7th Apr 2010, 23:43

This particular year Firebird is good as a dirt track car too, cos we built one and raced it in '99. At the time we got the car, it didn't have the original Pontiac 403 in it (Pontiac made the 6.6 litre 403, Oldsmobile had the 350). After the '99 season, it was sold as a rolling chassis for $1500.00, along with the '75 Chevy Camaro parts car we had for it.

19th May 2010, 23:35

Pontiac made the 400, 350's and 301' as well Oldsmobile made the 6.6 litre 403 in 1979 TA's. This motor was always mated to a automatic (th350) transmission. Pontiac made the 400 in 1979 only mated to a manual trans. Both were rated for about 185-200 horses. My 79 TA is sleeping in the garage right now...

20th May 2010, 15:32

Actually the 403 was rated at 185 hp, but the 400 cars were 220 hp in '79.

21st May 2010, 17:37

I think this car has not caught on yet, but seems logical it will appreciate and be a good investment. The nose is a love hate thing. I think clean examples, and buy the best one you. It will be a good investment car down the road.

9th Jun 2010, 20:00

I have a 79 t/a with a 403 engine in it. I love it and it runs very well. Driving it turns a lot of heads too. It's burgundy with a black interior. I would like to build the motor up a little bit though.

It does however have the typical rattles down a bumpy road, which over time I will fix. I bought the car a few months ago for $6,000, which was not too bad for a car that was partially restored (interior and body work was done). Mechanically it needs very little done to it. Basically the little things that it needs is just minor details that annoy me but probably not others. I plan to keep the car for a long time, slowly completing the restoration and customizing things as well.

21st Jul 2010, 23:22

Hey, I'm 17, and I'm picking up a 1979 T/A with a 403 6.6 litre Oldsmobile engine that runs, and the car is all original, numbers matching, with only 10,000km! The car needs work, but the body has no rust, but the floor pans have to be replaced. It is black on tan interior, I think I'm getting a pretty damn good price on the car for 1500! And with all the tips on how to build up the T/As HP, it's going to be an awesome project.

22nd Jul 2010, 16:21

You sure that's not 110,000 KM? Needing floor pans with no rust on the rest of the car? Sounds a little fishy to me. I'd have it checked out for prior bodywork, although you are not paying much for it. If it were truly that low in mileage, it would be worth a lot more and it should be in mint condition.

26th Jan 2011, 23:48

Hey, I have a 1979 TA with 403, all stock. I put in new cam, dual 40 Flowmaster and heads from a 71 Olds, and I am at 330 hp and 362 ft pounds of torque. Text me 6787902958 and I'll tell you what to get.

16th Apr 2011, 12:26

I own a 1979 Trans Am. It was custom ordered by the original owner. Color: white with blue decals and TAN/CAMEL interior with the WS6 15 X8 snowflake wheels... Very sharp color combo.

I purchased it from the original owner in 1994 in California and drove it back home to Chicago. Here it is 17 years later and I have never regretted this purchase. All paperwork from dealer delivery sticker to all work she had done to it over the 15 years she owned it... Oil changes, brakes, wipers, belts, all California emissions test etc.

17th Apr 2011, 11:14

Sounds nice. Is it a 4 speed car? I would love to get one someday, but it has to be a 4 speed. I guess a perfect AT car for the right price can always be converted though... ;)