Why This Car Is Special

The 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am sits at a crossroads in American automotive history. By this point, the second-generation Firebird — introduced for 1970 and running through 1981 — had become the best-selling sports car in the United States, outselling even the Corvette. Pontiac moved more than 211,000 Firebirds in 1979 alone, a record for the nameplate that still stands. The Trans Am variant was the performance flagship, and the 1979 model year arrived on a wave of cultural momentum that included the massive success of Smokey and the Bandit in 1977, which put the black-and-gold Trans Am on every poster and bedroom wall in the country.

This particular car, however, was not ordered in black and gold. It wears white paint over a full red interior — a combination that was decidedly less common and more refined than the film car colors, and one that holds up exceptionally well forty-five years later. The white exterior with red accent striping alongside a fully red vinyl interior gives this car a clean, period-correct look that separates it from the crowd of dark-colored Trans Ams you typically encounter.

The 1979 model year brought a significant upgrade to the Trans Am's standard equipment list and represented the last full year before the next round of federal regulations began to tighten further. For buyers who want the full Trans Am experience — the shaker hood, the firebird hood decal, the snowflake wheels, t-tops, and a real V8 under the hood — the 1979 is considered by many enthusiasts to be the sweet spot of the second generation.

A note on the engine: The VIN on this car encodes the engine designation as a K, which identifies the 6.6-liter 400 cubic inch V8 built by Pontiac. In 1979, the Trans Am was offered with two 6.6-liter engines — Pontiac's own 400 and the Oldsmobile-sourced 403. The K-coded 400 is the Pontiac engine, and the T/A 6.6 air cleaner badge on the shaker confirms the displacement. This distinction matters to knowledgeable buyers and collectors because the Pontiac 400 has a stronger following among purists than the 403.

Features List

- 6.6L 400ci Pontiac V8 (K-code engine per VIN) - T/A 6.6 shaker hood with factory air cleaner badge - Firebird hood decal - 3-speed automatic transmission - Dual exhaust - Radial Tuned Suspension (RTS) - Front and rear sway bars - Power front disc brakes - Power steering - T-tops - Snowflake aluminum wheels - Rear window louvers - Front and rear spoilers - Factory tachometer - Factory clock - Center console - High-back bucket seats - Tilt steering column - Air conditioning (reported cold) - Power door locks - Sony aftermarket stereo upgrade - White exterior - Red vinyl interior

Mechanical

Power comes from the Pontiac-built 400 cubic inch V8, which was rated at 220 horsepower in 1979 — a meaningful number for its time given the compression reductions and emissions equipment that had been applied across the industry through the mid-1970s. The 400 was Pontiac's own engine architecture, separate from the Chevrolet, Buick, and Oldsmobile V8s used elsewhere in the GM lineup during this period. It shares no major components with the Chevrolet small-block or big-block, which is part of why Pontiac V8 enthusiasts follow the engine closely. Backed by the 3-speed automatic transmission, the combination is well suited to how most Trans Am owners actually drive these cars — relaxed cruising with strong torque available when needed.

The Radial Tuned Suspension, which Pontiac branded as RTS, was a specific chassis package that included recalibrated springs, shocks, and front and rear sway bars tuned to work with the radial tires that were becoming standard equipment by this era. The dash badge reading "Radial Tuned Suspension" is still clearly visible on this car's instrument cluster, confirming the package is intact. The suspension components visible in the underside photos show a solid, well-maintained undercarriage with coated frame rails that present cleanly for the car's age. The dual exhaust system exits at the rear with the proper twin tip configuration that was standard on the Trans Am.

Power front disc brakes are fitted at the front axle, a standard Trans Am feature that gives this car adequate stopping ability for its weight and performance level. Power steering was standard equipment on the Trans Am by this model year, contributing to the relatively effortless feel that made these cars accessible to a broad buyer base without sacrificing the car's sporty character.

Interior

The Trans Am interior in 1979 was a well-appointed space by the standards of the era. This car is trimmed entirely in red vinyl — door panels, bucket seats, rear seat, carpeting, and dashboard surfaces all carry through the red color scheme. The front bucket seats show the expected wear patterns of a car this age; the bolsters and seat backs carry some creasing consistent with use, but the vinyl is intact with no tears or broken seams visible. The rear seat presents very well, with the ribbed vinyl looking particularly clean.

The dashboard carries the full gauge cluster that was standard on the Trans Am, including the factory tachometer and the clock embedded into the tach housing — a detail period Trans Am buyers specifically sought when comparing the Trans Am to the base Firebird, which did not include this instrumentation. The instrument cluster photo shows the RTS badge positioned below the tachometer, which confirms the Radial Tuned Suspension option. The speedometer reads in both MPH and km/h, consistent with 1979 federally mandated dual-scale gauges.

The center console runs between the two front buckets, housing the automatic shifter. A Sony head unit has been installed in the dash in place of the original radio, mounted neatly below the factory radio location. The tilt steering column is equipped with the correct Trans Am steering wheel carrying the Pontiac arrowhead logo on the center cap. The t-tops are present and the headliner between the targa bars shows typical age-related patina. Air conditioning is fitted and reported to blow cold, which is a practical benefit for Florida ownership.

Power door locks are fitted, with the controls visible on the door panels. The door panels themselves are clean with white piping trim against the red vinyl background — a sharp detail that reinforces the white and red color pairing between the interior and exterior.

Exterior

The exterior color is white, set off by the red accent stripe that runs along the lower body from the front spoiler to the rear. This color combination was not as popular as the famous black and gold scheme associated with the Bandit car, but it was a legitimate factory combination and one that has aged with considerably more elegance. The white paint provides a clean backdrop for the large firebird hood decal, which is present in its multi-color flame graphic covering the hood from the shaker opening back toward the cowl.

The shaker hood scoop is the functional hood-mounted air cleaner housing that rises through the hood and moves with the engine. It is a signature visual element of the Trans Am and a feature that separates it from the rest of the Firebird lineup. The T/A 6.6 badge on the air cleaner lid is visible through the scoop opening when the hood is down and prominently displayed when the hood is raised.

The snowflake wheels — officially the Pontiac Turbo Cast aluminum wheels — are the correct 15-inch alloy wheels that were standard and expected equipment on the 1979 Trans Am. They are fitted with Cooper Radial G/T tires. The rear window louvers are mounted over the backglass in the style made popular during the late 1970s and are intact. Front and rear spoilers are in place, with the front air dam and rear deck spoiler contributing to the Trans Am's characteristic profile. The underside photos show a floor pan and frame that have been coated and are solid, which is particularly relevant for buyers evaluating a Florida car — this one shows no evidence of significant rust compromise.

Conclusion

The 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am is one of the most recognized American cars of its decade, and this example arrives with the combination of features that defines the model — the 400 cubic inch Pontiac V8, the shaker hood, the firebird decal, snowflake wheels, t-tops, and a complete option list that includes factory air conditioning, tilt column, power locks, and the full RTS suspension package. The white and red color combination is an honest departure from the more common configurations, and the undercarriage presents well for a car of this age. This is a driver-quality 1979 Trans Am with the right engine, the right features, and the visual presence the model is known for.

To get more information or schedule a time to see this 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am in person, call Skyway Classics at 941-254-6608. We are located in Sarasota, Florida, and welcome buyers from across the country.

Disclaimer Information found on the website is presented as given to us by the owner of the car, whether on consignment or from the owner we bought it from. Some Photos, materials for videos, descriptions and other information are provided by the consignor/seller and is deemed reliable, but Skyway Classics does not warranty or guarantee this information. Skyway Classics is not responsible for information that may incorrect or a publishing error. The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the vehicle or by a professional inspection service prior to offer or purchase being made.