Glad you popped up on my RUclips. You said your Dad picked you up in middle school in the 1979 TransAm. I always remember the bird overlapping the hood to the fenders. I was born in 85, so i cant say i know everything. But, its a childhood memory and i remember that car 100% and of course its what my Dad got my mother in 1979 for her first car which there 8 years apart. My parents are definitely no longer together because she had dudes lined up around the block. But, what do u expect when u buy a 16 year old a brand new 79 silver 10th anniversary TransAm. Its definently a head turner. She was still in highschool. I know, but i remember the buzzer sound and the rain drop shadows at night from the street lights shining though the T-tops all over me. These cars bring back so many memories. So, I've always been a huge fan of them. Firebirds, Formulas and TransAms! So, its my thing to see videos about them.
Real sorry to hear about your folks, mine divorced when I was about 8, but sure glad you have some nice memories of these cool cars. Dad had bought my mom a 70 Nova, was just a 307 but it was nice.
I had that EXACT car...bought it new in 1979. I've been fortunate in life to have owned 5 corvettes since 1985 but if I had a choice to resurrect a previous car I've owned it would be hands down my 79 T/A...I absolutely loved that car!!!
@@billbill9392 Agreed, love the lt1, but tpi can be super nasty too. My 90 base model put out 335hp and 413ft lbs at crank, didn't touch the inside of motor either 😳Only thing I hate about the lt1 is the tune-up process lol.
@@billbill9392 Personally I love Pro-Charger for centrifugal and I'd go Whipple or Magnuson for roots style. Vortech I've also heard good things about.🤙🇺🇲
1979... The year I was born. Very nice! I loved Knight Rider & Dukes Of Hazard, of course! Excellent videos! So far I've watched you driving your father's C4 ZR1, then I watched you driving your new LT1 Camaro, and now this. I used to own an Electron Blue, 2003 C5 Z51 Targa 6-speed manual that I modified... It had a Vararam CAI. 178 Degree T.Stat. Kooks 1-3/4" LT Headers, Kooks HF Catted X-Pipe. B&B RT.66 Cat-Back. Custom Dyno Tune. DTE 3.90 HD Rear. Hurst Shifter. Centerforce DF Clutch. Centerforce Lightweight Flywheel. One size wider - 255/45ZR17 Fr, 285/40ZR18 Rr Michelin Pilot Sport Tires - Ditching the heavy and noisy runflats. It also had Lightweight Eradispeed 2pc Cross drilled/vented/slotted Front & Rear Brake Rotors. Hawk Ceramic Fr & Rr Brake Pads. Fr & Rr SS Brake Lines. I lowered the car slightly on the stock bolts...Plus I had some smaller mods. I sold the car in 2007 because I needed the $ unfortunately. I plan on buying an LS3 C6 in the near future. Anyway, I hope you keep on making videos. I'll subscribe after this comment. -Chris
Chris, ty very much for your kind words, and I totally appreciate that you didn't wanna sell it, been there my friend. That Vararam is a nice setup, ran that on a C7 Corvette a few years back, and love how you modded your Corvette. Appreciate the subscribe too, always cool to meet car folks like yourself🤙🤝
I also loved Knight Rider, funny you mention that, dad has an 83 Firebird SE you'd probably like, ls1/t56 swap. Video soon to come, hope you get another Corvette soon too! Helps put a smile on your face bad day or not ^^
My wife has a 77 TA, it is an AZ. car, rust free and completely original. Had a complete restoration rebuild eng and trans, and basically cosmetic otherwise car is great, super highway cruiser, only issue is no cruise control otherwise it always makes you smile. Love these, most were only limited by tall rear gears, and only three speeds. But nothing comes close in the looks department.
Couldn't agree more, I love the design! I had 2 78 Formulas, though not a Trans Am I sure love the 77/78, and I didn't know they had cruise, makes me want one even more, that'd be sweet. Definitely makes me smile too brother.
I had a 79 Transam 403 3 speed automatic.. It had a cruise control too. Never had no problems at all. Very reliable. I did coast to coast hauls twice. A lotta fun and had all the oomph I needed. This was in mid 1980's while I was in a university in Az. I had sold it in 1988. Now I'm 59 and gearing up to buy me a 79 T/A 403 3 speed auto. Intend buying from Transam Specialities of Florida
thanks for riding with you in a firebird.years ago i was the owner of a blue 1974 455sd firebird ta with a blue eagle on the hood, what a great car was that. only the breaks where terrible. and just like you said.. i still mis him ervery day
Really appreciate it my friend:) speaking of bad brakes....my 78 Formula in high school, I'll never forget the master cylinder going out right as I approached a major intersection haha
Dang that's crazy, this is my friend's car but I got a 78 W72 Trans Am a few months back, waiting on rain to clean salt off the roads here to make a video on her :D
Always wanted one still do bought my best friend's 70 Vette convertible when he suddenly left us. I was getting ready to go to basic training and took it with when took leave to go get it after basic. Anyway if I ever come across one like this I will go for it👍🇺🇸
Love Em or Hate Em Trans Am is not for everyone the big Bird or screaming Chicken scares them off!! 😂 I had a 1980 Indy Pace car that had every option at the time..loved that Trans Am! Nice review Btw!! 😎👍
Great video! Thanks for posting it. It looks like it has aluminum heads. That might account for a significant improvement in performance. I had a few of these, and loved them all.
Thank you as well for the comment sorry I didn't respond sooner RUclips doesn't always notify me, My friend still has this car too I like it, really glad you enjoyed the video.
Friend in 1988 had a 77 TA w/6.6. He passed about 3 cars on dbl yellow when we left school. 3rd car was a Bronco. Caught us at the stop sign pulled in front of us stopping on an angle. This giant of a human got out, and happened to be an off duty NJ State Trooper. He called a local officer who wrote my friend 11 points worth of tickets. We were there for 45 minutes while he wrote them. His parents took that car away grom him for a while. Great times looking back. (Not at that moment. Trooper was ticked off)
Thank you very much, I sure did lol. Special cars to me, so much so that I recently found a 78 4 speed W72, video coming soon, salt on roads here now :/
He still has this car :D Born in 80 here, ended up getting a 78 Trans Am in blue, my dream car. I hear you, go ahead and find you one! They drive real nice:)
Love those 2nd gen pontiac trans ams this is my favorite awesome screaming chicken decal Norm Inouye was its creator of the original hood bird on a firebird concepts in the 50s Bill Mitchell thought it was bad in taste to use it the idea was shelved for years till 1973 when Norm Inouye presents the hood bird idea to porter and his other bosses porter convinces Bill Mitchell to use it as an option to the trans am the public liked the idea then it becomes a staple in the trans am line up
@@Feral80sKid that could be nice for you.... I bet videos of you fixing that Beautiful '79 up, would be great for your viewers!! I subscribed but I'd even share your videos on her!!!😁 I wish I still had mine. I sold it to my bro-n-law... he sold it to a friend of ours... he took the rear end out ( for the disc breaks and 396 gears) Grrrrr then they crushed her😭. With the build sheet on that car would be a nice price today. I got her in a trade for a 72 mustang I had. Wish I had it back too... but 2 weeks after the trade... he hit a power pole.... totaled it... grrrrrr Thanks for the memories Brother!!
Back in around '89, a friend bought a beat up '72 Trans Am from a guy who spoke no English for $900 in the Ventura area in So. Cal. It had a 455/4-speed. Fast beast, but without internet, I never realized how rare the '72 TAs were.
Oh P.S. I had a 79 Formula 400 4sp. Pure hot rod. .... well till I blew up the built motor lol then swapped it for a TA stock engine 😫 I miss mine.. now I drive a Titan with probably twice the HP of the stock 400 haha
i would be cool to know some of the specs on the car's engine, i own a Sock 1976 rans Am with he Pontiac 400 and they were slow by comparison to he early 70s models due to heavy and very restrictive emissions regulations they had to comply with. But because of that so many of them have been modified and are no longer stock, that it's becoming harder to find an original one to experience what they felt like brand new. So mine is staying original. But some good modifications to make one into a daily driver, for me anyway. Would be to swap the 3 speed Automatic for the 700r4 with overdrive. Which involves shortening or swapping the stock driveshaft. Getting a Buick olds Pontiac housing adapter for the 700r4 to mate to the Pontiac 400 or olds 403, and doing some work to the stock engine to keep costs down. You can always do an LS swap, I've seen it done on a bandit 79. Or to stay carbureted you can swap in a Crate chevy motor with a deep cam of over 500 lift and big heads but that and the 700r4 to match will run you at least 15 grand. Whereas if you simply take the factory heads & intake out and swap in a ported set of Edelbrock heads and intake, a Ram air 3 spec cam & lifter set, and then just to strengthen the bottom end for insurance, invest in swapping the stock rods and pistons for some forged units, because they're weak and won't take more than 250hp or high rpm. And you can add compression with flat top pistons and keep the stock Quadrajet. And the last thing I'd do is swap the stock 3.23 Posi or 2.73 factory rear end gears for a 3.73 Posi from eaton or auburn. Poly bushings and fresh shocks. Then just upgrade the front pads & rotors and keep the stock wheels, because 15" tires are cheaper than going with bigger 17" snowflake wheels and 17" tires. Which if you're building the cars engine for fun, you're going to be shredding rear tires, and 15s are cheaper to replace than 17s. Build it and drive it for less than 10 grand so it'll be as Driveable as a 3rd gen Z28 or Trans Am was from 1987 to 1992 when they had the 700r4 and the 5.7 TPI combo which at it's peak made 245hp and 345 torque from 1990 to 1992. That is a good benchmark to use for power. Stock the 400 and 403 in '78 & '79 made no more than 220hp & 330 torque max. And the 2nd gen body is heavier in general compared to the 3rd gen which shed about 500 pounds. The 2nd gen T/A with a full tank of gas and 200lb driver weighs in at 4,000 pounds. A 3rd gen would be about 3,600 My '92 Z28 is a blast to drive. If I get another 70s T/A those are the mods I'd do for under ten grand. Ported aftermarket heads and intake, forged push rods and Forged Flat top pistons, Hydraulic roller cam and Roller lifters and Ram air 3 spec cam with 112 lobe separation angle. High flow water pump. Tuned Quadrajet. 3.73 Posi rear end so it can move out of it's own way and chirp the tires into 3rd gear from the 700r4 with a stage 2 shift kit. And finally open true dual 3" exhaust ending with the splitter tips
You definitely know your stuff, and good suggestions, really appreciate you taking the time my friend. Unfortunately don't know the exact specs on this car or I'd share them with you. LOVE the 92 Z28.
Glad you popped up on my RUclips. You said your Dad picked you up in middle school in the 1979 TransAm. I always remember the bird overlapping the hood to the fenders. I was born in 85, so i cant say i know everything. But, its a childhood memory and i remember that car 100% and of course its what my Dad got my mother in 1979 for her first car which there 8 years apart. My parents are definitely no longer together because she had dudes lined up around the block. But, what do u expect when u buy a 16 year old a brand new 79 silver 10th anniversary TransAm. Its definently a head turner. She was still in highschool. I know, but i remember the buzzer sound and the rain drop shadows at night from the street lights shining though the T-tops all over me. These cars bring back so many memories. So, I've always been a huge fan of them. Firebirds, Formulas and TransAms! So, its my thing to see videos about them.
Real sorry to hear about your folks, mine divorced when I was about 8, but sure glad you have some nice memories of these cool cars. Dad had bought my mom a 70 Nova, was just a 307 but it was nice.
I had that EXACT car...bought it new in 1979.
I've been fortunate in life to have owned 5 corvettes since 1985 but if I had a choice to resurrect a previous car I've owned it would be hands down my 79 T/A...I absolutely loved that car!!!
You have good taste lol, good memories in cars like these. Had a 90 Corvette base model and an 84 I was always fixing haha.
@@Feral80sKid 92 and up with Vettes That lt1 was the c4 gen saving grace
@@billbill9392 Agreed, love the lt1, but tpi can be super nasty too. My 90 base model put out 335hp and 413ft lbs at crank, didn't touch the inside of motor either 😳Only thing I hate about the lt1 is the tune-up process lol.
@@Feral80sKid The day will come, what in youir honest opinion is best turbo or supercharge an lt1?
@@billbill9392 Personally I love Pro-Charger for centrifugal and I'd go Whipple or Magnuson for roots style. Vortech I've also heard good things about.🤙🇺🇲
1979... The year I was born. Very nice! I loved Knight Rider & Dukes Of Hazard, of course! Excellent videos! So far I've watched you driving your father's C4 ZR1, then I watched you driving your new LT1 Camaro, and now this. I used to own an Electron Blue, 2003 C5 Z51 Targa 6-speed manual that I modified... It had a Vararam CAI. 178 Degree T.Stat. Kooks 1-3/4" LT Headers, Kooks HF Catted X-Pipe. B&B RT.66 Cat-Back. Custom Dyno Tune. DTE 3.90 HD Rear. Hurst Shifter. Centerforce DF Clutch. Centerforce Lightweight Flywheel. One size wider - 255/45ZR17 Fr, 285/40ZR18 Rr Michelin Pilot Sport Tires - Ditching the heavy and noisy runflats. It also had Lightweight Eradispeed 2pc Cross drilled/vented/slotted Front & Rear Brake Rotors. Hawk Ceramic Fr & Rr Brake Pads. Fr & Rr SS Brake Lines. I lowered the car slightly on the stock bolts...Plus I had some smaller mods. I sold the car in 2007 because I needed the $ unfortunately. I plan on buying an LS3 C6 in the near future. Anyway, I hope you keep on making videos. I'll subscribe after this comment.
-Chris
Chris, ty very much for your kind words, and I totally appreciate that you didn't wanna sell it, been there my friend. That Vararam is a nice setup, ran that on a C7 Corvette a few years back, and love how you modded your Corvette. Appreciate the subscribe too, always cool to meet car folks like yourself🤙🤝
I also loved Knight Rider, funny you mention that, dad has an 83 Firebird SE you'd probably like, ls1/t56 swap. Video soon to come, hope you get another Corvette soon too! Helps put a smile on your face bad day or not ^^
@@Feral80sKid
Absolutely! Thanks, I'm looking forward to it!
@@StormAutoAdventures Any time my friend 🤝🏎
My wife has a 77 TA, it is an AZ. car, rust free and completely original. Had a complete restoration rebuild eng and trans, and basically cosmetic otherwise car is great, super highway cruiser, only issue is no cruise control otherwise it always makes you smile. Love these, most were only limited by tall rear gears, and only three speeds. But nothing comes close in the looks department.
Couldn't agree more, I love the design! I had 2 78 Formulas, though not a Trans Am I sure love the 77/78, and I didn't know they had cruise, makes me want one even more, that'd be sweet. Definitely makes me smile too brother.
I had a 79 Transam 403 3 speed automatic.. It had a cruise control too. Never had no problems at all. Very reliable. I did coast to coast hauls twice. A lotta fun and had all the oomph I needed. This was in mid 1980's while I was in a university in Az. I had sold it in 1988. Now I'm 59 and gearing up to buy me a 79 T/A 403 3 speed auto. Intend buying from Transam Specialities of Florida
thanks for riding with you in a firebird.years ago i was the owner of a blue 1974 455sd firebird ta with a blue eagle on the hood, what a great car was that. only the breaks where terrible. and just like you said.. i still mis him ervery day
Really appreciate it my friend:) speaking of bad brakes....my 78 Formula in high school, I'll never forget the master cylinder going out right as I approached a major intersection haha
Your 74 was basically my dream car! Happy to make your day bud🤙🤝
one of these 79 firebirds just sold for $220,000 heads up if u still got one
Dang that's crazy, this is my friend's car but I got a 78 W72 Trans Am a few months back, waiting on rain to clean salt off the roads here to make a video on her :D
@@Feral80sKid i'd let my friend know their car is worth that much :D scotty kilmer just made a video short about it
@@xogmaster Definitely gonna say something to him lol, love Scotty I'll check out the video now, thanks my friend ^^
Always wanted one still do bought my best friend's 70 Vette convertible when he suddenly left us. I was getting ready to go to basic training and took it with when took leave to go get it after basic. Anyway if I ever come across one like this I will go for it👍🇺🇸
Sorry to hear about your friend, glad you bought the 70 vette, that's a sweet ride. Had a 78 Formula 4 speed, was fun to own
Love Em or Hate Em
Trans Am is not for everyone the big Bird or screaming Chicken scares them off!! 😂
I had a 1980 Indy Pace car that had every option at the time..loved that Trans Am!
Nice review Btw!! 😎👍
Thanks my friend:)
@@Feral80sKid
Np man! 👍
Great video! Thanks for posting it. It looks like it has aluminum heads. That might account for a significant improvement in performance. I had a few of these, and loved them all.
Thank you as well for the comment sorry I didn't respond sooner RUclips doesn't always notify me, My friend still has this car too I like it, really glad you enjoyed the video.
These Cars are so brilliant
Definitely:) Not the fastest but this one runs great, has a few goodies done inside of motor, and love the styling!
Friend in 1988 had a 77 TA w/6.6. He passed about 3 cars on dbl yellow when we left school. 3rd car was a Bronco. Caught us at the stop sign pulled in front of us stopping on an angle. This giant of a human got out, and happened to be an off duty NJ State Trooper. He called a local officer who wrote my friend 11 points worth of tickets. We were there for 45 minutes while he wrote them. His parents took that car away grom him for a while. Great times looking back. (Not at that moment. Trooper was ticked off)
Very cool, used to do some dumb things in my 78 Formula back in high school 😅
Nice, I love the white with blue TA graphics
I was 10 when the 79 came out and after watching smokey and the bandit I wanted one.
I had a 78 Formula 22 years back in high school, dad used to have a 79 silver anniversary he'd pick me up from school in lol, good times
I've driven 403 TransAms. Beautiful cars. They're like slow muscle flexing luxury cars but can be made better.
Agreed, first car I ever drove was dads 79 403 Trans Am, was the silver anniversary, very cool
Man that TA sounds great for what it is! I could tell you were really enjoying it. I don't blame you!
Thank you very much, I sure did lol. Special cars to me, so much so that I recently found a 78 4 speed W72, video coming soon, salt on roads here now :/
@@Feral80sKid subbed ;)
@@BackcountryPassport Ty so much, it isn't much but I enjoy it, and meeting good people.
❤❤my dream car...the year I was born my favorite colors...
He still has this car :D Born in 80 here, ended up getting a 78 Trans Am in blue, my dream car. I hear you, go ahead and find you one! They drive real nice:)
Beautiful car
Nice! My Trans Am is white/gold. ❤️
Love those 2nd gen pontiac trans ams this is my favorite awesome screaming chicken decal Norm Inouye was its creator of the original hood bird on a firebird concepts in the 50s Bill Mitchell thought it was bad in taste to use it the idea was shelved for years till 1973 when Norm Inouye presents the hood bird idea to porter and his other bosses porter convinces Bill Mitchell to use it as an option to the trans am the public liked the idea then it becomes a staple in the trans am line up
Man please get him to paint the louvers White!!!
That would set that beautiful 79 off !!!
That would definitely look sick, think he wants to sell it sometime soon though :/
@@Feral80sKid that could be nice for you.... I bet videos of you fixing that Beautiful '79 up, would be great for your viewers!! I subscribed but I'd even share your videos on her!!!😁 I wish I still had mine. I sold it to my bro-n-law... he sold it to a friend of ours... he took the rear end out ( for the disc breaks and 396 gears)
Grrrrr then they crushed her😭. With the build sheet on that car would be a nice price today. I got her in a trade for a 72 mustang I had. Wish I had it back too... but 2 weeks after the trade... he hit a power pole.... totaled it... grrrrrr
Thanks for the memories Brother!!
70 to 73 and 77,78 are the most desirable models .
Had a 78 Martinique Blue Formula 350 4 speed long ago.
l had a 72' 455 white TA w/ blue vinyl interior. l bought it w/ 26k on the odometer. It was stolen at a Dallas Cowboys game in the parking lot.
Man thats a super awesome TA, that color combo and the 72 body style....So sorry to hear what happened, not cool
Back in around '89, a friend bought a beat up '72 Trans Am from a guy who spoke no English for $900 in the Ventura area in So. Cal. It had a 455/4-speed. Fast beast, but without internet, I never realized how rare the '72 TAs were.
I always like the 403 6.6 litre Oldsmobile v8 its basically a Oldsmobile 350 bored over but they are good engines
That's a sharp looking Pontiac Trans-Am😊❤👍
A friend of mine, but one brand we picked up so many young ladies in that car
They do seem to like these lol.
Oh P.S. I had a 79 Formula 400 4sp. Pure hot rod. .... well till I blew up the built motor lol then swapped it for a TA stock engine 😫
I miss mine.. now I drive a Titan with probably twice the HP of the stock 400 haha
Very cool, had a 78 Formula 350 4 speed looooong ago lol. Titan is a good truck I've heard.
@@Feral80sKid yes the Truck is very nice.... but the 12/13 mph is killing me lol
@@beanapalooza6614 No doubt :/
i would be cool to know some of the specs on the car's engine, i own a Sock 1976 rans Am with he Pontiac 400 and they were slow by comparison to he early 70s models due to heavy and very restrictive emissions regulations they had to comply with.
But because of that so many of them have been modified and are no longer stock, that it's becoming harder to find an original one to experience what they felt like brand new.
So mine is staying original.
But some good modifications to make one into a daily driver, for me anyway.
Would be to swap the 3 speed Automatic for the 700r4 with overdrive.
Which involves shortening or swapping the stock driveshaft.
Getting a Buick olds Pontiac housing adapter for the 700r4 to mate to the Pontiac 400 or olds 403, and doing some work to the stock engine to keep costs down.
You can always do an LS swap, I've seen it done on a bandit 79.
Or to stay carbureted you can swap in a Crate chevy motor with a deep cam of over 500 lift and big heads but that and the 700r4 to match will run you at least 15 grand.
Whereas if you simply take the factory heads & intake out and swap in a ported set of Edelbrock heads and intake, a Ram air 3 spec cam & lifter set, and then just to strengthen the bottom end for insurance, invest in swapping the stock rods and pistons for some forged units, because they're weak and won't take more than 250hp or high rpm.
And you can add compression with flat top pistons and keep the stock Quadrajet.
And the last thing I'd do is swap the stock 3.23 Posi or 2.73 factory rear end gears for a 3.73 Posi from eaton or auburn.
Poly bushings and fresh shocks.
Then just upgrade the front pads & rotors and keep the stock wheels, because 15" tires are cheaper than going with bigger 17" snowflake wheels and 17" tires.
Which if you're building the cars engine for fun, you're going to be shredding rear tires, and 15s are cheaper to replace than 17s.
Build it and drive it for less than 10 grand so it'll be as Driveable as a 3rd
gen Z28 or Trans Am was from 1987 to 1992 when they had the 700r4 and the 5.7 TPI combo which at it's peak made 245hp and 345 torque from 1990 to 1992.
That is a good benchmark to use for power.
Stock the 400 and 403 in '78 & '79 made no more than 220hp & 330 torque max.
And the 2nd gen body is heavier in general compared to the 3rd gen which shed about 500 pounds.
The 2nd gen T/A with a full tank of gas and 200lb driver weighs in at 4,000 pounds.
A 3rd gen would be about 3,600
My '92 Z28 is a blast to drive.
If I get another 70s T/A those are the mods I'd do for under ten grand.
Ported aftermarket heads and intake, forged push rods and Forged Flat top pistons, Hydraulic roller cam and Roller lifters and Ram air 3 spec cam with 112 lobe separation angle.
High flow water pump.
Tuned Quadrajet.
3.73 Posi rear end so it can move out of it's own way and chirp the tires into 3rd gear from the 700r4 with a stage 2 shift kit.
And finally open true dual 3" exhaust ending with the splitter tips
You definitely know your stuff, and good suggestions, really appreciate you taking the time my friend. Unfortunately don't know the exact specs on this car or I'd share them with you. LOVE the 92 Z28.
Do you still have this Trans Am and if so what is the price??
Not sure if he wants to sell it, I can ask him?
The Formula Firebirds were actually faster than the Trans Ams because they were lighter but could get the same performance upgrades and engines.
True, really wish I had the Formula version same color!
For cars that had no power you clould make them go pritty good
Definitely ❤🤝it did run pretty strong, this one had a mild cam, head work etc.
i had black and gold
Fire hawk on the hood is not original, wing tips should almost touch the sides of the hood
Mines red
Actually , I have a negative .
I don't own it : (
: D
Hahaha, same here 😥 Used to have a 78 Firebird Formula, still miss it 24 years later. My friend who owns it is actually wanted to sell it now.