC MOTOR DIVISION. THE
TYPICAL "T/A" WHEN NEW LEFT THE VAN NUYS PLANT, FOR
EXAMPLE, WITH A
WINDOW STICKER OF $8694.45. IT WOULD TYPICALLY BE EQUIPPED WITH THE
ICONIC
''SCREAMING CHICKEN'"
HOOD DECAL, CHROME
EXHAUST SPLITTERS, SNOWFLAKE ALUMINUM WHEELS, AND BE POWERED BY THE 400+ CUBIC
INCH V8. IT WAS MOST COMMONLY SEEN WITH THE TURBO-MATIC 3-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AND FRONT DISC / REAR DRUM BRAKES. ONE SELDOM SAW, OR COULD EVEN
ORDER, A FOUR-SPEED IN 1979 (UNLESS YOU WERE WILLING, LIKE I DID, TO WAIT
3-4+ MONTHS)NOT
TO MENTION THE 4- WHEEL DISC BRAKE OPTION. OTHER AMENITIES COULD BE FACTORY AIR CONDITIONING,
POWER STEERING, TILT WHEEL OR THE SPORTY AM/FM STEREO CASSETTE. HOWEVER,
THE OVERWHELMING, SURPRISE POPULARITY CAUSED THE FACTORY TO RUN
SHORT ON PONTIAC PRODUCTION ENGINES THAT YEAR AND MOST WERE FITTED WITH THE 403
OLDSMOBILE 6.6 V8 WHICH ONLY PRODUCED 185 H.P. CONSEQUENTLY,
ONLY THE W-72 PONTIAC MOTORS DESIGNATED
"T.A. 6.6"
ON THE AIR CLEANER,
CARRIED THE HIGH HORSE ' PERFORMANCE PACKAGE ' V-8 , AND WERE ATTACHED TO THE FOUR SPEED TRANSMISSION.
ACTUAL PRODUCTION NUMBERS ARE:
ONLY
2,917 BUILT
WITH THE 400 CUBIC INCH V8, FOUR-SPEED AND THE CORRECT FACTORY
'FISHER' T-TOPS
(
NOTE: 30,728 BASE MOTOR
403'S WERE SOLD WITH T-TOPS). THERE'S A LOAD OF '79 FIREBIRD'S OUT
THERE AS TOTAL PRODUCTION OF '79 T/A'S WAS 117,108 UNITS.
BUT, ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF CARS EQUIPPED LIKE THIS....
SO, WHAT WE HAVE CAPTURED HERE IS A BEAUTIFUL 36,369 MILE
DOCUMENTED ONE-LADY-OWNED CAR
LOADED
WITH OPTIONS. OUR "T.A. 6.6/ W-72 "Z" CODE " TRANS AM HAS
BEEN RECENTLY REFINISHED IN BASE COAT/ CLEAR COAT IN IT'S ORIGINAL COLORS OF "CAMEO WHITE"
WITH ORIGINAL "BLACK STANDARD" BUCKET SEATS. IT IS FURTHER OPTIONED WITH FACTORY
FISHER BODY T-TOPS WITH ORIGINAL VINYL STORAGE BAGS,
THE "SCREAMING CHICKEN" HOOD DECAL
($95 OPTION), LAMP GROUP, H.D.
BATTERY, FACTORY AIR
CONDITIONING, FOUR-SPEED TRANSMISSION W/ HURST SHIFTER, POWER STEERING,
RARE 4-WHEEL DISC BRAKES,
POWER WINDOWS, POWER DOOR LOCKS, TILT WHEEL, LEATHER
WRAPPED FORMULA STEERING WHEEL, AM/ FM/ STEREO CASSETTE
PLAYER WITH FACTORY REAR SPEAKERS, RWL B.F. GOODRICH RADIAL
TIRES, "HIDE-A-SPARE" (SPACE SAVER) COMPLETE WITH ORIG.
INFLATOR BOTTLE, ENGINE DRESS KIT, REAR-WINDOW DEFROSTER WITH LIGHTED SWITCH,
"SPECIAL PERFORMANCE PACKAGE", COLOR CODED
DUAL MIRRORS WITH DRIVERS REMOTE,
PLUS ALL THE USUAL TRAPPINGS LIKE
THE RAM-AIR "SHAKER HOOD SCOOP", FRONT AIR DAM, REAR SPOILER, SIDE GROUND
EFFECTS, OPTIONAL "RADIAL TUNED SUSPENSION" WITH
OVERSIZED SWAY BARS AND COIL SPRINGS.
THEN YOU HAVE THE "HONEYCOMB" SILVER ALUMINUM WHEELS, 21 GAL. FUEL TANK, GAUGE
PACKAGE WITH 'ENGINE TURNED' DASH W/ 6500 RPM TACH ,VELOUR TRUNK MAT, AND SPORT CONSOLE.
THIS VEHICLE LIST PRICED NEW AT $9214.45. FRESH BACK FROM THE RESTORATION SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETAILED, COMPLETELY TUNED,
SERVICED & OIL CHANGED. IT COMES WITH A SET OF
MATS. IT ALSO HAS A COMPLETE SET OF MANUALS
INCLUDING THE 'FIREBIRD' OWNERS MANUAL, "HIDE-A-SPARE" BROCHURE, DELCO
STEREO BROCHURE, 1979 G.M. SCHEDULE ON GASOLINE, WARRANTY BROCHURE FOR '79
FIREBIRD T/A AND EVEN A "SPECIAL EDITION - SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT " DVD
MOVIE FEATURING THE FIREBIRD T/A.
P.H.S. (PONTIAC HISTORICAL SERVICES) DOC'S
ARE IN HOUSE AND MATCH THE CAR.
BUY IT NOW
FOR $34,950.
THIS ONE IS A KEEPER
THE STORY:
The Pontiac Firebird began it's life in 1967 as a fancier
, more expensive version of Chevrolet's Camaro. It is considered Detroit's
'Oldest Warrior' as it is the only Muscle car that had been in dealer brochures
consistently for over 30 years. By 1969, John DeLorean, Pontiac's General
Manager, spearheaded the Trans Am model. They only sold 689 Hardtop's and 8
Convertible's in the beginning but, as the years progressed the
TRANS
AM Model dramatically increased in Stature and Popularity- thanks, in part,
to it's Powerful Engine, Great Handling and Aggressive Styling. In reverse, they
also reached a plateau and stalled in value in the early 90's to late 90's as
the styling was so ADVANCED, the car really didn't 'look' like an 'antique car'
for many years. When 1977 came
about Burt Reynold's released his
'SMOKEY AND THE
BANDIT"
movie and that Box Office Smash Hit ,
coupled with the Trans Am's Street Image , single handedly secured this Pontiac's
place as a Milestone in Automotive History.
It is said to have left dealer's showroom's like
heat seeking missles.
Nearly killed-off by General Motors on several occasions, the T/A soldiered on
well into the 80's and 90's..... though emasculated in power. It was the only Muscle car that
survived Recession's, Legislative Lunacy and multiple Gas Crisis' ........finally even seeing
the Chevrolet Camaro, at one time, in it's rearview mirror.
The First Generation Pontiac Trans Am's were first
available in 1969 and came with an 'optional handling package' called the "Trans
Am Performance and Appearance Package". It was actually named after the S.C.C.A. ( Sports
Car Club of America) Race Series. That option cost an amazing $725 in 1969. Due to the
fact the name was used without permission the S.C.C.A. filed a lawsuit against
General Motors which was subsequently settled. GM agreed to pay S.C.C.A. $5.00 for
every T/A sold ($585,540 in 1979 alone). The 1979 Model considered The
Second Generation (1970-1981) is also given extra value as a
'special'
collectable due to the fact it is a 10th Anniversary Edition commemorating 10
years of Trans Am Production.
Noteworthy
:
Pontiac dropped ALL of it's large displacement engines
after this year.
Only the 400 c.i. W-72 motor carried the "6x.4 350 heads"
which created higher compression.
Pontiac did issue a special Silver Anniversary Edition with
Silver Exterior and Interior this same year.
Most of the Trans Am's also advertised & carried a "Body By
Fisher" plaque on the door jam sill plate as Pontiac wanted buyers to believe
they were still buying a 'custom-made body built by old-timers'. Ironically, the
Ground Effects, Spoilers, and T-Tops installed after regular production, made
that a reality.
The Firebird was one of the Longest Lasting
American "Muscle Cars" in History
The Trans Am in
2002 and Firebird met it's demise in
2004, though it still lived-on to be used in the IROC Racing Series.
All of the above adds to it's mystique and collectability.
VIN # 2W87 Z 9N113822 = PONTIAC DIVISION, TRANS AM, 2DR. COUPE,
400 V8, 1979, BUILT IN NORWOOD OHIO
. ALL STATS VERIFIED BY PONTIAC (P.H.S.)
TRIM TAG: 79 10C 2FS87N BODY#, 19R 11K 11U . L AS1 CC A31 WS4
BL 360639 = 1979 BORN OCT. 3RD WEEK, PONTIAC FIREBIRD 2- DR BORN IN
NORWOOD, OHIO WITH BLACK STANDARD BUCKETS IN CAMEO WHITE TOP & BOTTOM IN LACQUER
WITH FISHER T-TOPS,POWER WINDOWS AND AS A TRANS AM. THE '2ND' INTERIOR COLOR WAS
BLACK. FACT SOURCE: PONTIAC HISTORICAL SERVICES, PONTIAC; STANDARD CATALOG BY KRAUSE PUBLICATIONS AND
WWW.TA78.COM