Rare Trans Am Hurst Edition 400 4 Speed

We've been saying it for years, and if you look at our sold inventory list, you'll see that it's true: 70s Pontiac Trans Ams are the next big thing. Not only were they enshrined in pop culture as THE car to own, but they were the last vestige of true V8 muscle car performance. Today, that sentiment resonates well with buyers who are beginning to have a little free time, a little disposable income, and are rediscovering the car of their dreams. Featuring highly desirable Hurst T-tops, a stout Pontiac V8, a correct 4-speed transmission and a striking red and white color combination, this awesome 1978 Trans Am is a super cool second generation F-body which offers unbeatable value and outstanding looks. If you're an astute Pontiac fan who's looking to get ahead of the curve, this awesome 1978 survivor might just be the ultimate bang for your buck!

Before we go any further, I'll go ahead and decode both this Trans Am's VIN and cowl tag for the sake of authenticity:

VIN: 2W87Z8N178307

* 2: Pontiac Motor Division
* W: Trans Am
* 87: Sports coupe
* Z: 400 cubic inch V8
* 8: 1978 model year
* N: Assembled in Norwood, Ohio
* 178307: Production number

COWL TAG:

* 78: 1978 model year
* 2: Pontiac Motor Division
* FS: Firebird
* 87: 2 door coupe
* N: Assembled in Norwood, Ohio
* 281682: Fisher body production number
* 74R: Carmine Red interior
* A51: Bucket seats
* 11L: Cameo White lower paint
* 11U: Cameo White upper paint
* 06B: Assembled during the second week of June, 1978
* WS4: Trans Am
* CA1: Hurst T-tops
* 120154: Sequence number

Assembled at GM's Norwood, Ohio manufacturing facility, shipped to D'Elia Pontiac in Greenwich, Connecticut and delivered to Joan Galbicsek of Milford, Connecticut, this awesome '78 Trans Am has only seen two owners throughout its entire 34 year existence. A bright coat of correct GM code 11 Cameo White paint lies between 100% original body panels and a nice set of four color call outs. And the cars straight body is rock solid, dent-free and appears largely now as it did when it rumbled right off the showroom floor. Because this Trans Am has never been fully disassembled, it still displays completely accurate panel gaps and surprisingly tight factory alignment. And thanks to three decades of great maintenance, it's still one super cool 'bird which features straight lines, correct fit and finish, and a refreshingly different paint scheme.

In 1978 excessive chrome and flashy decals were quickly becoming a thing of the past. But in typical Trans Am fashion, this car carries a well-deserved egocentric appearance that maximizes eyeball appeal and identifies it as something special. At the front of the car, a straight and glossy urethane bumper holds jet black headlight buckets at the sides of a traditional red arrowhead to provide Pontiac's familiar split grille look. Behind that bumper, the cars great looking “T/A 6.6” branded shaker hood sits in front of pristine A01 soft tint glass that is bordered by well-maintained stainless trim and topped by correct WY9 dark tinted Hurst T-tops. Below that glass, red inlayed trim spears, traditional chrome door handles and correct B93 stainless door guards combine form with function while traditional 'red bird' B-pillar emblems, body-matched metal air extractors and correct front and rear fender flares create exciting visual detail. And at the back of the car, two very fitting Hurst decals cling to a correct C49 rear window above an expertly aligned “Trans Am” branded decklid spoiler, a slick black rear valence and Firebird-exclusive stainless side splitter exhaust tips.

Pop this Trans Am's ghost white hood and you'll find a 400 cubic inch L78 YH block that was Pontiac's top of the line engine for the 1974 model year. Thanks to government mandated emissions standards performance was almost legislated out of existence during the 70s. And as the rules became more and more strict, the Trans Am started suffering what seemed to be a long-term identity crisis. By utilizing Pontiac's proven “6X” head design to create a higher compression ratio and provide better low end grunt, the L78 continued Pontiac's reputation as the end all, be all muscle car division and made the Trans Am one of the fastest pony cars on the market. At the top of the motor, a proven 4-barrel carburetor sits under the cars awesome shaker scoop. Below that carburetor, Pontiac Turquoise paint coats the entire engine block and correct, to the engine, exhaust manifolds send spent gases into a high performance factory exhaust system. All the hard parts around the motor, from the belt driven accessories to the brake booster and air conditioning hanging on the fire wall are in good working order. And as expected, nuances and details are just where they should be from the vintage “Keep your GM vehicle all GM” air cleaner decal to the correct satin chrome valve covers. The car's unrestored engine bay is covered in a nice coat of factory satin black paint, and there's even original factory overspray on both the cowl and the hood.

Underneath this Trans Am, a super solid 34 year old undercarriage tells the story of years of excellent maintenance with rock solid floor pans and a whole roster of OEM components. At the center of the car, a correct Borg Warner T-10 4-speed transmission, which wears a June 16th of 1978 date stamp, sends power to a correct 10 bolt Posi-traction rear axle. And at the corners of the car, a correct WS6 special performance suspension, which includes heavy duty sway bars, shocks and springs combines with power front disc and rear drum brakes to provide quick stops and great handling. Present and accounted for is an OEM power boosting dual exhaust system which sends gases through a large catalytic converter to two mufflers and two traditional stainless Firebird tips. And all the small things like hardware, bushings and fuel lines appear to be in good shape and ready to hit the street. Power flows to the pavement through modern 255/60 Goodyear Eagle GT radials that are wrapped around signature 15 inch snowflake wheels and correct 'red bird' center caps.

Inside this awesome Pontiac you'll find a striking and correct GM code 74R Carmine Red interior which appears to be original to the car and looks much fresher than its 34 year age would suggest. In the middle of that interior, original standard bucket seats are comfortably firm and look like they should be in a much more modern car; and at the bottom of that interior, red carpet presents minimal wear that is likely the result of years of protection by heavy duty B37 floor mats. Between the carpet and seats, a simple red console houses the cars prerequisite Hurst shifter; and above the seats, a stain free headliner is stretched tight around its tinted Hurst T-tops. At the front of the interior, an excellent looking engine turned dash holds crystal clear gauges above controls for the cars heat, correct C60 air conditioning and correct UM2 Delco-GM stereo. And at the sides of the interior, thick red door panels hang cool stainless trim between chrome handles for the doors and windows and large red armrests. In front of the driver, a correct black Formula steering wheel sits on a correct N33 tilt steering column. And behind the cockpit, big Pioneer speakers hang over a clean trunk which carries a correct spare tire and jack beside a “Hurst” branded T-top bag.

Included with the sale of this cool Trans Am is a copy of the cars original title, an original dealership key chain and documentation from Pontiac Historic Services.

Customers ask us: if there was one car you would buy right now and hang onto, what would it be? Here's our current reply: a second generation Trans Am. These cars have all the right stuff that forms the basis for collector pieces which will continue to climb in value, and they're a whole lot of fun to boot. If you're looking for a cool old school muscle car with plenty of attitude to back up its great looks, your search is over!