1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

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 Trans Am marked the peak of second-generation Firebird styling and performance. With 117,108 units sold, it was the best-selling Trans Am ever. This success was fueled by the car’s starring role in Smokey and the Bandit, and Pontiac’s aggressive marketing.

The 1979 model retained the bold urethane nose with quad rectangular headlights and the iconic shaker hood scoop. The legendary “Screaming Chicken” hood decal remained a centerpiece, especially on Special Edition black and gold models.  

Under the hood, the base engine was the Oldsmobile 403 V8, while a limited number of Pontiac 400s were available with manual transmissions. The WS6 performance package added four-wheel disc brakes and snowflake aluminum wheels, which enhanced handling. The brochure proudly declared, “Trans Am. The car that doesn’t just make promises — it delivers excitement.”  

Highlights 

• Offered from The Generous Collection 

• Finished in Solar Gold (50) paint over Camel Tan vinyl upholstery 

• Powered by Oldsmobile 403 cu-in V8 engine with Rochester Quadrajet four-barrel carburetor rated at 185 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque 

• TH-350 three-speed automatic transmission 

• The chassis number (2W87K9N169564) decodes as: 

  • 2 – Pontiac (Canada) 

  • W – Trans Am 

  • 87 – 2-door coupe (Sport Coupe) 

  • K – 403 cu-in V8 (Oldsmobile-built, used in automatic transmission cars) 

  • 9 – 1979 model year 

  • N – Norwood (Ohio) assembly plant 

  • 169564 – Sequential production number 

Features 

• New front fascia with quad rectangular headlights and a more aerodynamic nose 

• Iconic “Screaming Chicken” hood decal 

• Black rear window louvers 

• Aluminum engine-turned dash 

• Tan leather-wrapped sport steering wheel 

• AM/FM stereo 

• 100-mph speedometer and 6,000-rpm tachometer  

• Snowflake aluminum wheels 

• Ironman Radial RB-12 225/70R15 tires 

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. 

• Paint imperfections on driver’s side of hood and front air dam 

• Crack in dashboard 

• Passenger side lower panel is detached 

Included 

• Trans Am floor mats 

• Temporary spare tire 

• Jack 

• Lug wrench  

Ownership History 

This 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 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: William Cooper  Phone: 469.463.4542  email: wcooper@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.