Fuel Injected 455 Big Block, 4 Spd Auto, Wilwood Brakes, Very Sharp, Ready to Go

Description for Pontiac Firebird 1978

If this car made you do a double-take, welcome to the club, because this is not your average Trans Am. No, this 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Restomod has fuel-injected 455 V8 power, a smooth overdrive transmission, dynamic handling and stopping power, and a nasty look that makes the already flashy T/A look downright sinister. If you're tired of the Burt Reynolds wannabes, this car will put an end to it, because it's just plain sick.
In a sea of black and gold Trans Ams, this racy Mayan Red F-body stands out in a big way. Its spirit is still mostly the way the factory intended, with the big Trans Am and 'Screaming Chicken' decals and lots of details, but those black 17-inch wheels give it an entirely new personality. The paint isn't brand new and shows some minor wear here and there, but nothing major, while the bodywork is straight and suggests a car that has never been wrecked or damaged and never needed major surgery, and those urethane bumpers are in great shape too, which is no small accomplishment if you're familiar with this era F-body. It's not exactly subtle, but the black, orange, and tan decals accentuate the red paint just perfectly, and while the tail still says "Trans Am," you'll note that the hood scoop no longer carries a decal to advertise the motor, and that's by design to cloak the monster that lies within. Add in the lowered stance, the ducktail spoiler, vents on the front fenders, and the slick roof (no need to worry about leaky T-tops with this T/A), and you get a car that looks predatory and fast just sitting still.
Open the doors and you'll see a black cloth interior that's mostly anchored by factory specs, with the pair of high-backed buckets straddling a new reproduction center console piece. Other than some understandable imperfections on the bucket seats, there are no signs of excessive wear inside this cabin, and every surface seems like it's been treated with the respect a vintage Poncho deserves. The dash area features a sharp looking, bright bezel surrounding its instrument panel, with a machine-turned texture that's a visual precursor to the carbon fiber look we see so often today and a full complement of factory-style gauges on hand that all work as intended. A trio of aftermarket units under the dash keep an extra eye on the engine's vitals, the fresh door panels are new reproduction pieces, and a 3-spoke Grant GT steering wheel adds a sporty touch to the interior. Comfort and convenience features include R134a air conditioning, DynoMat sound deadening material installed under the carpet and behind the door panels, tilt wheel, power windows and locks, a rear window defogger and an AM/FM/Cassette stereo with Pontiac script that redefines the term "period appropriate". You'll find a space-saver spare and jack set at the ready in the carpeted trunk, and a fresh-appearing rubber seal sits under the deck lid to keep the elements from intruding.
The 455 'YH' V8 under the hood is a great fit, and with a FAST electronic fuel injection system and strong horsepower numbers on the Dyno sheet, it thoroughly updates this Trans Am for the modern age. Considerably more powerful than any stock 455 V8, it features Butler Performance-prepped Edelbrock aluminum heads, a full roller valvetrain, a Comp Cam, a forged steel Eagle crankshaft, and an Edelbrock Pontiac Torker II aluminum intake, which means it's responsive up and down the speedometer and delivers a big whack of torque off the line that makes Trans Ams so much fun to drive. Other performance upgrades include a full MSD ignition, a March billet serpentine belt system, long-tube headers, and a giant BeCool radiator with 4 electric fans up front that keeps the smoke-show nice and cool. The block is bolted to a 2004R 4-speed automatic transmission that's been built to live behind the powerful motor, so it's always on its toes and far more responsive than the original unit. Out back, the original 12-bolt posi-traction rear end is filled with 3.73 gears, and there's a custom H-Pipe Dynomax dual exhaust system that sounds great and lets the torquey V8 breathe easy. At all four corners you'll find Wilwood 4-disc brakes, and those pricey 17-inch American Racing Torque Thrust II wheels and 255/40/17 front and 255/50/17 rear performance rubber, which is exactly the right look.
This is an extremely impressive car in just about every possible way, particularly value. There's no way to duplicate this car at this price, and if you're ready for a breath of fresh air in both the T/A and restomod world, this is it. Call today!