1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Special Edition (Y82) Manual

Pontiac’s Firebird left behind its roots as one of GM’s first Pony Cars in the late 1960s to become an automotive icon, famous for its starring roles in Smokey and the Bandit and Knight Rider. The second-generation model introduced in 1970 maintained the Firebird’s performance image whilst adding a European-inspired level of sophistication. The Oil Crisis may have stolen some of the muscle car’s 'mojo' by the 1970s, but Pontiac made up for the lack of horsepower in other ways, adding bold new graphics (including the famous 'Screaming Chicken' bonnet decal) and popular options like the T-bar roof. The Firebird was extensively restyled for 1977, and featured an aggressive new front end with a recessed black grille and four rectangular headlamps. Four models were available, ranging from the entry-level Firebird to the more upmarket Esprit and Formula variants, but the legendary Trans Am remained the most popular by far, accounting for almost half the total sales. Fitted with a new shaker hood, the Trans Am still had a massive 400-ci (6.6-litre) V8 as standard, rated at 200bhp and an abundance of low-down torque. Inside, the Trans Am’s cabin featured a machine-turned dash finish, additional gauges and Formula padded steering wheel, while the Turbo Hydramatic transmission was standard equipment, along with power front disc brakes and radial tuned suspension. A manual gearbox was an option but rarely selected in the US making manual cars now very hard to find.

The Y82 was introduced in 1977 to coincide with the release of Smokey and the Bandit 1 movie and were originally supplied in Black with Eagle decals and glass T-tops. Unlike this car, most black Trans Ams have been painted black in homage to the film car and consequently, with a manual gearbox and the W72 Performance Pack, this car is extremely rare. The original build-spec has been verified by Pontiac Historical Services and is within the history file. The car is also an Aircon car and, although the system has been removed, many of the parts are included in the sale. The mileage is believed to be original but this cannot be confirmed. In America, the Y82 is considered to be the Holy Grail of all Trans Ams and, at the 2022 Mecum Harrisburg auction, a low-mileage example, which was not a manual box or performance pack car, sold for $400,000.

Unusually, the car was imported to the UK in 1980, very early on in its life, and was used from 1980 until 1992 at which point it was put into storage where it remained for the next 20 years or so. A previous owner bought the car in 2013 and set about returning the car to the road, with the work being completed in 2014. Accompanying the car is an interesting history file containing lots of invoices and receipts along with a copy of the original build sheet, Owners Manuals, UK V5C and correspondence with the UK Pontiac Owners Club.

The current owner enjoys a small eclectic private Collection which includes many 'best-of-breed' American cars, and he acquired the Trans Am a few years ago having purchased it on the basis of its rarity being a 1977 manual gearbox car with the Y82 and W72 packages. There have been some significant prices achieved for these rare cars in recent years and, at this guide price, this certainly seems like a very interesting proposition. We welcome and encourage your inspection of this rare Firebird at our NEC Classic Car Show Sale.