1978 Trans Am BANDIT

1978 Pontiac Trans Am Description

Up for sale is my 1978 Pontiac Trans Am. If you have been searching for a BANDIT Trans Am that truly runs like a BANDIT…stop…You have found it.

The body and frame on this Trans Am has just over 22k original miles and the 520 horsepower 455 (stroked to 468) has less than 500 miles. This Trans Am has spent its life in a garage as I only drive it on the weekends to a car show or car function then it gets washed, waxed and put back in the garage again.

Everything on this car works as it should, right down to the cigarette lighter. I will attempt to describe this car in sections for you as to be as descript as I can.

PAINT / BODY

Was a 99.9% rust-free body

Stripped to metal

Painted in Diamond Paint 2-stage: 5 coats base black, 5 coats clear

Wet sanded / buffed

Phoenix Graphics special edition Trans Am stripe kit incl. Birds, Names, Stripes (preformed)

New nose arrowhead emblem

New 17 inch Year One wheels (snowflake)

New center caps

New lug nuts

New tires (less than 500 miles)

The paint on this car shines and looks a foot deep. There are no swirl marks in the paint or any scratches. Some of the chrome trim on the car has been replaced. The glass has no cracks or bubbles and is as good as new. The Phoenix graphics are amazing quality and were installed perfectly. The paint has a smooth feel to it and is easy to take care of.

INTERIOR

Reproduction front rear seats, seatbelts, console door, cup holders, door panels, carpet

New gold steering wheel

New dash cover

New Sill plates

New Stereo / speakers

New CD / IPod

Everything else in the interior has been professionally detailed.

The interior of this Trans Am appears as it did when it left the showroom floor. I installed a dash mat to protect the dash as these cars are notorious for cracking and splitting dashes and I refused to let it happen to this one. All the seats are brand new, new carpet, new OEM steering wheel, door panels, even new cup holders!! The only thing I have not replaced (yet) is the headliner. It does not sag, but will need to be replaced to match the new interior.

The trunk is clean and rust free with OEM grey covering. I included some photographs of the areas that usually accumulate rust on the T/A’s to show this one is rust free.

ENGINE

Olds 455 stroked to 468 - 60 over - Speed Pro piston and rods - Nodular crank 10/10

Cloyes billet 7 key way double roller timing set - Mark Remmel custom radical cam shaft

Trick flow heavy duty I-Beam rods - Edelbrock performer heads - Harland Sharp gold roller rockers

Saunders block hugger headers- Flow cooler water pump - Desert cooler 4-core radiator

Edelbrock intake / cut divider - Street Avenger 870 cfm vs. modified

Proform street / strip distributor (recurved) - High torque mini starter

10 mm DUI race wires - New GM alternator - Holley fuel pump

OK, so here is where the fun starts. If you know anything about the original 400 Pontiac engine, you know it was S-L-O-W. This one…is not. This engine is a BEAST and shakes the ground when it idles. No expense was spared building this one and it was done very, very tastefully. I never “hot rod” this car, but it will absolutely ROAST the back tires if you get in it. The cam sounds as amazing as the car looks and just the sound, turns heads. The compression is 11:1 and will run on 93 octane pump gas, but thrives on 110 (if you choose). I have run both and have had no issues with either. 110 smells good, so I run it once in a while! I installed a new red top Optima battery and it fires up first time, every time with no issues.

MACHINE WORK

Hot Tank - Align Honed -Torque Plate - Magnafluxed - Gasket match everything - Degreed cam shaft - Studded block ARP fasteners

Money was spent building this engine to do it right. A good high performance engine starts with good machine work.

TRANSMISSION

TH 350 -Rebuild to match - TCI super street fighter - TCI street / strip valve body - TCI street fighter 3500 / 3800 converter Redline synthetic fluid - B-M radiator style cooler - deep aluminum pan - Spicer high impact U-Joints / Yolk

REAR END

Total rebuild including bearings, 3.73 gears, seals, redline synthetic oil - Strange HD axles - Heavy duty clutches - Aluminum cover

BRAKES

Stock. New 1 year ago

GAS TANK

New

EXHAUST

2 ½ in duals

IMCO extreme mufflers (1 chamber)

New chrome TA tips

The car is 99 percent perfect however; it does leak just a few drops of oil each week as I believe the rear main seal is leaking just a bit. I have not bothered to replace it as I kind of expect a 38 year old car to show some signs of age. These Olds engines are notorious for leaky rope seals so, I have not paid much attention to the drop here and there.

If you are a perfectionist as I am, you will want to replace the headliner. It is not saggy, but it is not new as the rest of the interior. I just have not gotten to it yet. It was the next thing on the list…..quick fix, less that 200 bucks.

I would not hesitate for a moment to drive this car hundreds of miles. It is that reliable. As you could imagine, it likes to drink the gas, but that is the price you pay for 520 horses under the hood.

Send me a message if you have any questions or would like additional photos.

Buyer is responsible for all transportation costs. I am an individual and not a car dealer, so there will be no warranty on this car. Full payment shall be made by cashiers check except for the $500.00 paypal deposit due within 24 hours of auction end. Title in hand.....as this car is for sale locally for $35,0000, I reserve the right to end this auction early.

You can view a walk around / startup video of my TA, here (turn it up!!):

https://youtu.be/suKo87xP3R4