National Award Winning Trans Am SE 400 V8 4 Speed

If you're a car guy who's anywhere south of 100, or anywhere north of 30, chances are you know exactly what 'east bound and down' means. If you know what 'east bound and down' means, it's a good possibility you're very familiar with this 1977 Pontiac Trans Am Special Edition. And if you have fond memories of this Trans Am SE, I'm certain you know what AACA Senior National and Pontiac-Oakland First Place Gold are. What's my point? If you're one of the growing number of enthusiasts rediscovering just how cool late model second generation Trans Ams are, but just aren't quite sure you want to regress that far into your youth, here's your opportunity to throw a little sophistication into the mix! As a winner of multiple national awards, this brassy black and gold 'bird isn't just a bold throwback to simpler times and cooler cars, it's a blue chip commentary on smart investment for the future. So, if you're into 400 cubic inches of American muscle, close ratio 4-speed transmissions and giant gold bird decals, order up some flutes of Coors, throw on the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra's Down on the Farm and toast your next classic!

Like most of our investment grade Pontiacs, this Trans Am's sale includes a detailed breakdown from Pontiac Historic Services that, when combined with the car's original cowl tag, provides the following authentication:

COWL TAG:

* 77 - 1977 Model year
* 2FS87 - 2: Pontiac Motor Division, FS: Firebird, 87: coupe
* N – Assembled at GM's Norwood, Ohio manufacturing facility
* 156410 – The car's Fisher Body production number
* 19N – Deluxe black vinyl interior
* A51 - Bucket seats
* 19L 19U - Starlight Black upper (U) and lower (L) exterior paint
* 03A – Assembled during the first week of March, 1977
* WS4 - Trans Am
* BLK – Secondary interior color: Black
* 250957 – Fisher Body time and date code.

PONTIAC HISTORIC SERVICES SPECIFICATIONS:

* Firebird Trans Am Hardtop Coupe
* 19-19 – Starlight Black exterior paint
* 19N1 – Black interior trim
* M21 – Close ratio 4-speed manual transmission: NO COST
* QCY – GR70x15 White letter steel belted radial tires: $45.60
* C60 – Custom air conditioning: $478
* C49 – Electric rear window defroster: $82
* A01 – Soft Ray tinted glass: $50
* Y92 – Lamp group: $16
* D34 – Passenger's visor vanity mirror: $4
* V02 – Super cooling radiator: $29
* UN9 – Radio Accommodation Package: $23
* Y82 - Special Edition Package: $1,143
* Y90 – Custom Trim Group: $91
* W72 – T/A 6.6 Litre V8 that's complete with a 4-barrel carburetor: $50

Assembled at GM's famous Norwood, Ohio manufacturing facility in March of 1977, this pristine Trans Am coupe was delivered to Gary F. Vincel Pontiac in St. Louis, Missouri to begin a long, accident-free tour of America's driest heartland. In the spring of 2004, Champion Auto Body in Pasadena, Maryland spent hours sanding, straightening and prepping the car's 100% original body panels to better-than-new condition. And today, logging only 100 miles per year since that thorough restoration was completed, this spectacular F2 displays a killer coat of correct Starlight Black urethane under Special Edition-exclusive full outlining stripes and an iconic Special Edition-exclusive 'screaming chicken' hood decal.

Despite their minimalist brightwork, second generation Trans Ams were highly decorated cars that brought new meaning to the word 'details'. At the front of this 'bird, a straight and glossy urethane bumper hangs Special Edition-specific gold headlight buckets and two AACA Senior Award plaques at the sides of a traditional Pontiac arrowhead. Behind that bumper, the car's great looking “T/A-6.6” branded shaker hood anchors pristine Soft Ray greenhouse glass between straight stainless trim and Special Edition-exclusive Hurst T-tops. Behind that hood, Special Edition-exclusive German “TRANS AM” call-outs and Special Edition-exclusive B-pillar birds ride between traditional fender vents, black-accented door handles and familiar wheel spoilers. And behind those call-outs, a correct rear window defroster and a large German “TRANS AM” spoiler decal hang above factory fresh tail lights and correct Firebird-exclusive stainless side splitter exhaust tips.

Pop this Trans Am's glossy black hood and you'll find a correct 6.6 liter W72 V8 that, according to the car's previous owner, was installed in October of 1977 as a warranty replacement piece. As the final, and some say greatest, Pontiac block ever created, this beefy mill utilizes a thicker casting, a revised camshaft, a better oil pump, a better distributor and smaller '6X' heads from the division's own 350 to create higher compression and successfully reverse almost a decade of declining horsepower. Top dead center is a correct Rochester 4-barrel carburetor, which rides under the car's awesome shaker hood scoop; and a correct HEI distributor, which sends power to the cylinders through replacement silicon plug wires. Below that carburetor you'll find a familiar coat of GM Corporate Blue paint which, like the rest of the clean engine bay, was restored by Jeff Walton of Pomfret, Maryland. And below those plug wires you'll find correct cast iron manifolds which transition spent gases from warranty replacement heads to true dual pipes. The car's reproduction decals are bright and fade-free. Everything from its Delco Moraine brake booster and Harrison AC components to its fender plenum air tube and satin finish valve covers is in excellent, streetable condition. And not only does this Trans Am's solid engine carry only 77,799 original miles, it's also branded with the XX481988 casting number that's found exclusively on Pontiac's heavy duty W72 blocks.

At the bottom of this Trans Am a mildly freshened undercarriage, also a product of Jeff Walton Restorations, is comprised of straight floorpans that still display most of their standard factory undercoating, and a satin black chassis that still retains most of its factory luster. In the middle of that undercarriage a correct Borg Warner T10 4-speed, which wears a familiar 1304065903 casting number, sends power to a rebuilt 10 bolt rear end which still retains its correct metal maintenance tag. Below that stellar powertrain a rebuilt Trans Am suspension, which includes power steering, thicker sway bars, better shocks and stiffer springs, combines with standard issue power front disc and rear drum brakes to provide quick stops and great handling. At the center of that suspension, a power-boosting true dual exhaust system barks out a deep, vintage roar from a transversely mounted muffler. At the corners of that exhaust system, restored aluminum snow flake wheels spin Special Edition-exclusive gold paint between 'red bird' center caps and modern 225/70 BF Goodrich Radial T/As. And all the car's hardware and bushings, from its leak-free fuel tank to its correctly installed emergency brake cable, appear to be lucid and in good shape.

Open this F-Body's massive black doors and you'll find a fully restored deluxe vinyl interior that wraps Special Edition-exclusive gold trim in a whole lot of old school style! The fresh cockpit, which was constructed by GS Auto Upholstery in Millersville, Maryland, begins with rebuilt seats that are firm, crisp and look every bit as nice and rich as their deluxe name implies. Below those seats, like-new black carpet, which is carefully protected by heavy duty rubber floor mats, displays no fading or unraveling; and between those seats, a silver-trimmed console props a cushy armrest behind a chrome Hurst shifter. At the top of the car, a stain-free headliner is stretched tight around the aforementioned Hurst T-tops. And at the sides of the car, pitch black door panels hang pristine pull straps and new chrome handles above impossible to find armrests. In front of the driver, a gold, engine-turned dash anchors crystal clear gauges, controls for factory heat and air conditioning, and a Trans Am-branded radio delete panel behind a correct Formula steering wheel. And behind the cockpit, a fully restored trunk illuminates a correct courtesy lamp above storage bags for the car's T-tops and a correct Space Saver spare tire.

During its time on the national show circuit this pristine Pontiac coupe has racked up many impressive accolades. Here's an itemized list of its major accomplishments:

* Three First Place Awards at the Trans Am Nationals
* 2003 AACA Senior National First Prize winner
* 2004 AACA Senior Grand National First Prize winner
* Scored 377 out of 400 points at the 2009 Pontiac-Oakland Club International Convention to win a First Place Gold Award

Like all of our investment grade cars, this Trans Am comes with extensive documentation. We have the aforementioned Pontiac Historic Services paperwork. There's a stack of factory manuals that includes a vintage dealer brochure. There's a reproduction window sticker courtesy of Pontiac Historic Services. And last but certainly not least, we have the car's Gold Award from the 2009 Pontiac-Oakland Convention.

Professionally restored from its factory Hurst T-tops all the way to its high performance exhaust and slick gold wheels, this fully documented Trans Am Special Edition is a super clean national award winning muscle car that's perfect for any enthusiast who wants a world class Pontiac! This is the kind of car that you can take to the nationals on Saturday, and then drive to work on a sunny Monday morning. If you're in the market for a super cool Trans Am, NOW is the time to buy a correct, low mileage, investment grade showpiece to enjoy for years to come!