Anyone like 1979 Bandit Trans Ams?

[MK2_GT]

I know these are crap pics but the most impressive thing to me is the documentation.

It has the original build sheet and all original manuals etc........this is the most documented original;, like new, factory car I have ever seen (or added to my collection) ! The Bird on the hood is perfect, paint, interior, panels, the WS6 rims and even the tires are ridiculously ORIGINAL.... It is an original 4 speed AC car as well!

I know these are bad pictures of the vehicle but I wanted to share with the TA faithful (and my Ford GT Forum buddies) right away.

 

[soroush]

I know these are crap pics but the most impressive thing to me is the documentation.

It has the original build sheet and all original manuals etc........this is the most documented original;, like new, factory car I have ever seen (or added to my collection) ! The Bird on the hood is perfect, paint, interior, panels, the WS6 rims and even the tires are ridiculously ORIGINAL.... It is an original 4 speed AC car as well!

I know these are bad pictures of the vehicle but I wanted to share with the TA faithful (and my Ford GT Forum buddies) right away.

i like the gt 500 better:wink whats the blue on top of the gt, a AC replica?

 

[Empty Pockets]

From now on now we'll have to refer to U as "The Bandit". :driving:

 

[MK2_GT]

i like the gt 500 better:wink whats the blue on top of the gt, a AC replica?

Not a replica but a 1968, 1 of 90 , 4 speed , AC, Acapulco blue car...another well documented vehicle but the Bandit is like factory new...where the blue car is restored...but still great (obviously) :wink

 

[Nardo GT]

Nice T/A. Does it have T-tops? My wife drove a 79 red on red WS-6 T-top for 8 years. Great car. Loved the 403 Olds motor. Seems like the automatics had the 403 and the 4-spds. had the Pont. 400...but I'm no authority. I sold it about 10 years ago after garaging it for many years. I thought because of the low hp of the late 70's early 80's "musclecars" that it would never be worth anything. Paid $2500 for it 5 years old, dove it 8 years and sold it for $4500. Would have never dreamed it would have gone up like they have recently. I think the "Smokey" movie did a great deal for the value for sure. I enjoy cars, but I prefer to enjoy the ones that go up in value fastest lol.

 

[S592R]

sweet! where is sally fields? :wink Nice cars ... as always.

thanks for sharing.

 

[MK2_GT]

Nice T/A. Does it have T-tops? My wife drove a 79 red on red WS-6 T-top for 8 years. Great car. Loved the 403 Olds motor. Seems like the automatics had the 403 and the 4-spds. had the Pont. 400...but I'm no authority. I sold it about 10 years ago after garaging it for many years. I thought because of the low hp of the late 70's early 80's "musclecars" that it would never be worth anything. Paid $2500 for it 5 years old, dove it 8 years and sold it for $4500. Would have never dreamed it would have gone up like they have recently. I think the "Smokey" movie did a great deal for the value for sure. I enjoy cars, but I prefer to enjoy the ones that go up in value fastest lol.

No T-Tops, I had to tell myself that T-Tops leaked in order to buy the car but I am glad I did...well, Let's just say it is a lot higher that $4500 now :wink

 

[ChipBeck]

The last of the Mohicans.

It has the original build sheet and all original manuals etc........this is the most documented original;, like new, factory car I have ever seen (or added to my collection) ! The Bird on the hood is perfect, paint, interior, panels, the WS6 rims and even the tires are ridiculously ORIGINAL.... It is an original 4 speed AC car as well!

MK2GT,

Your car is both rare and of historical significance. The 1979 four speed TA 6.6 liter Trans Am is the last big block musclecar that Pontiac Motor Division ever produced. 95% of the Trans Am's produced in 1975 had automatic transmissions with the small block Oldsmobile 403 engine with siamesed cylinder liners. Pontiac stopped production of their big block 400 cubic inch V-8 in 1978. Even during that model year the high output TA 400 engine was very hard to get. I know because I was the Pontiac dealer in Scottsdale then and drove a TA-400 4 speed Trans Am myself. Pontiac warehoused a very small number of those big block TA400's for use during the 1979 model year as a halo vehicle and to provide them to magazines for road tests. Back then I was one of the five largest volume Pontiac dealers in the Los Angeles zone and I believe I only received three TA400's during the entire 1979 model year. Two of the three I used as my personal company cars. The transmission in your car is an aluminum case Borg-Warner super T-10 equipped with a Hurst shifter that was much improved over the 1978 models.

The lower performance Oldsmobile 403 equipped 1979 Trans Am's are easily identifiable by glancing at the lettering on the side of the Shaker hood scoop. The common Oldsmobile 403 cars say "6.6 Liter" on the side of the scoop and the very rare TA400 cars say "T/A 6.6" on the side of their scoops.

In 1980 engine selection in the Trans Am went seriously downhill with three miserable choices. A very low output Chevrolet 305 V8, the small block Pontiac 301 normally aspirated V-8, and a turbocharged version of the Pontiac 301 that would barely get out of its own way. There is no replacement for displacement and your 1979 WS-6 T/A 6.6 Trans Am is the last great Trans Am. Congratulations on a rare and significant find.

Chip

 

[ChipBeck]

T-tops + TA = bad idea.

As regards T-tops on the WS-6 equipped Trans Am, they are a bad idea. Unlike our GTs, the roof of a Firebird is a major structural component and Firebird and Camaros equipped with T-tops had considerably more body flex and did not handle as well as those with solid roofs. The WS-6 suspension package is quite a bit stiffer than the standard Trans Am suspension and thus aggravated the additional body flex that the T-top created. Add to this the squeaks, rattles, and water leaks combined with the hassle of getting them on and off and stored in the trunk. You are much better off without the T-tops IMO.

Chip

 

[Empty Pockets]

No T-Tops, I had to tell myself that T-Tops leaked in order to buy the car ...

You told yourself correctly.:thumbsup

I don't know of a single GM T-top car (regardless of badge) that didn't either leak or squeek - or BOTH. My '68 'Vette sure did. As did the Oldsmobubble H/O. Not a single guy I knew who's car HAD a T-top said it DIDN'T leak or squeek ...and I knew close to a dozen.

My experiences with these 'tops "in the early days"biggrin) is responsible for the fact I STILL don't even wanna order a "sun roof" on any car. ('Tried to talk the wife outta ordering a sun roof on her Bimmer [it's really "Beemer!]. But, I never COULD tell the wifey anythin'. :frown :lol).

 

[STUNTS]

I would like a pic of you in an orange vest, cowboy hat and a smile please... while sitting in your new bird...

of course

 

[B O N Y]

Thanks for being such a great steward of American muscle.

 

[MK2_GT]

MK2GT,

Your car is both rare and of historical significance. The 1979 four speed TA 6.6 liter Trans Am is the last big block musclecar that Pontiac Motor Division ever produced. 95% of the Trans Am's produced in 1975 had automatic transmissions with the small block Oldsmobile 403 engine with siamesed cylinder liners. Pontiac stopped production of their big block 400 cubic inch V-8 in 1978. Even during that model year the high output TA 400 engine was very hard to get. I know because I was the Pontiac dealer in Scottsdale then and drove a TA-400 4 speed Trans Am myself. Pontiac warehoused a very small number of those big block TA400's for use during the 1979 model year as a halo vehicle and to provide them to magazines for road tests. Back then I was one of the five largest volume Pontiac dealers in the Los Angeles zone and I believe I only received three TA400's during the entire 1979 model year. Two of the three I used as my personal company cars. The transmission in your car is an aluminum case Borg-Warner super T-10 equipped with a Hurst shifter that was much improved over the 1978 models.

The lower performance Oldsmobile 403 equipped 1979 Trans Am's are easily identifiable by glancing at the lettering on the side of the Shaker hood scoop. The common Oldsmobile 403 cars say "6.6 Liter" on the side of the scoop and be very rare TA400 cars say "T/A 6.6" on the side of their scoops.

In 1980 engine selection in the Trans Am went seriously downhill with three miserable choices. A very low output Chevrolet 305 V8, the small block Pontiac 301 normally aspirated V-8, and a turbocharged version of the Pontiac 301 that would barely get out of its own way. There is no replacement for displacement and your 1979 WS-6 T/A 6.6 Trans Am is the last great Trans Am. Congratulations on a rare and significant find.

Chip

Chip, that is just an amazing amount of great info. I really appreciate it.