Exterior
The Chesterfield Brown exterior is in excellent driver condition. As one can see in the photos, the paint has a great gloss, deep shine, and nice finish. Both doors open and shut nicely and do not sag, it feels tight and secure like a vault door closing. Often many Trans Am's will have particularly chipped up front ends; this car does not and even the low and vulnerable front spoiler is in great condition as one can see in the photos. The wheels are in good shape with a nice finish and no curb rash. Please note that these are the original Rally wheels finished in body color, which is correct according to the original window sticker. The Goodyear Eagle tires are correctly sized 225/70R15. There are no major imperfections that have been intentionally excluded from the photos, there is one small spot in the paint on the left front fender and a specific photo of the area below. As one would expect from a paintjob with this much age there are some small blemishes around the car that are too small so show up in the photos, but nothing that is really noticeable from about five or ten feet away.
The trunk is remarkably clean and original. As one can seen in the many photos of the underside, this Trans Am is totally solid. We have also included specific photos of the lower front and rear quarters, rockers, and other areas on the car most prone to rust.
This Trans Am has a stamping on the radiator core support, which is pictured below. The core support shows a "5 24 78" stamp, or May 24, 1978. This stamping would be correct and original as it precedes the car's build date of the second week of July, 1978 (07B). As one can imagine, if this Trans Am had ever sustained even a minor front end collision this part would have been repaired or replaced. The original stampings are great to see in tact.
Interior
The Camel cloth interior of the Trans Am looks fantastic and is all original. The seats are in excellent condition with no tears, rips, or split seams. Please note that these appear to the original seats and skins, not some cheap aftermarket covers or reproductions. The carpet looks great with no stains, rips, or holes. The dash is in excellent condition with no cracks, fading, or sun damage. The dash bezel looks amazing with a beautiful finish. The original door panels look great with no cracks or splits, and both door pulls are solid and in tact. The package tray looks great with no warping, fading, or sun damage. All of the gauges faces are crisp and the lenses are clear. This car has not been smoked in; there is no aroma of cigarettes what so ever. Please note in the video below how both seat belts operate and retract properly. This is a very common problem on this era "F-Body" and a small, but very important, detail most buyers do not think to check. Trans Am interiors from this era are not known to wear well over time and the excellent condition of this original interior is a huge testament to the meticulous care this Trans Am has received throughout its life.
The trunk is original and totally complete with the original space saver spare, inflator bottle, jack, jack base, decals, and trunk mat. Even the very fragile cardboard speaker cover is still present in the trunk under the package tray.
The interior looks just as good in person as it does in the photos.
Mechanical
This Trans Am appears to be in great mechanical condition and is ready to be enjoyed. As stated above I have put over 50 miles on the car with absolutely no issues at all. The 400ci engine starts right away every time, idles well, and runs great. It is an exceptional driver that feels nice on the road and at highway speeds. In the video below one can observe the car accelerating on the highway up to about 70mph, shifting through all the gears, braking to a stoplight, and going through some curves. Please note that it shifts well, runs great, there are no strange noises or vibrations, and the car performs quite nice overall. The brakes are responsive and do not pull to one side or the other. There is no smoke when starting or driving the car. It runs cool and does not overheat. Also, the engine bay is clean, nicely detailed, and correct as one can see from the photos. The horn works as do all the exterior lights, interior lights, indicators, wipers, and blower for the heater and a/c on all speeds but high. All of the gauges work and even the clock runs. The a/c works and blows cold. One can see the a/c compressor clicking on and engaging properly in the video below. Not enough can be said as to how much of a pleasure it is to drive this car.
The Trans Am runs and drives as well as it looks.
Overall Condition
Overall, this 1978 Trans Am is in excellent condition and is a true bargain at our asking price. The market on for the second generation Trans Am is very strong right now, particularly for the 1977 & 1978 model years, and very low mileage original cars are much more desirable. Any vehicle can be restored, but a car is only original once and originally cannot be duplicated. This Trans Am is a great value and will only appreciate over time. Someone could easily enjoy this vehicle for several years and sell it for more than the purchase price with minimal effort.
As a side note, this Trans Am is not a dealer auction vehicle. We hand pick each car after careful inspection. Our classics come from owners who expect their cars to go to someone that will give the vehicle the same care and attention as they did. We invite and encourage you to examine the car in person or have the car inspected. Please take the time to scrutinize each picture. We photograph each vehicle to the greatest extent so you can feel confident about your purchase. If you have a question about the Pontiac, just give us a call.
Thank you for looking and please do not hesitate to email or call with any questions.
