1978 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 1978 Pontiac Trans Am marked a pivotal moment in American muscle car history. After 1977's smash hit Smokey and the Bandit, GM's factories could barely keep up and 93,341 Trans Ams were built. Pontiac was the last automaker to build excitement, and it paid off. Power was from Pontiac’s famed 400 cu-in V8, paired with a 3-speed automatic transmission.

Built on the second-generation F-body platform, the Trans Am featured a heavy-duty suspension, power brakes, and a limited-slip differential. And the styling — featuring a shaker hood, flared fenders, and the famous “screaming chicken” hood decal — backed up those high-performance parts.

Riding the 1977 model’s Hollywood fame, the 1978 Trans Am continued to bolster Pontiac’s late-’70s performance image, and remains a symbol of style, muscle, and nostalgia today.

Highlights

• Offered from The Generous Collection

• Finished in Starlight Black (19) with gold pinstriping, gold “screaming chicken” hood decal, and gold-accented wheels

• Black interior

• 400 cu-in (6.6L) V8

• 3-speed automatic transmission

• Radial Tuned Suspension (RTS)

• The chassis number (2W87Z8L116252) decodes as:

  • 2 – Manufacturer: Pontiac

  • W – Series: Firebird Trans Am

  • 87 – Body Style: 2-door coupe

  • Z – 400 cu-in V8, 4-barrel

  • 8 – Model Year: 1978

  • L – Assembly Plant: Los Angeles, California (Van Nuys)

  • 116252 – Production Sequence Number

Features

• 15-inch Snowflake wheels wearing 255/60R15 BF Goodrich tires

• Heavy-duty suspension

• Limited-slip differential

• Sport steering wheel

• Bucket seats

• Tachometer and rally gauges

• Air conditioning

• Alpine AM/FM radio with CD player

• Power door locks

• Power windows

• Driver-side manual outer mirror control

• Power steering

• Power brakes

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. 

• Damage to driver side front bumper

• Paint chips

• Steering wheel center emblem missing

Ownership History

This 1978 Pontiac 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.