There are a lot of disposable things on the market, but everybody has at least one item I’d call a legacy piece: something you keep for several years or decades and use frequently, which shows in its patina. I consider my scuffed and worn football leather Brooks Brothers briefcase a legacy piece. Our Pick of the Day, a 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS6, was a single owner’s legacy piece for nearly half a century.
Whoever owned it before the selling dealer got a hold of it sure configured it well. You see so many second-generation Trans Ams in black, which is cool if you’re a big “Smokey and the Bandit” fan, but it’s not the only color to go with. This T/A is finished in the unexpected and attractive color known as Nocturne Blue, which goes so well with the gold Firebird hood decal and 15-inch gold snowflake wheels.
Instead of simple black vinyl, the original owner of this Trans Am got it with Camel Tan hobnail cloth seats. Those add visual warmth to the cabin, while everything around them adds comfort and convenience. Above, there are tinted glass removable T-top panels. That distinctive Formula steering wheel is connected to power steering. The engine-turned instrument panel trim plate surrounds the controls for the air conditioning. Further down, there’s a Panasonic AM/FM/CB radio. On the center console are the switches for the power windows.
According to the selling dealer, that massive 6.6-liter V8 under the shaker hood scoop is numbers-matching. It is connected to a MagnaFlow exhaust system that’s definitely not original to the car, but probably makes up for it with the sound it produces. Like the engine, the three-speed automatic is numbers-matching.
Although it’s not shown in the photo gallery, the original window sticker comes with this car and should show it was ordered with the WS6 Special Performance Package. The 1979 Pontiac Buyer’s Guide shows that included eight-inch-wide cast aluminum wheels, 225/70R15 steel-belted radials, power front and rear disc brakes, and, most importantly, the Special Handling Package.
If you want to make this Trans Am your automotive legacy piece for the next several decades, you can do that for $54,900.
Click here to view the listing for this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com.