1981 Pontiac Firebird Bandit Edition Turbo Trans Am

The sporty Firebird was Pontiac's answer to the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro.  The car combined an available big V-8 with aggressive, attention-grabbing styling and delivered it in a relatively practical four-passenger package.  Like it's pony-car competitors, the rear-wheel-drive Firebird offered tire-smoking power and impressive acceleration.  The F-body platform on which it and the Camaro were based, however, was arguably well past its prime by the early 2000s.  2002 was the final year of production for Pontiac's iconic but dated speed machine.  The Trans Am was the pumped-up, V-8-powered model.

For consignment, a 1981 version of the screaming chicken adorned hood, T topped, PHS documented, black and gold, (hi oooooh!), Trans AM from Pontiac.  This car is also one of the 5,263 Bandit Editions built, was completely redone in 2016 by Legacy Innovations, competed in the 2013 Bandit Run, and has only been driven 550 miles in the last 9 years.  Let's take a spin, evade Buford and his son Junior, stop at the nearest choke and puke and this time, let's avoid the Diablo sandwich and Dr. Pepper. 

***Due to varying emissions control devices being removed, please check with your state, county, local or provincial motor vehicle department to verify the ability to legally register this vehicle in your area***

Exterior
Code 19, Starlite Black, bathes the exterior of this racy looking car.  It will stand out in a crowd with a gold screaming chicken decal, two-color, (gold and tan), decal badging, and gold turbine styled wheels.  All fender flaring, neoprene bumpers matching the body black and a rear spoiler look to be in top notch condition with nearly no flaws in the finish and certainly no rust.  Side vents can be seen on the front quarters, and a chin spoiler is just below the gold stripe highlighted black grilles.  The back is more racy with the rear spoiler and ribbed black horizontal bar panel to use the taillights.  Another deep end of the pool black neoprene bumper is hanging on the bottom.  Up top it features black smoked glass for the removable “T” top and all trimmings for the side windows are in black and highlighted in gold.  The gold from the hood decal encompasses the A pillars and moves to the top.   A turbo hood, with lighting on the back of the scoop to indicate boost levels hovers above the quad of headlights and has the Turbo 4.9 decaling.  Some gold pinstriping also shows up and offers up some nice highlighting to the gold and tan tones on the black.

Interior
Light Doeskin is the color motif for the interior chosen and is the perfect compliment to the black.  Swinging the long doors and getting past the Doeskin colored vinyl door panels are showing a side view mirror toggle, power lock actuator, and some thin shiny trimmings we are greeted with high back buckets in front and a 2 plus 2 bench for the back.  These are covered in broadcloth in light tan with some vertical striping and shallow tuck and roll inserts.  The bolsters are a smooth, slightly darker Doeskin and all is looking just fab.  A chocolate brown console shoots forward between the buckets and houses a glovebox, power window switches, and shift lever.  As it rises it meets the circle machined pattern aluminum dash that houses black faced original gauges all held within a crack free chocolate brown padded dash.  There are plenty of them as well, all in circle form, even a factory tachometer, and a clock is seen on drivers left.  Air-conditioning, a multitude of gauges, a see-through roof, power windows, tilt steering wheel, AM/FM/CD stereo, and rear window defogger.  What more could you want?  Oh, I know, read on!

Drivetrain
Under the screaming hood is a numbers matching 301ci turbocharged V8.  It has a single 4-barrel carburetor on top and a TH350 3-speed automatic on back.  A 10-bolt 3.08 Positraction rear axle spins the tires.  This engine bay has been restored to original and is showing well with a multitude of wiring and hoses throughout.

Undercarriage
Some light surface rust is seen on the usual suspects with independent coil spring suspension in front and leaf springs in back.  The unibody, flooring and rockers remain solid and show in a mix of black paint and undercoating to provide years of protection.  RPO J65 4 wheel power disc brakes have been optioned along with the WS6 performance package.  A dual to single to dual exhaust ends in chrome tipped dual outlets in front of both rear tires, but we note that the catalytic converter has been removed.

Drive-Ability
As I slipped in for my test drive I buckled myself firmly in the Doeskin high backs and was off.  Nice turbo acceleration after a slight lag, and smooth shifting from the TH350.  Bias free panic stopping albeit with a notable soft brake pedal and all functions were in working order save for a the power locks being inoperable, a notable rattle in the left rear exhaust piping, the turbo lights on the hood not illuminating, (even with the switch turned on), and a fluttering oil pressure gauge, (the oil is full and no engine noises are heard, so we chalk this up as a failing gauge or sender).

Nicely restored and with all its fairings and flaring, scoops and spoilers, and the T-tops we are firmly in Trans Am heaven, but actually in the West hallway of the Classic Automatic's Malls Hallowed Halls.  You got your ears on good buddy?

1G2AW87T9BL139616

1-USA
G-General Motors
2-Pontiac
A-Manual Belts
W-Trans Am
87-Coupe
T-301ci Turbo V8 4bbl 200hp
4-Check Digit
B-1981
L-Van Nuys, CA Assy Plant
139616-Sequential Unit Number

TRIM TAG

06D-4th Week June
2FS87-Firebird Coupe
64B-Light Doeskin Cloth
19L 19U-Starlite Black
A51-Bucket Seats
CC1-T Tops

Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special interest automobile showroom, featuring over 850 vehicles for sale with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle barn find collection is on display.  This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914. Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.