Restored Numbers Matching Trans AM 400 4 Speed

In the past two years, RK Motors Charlotte has sold more late-70s Trans Ams than anyone else. When we first started seeing demand pick up, we realized that these were going to be the Next Big Thing, and just as we predicted the future has arrived, lousy economy be damned. Today, these F-bodies are white-hot collectables, particularly those like this lovely Nocturne Blue '79, which shows just 49,235 original miles and packs its numbers-matching Pontiac 400 and 4-speed manual transmission. This isn't your run-of-the-mill dingy survivor, either, but a car with a stunning cosmetic and mechanical restoration that makes it one of the best-driving cars of the era. Ultra-clean, low-mileage T/As like this won't be this affordable much longer, so read and look, but don't hesitate on this one.

The VIN has a Z as the fifth digit, so it's a real 400 cubic inch Pontiac motor, not a K-code 403 Olds/automatic combination, and the cowl tag decodes as you'd expect:
79 1979 model year
12A First week of December build date
2 Pontiac Division
FS Firebird
87 2-door coupe
L Van Nuys, CA assembly plant
093548 Sequence number
24B Blue cloth interior
29L Nocturne Blue lower paint color
29U Nocturne Blue upper paint color
W Water-borne paint (Van Nuys production only, other facilities used lacquer)
A51 Bucket seats
U-4026410 Fisher time/date code

Completely disassembled, stripped, and refinished from the steel on up, this stunning car looks FAR nicer than it ever did in 1979. Nocturne Blue is one of the most popular Trans Am colors, sophisticated and timeless, without being garish like so many other '70s hues. We have restoration photos showing this car in pieces, with each part being straightened, sanded, painted, and buffed before reassembly into the brilliant Trans Am you see today. The paint is two-stage urethane, which finally does the Nocturne Blue justice, with incredible depth and a brilliant gloss that just wasn't possible with 1970s paint technology. Every inch was color sanded and buffed to erase any flaws, and it was assembled with more care than GM could spare on an assembly line that turned out one new car every 7 minutes. In a showroom full of nice cars, this one seems to stand out due to the exceptional attention to detail the cosmetics received.

Of course, no Trans Am is complete without the decals, and this one received a full complement of correctly reproduced decals from Phoenix Graphix. From the “screaming chicken” on the hood, to the 'TRANS AM' block lettering on the ducktail spoiler, there's no mistaking this for anything else. There's almost no chrome on the car, with bright work limited to the door handles, but the black trim was restored and sports a correct satin finish. The full-width tail lamp assembly is in beautiful condition with no fading, cracking, or other damage, and the glass is all in excellent condition.

The engine is a genuine Pontiac 400, one of the last that were squirreled away by Pontiac engineers and reserved exclusively for the more potent 4-speed cars (automatics, of course, got the Oldsmobile 403). Fully rebuilt and detailed for show, it's also the original, numbers-matching piece that was installed in December of 1978 when this car rolled down the assembly line. The block wears correct Pontiac Turquoise paint, chrome valve covers on which someone has miraculously managed to duplicate production chrome, as well as the massive hood scoop atop the original air cleaner. There's a new alternator, fresh cold air hoses for the air intake, and new wiring throughout. And given that this is a 4-speed car without A/C, I'm guessing that the original buyer knew exactly what he was doing, specifying what may very well have been the most potent street machine made in America in 1979. It runs as it should, firing up easily and settling into a rumbling idle, and pulling like only a true muscle car V8 can out on the road.

The T10 4-speed behind it is also the original, numbers-matching piece, and it drives what appears to be the original 10-bolt rear end. The chassis is highly original and unrestored, which will give you a good idea of how well-preserved this car really is. With an older exhaust system that replicates the original in configuration, plus more recent exhaust pipes and correct chrome tips, it sounds the way you'd hope your new Trans Am would. Floors are solid and clean, the frame is undamaged, and new shocks have been fitted all around, along with a new gas tank. Perhaps the car's most remarkable feature are the beautifully restored “snowflake” alloy wheels wearing NOS (not reproduction!) 225/70/15 Goodyear Polylsteel Radials.

Inside, the blue cloth interior is equally well preserved and in outstanding condition. Of course, parts of it have been restored, but the line between restored and original is so blurry that the result is quite compelling. Fabric seats are quite rare and again point to an original owner who was all about performance. Matching blue door panels, carpets, and even a beautifully restored steering wheel give the interior a bright, airy feel without diluting the T/A's performance image. The engine-turned dash is a cool throwback to the early days of racing, and all the gauges are fully functional. An AM/FM/cassette stereo head unit has been fitted just ahead of the original shifter for the 4-speed. Recent blue rubber floor mats have been installed, which gives it a finished look. The trunk offers a fabric liner, space-saver spare, jack assembly, and NOS inflation bottle, which is a truly rare find.

Documentation is extensive, thanks to Pontiac Historical Service (PHS), plus the original build sheet which was found inside the car during the restoration. There's an original owner's manual, a copy of the original window sticker, showing a fairly lengthy list of options, production figures, press releases, and all the other good stuff you get from PHS, which also helps verify this car's authenticity.

This is yet another opportunity for you to pick up a gorgeous T/A for not a lot of money, in a market that's only going up from here. With low mileage, matching numbers, a 4-speed, and a very nice restoration, this one needs nothing to be driven and enjoyed while it appreciates. It's the ideal blend of show-quality looks and awesome drivability, ready to cruise this summer.