1979 Pontiac Firebird

Description

OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE 

Out of a combination of a lifelong automotive passion and an unyielding desire to support the people of his Alabama community, the Generous Collection was born. Mr. Greg Rusk, a successful business leader in the cardboard industry, with a big heart for helping families and friends in times of need, would regularly pay overly generous fees to acquire an interesting vehicle. After decades of collecting and supporting local automotive enthusiasts, the Rusk family is ready for these vehicles, each with their own story, to write their next chapter back on the road, where they belong.  

The Generous Collection debuts with Part 1 offering over 200 cars in October, all offered without reserve, emerging from years of long-term silent storage. Many additional lots will be offered in the coming months. From the quiet shadows of the Generous Collection to the sunshine of backroads and highways, enthusiasts now have the opportunity to own a piece of a generous car-collecting legacy. 

* * *

The 1979 Pontiac Firebirds — Esprit, Formula, and Trans Am — stood as cultural and automotive icons in the late 1970s, embodying the muscle car spirit during a time of shifting industry dynamics. Introduced during the second generation of Firebirds (1970–1981), the 1979 Firebirds featured refined styling updates, including a new front end with quad square headlights and a more aggressive grille design. And Trans Am retained the bold “screaming chicken” hood decal, which had become synonymous with its rebellious image.

Under the hood lurked V8 options, including 301- and 400-cubic-inch engines, which delivered impressive horsepower even while constrained by emissions regulations and fuel economy concerns. The Trans Am’s popularity surged thanks in part to its starring role in Smokey and the Bandit (1977), which cemented its status as a pop culture legend and boosted sales dramatically.

Despite growing pressure from federal mandates and rising insurance costs, Pontiac managed to keep the Firebird exciting and relevant. Car and Driver was impressed, calling one Trans Am tester, “Very sophisticated and impeccably well mannered.”

Highlights 

• Offered from The Generous Collection 

• Finished in Silver (15) with red cloth interior 

• 301 cu-in V8 

• Three-speed automatic 

• Painted on “Screaming Chicken” on nose 

• The chassis number (2S87Y9L136111) decodes as: 

  • 2 – Pontiac 

  • S – Firebird 

  • 87 – Coupe 

  • Y – 301 cu-in V8 

  • 9 – 1979 

  • L – Los Angeles, California assembly plant 

  • 136111 – Sequential production number 

Features 

• 15-inch wheels wearing 245/60R15 tires 

• Quad rectangular headlights and aerodynamic nose 

• Sport steering wheel 

• Full gauge cluster 

Known Imperfections 

• While reasonable efforts were made during preparation for the sale, due to the volume of cars in this collection it was not possible to diagnose or detect all imperfections present in the cars. 

• Interior shows damage, missing items, and heavy wear 

• Paint chips on nose 

• Surface rust on engine 

Included 

• Keys 

• Spare tire and jack 

Ownership History

This 1979 Pontiac Firebird is offered from The Generous Collection of no reserve automobiles.    Additional Notes 

A Broad Arrow Auctions Specialist is working as an agent on behalf of the owner of this vehicle. Broad Arrow Auctions is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hagerty. 

Contact: Frank Malefors   Phone: 602-488-7888   Email: fmalefors@hagerty.com   

Alabama Sales Tax Notice to Bidders: Because this car is located in Alabama, the selling dealer may be required to collect and remit Alabama state sales taxes of up to 2% of the purchase amount, even if the buyer plans to register the car outside of Alabama, if (a) the buyer is located in AZ, CA, FL, IN, MA, MI, or SC (capped at $500 in SC), and (b) the buyer does not transport the car out of Alabama using a common carrier (e.g., if the buyer drives the car or transports the car out of Alabama on a personal trailer). Additionally, the selling dealer may be required to collect and remit Alabama county or city taxes from buyers located outside of Alabama, if (a) the buyer does not transport the car out of Alabama using a common carrier (e.g., if the buyer drives or transports the car out of Alabama on a personal trailer), and (b) the buyer fails to provide an executed Drive-Out Certificate for Nonresidents. For additional information, please consult this publication and your own tax advisor regarding sales taxes applicable to cars located in Alabama that are sold to residents of another state.  

Please note that all lots in The Generous Collection are offered after many years of storage, without operation or service, in warehouse facilities. The seller endeavored to provide limited mechanical servicing to bring some cars back to running potential, however, not all cars will be running at time of sale. Because of the extended static display, it must be assumed that all cars will require additional mechanical attention before being driven safely and, in most cases, cleaning to both the interiors and exteriors. All the cars will have imperfections associated with long-term static storage and require extensive sorting to perform best and safely. The burden of determining a car’s status, both mechanical and cosmetic, rests fully on the bidder, prior to bidding and the close of the auction. All lots are sold as is, where is. 

Additionally, due to the location of the collection and limited access to the facility following the close of the auction, all lots must be retrieved while a Hagerty Marketplace representative is onsite beginning Monday, November 3 through Wednesday, November 19. No cars can be retrieved prior to November 3 and any lots remaining after November 19 will be re-located outside in the parking lot for retrieval by their buyers.