The 2nd Gen Pontiac Trans Am was a Movie Star and the Last of the Original Muscle Cars
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- čas přidán 10. 07. 2023
- Full review and test drive of a 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
Review by Bill of Curious Cars
Vehicle available for sale at Autohaus of Naples
www.AutohausNaples.com
Videos referenced in this review:
1974 Pontiac Firebird Formula SD455
• 1 of 58! This Ultra R...
1979 Pontiac Firebird Formula W72
• The Hottest Cars of th...
1985 Pontiac Trans Am
• This 1985 Pontiac Tran...
1995 Pontiac Firebird Formula
• The Fourth Generation ... - Auta a dopravní prostředky
One of the coolest cars ever in my opinion.
There was still a 455/4speed option in 76. It wasn't drag race fast but fun to drive..
@@richardmorris7063 JEFFREY EDWARD EPSTEIN LOVES YOU
Honestly the Honda civic is the coolest car ever
@@takcleberry JEFFREY EDWARD EPSTEIN LOVES YOU
@@takcleberrywhy😂😂😂
Bill, a man who helps make one forget about life for a while.
Bill the kind of guy who smokes a cigarette in the shower.
I don't want to know what Bill does in the shower.
Soooo true. Bill smokes while eating cereal
Bill is the kind of guy who smokes a cigarette in one hand while he smokes a cigarette in the other hand.
Bill, the kind of guy who keeps an ashtray and a pack of smokes next to his alarm clock.
Bill the kinds guy who smokes while getting gas, looks at you and says "what the fuck are you looking at?" Then flips his cigarette on the ground and sounders away!!!
Bill you are a hell of a storyteller. The kind of dude you never get tired of hearing him talk.
I totally agree. I was gonna say that too.
Notice he is quoting lines from the movie
If he ever doesn't open bitching about the weather...I'm gone! The best...
Not sure about that ……
Burt Reynolds would be proud!!!! Thanks for another video Uncle Bill!!! I hope you are doing well sir! Love all the homage you did about how it’s a speedy car and the GD Germans got nothing to do with it!!!!!! And that’s nothing but pure and simple old fashioned communism!!! Well done fella!
I love his weather reports..
That's what we're here for (cars are secondary).
@@rudolphguarnacci197 Ya Buddy!.. Cheers.
While the cars in SATB look like 1977-model-year Trans Ams, they were actually the 1976 round headlight models. When filming began, the 1977 model wasn't out yet, so General Motors provided 1976 cars with front clips from the soon-to-be-released 1977 update.
Yes, filming began in August 1976 I believe (will double-check...)
I laughed at Bill's constant rant about Florida's weather...Until I moved to Italy's region close to Venezia. It fuckin sucks in the summer, No clouds nor wind, because it's literally a swamp region, all I see is billions of insects and humidity up to 80% with constant heat. It's like Florida but in Europe. Now Bill, I understand you.
I get a charge out of him complaining! He should come live in Maine where in the summer it’s 85degrees and 75% humidity in the winter 2 feet of snow at a time. 30 below 0
Im out in the wilds of SW Arizona.. Same.
@@IMMYSYAYO
I live in Naples Florida like Bill does. Having moved here from Cincinnati Ohio I will take the hottest miserable days here over the cold snowy miserable days I left behind. I went back in December for Christmas. Wouldn't you know it Cincinnati experienced a blizzard while I was there and Temps around 0 degrees. I told my daughter that I love coming to visit her and the grandkids but I'll never be back in the winter.
Whenever I hear anyone complaining about Florida's summer weather, I look up the temperature and humidity there and compare it with Boston, MA. It is often at least as bad or worse in MA; the summers are shorter up here but they really suck.
There is nothing worse than 5 months of feet and feet of snow along with the cold and many times sub zero cold. Add to that the destruction of cars with the constant road salt (used sometimes 7 months a year) and it makes living in such a climate a jail sentence.
I'll take heat and humidity any time over winter in the far north.
It's great and increasingly rare to hear from someone who is from the era and knows what he's talking about.
Always loved this TA. I wanted one in HS but my Dad wanted the 1975 sky blue Plymouth Duster with the 225 slant six. Dad won out.
I came home from Marine boot camp & bought a new one in 75.
Leaning tower of power!
Another piece on the coolest car by the coolest car reviewer; And it's a proper 40 minute diatribe! What a wonderful Tuesdee treat. Thanks Bill!
Tuesday stoner
@@NoPrivateProperty Oh for the love of God... you got me there Pal. Fixed it. My days off got moved around and it really felt like a Weds to me. 'Preciate the heads up!
The 1st car I can remember paying attention to as a kid, I wanted one so bad😢
Bill another great video. I was 7 or 8 Smokey and The Bandit came out. All of the kids in school thought it was the koolest car ever!! I noticed as your videos go along you must get the right amount of whiskey in you. In other words you find yourself right in the pocket. Where life is awesome 😎 thank you again for the video and remembering things of years gone by
I just bought myself a BEAUTIFUL ‘77 Black & Gold Trans-Am. It only has 76,000 miles on her,and the paint is IMMACULATE! I’ve only wanted one for the last four decades…it was TOTALLY worth the wait. Heck…sometimes on crappy weather days I go out to the garage just to LOOK at it. GREAT VIDEO! 🤠
One of my favorite cars of all time. A friend of mine had a 77 (black & gold) and then a 79 10th anniversary edition Trans Am, both with the T/A 6.6 and 4-speed manual. Despite being down on power, the torque was amazing. You could pull away from a stop light in 4th gear without smoking the clutch. Great fun to drive and without a doubt, the best looking dashboard of any car ever, in my mind.
I absolutely love the smattering of well-placed, relevant and contextual Gleeson quotes
I love all the Smokey and the Bandit quips. "Speedy car. Speedier than that." Also, "The goddamn Germans got nothin' to do with it!" "For the good old American life; for the money, for the glory, and for the fun... Mostly for the money." "That's nothin' but pure and simple old-fashioned communism!" Gonna go watch it again after this!
Fun fact: SATB was the 2nd highest-grossing film of '77, beaten only by the first Star Wars.
Haha, damn!!! I thought I'd be the only one to pick up on that!
@@sporkfindus4777 Nope! I saw it in the theater when I was 16. I've loved it ever since. It harks back to the time when you had tape decks, 4 speakers, road atlases, stopped to use pay phones when you needed to talk to someone, and CBs were actually fun and useful on a road trip. I miss it. That movie makes me want to go back to that time.
Westbound and down
@@bongodave13nothing like a good road atlas!
Bill, I have a suspicion that this T/A is actually one of the higher horsepower "T/A 6.6" W72 400 cars. Two clues are the fuzzy chrome valve covers and the air cleaner assembly with the oval-shaped inlet. You'd have to check the block casting numbers and the numbers on the cylinder heads to make sure they are actually 6x-4 heads. If it is a real W72 car with the 4 speed, this is a pretty special Trans Am. Great review as always!
Yes, I think you are right. Perhaps someone who didn't know better chose the wrong shaker hood decal after a repaint. I had a 1978 T/A 6.6 and regret ever letting it go! Another clue with this one (I think) is the 4 Speed Manual. IIRC only the W72 was offered with a 4 Speed Transmission in 1978 and 1979.
@@johnmohanmusic in 78 you could still get a W72 automatic, but you are correct in that by 1979, all W72 cars were 4 speeds only. 👍
@@johnmohanmusic Very true not to mention people sometimes like to play dress up rather than actually buy or upgrade into a higher performance package.
Very correct sir.. this is the gold you want to own..
2nd generation was the best ever, and my neighbor’s father bought the Bandit 77 Trans Am when it came out. Great movie. Great car.
At FSU, where Burt Reynolds’s attended (and went to every home game), they still have actors that pull up in Bandit and Buford T. Justice’s cars for the games. One of my favorite American cars ever.
Beautiful car. I have a 79 T/A and I love it. And the 403 is pretty strong and reliable.
I have 79 also. Have owned it for over 40 years!!
@@edwardleyland1979 that is awesome. I've had mine for 13. Is yours a 403 also?
@@briankorner750 yes 403
“What we’re dealing with here is a complete lack of respect for the law!”
I'm gonna punch yo mama in the mouth!! Burford T. Justice 🤣
I can't imagine how futuristic integrated bumpers would have looked in the 70's compared to everything else with massive chrome bumpers.
even better in Rockford Gold
And Garner did his own driving lol.
On the other hand thay stuck that plasticky face to a very late60/early70 shape. They don't make a coherent car, I much prefer the original before facelifting
@@mackos007 To each his own, I
like them both. A facelift was probably the most appropriate time to introduce polyurethane to that model because of how much different it made it look for little cost.
@@MintyFreshTurds True that, they probably had to work with a tight budget an it does transform that car to the next decade. I just wish US had abandoned by then those ridiculous goverment headlamps and they had more freedom with plexiglass lamps. That would look truly modern
I loved the subtle lines included from Smokey and the Bandit. Extremely well executed! Once again great review, great story telling!
I remember the scene from the flick where the AA sheriff uses the term germane, prompting from sheriff Justice the rejoinder “the g*d d**n Germans have nothing to do with it!” I always laugh 😆 out loud at that.
Good day Bill, I hope you are well and have lots of exciting stuff this week.
I'm with you on the heat. Here in the Southern Ohio/Northeastern Kentucky region it's just as miserable. It's been around 90° every day with extreme humidity. It's been raining just long enough to get everything wet and give you hopes of cooler temperatures. But then it stops and bakes the rain off into the air so as soon as you walk outside you're covered in a sticky film. And that's before you even have a chance to start sweating. I work at a collision repair/body shop. We have big fans everywhere and the guys all have our own fans we drag around to every car we work on. An 8 hour day feels like a double. By the time I get home I am dehydrated, overheated and drained of all energy and motivation.
Sorry about that. I just got home from work and I think the heat is messing with me. Keep up with all these great cars. After looking at garbage crossovers all day I need to see a real car
Uncle Johnny episodes are the best. Bill, your light shines the brightest when you review a Pontiac.
What a nice surprise! Hope you are doing well Bill! Can't wait to watch this.
Honey hush!! Thank you for your genuine enthusiasm and time. Your viewers love your channel. They dont go home, they dont go to eat and they don't play with themselves. It would not look nice on the highway, they can think about it, but they dont do it!!
I owned the 1976 and 1978 Trans Am, the 76 I rebuilt from the ground up and the 78 I purchased from the original owner with 5k miles on it in 1980 for $5,000, both were black with gold, and the 78 looked just like the Smokey and The Bandit move car. One of the best cars I ever owned, but at the age of twenty, I didn't realize what I had and only a few years later sold them both.
Good review again, Bill. Keep them coming. Great cars & were THE hot new car to own back then. My neighbor bought a trashed '79 in the early '90s dirt cheap, pulled the drivetrain out, restored the body, painted it all black & installed a tricked 455 Olds, Muncie 4-speed & 3.73 Posi traction. What a beast.
What a wonderful walk down memory lane. Slight correction concerning Pontiac engines, there is no small block/ big block. All Pontiac engines from 326-455 had the same physical dimensions in fact all the heads can be swapped between them. The 326-400 had 3” main journals while 421-455 used 3.25” main journals. The large mains on the bigger engines actually overlapped the rod journals allowing for incredibly strong crank shafts eliminating the need for forged steel as in the 454 Chevy. Fun engines to play with but getting rare these days. Love this channel Bill, keep them coming.
Similar, 260, 307, 350 and 403 Oldsmobile V8s are the same size externally and can also swap heads. Putting 1970s 5A 350 Olds heads on a 403 will *_really_* wake it up, moving the compression ratio from smogger 4A heads 7.7:1 to about 9.4:1 Did this swap in my 1989 Caprice Estate, replacing the weak 307 with a 403 with Olds 350 5A heads and the wagon is now a sleeper, with dual exhausts that aren't too loud.
@@LakeNipissing Also recommend bumping the timing from point 7 up to point 11 or 12 advance. That plus true dual is good for about 60 HP
The 301 is a small block.
@@Thirdgen83 you're wrong
@@MarinCipollina No I'm NOT, moron.
Bill, Bill, Bill…. We are the same age, obviously separated at birth. The first car I bought on my own was a 1975 Formula 350 x 4speed. I loved that car. We moved from central Pa to Cape Coral Fl in ‘89 after I graduated, drove the poncho the whole way. I terrorized Ft Myers beach back in those days. Now, much like you, I reminisce about the cars of my youth and bitch about the weather in upstate SC where I’ve been since ‘94. It’s funny tho, I could have restored or bought one of these anytime, but when I think about a 200hp car that weighs 4k lbs…. Well, I think I’d rather have an AUDI SQ5 with 350hp and decent AC…. 😂 take care of yourself Sir, and keep the Covid Whiskey chilled.
Like every 70s kid I absolutely love these. In your face Americana with unapologetic kitsch bird on the hood. Form follows whimsy is much more fun than the Euro demanded way. Find a Lincoln Mark VII LSC to review. And do a long form New Edge Mustang review to bolster that tiny short review of years ago. Couple of cars that just have style to spare that deserve the Bill treatment.
I think Bill needs to add this to his permanent stable.
These gained popularity thru the Bandit movies. If you got the Pontiac 400 4 so they were as good as it got for the era. I had a 73 & a 75. I liked the early yrs & the later yrs myself. Bill this weather is brutal up in Tampa too,c'mon November!!
Yep, '77-'78 are the least attractive of the 2nd-generation T/As.
'70-'76 and '79-'81 look the best (although '80-'81 were the least powerful).
I'll never get tired of Bill telling the history of the firebird
Loved your lines that came from Smokey and the Bandit.I don't know how many others got it.1 Speedy car,speedier than that.2 For the money ,for the glory,for the fun,but mainly for the money.lol.That Bill,is why you have the best channel on you tube.
I really appreciate the video today it's been a rough couple days here in Ludlow Vermont. Thanks for keeping my mind busy.
I like how Bill worked in the line “speedier than that,” the line Burt Reynolds used in Smokey & the Bandit, when Bandit implies he needs more $ to get the TA.
This guy gives the best reviews not only on the car but the times.
Hey Bill,
about time you got around to this car !!
Love you anyway buddy, stay cool !
.
Lmao 🤣 Love it Bill Quoting Smokey and the Bandit lines 😅
I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed that.😆
I miss my 78 TA back in the day, thank you for showing this one Bill.
Love the Smokey and the Bandit quotes you snuck in there
I'm so enjoying all of the Smokey & the Bandit quotes you're subtlety sneaking into your spiel (speedy car, for the money for the glory, etc)
I was handed down my mother’s car at 15 years of age, had a ”hardship” license in Texas. It was a 1970 1/2 Firebird Espirit with a 400 cu in engine. Great times.
I had and loved 78 Trans Am in the gold paint. Another great Bill comment "Eastern European Track suit"😅😂
Bill would have been the type of guy back in the day that could drive a stick, smoke a cigarette, hold a beer, and talk on a brick phone all at the same time 👏 dude's a legend...
Everyday I check for the next "BILL" video. Thanks Bill, keep it up!
I was hoping because of the Trans Am you were going to take it on the Highway haven't seen you do that in awhile, thank you Bill.
He’s afraid he’ll get busted doing over 100 and end up in a cell with Dalton!
Wonderful to hear the stream of details about the history of the car, and our times, just propels you through the decades. Thank you Bill.
Bill. You are absolutely hysterical! I love the weather reports. We almost moved to FL. Thankfully we went to NC. The cars you highlight are incredible! Great stuff and great sense of humor!!
That’s actually a w72 Pontiac 400 because it has the chrome valve covers and also the oval air induction unit… 4spd w72 in 78…so if you are a true 77/78 TA fanatic like myself.. this is the dream to own with the 4spd or no speed… great story telling Bill..true gangster 😂
Bravo, Bill! You were killing me with those early smoky and the bandit references. Great job. Enjoy that vacation.
Thank you, Bill, for sharing your past memories with us. You are a treasure.
"Eastern European tracksuits" hahaha classic Bill
One of my favorite cars 78/79... appreciate the review Bill.
Awesome video Bill, I work in a Embassy in a rough part of the world so thanks for brightening my day with your storytelling & humor.
Love this! Keep em comin Bill! Your the best!
That connection to the mechanicals of the car is EXACTLY what i get every time I start and rev up the DOHC 4.6 V8 in my 2004 Mustang Mach 1. I see and feel it become alive. No EV will ever stir your soul like that.
The story we remember reading on Pontiac's early SCCA Trans Am participation is as follows:
When Pontiac was unable to get their own 303 engine certified and in production, they tried to pass the Chevy 302 off as a Canadian Pontiac engine. The SCCA got wind of the scam, and told Pontiac the only way they could run the '69's with that engine would be if they put a '68 front end on them... which is exactly what they did. So it's true that they didn't race them as production T/A's, but they still got them out there under the guise of an earlier model Firebird. Those Pontiac boys were pretty shrewd, and stopped at nothing to get the name out there.
Really enjoyed the video, information and production value. What an awesome car. A childhood and adult favorite.
Only just found this channel. Absolutely fantastic Bill. Knowledge, humour, grumpiness and no crappy pointless music in the background.
Great car. A very interesting weather report, I enjoy your videos even the long ones.
Nice video! I owned a 75 Formula 350 which was super comfortable and smooth to drive, and handled pretty well, nice easy steering,and was a great cruising car. Literally the nicest, most comfortable car I ever owned. I love all your videos!
OK Bill, you knocked it out of the park with this one. Loved it!!!!
Thanks for this video! I love these cars!!!!
This is a proper Bill video!
I have a ‘77 I just dropped off at the body shop for paint. Always loved these cars…coolest cars that cruised the road.
Thank you again, Mr. Bill, you are my favorite youtube star!
Thumbs up for the weather report. If you decide to end it all you could stop by here in SE Asia; sunny/rainy, 90-100 degrees every day and humidity 80%. Great channel Bill.
I just watched that movie last week. Haven’t seen in years still loved it.
You're the man bill keep em coming
I had a 1980 turbo trans am.. I miss that car all the time... That is one beautiful car bill!
We had a '77 model with a silver exterior, crushed blue velour interior, and T tops. I was 16 when my dad bought this for my mom and thought I was the coolest kid around when driving it. One of GM's best designs. Thanks for the memories, Bill!
I have Sammy Hagar playing in my head - 'go out drivin in my 6 point 6, yea." Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I am green with envy right now watching you drive this TA.. Thank you Bill for the video..
Bill, if i can put a little balm on your heat torture, i work in a plastic injection shop in Québecistan; 90F°outside with 98% humidity today, 107F° with the humidity factor. Add at least 40F° inside the fucking shop. Hell on earth, people were dropping like flies! But at least i can end the day in AC with a cold one, watching cool videos like yours! My dad had a red one just like that, brings back a lot of memories. I saw "Back in the Future" at the drive in on the back seat of that beauty in '85, when my parents were still together. Cheers man!
I miss January so much!
Best review yet Bill! I love 2nd gen Firebirds! My all time favorite car by far. Just awesome. God Bless America! Hallelujah and pass the ammunition!!
The 55 Chevy in Two lane blacktop is the same one in American Graffiti. It had a 454 and a 4 speed. For stopping power it had discs brakes all around.
I did not know that they painted it black then?
Like your smokey and the Bandit testimonial, and i was 14 saw the movie at the theater. ❤ the movie, felt so proud to see the movie .
Such great memories. Thanks Bill…
Bill doesn't do the highway drives at the end anymore, I miss them.
Another awesome video thanks
Good day Bill, one of your Canadian viewers who had a 1980 turbo T\A, yes it was a dog speed wise but with the WS6 package and tires there wasnt many cars that could handle like the Trans Am. Such a great all around car even today could handle very well with most cars. Great video, keep them coming
Great video Bill! I had a 1979 Formula with the 301 Pontiac engine and auto transmission. Fun car. Traded it for a 1982 T/A with a 305 Chevy engine / automatic trans. when the new gen came out. Kept that car 10 years. I currently have a 1967 Firebird convertible owned since 1971. All fun and great looking cars and always got great looks everywhere I went. I Love Pontiacs - Thanks Bill for your great reviews and please, please continue on with your fantastic work.
Thanks for showcasing this car. Enjoyed the video. Also sounds like ya lost your virginity for the second time driving this car. Good memories are priceless. Happy to hear you owned one in your youth. You must have been the coolest guy around to be sure. Cheers..
Nice job on the SATB TA. Currently restoring one, good vid for motivation
Awesome review as always. I'd love to see you get a hold of a T/A 6.6 version of these.
I really think he has one.
Love the Smokey & the bandit bits Bill inserted. Bill is definitely a treasure.
Yes,watching it again tonight on hard copy,just for your imfo,30 celcius today here in Nova Scotia. Have a happy vacation when you head out,take care.
Thanks Bill! Love it!
Thanks Bill for this one ❤Love it so Much you always kill me 😂Luv ya!🌞🙌🏝️
Bill this is a masterpiece video!
Great looking Firebird. The rectangular headlight arrangement and split grille looked fantastic on the 1977-78 models.
You know, it's funny.. At the time everyone wanted the rectangular headlights because they looked new.. Because they were new.. But now, nearly 50 years later, I'm starting to think the 1974 - 1976 look with the round headlights looks more timeless.. Same with the original 1970 - 1973..
55°!! That sounds awesome!! Have a good time in those mountains!
I suspect that one of the reasons GM was able to turn the primitive Nova into a surprisingly refined Cadillac Seville so quickly was all of the research and development that had gone into the suspension tuning of the Camaro and Firebird, which shared most of their chassis with both.
Brilliant video Bill; of a truly great car. I have a '79 h/o 400 auto here in the UK, it's pretty much a show car these days but I can't resist taking it out on the weekend. The rest of the time, my 2 daily drivers are an '86 Parisienne with a little 4·3 V6 motor, not fast but very economical and always gets noticed; and a 2006 Lexus GS300 SE-L for everything else. I guess I just love a Pontiac.
I had a 1978 gold limited edition! Loved the heck out of it!
Hey great video these also have a special place in my heart (some people would say I don’t have one) my mom had a white 77 and my dad had a black 4 speed T/A So that’s the cars I learned how to drive and do stupid things in, also I see that you are going to be in my neck of the woods in a few weeks I’m just across the line in the great state of TN have a great vacation
Hey Bill...good to see ya still hustlin bud..I used to detail for you at Auto Europa...Chris the "outback" guy😂