A 15-Mile 1977 Trans Am Simply Offered For $440,000, Outperforming These Six Blue-Chip Detroit Classics

When classic 1960s muscle car costs blew up within the Eighties, ’90s and ’00s, few individuals cared in regards to the emissions-strangled machines that adopted them.

However the truth that somebody simply paid a staggering $440,000 for a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am that left the manufacturing facility with simply 180 hp (183 PS) proves there’s severe cash to be made in malaise-era metallic.

We wrote about this particular Trans Am last week within the run as much as its look at Mecum’s Harrisburg sale, however for the advantage of those who missed it, the automotive is a black Trans Am of the fashion popularized within the Burt Reynolds film, Smokey and the Bandit.

Optioned with the Y82 pack that included T-tops, plus gold wheels, sprint and pinstriping, it’s extra fascinating than a daily T/A, but it surely doesn’t have a well-known proprietor (Reynolds’ personal ’77 sold for $495,000 in January), doesn’t have the high-performance W72 engine or handbook transmission, and isn’t even significantly uncommon in manufacturing phrases as Pontiac constructed 6,030 examples.

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What makes it uncommon in actual phrases, and fairly probably unrepeatable, is the 14.8 miles (24 km) it has coated since new. And it’s that element, plus the unrestored showroom situation, that persuaded somebody to pay way more for the black ’Chicken than different bidders handed over for these conventional big-money Detroit classics on the similar public sale.

1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda – $181,500

Hemi Cudas are like gold mud, significantly ones with solely 16,875 miles (27,200) on the clock, however this Cuda obtained dusted by the gold-trimmed Trans Am, which is actually the one method a factory-spec 1977 Firebird may outrun an authentic Hemi.

1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427 – $297,000

This beautiful final-year C2 Corvette roadster has the monster three-carb, Tri-Energy 427 V8 that makes 435 hp (441 PS) and is connected to the obligatory (however nonetheless extra-cost) four-speed handbook transmission. Virtually 3,800 C2s obtained the L71 motor that yr, however there can’t be many survivors which have a mileage as little as this automotive’s 7,285 mile (11,700 km) odometer studying.

1968 Shelby GT500KR Convertible – $236,500

This Mustang’s 57,500-mile (92,500 km) odo studying is in taxi-cab territory in contrast with the Trans Am’s, but it surely’s nonetheless tiny by the requirements of most 54-year previous automobiles. This isn’t any previous 54-year previous automotive although. It’s a 1968 Shelby GT500KR, and certainly one of solely 518 convertible variations constructed for 1968, but it surely couldn’t get inside $200k of the box-fresh Firebird.

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Fuelie – $253,000

One other C2, however this time a coupe with the one-year-only split rear window design and the top-performing 360 hp (365 PS) fuel-injected 327. This Sebring Silver ’63 is a multiple-time Nationwide Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS) winner and some of the coveted C2 configurations, but it surely didn’t come near matching the Trans Am’s $440k sale value.

1969 Chevrolet Yenko Camaro – $285,000

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Don Yenko turned out 30 Camaros in 1969 geared up with the COPO 425 hp (431 PS) 7.0-liter L72 V8 and three-speed automated transmission, and that is certainly one of solely six painted in eye-popping Daytona Yellow. It’s muscle automotive royalty, but it surely couldn’t prime $300k, not to mention $400k.

1953 Chevrolet Corvette – $407,000

This gorgeous Polo White 1953 Corvette is quantity 202 of solely 300 examples constructed within the sports activities automotive’s first yr of manufacturing and has coated solely 6 miles (10 km) since an entire restoration. V8 energy wasn’t on the menu till 1955, however the Blue-Flame Six and compulsory auto ’field’s efficiency in all probability isn’t a lot worse than the emissions-choked Trans Am’s.

1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans AM SE – $71,500

And eventually, in case you simply wished a sensible, restored Y82 Trans Am, and one you’ll be able to really use, reasonably than maintain locked up in a climate-controlled bubble, there was a second SE on the similar public sale that appeared like a relative snip at beneath $72k.