Photo: eBay seller bob6639
The most notable debut for Firebird fans in 1976 was the W50 Formula Appearance Package, but the Trans Am was already the main growth engine for the series. It posted a 70 percent increase over the previous year and sold more than double the numbers of any other version in the lineup.
Total Firebird sales in 1976 included 110,000 cars, with the Trans Am accounting for over 46,000 units. The Esprit was second with 22,000 units, followed by the base Firebird with 21,000 cars.
The vast majority of Trans Ams produced this year left the factory with the L78 400 engine under the hood, and Pontiac fitted 33K units with automatic transmissions. Only 5,424 customers chose the manual transmission option when ordering this engine.
The L75 455 was only available with a manual transmission and only 7,500 were produced. One of them is here, fighting for a second chance alongside a rusty sibling.
This Trans Am has the most obvious issues and looks like it has been sitting in the same spot for several years. That's probably why eBay seller bob6639 says the car has “typical rust issues,” although I think this part requires further investigation. You should arrange for an in-person inspection and check every inch of metal thoroughly, especially the underside.
The car was probably parked in the yard you see in the photos, so the frame may already be destroyed. However, there is a big difference between small holes and ruined cups, so any potential buyer should put this Trans Am on a lift and see what happens to the floors.
The car comes with the factory 455 mated to a four-speed transmission, but that's all we know about the powertrain. No word on whether the engine will start, but I wouldn't expect good news considering the car has been sitting for a while. However, since it's the factory unit, it probably needs some work, so find a good mechanic and have the engine inspected before you bid.
We have no information on the 1977 donor, but photos suggest it is very rusty. The most important thing is how complete it still is, especially since it already looks like it is missing some parts. However, the spare parts car is only available separately for an extra $1,000.
Bidding starts at $6,300, and the good news is that the seller has not enabled a reserve. I'll let you be the judge of whether this Trans Am is worth $6,300, but the auction ends in six days, so interested buyers should bid fast. The car is located in Belton, Texas, and will need transportation to leave its current location.