As I settled into another round of Craigslist hunting, I realized that I’ve been caring more about the budget protocols that the Rough Start hunts have been about than finding some decent rides to show off. Nothing will change about the Rough Start deal at all, but for this find I wanted to find a good middle ground between cheap car and something that needs little to nothing to be an awesome ride as it is. And I’m sure several of you will be glad to see that I have decided to stay away from my usual weirdness for once on this deal and focused my attention onto a 1980 Pontiac Trans Am that has gotten a nose job and the one thing it needed above all else…an engine swap.
Maybe it’s me, but I am not a fan of the last second-gen Firebird styling tricks. The oddly huge four-port headlight face and the single band of taillight material didn’t work for me. I prefer the 1977-78 look…the Smokey and the Bandit nose and tail, with the four square headlights in the dual-snorkel face and the triple-stripe taillights out back. And it’s not just because of movie-car status, either. Any day, all day long I’d take the older look over the newer, so seeing the 1978 nose on this car makes me happy. Seeing a shaker hoodscoop makes me happy. Seeing T-tops…some can live with them and some without ’em, but for me, I’m ok with them on a Trans Am. I’d feel differently if they were on a Camaro.
Now, about what’s underhood…a 455ci Pontiac mill. Hallelujah, there’s the proper engine in it’s place. I don’t care if it’s the biggest smogger version ever stuffed into a Catalina, there’s hope, and it certainly beats the snot out of a 301ci V8 with a turbocharger that’s prone to a bigger meltdown than the hot chick with the twitching eye your friends told you to stay away from. I don’t see broken door handles, but I do see an interior that could use some work and some wheels that need to go. At least the seller gives you options there, I suggest taking up the offer for the Snowflake wheels. 
Now, for the price. Big block second-gen F-body, has some minor detailing issues to address but nothing that should keep you from driving it. How about $6,900 cash, ready to go? It’s outside of Rough Start territory by a large shot, but it’s within reality nicely. Need a fun car to enjoy? This Trans Am looks like a solid call. Get some suspension stuff and good brakes on the car and you’ll see that these later F-cars were solid handling machines!
Craigslist Link: 1980 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
It may be a 455, but that is a Buick V-8 engine. Not sure how they accomplished that since no F body came with one.
The Buick will bolt right up to a turbo 350 bell housing, no problem.
There is a bracket you can buy that basically lifts the motor up to the clamshell.. it is not an easy task but once you are on the mount getting the trans centered is not so bad. High torque will break the driver side subframe mount as mine did. Ripped a hole through the body mount so prep for that and all is well
There is a bracket you can buy that basically lifts the motor up to the clamshell.. it is not an easy task but once you are on the mount getting the trans centered is not so bad. High torque will break the driver side subframe mount as mine did. Ripped a hole through the body mount so prep for that and all is well.
Uh, what?
The f body started in. 1970….and a 455 was an option until 1976. And a catalina is a Pontiac so it is a true Pontiac and also in 75 trans am super duty 455 was production car..with that a 455 was factory installed in a f body….
I completely agree…front dizzy and valve covers give it away….
That\’s just a firebird, dude dash gives it away firebird had the milled aluminum
I meant trans am has the milled dash
If it were a base \’Bird it wouldn\’t have the air intakes on the front quarter panels.
I used to have a 1977 macho T/A number 57 red and gold it came with the 455. also had a 1977 Formula it had the 403 Oldsmobile in it
Drive it till wheels burn off, have fun
They most likely changed the fenders with the nose.
I need a driver side door for my 68 firebird.
This car is in heritage tn where I live and it\’s a bomb,has a plain ol buick 455 from a 70s bomb,firebird dash bezel and red tail lights, 77 nose and rear trunk spoilers that connect to trunk look close,200 paint job, ,haven\’t ran the vin but it\’s prob started out as a firebird,he has been trying to sell it for over a year and keeps dropping the price little by little….what a waste this was reporting on this website
At least it’s a real car and not some over-restored 401K investment. I enjoyed reading about this car, even if it’s not my cup of tea. You sir, can suck it.
Maybe clean the moldy seats. Christ.
Still nice car, don\’t laugh but I am a nut for the third Gen GTA. My 1989 was triple black till I had her painted Millenium yellow. My buddy told me that\’s a Chevy color, I\’m all about Resto mods just as long as it still looks like a Trans Am when you\’re done. Good Luck with that 1980 bird, my suggestion would be to finish up getting the parts you need so it\’s completely a Trans Am clone.
Funny, my first reaction was \’those look like Buford valve covers, but I could see the dizzy in the front.
McTaggart – I look forward to reading your wisdom each day but try to remember – there are big inch Pontiac mills, but no big block Pontiac mills, all the Pontiac V8 blocks are essentially the same externally since \’55.
Pontiac 350,389,400,421,428 & 455 blocks are the same size, 421,428, &455 have large journals, 350,389, & 400 have small journals, big block & small block does not apply to Pontiac V-8s, that is for those Chevy minded people with little or no knowledge of Pontiacs.
Funny, my first reaction was ‘those look like Buford valve covers, but I could see the dizzy in the front.
McTaggart – I look forward to reading your wisdom each day but try to remember – there are big inch Pontiac mills, but no big block Pontiac mills, all the Pontiac V8 blocks are essentially the same externally since ’55.
Check out my custom 79 Trans Am I\’m building in my resto shop. Look up Modern Forge Restoration on Facebook and click on the 79 Trans pic file. I put a roof on it to repair a bad t- top chop. I mini tubbed it too!
Sorry wroter but the data on the Mig is incorrect. 79-81 were BA styling.
The car looks nice but it\’s a clone trans am, if he would of used a formula and put the parts on it then it would have looked like a trans am, it\’s still nice tho , i wish i had it nice car Mr.
Trans-Am dash finish is called “engine-turned”, done w/ liquid abrasive and a spinning leather pad. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_turning
That there isn’t one in there is probably a good indicator this was (yep) a regular Firebird that got T/A parts swapped in over time and they just never did the dash. Somebody’s baby once, anyhow.