400-Powered 1979 Pontiac Firebird Esprit "Red Bird"

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. 

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The 1979 Pontiac Firebird "Red Bird" was a special edition of the Esprit model, part of Pontiac’s effort to appeal to a broader audience with personalized styling packages. Introduced in 1978 as the "Sky Bird" in blue, the concept evolved into the "Red Bird" for 1979, targeting female buyers with a bold, luxurious appearance.

The Red Bird featured a unique Carmine Red exterior with gold pinstriping and exclusive "Red Bird" decals on the sail panels. Gold-accented snowflake wheels and a red interior with gold trim, including a gold-accented engine-turned dash bezel and steering wheel, added to its upscale, coordinated look. Unlike the performance-oriented Trans Am, the Red Bird emphasized style and comfort, often equipped with luxury options like air conditioning, power windows, and velour upholstery. The Red Bird was preceded by the 1980 Yellow Bird, forming a trio of color-themed Esprit models.

The Red Bird was based on the Esprit, meaning it came standard with a 301 cubic inch V8, though other engines like the 305 and 350 were available depending on region and emissions requirements.

Only 4,248 Red Birds were produced in 1979, making it a relatively rare and collectible model today. While it lacked the performance focus of the Formula or Trans Am, the Red Bird stood out for its bold styling and luxury-oriented features, capturing the spirit of late-1970s personal expression in the muscle car era’s twilight.

Highlights

• Offered from The Generous Collection

• Limited edition "Red Bird" model

• Finished in unique Carmine Red with gold pinstriping

• Carmine Red interior with custom trim

• “Red Bird” decals on sail panels, nose, and tail

• Reportedly upgraded with a 400 cu-in V8

• Three-speed automatic transmission

• The chassis number (2T87Y9N160344) decodes as:

  • 2 – Manufacturer: Pontiac

  • T – Series: Firebird Formula

  • 87 – Body Style: Two-door Sport Coupe

  • Y – Engine Code: Pontiac 301 cu-in 2bbl V8 (now 400 cu-in V8)

  • 9 – Model Year: 1979

  • N – Assembly Plant: Norwood, Ohio

  • 160344 – Production Sequence Number

Features

• Gold-accented 15-inch Snowflake wheels wearing 225/70R15 Cooper Cobra tires

• Color-keyed dash, steering wheel, and console

• Special "Red Bird" dash emblem

• Dual Bluetooth stereo

• Body-color side mirrors and grille

• Quad rectangular headlights

• Gauge cluster including tachometer and clock

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 chips on nose

• Damage to rear bumper

• Seats worn

• Driver side interior door panel damage

Included

• Keys

• Owner's manual

• Receipts

Ownership History

This 1979 Pontiac Firebird Esprit "Red Bird" 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   

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.