#1978 PONTIAC FIREBIRD MODS#
#1978 PONTIAC FIREBIRD FREE#
#1978 PONTIAC FIREBIRD WINDOWS#

Pontiac’s offerings for the ’78 model included the standard 400-cid L78 engine that made just 180 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, and the W72 400 that put out a more robust 220 hp and 340 lb-ft. The days of optional Ram Air 400-cid engines and Super Duty 455 lumps with as much as 500 hp were long gone. Conversely, the power output of Trans Am engines had been declining since the early 1970s. While the Rockford Files may have brought the Firebird publicity, Smokey and the Bandit made the Trans Am an icon, driving sales of the 1978 car up by almost 25,000 units over the previous year, to 93,341. The 1978 Trans Am Special Edition, a beneficiary of the Firebird’s 1977 restyling, is perhaps the best known of the second-generation T/As. To drive one on America’s federally mandated 55-mph highways was akin to waving a red flag at 'Smokey.'

#1978 PONTIAC FIREBIRD MODS#

A relic of the muscle-car era, its screaming-chicken shaker hood, gold detailing, aero mods and 15x8-inch gold snowflake rims stood out like a Christmas tree in the late 1970s landscape of bland, emissons-strangled sedans and economy cars. Justice in the 1977 hit Smokey and the Bandit drawled, 'What we’re dealing with here is a complete lack of respect for the law!' he might as well have been speaking of the black 1978 Pontiac Trans Am SE that Burt Reynolds’ character, Bo 'Bandit' Darville, was driving. With just under 12k miles, this car is a proud survivor from a unique era in American automotive history.WHEN JACKIE GLEASON AS SHERIFF Buford T. This well-cared-for Trans Am with the one-year-only Y88 package represents one of the last large-displacement Firebirds produced by Pontiac before the debut of the F-body cars in 1982. The original options sheet and dealer paperwork are also included as seen above and in the gallery below. Service records are sparse, but the chain-of-custody and mileage are documented back to the purchase of the vehicle. The car was treated with Ziebart undercoating at 1,800 miles and the seller notes no corrosion issues. The original spare, jack, and vinyl T-top cases are included. The 15×7″ gold-painted alloys show no visible flaws, and the BF Goodrich T/A tires were added when the seller purchased the car in 2009.

#1978 PONTIAC FIREBIRD WINDOWS#

Rubber seals around the windows show no excessive drying.

#1978 PONTIAC FIREBIRD FREE#

The removable tinted glass Fisher T-Tops were new for 1978, and the glass here appears free of defect. The seller notes that the water pump appears to be a replacement. The engine bay appears unmolested, and original emissions-controls remain in place.

The transmission is GM’s durable 3-speed Turbo-Hydramatic, and the car is optioned with a Saf-T-Track limited-slip differential. The 6.6L (400ci) Pontiac V8 is the L78 variant, rated at 185 horsepower from the factory and featuring a shaker scoop and dual exhaust. The gold engine-turned dash applique is unique to the Special Edition cars and has been retained here. The seller notes that the A/C is currently inoperable. The dash is un-cracked and all switchgear is claimed to be functional. The Camel Tan interior is original apart from an aftermarket radio, and the original AM/FM radio is included in the sale. The vinyl seats show light creasing and faint discoloration, and the carpets are lightly faded, though the overall appearance is quite clean and well-preserved.

The seller notes a few small chips visible on the front bumper and driver’s-side fender, but notes no discoloration or fading even up close. The brown and gold Firebird hood mural and Trans Am graphics are still bright and sharp. The Anniversary Solar Gold metallic paint has an interesting, medium-gloss 1970s sheen, and the overall look is very clean with few flaws visible in the pictures. It is sold with a clean Pennsylvania title in the seller’s name. Under his care for the last 7 years, the car was maintained with regular oil changes, garaged, and driven just under 1,000 miles.

The seller has documented the mileage and central Pennsylvania history back to new, and retains the original bill of sale and dealer worksheet. The Y88 package was available only for 1978, and specified a Special Edition gold paint job with Firebird graphics, a higher-output version of the Pontiac 400 engine, and gold styling cues throughout. This Pontiac Firebird Trans Am is a three-owner Y88 Special Gold Edition with just 11,584 miles since new.

1978 pontiac firebird