@rodsby red That was the 1st first car I bought in '77! My brother and I each bought one, and it had nothing to do with "Smokey and The Bandit!" 😏 The '77 was my favorite! Ended up collecting Corvettes, but nothing was ever as sweet as that 1st Trans Am!
@@deelaine1769Thanks for the comment. I was actually looking at a Corvette and when we checked on the insurance there was no way , you know 19 years old . Over the years I and the wife have owned 13 Trans Ams but have always keep and charished the first one. We now have a small collection of classic cars (8) which includes 2 Trans Ams.
@@rodsbyred2846 Wow, I'd love to hear what the 8 classic cars are, if you don't mind! We're (the hubby and I) are still trying to find the "sister" of our '70 454 Big Block Laguna Gray Vette, but she's our treasure now. A true Beaut! Ahh, the sweet sound and wind in my hair driving 100+mph with the T tops off, I could stay there forever! My bro & I are still competing for the most TAs and Vettes owned! 😊
@@deelaine1769 Sure. My pleasure, and not to brag. 51 F3 truck, 55 chevy gasser , 67 Gto hardtop. 67 Gto convertible , 67 Lemans pro street , 68 Tempest SW , 77 T/A, 93 T/A , oh yeah 2000 Vette also. Thx for your interest.
Not the same? You're right. It'd be better without it. Dorky and incredibly weak. The ultimate example of the whole stripe and sticker replacement for actual power that was just so very common in the late 1970s. This car is a low mileage time capsule so I'd leave it as is. How-ever give me a less perfect example to work with and bring back and I can see losing the bird stickers and installing a built 400 in keeping with the way Pontiac would have built this car if not for all the government mandated emission standards of the late 1970s. If that's not "green" enough for you the a more expensive LS E-Rod crate engine package might be the way to go. But either way I agree with Jay that bird sticker would go away for sure.
These cars have such a long nose it really does look weird without the decal on the hood. I bought my '78 at Barrett-Jackson a few years ago. Got a good deal I think, in part, because it was a non-chicken decal car and it kind of turns people off when they see that big blank hood with just the shaker sticking out of it. Needless to say, I couldn't take it anymore and have since had the decal put on the car.
T Tops, Screaming eagle decals, shaker hood scoop, flared arches and big rear spoiler. These late 70s Trans Ams didn't need customising! Truly iconic car.
I had a Black on Black Velour '78. It ran like a scalded dog. Nothing sounds quite like a large displacement Pontiac V-8. My buddy had a Lucie Blue '72. 455H.O. 4 speed.
As a 20-year-old car guy, there was nothing more fulfilling that sitting behind that dash and looking at the shaker hood as you drove. It was something very special.
I feel the same way about my 2000 Ws6. The rumble when it starts up, then looking out the windshield you see these two big muscular humps that gently vibrate, especially under acceleration. God I love Trans Ams.
GM gave Burt a free car every year as a thank you for boosting their sales.....the deal was 1 free car / year for life but then when GM got a new president he quashed the deal.
One of the best looking American sports cars ever: Elegant and sleek yet imposing and muscular at the same time, I love hearing the roar of that oldschool V-8 engine when he starts it up and ESPECIALLY when accelerating.
I just took my Atlantis Blue '79 Trans Am 400/4-Speed/WS6 on a 500 mile road trip and you can't believe the number of waves, thumbs-ups and positive comments the car gets in public!
I enjoyed your review of the 1979 Trans Am. My wife and I are the original owners of a 1978 TA with the ta 400 and loaded. It is still original with a new paint. It has 150,00 miles and still performs great with the shaker now open and straight dual exhaust. We bought theTA after we got married in 1977. We all have aged a little after 43 years together. 😎
Depite being from an era of restricted power and lower build quality, it's an icon. Sure he didn't care for the "chicken". Some don't. My mom had one when I was in elementary and middle school in the 80s. And getting picked up in that thing turned heads. Memory lane indeed.
Back in the day, the golden ticket was a set of orders to Germany. Us Air Force guys would, upon receiving orders to Germany, order a Firebird with the decal option. Uncle Sam would ship the new car to our base in the European theater. After a few months, one would simply drive the car to any wealthy area in town park the Trans-Am in front of a coffee shop and wait: After some time had passed, you would find a business card and an inquiry note offering to purchase it. That decal had a certain attraction - perhaps due to its resemblance to the German Federal Eagle. The black edition was preferred, followed by the scarlet red.
Toured Europe in 1971. Saw a gold firebird 400 ram air parked on the street. Had an idea that a friend would not buy into... wanted to do a upgraded bird to run on the Auto ban. Thought about trading classic american muscle for classic continental cars.
@@edwardhotchkiss9085 Good background info. Maybe that's why Revell model company in Germany came out with their new 1/8 scale '79 Firebird. It was an instant sale for me, even at 200 bucks.
So a car transporter schlepped this Firebird 3,000 miles from Newport RI to Los Angeles so Jay Leno could present it to us. Thanks Jay and Audrain museum.
I have owned multiple firebirds and maybe 5 trans ams. Remarkably i have never had one with the bird on hood. Even my buccaneer red 77 had bird delete option.
I was seven. I had the extremely cool honor of accompanying my uncle to Williams Pontiac in Dothan, Alabama to pick up his brand new 1979 Trans Am one Saturday morning. I dressed up for the occasion too, in a red shirt and a little cowboy hat like the Bandit, LOL. You may think you're cool, but you'll never be "cruising with your uncle in his new Trans Am blasting Boston and KISS" cool. 👍
He should have read the car and driver review in the trunk. They were absolutely nuts about the car - particularly this version with the 220hp engine from '78 to early '79. They thought it was the equal of the corvette in about everything but price.
Haha, good one. BUT, as a female, the '77 TA was the 1st car I bought and Loved, I stayed away from any guy who just wanted to drive my car. It was my way of testing whether a guy wanted to date Me, or my car! 😬😂
@@deelaine1769 I would not have let _anyone_ drive it❗ With a Trans Am , you must be selfish. lol..you know! Anyway, who needs a guy when you have a '77 Trans Am ...right❓ Thank you for sharing with us. I love hearing these fantastic and rare stories from our past. 👓
Do you remember anything about the "black special edition"? This car Jay is driving has black snowflake wheels, which I think is very rare, isn't it? The reason I'm interested is because I have what I think was the "black trans am, with these black factory wheels
The 400 Pontiac engine used in the 78-79 Trans -Am's & Formulas was underrated. The engine was factory rated at 220 hp but the NHRA dynoed a stock W72 at 260 hp.
Grew up in Norwood Ohio, where the Firebirds and Camaro’s were manufactured. I remember seeing acres and acres of these beautiful cars parked around the plant. Also railroad transport cars filled with them. As kids, my best friend and I would stand outside the security fence and stare at all these beautiful cars, great memories. Later I bought a brand new 1975 Camaro, had it for 26 years, awesome car.
Jay always wears denim shirts and jeans for the garage episodes. He explained once that it makes things easier if they're filming over multiple days that they don't have to worry about the outfit changing from one scene to the next.
@Robert Dillahunstvalle SportModelTrashCanLidCurator "meant to be"? A three decades plus career in comedy kind of confirms it. He loves cars and it shows.
I had a 76. It was a real slug. But after I removed the catalytic converter, installed true dual exhaust, and got the timing recurved, it became a monster. It was a completely different car. Loved that car
Thanks, the 1976 TA BLACK/ Gold really got me: ordering my 1977 TA/ SE HURST HATCH ( which were problematic, seeping into bidy, etc),.. Hop ups were easy, etc.
@@edwardgiugliano4925 it's sad that so many of these cars were sold with the automatic, but I have noticed that many of the survivors have the manual transmission
@Me. Me The L48 isn't to be hated. The L48 had max torque down lower in the RPM's so they were sweeter driving around town, country roads, and not enough road to make full use out of the L82.
Car guys tend to make a big deal out of horsepower. But what's more fun than driving everywhere with the pedal to the floor ? And not having to worry about it blowing up when you do ?
I worked for a company called Hood Ind. here in Bakersfield between 1978-1979 and we made interior panels for GM cars. We made the T-Top and regular interior headliners for all the Camaros and Firebirds being assembled at the Van Nuys GM assembly plant.
I wrote an essay in fourth grade about what I would do in the future. I wrote that I would live in LA and be private investigator. Also that I would drive a Trans Am.
One of those very rare cars that still creates desire. The emblem on the bonnet was best in the gold colour. The car has a great stance,and looks great on the move. Vastly underrated.
i own one with 62 k miles pure stock ran a 14.83 in the 1/4 mile. the last year for the pontiac 400 they used the pontiac blocks from 1978 that they saved for the ws6 .
PMD held 10,000 of the T/A 6.6 400s from 78 to go in Firebirds for 79 knowing it was getting replaced by the 301 Turbo....a sad day indeed. RIP Pontiac.....
and 79 it doesn't say much those things were so smogged and bogged to the hilt it wasn't even funny. but one thing Pontiac always had just like Buick they did have torque
If you want to hear one of my very favorite stories that involves a Trans Am with t-tops, you've got to listen to comedian Vic Henley tell "The Klan Story," about him and his high school buddies pranking some Klansmen in a silver T/A with the tops out: m.ua-cam.com/video/z6CXnFiesRA/v-deo.html
We just bought a 79 trans am with 58000 original miles. She runs and drives perfect just needs better paint. We still have the original window sticker too! I love it.
Actually the cars used in the first movie were 1976 models with the 455. 76 was the last year for the 455. General Motors supplied them with 1977 noses to make them look like the new 77 model. Little-known trivia....
@@justjeepin SATB 2 had a 1980 Turbo T/A that had to be modded with nitrous by the film crew to get any performance out of it. I actually really liked the '83 third gen used in Bandit 3
Side note: James Garner did not like the 79 restyle of the front fascia, so he kept the 78 model until the series ended in 1981. Also, the cars used in the series were actually Firebird Formulas, "dressed down" to look like an Esprit. The Sierra Gold paint was also a custom mixed, non factory color so the producers could maintain continuity from season to season.
A lot of things I would go back and redo in those days if I could do it again. Not the car though. I had the 79 Trans Am when I turned 18 & with it made enough memories for a lifetime.
I was 16 yrs old then as well. I took my drivers test in my sisters black & gold ‘78 Z-28. I thought that was pretty cool. She never let me drive “her baby” again!
@@jhask64 I don't blame her for letting a 16 year old idiot, such as we were at that age drive her baby. One year later I had my first car, an 1969 Camaro SS 396. Still loved the Trans Am. 👍👍
I love the 77-80 Trans Am’s! I know the government sucked the power out of them but they were fun cars that really did handle pretty good. Especially love the 4 speed ones.
When Jay was host of the Tonight show, he never spent any money he made hosting. That all went in the bank. All the money he used came from his stand up. I'm sure, not anymore, since he's doing neither now. But I'm sure it paid for these cars.
The TA video was very special to me because my father purchased the same 1979 black bandit for me as my high school graduation present! I'll never forget how I loved that automobile. Thanks for featuring it.
The day my dad came home with a Trans Am in the early 80s I thought he was the coolest man on Earth!!! THEN i noticed it didnt have the Firebird on the hood.....DAY WAS RUINED :D
@@ole-mariusbergesen7818 - In the context of a toy that you keep polished, garaged, out of the salt/rain, and take to cars and coffee on weekends Mopars are fine. As actual usable cars back in the day they weren’t anywhere near as robust and well engineered as their Ford and GM counterparts. They painted them pretty colors though. Lined up on car lots in the 70s from a distance they looked like jellybeans. I miss that.
Many of the straight engined folks didn’t care for the Trans package and didn’t think it was fair they compete in the same races let alone be allowed in the same service area.
Excuse me sir, but my wife has transphobia, which is a very crippling medical disease. Every time she sees a T-Top she collapses and must be taken to a hospital immediately.
Personally, in my teens, I was in love with the SD-455 which was the model prior to this one. It had more horsepower (bigger engine and no smog $hit) and handled extremely well. It could really dig into corners no matter how hard you pushed it. It had the "flattened" front end which I liked much better than this model's "extended" front end. I almost got a red one, but couldn't work it out... one of my life's great regrets. BTW, the "screaming chicken" was a $55 decal option at the time and I thought it put the exclamation point on the car's overall looks.
@@calripson 1972 was the sweet spot. Yes, they started to layer more crap per year, but, even then, they didn't have near the garbage that they did by the early '80s.
My '74 SD has some smog controls that I don't feel hurt performance. Most noticeable is EGR. It only functions during part throttle cruising and has no impact on WOT blasts. Its still plenty fast. There is also no catalytic converter.
@G. Kalas I had a 79 firebird I adored. No spoilers, body effects, or hood scopp. Just clean lines. I'd go on to own an '84, and '89, and a 2002 firebird. Those cars were a ton of fun. My buddy fixed his T/A up to look just like this one. ua-cam.com/video/QuYvgf7m830/v-deo.html
@@travelinman482 He talked a lot but not much of value was said. There are so many design and technical aspects of this car he could have talked about, and yet he missed it all. In other words, Jay Leno knows nothing about this car, or why John Delorean did what he did. There are some i teresting firsts on this car, which sets it apart from all its competitors as well as the European sports cars of the day. Did you know it was the first production car to have actual positive downforce? It was also the first US car to feature a suspension specifically tuned for radial tires. Did you know that a WS6 car had a higher radial centrifugal load on a skid pad than the Corvette, but also better than both the Ferrari 512 and the Lamborghini Countach LP400S? There are so much to talk about on the 2G Trans Am which sets it apart from the rest, including the Corvette, Camaro and regular Firebirds.
10 k really just 4 the footage of u & tony at daytona in the last trans am made in 2002.... & u said u guy's brought ' em all out all the trans am's way cool & u were saying u were working on a ' 66 trans am spirit wooooooooo love to see & hear some of the back story's of u finding ' em & buying & getting them on your trailor & back to where ever u do the work on all the rides ( no matter what's all wrong w/ ' em when u get ' em................... i member way back in the day's.......... U HONESTLY SHOWED US ALL U FINDING EM & GETTING THEM LOAD'D UP & SOME OF THE BACK STORY'S ON THE RIDES................................ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY DID U STOP DOING THAT SORT OF THING'S......................??????????????????????????????
Thank you for posting this video . My friend still owns his golden anniversary edition with the Oldsmobile motor handle's and rides beautifully to this day .
My '79 L78-W72, WS6 is in the garage with a little over 48K on the odometer. Ordered it on Black Friday 1978, got it delivered May '79. Drove it for 3 full years than sporadically. During that time it saw action at auto crosses and a few runs down the strip. Mods started with a cam, then headers and dual exhaust, then an engine rebuild with more performance enrichments, a few drag and auto crosses, then more car shows...then a full new interior and exterior refinish. Also made one long cross country 2,600 mile cruise with my wife. TA is now only for car shows.
The wife and I bought a 1977 T/A 4 spd , 35 years ago, and we still have the car. Has become part of the family. Nothing like them .
@Lance Wells Beware, for it bears the mark of the super chicken!
@rodsby red That was the 1st first car I bought in '77! My brother and I each bought one, and it had nothing to do with "Smokey and The Bandit!" 😏 The '77 was my favorite! Ended up collecting Corvettes, but nothing was ever as sweet as that 1st Trans Am!
@@deelaine1769Thanks for the comment. I was actually looking at a Corvette and when we checked on the insurance there was no way , you know 19 years old . Over the years I and the wife have owned 13 Trans Ams but have always keep and charished the first one. We now have a small collection of classic cars (8) which includes 2 Trans Ams.
@@rodsbyred2846 Wow, I'd love to hear what the 8 classic cars are, if you don't mind! We're (the hubby and I) are still trying to find the "sister" of our '70 454 Big Block Laguna Gray Vette, but she's our treasure now. A true Beaut! Ahh, the sweet sound and wind in my hair driving 100+mph with the T tops off, I could stay there forever! My bro & I are still competing for the most TAs and Vettes owned! 😊
@@deelaine1769 Sure. My pleasure, and not to brag. 51 F3 truck, 55 chevy gasser , 67 Gto hardtop. 67 Gto convertible , 67 Lemans pro street , 68 Tempest SW , 77 T/A, 93 T/A , oh yeah 2000 Vette also. Thx for your interest.
The bird on the hood is awesome, The car wouldn’t be the same without it
"Screaming chicken"!
Its literally a fire-bird, like
Not the same? You're right. It'd be better without it. Dorky and incredibly weak. The ultimate example of the whole stripe and sticker replacement for actual power that was just so very common in the late 1970s. This car is a low mileage time capsule so I'd leave it as is. How-ever give me a less perfect example to work with and bring back and I can see losing the bird stickers and installing a built 400 in keeping with the way Pontiac would have built this car if not for all the government mandated emission standards of the late 1970s. If that's not "green" enough for you the a more expensive LS E-Rod crate engine package might be the way to go. But either way I agree with Jay that bird sticker would go away for sure.
@Beyond Your IQ aq11w
W we are going to have to go back to the aware are re an are re a4rr and are a4rraaaaaeeer4 Ara around the earliest aaew
These cars have such a long nose it really does look weird without the decal on the hood. I bought my '78 at Barrett-Jackson a few years ago. Got a good deal I think, in part, because it was a non-chicken decal car and it kind of turns people off when they see that big blank hood with just the shaker sticking out of it. Needless to say, I couldn't take it anymore and have since had the decal put on the car.
T Tops, Screaming eagle decals, shaker hood scoop, flared arches and big rear spoiler. These late 70s Trans Ams didn't need customising! Truly iconic car.
Its a pheonix not an eagle.
@@nunyabizness9955 True, Firebird is another name for a Phoenix so that makes sense.
Back in the 80's we called it the "Screaming Chicken" ;)
@@martinharris5017 Yup, the screaming chicken. A bit tacky then, but nostalgic now.
Don't need customizing, just modernizing so they don't get rocked by a Honda Accord
I had a Black on Black Velour '78. It ran like a scalded dog. Nothing sounds quite like a large displacement Pontiac V-8. My buddy had a Lucie Blue '72. 455H.O. 4 speed.
As a 20-year-old car guy, there was nothing more fulfilling that sitting behind that dash and looking at the shaker hood as you drove. It was something very special.
I feel the same way about my 2000 Ws6. The rumble when it starts up, then looking out the windshield you see these two big muscular humps that gently vibrate, especially under acceleration. God I love Trans Ams.
Indeed it was, I really miss that view and that feeling!
I'm double your age at 40 and I'm thinking the same thing. FORD Falcon had the same thing in the 1970s and 2000s too. I about to Google their shakers
I liked this before I even started watching the video. RIP, Burt.
GM gave Burt a free car every year as a thank you for boosting their sales.....the deal was 1 free car / year for life but then when GM got a new president he quashed the deal.
@@amandahuginkiss4098 I didn't know that. Interesting.
One of the best looking American sports cars ever: Elegant and sleek yet imposing and muscular at the same time, I love hearing the roar of that oldschool V-8 engine when he starts it up and ESPECIALLY when accelerating.
I just took my Atlantis Blue '79 Trans Am 400/4-Speed/WS6 on a 500 mile road trip and you can't believe the number of waves, thumbs-ups and positive comments the car gets in public!
I enjoyed your review of the 1979 Trans Am. My wife and I are the original owners of a 1978 TA with the ta 400 and loaded. It is still original with a new paint. It has 150,00 miles and still performs great with the shaker now open and straight dual exhaust. We bought theTA after we got married in 1977. We all have aged a little after 43 years together. 😎
4 speed???
Cool!
Blessings ya all
I love that you are still together!
Super awesome , good for you sir
🎵East bound and down, loaded up and truckin'...🎵
ua-cam.com/video/imIh1cv8bFQ/v-deo.html
@@KS-xo3oh we got a long way to go...
We got a long way to go and a short time to get there
"He done good, didn't he Fred?!"
@@xavierbatista6201 I'm east bound, just watch 'ole Bandit run.
Memory lane. I don't recall Jay mentioning how much he liked a car as often as in this video. Thanks Jay.
Agree. I think what we're hearing in his voice is surprise. He didn't think he was going to like it as much as he ended up liking it.
Depite being from an era of restricted power and lower build quality, it's an icon. Sure he didn't care for the "chicken". Some don't. My mom had one when I was in elementary and middle school in the 80s. And getting picked up in that thing turned heads. Memory lane indeed.
I had one of these with an automatic and an Oldsmobile 403 ci.
HP WAS Closer to 320.
"No modifications nothing, just like the way it drove in 79". I love that too Jay. Amazing car
When I was a little kid THIS was the car I wanted more than any other. Pontiac meant excitement!
T top, bird on hood, square quad headlights.👍My freshman year of HS.
Ken loved that car too. Black man what a car! Pontiac 👍 why did GM get rid Pontiac anyway? Kept buick
Back in the day, the golden ticket was a set of orders to Germany. Us Air Force guys would, upon receiving orders to Germany, order a Firebird with the decal option. Uncle Sam would ship the new car to our base in the European theater. After a few months, one would simply drive the car to any wealthy area in town park the Trans-Am in front of a coffee shop and wait: After some time had passed, you would find a business card and an inquiry note offering to purchase it. That decal had a certain attraction - perhaps due to its resemblance to the German Federal Eagle. The black edition was preferred, followed by the scarlet red.
Toured Europe in 1971. Saw a gold firebird 400 ram air parked on the street. Had an idea that a friend would not buy into... wanted to do a upgraded bird to run on the Auto ban. Thought about trading classic american muscle for classic continental cars.
The place I see where CB RADIO is used is at an asphalt plant. ( a form of traffic control?)
Saw a formula firebird in denmark(a beauty.)
@@edwardhotchkiss9085 Good background info. Maybe that's why Revell model company in Germany came out with their new 1/8 scale '79 Firebird. It was an instant sale for me, even at 200 bucks.
So a car transporter schlepped this Firebird 3,000 miles from Newport RI to Los Angeles so Jay Leno could present it to us. Thanks Jay and Audrain museum.
Thanks!
The “Fire Bird” on the hood is what gives the car its character! Without it well it’s just another Pontiac.
I don’t get why some people don’t like the bird car looks naked without it
Phoenix
@@jeromewlaker7464 ,Chicken.
@@Pete-z6e Hood Pheonix aka FireChicken.
I have owned multiple firebirds and maybe 5 trans ams. Remarkably i have never had one with the bird on hood. Even my buccaneer red 77 had bird delete option.
When I was a kid this was hands down my favorite car......and I think it still is...it's absolutely beautiful
No more Burt, Jerry, or Pontiac and I was 13 in 1979. This makes me feel nostalgic and old.
Cue jokes about 'spring chickens'
Sht you ain’t the only one! Viking6. Hell I was 19 when that bird came out.
I was 17 when it came out. Smokey & Bandit is still one of my favorite movies
I was seven. I had the extremely cool honor of accompanying my uncle to Williams Pontiac in Dothan, Alabama to pick up his brand new 1979 Trans Am one Saturday morning. I dressed up for the occasion too, in a red shirt and a little cowboy hat like the Bandit, LOL.
You may think you're cool, but you'll never be "cruising with your uncle in his new Trans Am blasting Boston and KISS" cool. 👍
8,200 in 1979 is 29,844 in 2020
You can definitely tell he enjoyed driving this car. I don't think I've ever heard him compliment a car so much!
He should have read the car and driver review in the trunk. They were absolutely nuts about the car - particularly this version with the 220hp engine from '78 to early '79. They thought it was the equal of the corvette in about everything but price.
:)
A fine example of "they don't make them like they use to". Nimble yet also looks like a car you definitely wouldn't want to crash into lol.
It's a 4 door P1
It's the surprise factor. The lower your exceptions the greater the surprise!
At disco times, any guy who had a Trans-Am never left a club alone..
Haha, good one. BUT, as a female, the '77 TA was the 1st car I bought and Loved, I stayed away from any guy who just wanted to drive my car. It was my way of testing whether a guy wanted to date Me, or my car! 😬😂
P.S. Hated disco!
@@deelaine1769 based boomummy
@@deelaine1769
I would not have let _anyone_ drive it❗
With a Trans Am , you must be selfish. lol..you know!
Anyway, who needs a guy when you have a '77 Trans Am ...right❓
Thank you for sharing with us. I love hearing these fantastic and rare stories from our past. 👓
@@BuzzLOLOL 😂😉👏🏼👏🏼🍃💗🍃
I was the Planning Administrator at the Norwood Assembly Plant in 1979 when this car was built.
Do you remember anything about the "black special edition"? This car Jay is driving has black snowflake wheels, which I think is very rare, isn't it? The reason I'm interested is because I have what I think was the "black trans am, with these black factory wheels
Finally Pontiac’s on Jay Leno’s Garage 👍 yes!!!
would be a good opportunity to feature the last Fiero built, which just sold for 90 grand.
@@Knox089 one of my fav cars ever I’d love to see it
I had a 2M4. With all new struts, wheels & tires, tuneup, and radiator; a great little car. Then... reconfigured by a drunk. :(
Jay discovers something that we have known for 40 years. Trans Ams are very loved. Welcome to the party late Jay.
The first car I remember realistically wanting was a black 1989 GTA.
@@meierb75 such a badass car
The redline is actually 5000 rpm on the Pontiac L/78 W72 (TA 6.6) motor. The orange area begins at 4500 .
@ oohh somebody's jealous
Yes the orange just tells you to be ready to grab another gear
Yes Jay missed that this is the Pontiac engine, which was available with the 4 SP only, automatics were equipped with the 403 Okds engine
So it's not virtually 5000 rpm? Or theoretically 5000 rpm? You absolutely sure?
The 400 Pontiac engine used in the 78-79 Trans -Am's & Formulas was underrated. The engine was factory rated at 220 hp but the NHRA dynoed a stock W72 at 260 hp.
That’s a lie.
@@blackericdenice Reported by multiple sources.
@@bongodave13 That does not mean it's true.
@@blackericdenice Proof?
@@bongodave13 Show me proof it had 260 hp.
This car still looks really cool after all these years. Exceptional styling.
One of the few cars of the late 70's to really look great.
They really are decent driving cars, they do handle surprisingly well. I was in my 1st police chase in one.
@@drobson8004 That sounds like a story right there... you weren't running block for some illegal Coors beer were you? :P
@@drg5352 Nothing that cool bro'.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
This model began the decline into A TYPE OF sporty that wasn't appreciated and resulted in the brand dieing.
I had one new in 1979. I want this one! I also want to be 40 years younger, but...
That's easy. Just say that you identify as 40 years younger, then every time anyone says you're not bring out the hate speech accusation.
Worked on my college roommate's Trans AM. What a PITA to work on! Especially under a carport in the winter! Fun to drive, though.
Grew up in Norwood Ohio, where the Firebirds and Camaro’s were manufactured. I remember seeing acres and acres of these beautiful cars parked around the plant. Also railroad transport cars filled with them. As kids, my best friend and I would stand outside the security fence and stare at all these beautiful cars, great memories. Later I bought a brand new 1975 Camaro, had it for 26 years, awesome car.
I'm 61 yrs old and in the late 70's I owned a 76 ta 50 anniversary special,loved it still have dreams about it
Good to see Jay validating the late 70s Trans Am.
It only took 41 years.
@@rightlanehog3151 didn’t know Jay had his car show for 41 years. Guess you gotta complain about something
Nice to see the denim making a comeback
Jay always wears denim shirts and jeans for the garage episodes. He explained once that it makes things easier if they're filming over multiple days that they don't have to worry about the outfit changing from one scene to the next.
@@Ladco77 .. for the last 6 months or so , it's been dark blue coveralls / overalls / boiler-suit .. but as Jay has said it's not about him
@Robert Dillahunstvalle SportModelTrashCanLidCurator Maybe, just maybe, because he's talking about the car and not trying to be funny.
@Robert Dillahunstvalle SportModelTrashCanLidCurator "meant to be"? A three decades plus career in comedy kind of confirms it. He loves cars and it shows.
I had a 76. It was a real slug. But after I removed the catalytic converter, installed true dual exhaust, and got the timing recurved, it became a monster. It was a completely different car. Loved that car
It still needed decent pistons and a cam...
Thanks, the 1976 TA BLACK/ Gold really got me: ordering my 1977 TA/ SE HURST HATCH ( which were problematic, seeping into bidy, etc),.. Hop ups were easy, etc.
@BuzzLOLOL The weak link was the connecting rods particularly the bolts. If you wanted to rev to 6K often better upgrade.
That's a good looking car.
It's just not as good looking as my 86 Trans Am.
No one cares about ur trans am
Really? Check out the '78 Trans Am
@@poolboyinla everyone owning a post 1981 trans am wish they had a 1979 trans am. Stop lying to yourself
@@gabthefisherman5030 so true
The Decal on the hood is what makes it ICONIC ...... Im surprised Jay Doesn't like it.
very true i love it .
True! That’s the spirit of the era.
Thats what I was thinking too.
Jay's taste is different than the average man. Jay has $400 million in the bank.... that will change a person
@@jeffrogerswolff that’s true
This has always been one of the best looking muscle cars to ever come out of America!
Quite a looker
Yep!
Oh yeah.
i agree.!!!!!!!!
@@Qbnsizzle no class
You can tell Leno was having fun, driving that Trans Am!!
It's the manual transmission. He was really liking that.
@@edwardgiugliano4925 it's sad that so many of these cars were sold with the automatic, but I have noticed that many of the survivors have the manual transmission
@@edwardgiugliano4925 Agreed!!
@Me. Me The L48 isn't to be hated. The L48 had max torque down lower in the RPM's so they were sweeter driving around town, country roads, and not enough road to make full use out of the L82.
Car guys tend to make a big deal out of horsepower. But what's more fun than driving everywhere with the pedal to the floor ? And not having to worry about it blowing up when you do ?
Kudos to Jay for mentioning Jerry Reed. If you're unfamiliar with his work, search UA-cam and play anything he did. That guy was amazing!
Hell of a college coach
Forget the tonight show, this is Jay Leno’s true calling. I like all the non rehearsed adlibbing.
This was one of the cars the cool guys drove.
I know some people who were totally not cool but drove the car because they needed the appearance
The Screaming Chicken is the best part of owning a Firebird !
🤘
LOLOL
If I had one I would install a rooster crow horn
Phoenix is a lot cooler than a chicken
@Natural Creature no it’s a chicken
The dream car of every Italian kid I knew growing up in New Jersey!
Until the IROC and Montecarlo SS took hold in the 80’s
One of the ultimate Guido cars...
When your family owns the local pizza joint
As opposed to the dream of every Italian Kid growing up in Italy who were dreaming about Ferraris.
And also a dream car for some Italian kids back then in Italy
In Toronto greeks had the Trans Ams and the Italians had the camaros.
money cant buy happiness ,but it can buy a Trans Am, which is just as good !!!!!
The car many of us lusted after in high school. The profile of this still makes my heart pitter patter a little. Cheers from Chattanooga.
That was my car in high school
I worked for a company called Hood Ind. here in Bakersfield between 1978-1979 and we made interior panels for GM cars. We made the T-Top and regular interior headliners for all the Camaros and Firebirds being assembled at the Van Nuys GM assembly plant.
I was 10 years old. This was all I wanted in life.
I was 18 and that is all I ever wanted
I was five. See profile pic.
@Eugene Boucher never did
I wrote an essay in fourth grade about what I would do in the future. I wrote that I would live in LA and be private investigator. Also that I would drive a Trans Am.
As a teener in the UK, when I saw this in Smokey & The Bandit my jaw hit the floor, I fell in love.
One of those very rare cars that still creates desire. The emblem on the bonnet was best in the gold colour. The car has a great stance,and looks great on the move. Vastly underrated.
That design still looks great even today!👍💪
It really does
i own one with 62 k miles pure stock ran a 14.83 in the 1/4 mile. the last year for the pontiac 400 they used the pontiac blocks from 1978 that they saved for the ws6 .
PMD held 10,000 of the T/A 6.6 400s from 78 to go in Firebirds for 79 knowing it was getting replaced by the 301 Turbo....a sad day indeed. RIP Pontiac.....
These cars really do come alive when you put some horsepower in them. I had a warmed up 455 in my 78. Thumb up to Jay for showing us this.
That car is just a beautiful. Reminds me of the 70's
Yes it does
That's why that gen of Trans Ams are sometimes referred to as "disco mobiles"
41 years old, but it still turns heads a great iconic American motor ,r.i.p Burt Reynolds
The “cool, non-airbag steering wheel” 😂 love it
Greatest American steering wheel ever? Greatest American steering wheel ever.
Don't they look better?
LOL
Jay likes the old shitcans with no safety equipment,shifting gears with his head out the open window.
@K M Even with the seat belt?
In 79 this was the fastest American car. It ran a 14.61, and handled great for the time with the Ws6 and w72 options.
If I remember correctly, the 1979 TA was GM's fastest car in their stable that year, even beating the Corvette.
and 79 it doesn't say much those things were so smogged and bogged to the hilt it wasn't even funny. but one thing Pontiac always had just like Buick they did have torque
Larry The Cable Guy says in his hometown if you own a Trans Am with T Tops you're considered to be royalty,,,
And if the T Tops weatherstrip doesn't leak when it rains you are a god.
If you want to hear one of my very favorite stories that involves a Trans Am with t-tops, you've got to listen to comedian Vic Henley tell "The Klan Story," about him and his high school buddies pranking some Klansmen in a silver T/A with the tops out: m.ua-cam.com/video/z6CXnFiesRA/v-deo.html
then call me lawrence of arabia
LOL
@@joeday4293 Thanks for the link; it was great. Vic reminds me of the late Jay Hickman's humor,,
What Jay does for automotive history is absolutely amazing. Thank you Jay for preserving artifacts us gear heads will always cherish.
I had an '81 Turbo T/A and man, this one takes me back. I love these Trans Ams.
Brings me back to the 80’s. 👍🏼 Burt Reynolds was my favorite.
ua-cam.com/video/imIh1cv8bFQ/v-deo.html
Loni ripped Burts heart and soul right out of him
Nice Piper cub in your avatar sir! My pops had a J3 for almost 20 years!
Hee Haw too?
Only if I can bring the money I’ve made.
This was my second car. But white with a red bird, red interior and smoked tops. I miss that car.
Red (or "carmine," to be specific) is the best interior color in these. Second place is a tie for every color except that stupid powder blue. LOL
If only we took care of great cars like this when we had them....
Thanks Jay. In 1979 I was 15 so this was the car ALL the cool guys had. Brought back a lot of great memories. Thanks.
We just bought a 79 trans am with 58000 original miles. She runs and drives perfect just needs better paint. We still have the original window sticker too! I love it.
The trans am is and will always be my favorite car of all time!
I still have my '87 Trans Am GTA in black...
i.pinimg.com/originals/0a/6e/92/0a6e925d76ea7b8a50b40ef04eb7a4b5.jpg
No it isn't.
@@User0000000000000004 Get back in your DeLorean, Marty 🤣
Our family had a 1978, the last year of the "good" front end (IMHO) thanks, Jay, for the memories....
Very much agreed, I don't like the 4 bucket rubbernose at all. '77 & '78 were slick looking.
I completely agree. They used the 77 in the first movie, the 79 in the second and the ugly 83 in the third movie that was just bad all around.
79-81 was the sexiest Trans Am's ever,with 77-78 2nd & 72 era 3rd.
Actually the cars used in the first movie were 1976 models with the 455. 76 was the last year for the 455. General Motors supplied them with 1977 noses to make them look like the new 77 model. Little-known trivia....
@@justjeepin SATB 2 had a 1980 Turbo T/A that had to be modded with nitrous by the film crew to get any performance out of it.
I actually really liked the '83 third gen used in Bandit 3
Jay looks cool driving in the Trans Am.
Jay looks cool driving anything. He is just plain cool.
The '70-'73 Firebird/Trans Am had the best looking front end.
Still have my 80' Black 3tone Red Stripes Z28 w Ttops numbers matching LM1.. from High School Grad 88'... Still drive it today.
Loved this car growing up! I'm a kid of the 70's/80's so yeah it hits home for me.
Guys we just seen a man fall in love with a vehicle, give it six months he’s gonna buy one , I could tell by the look in his eyes
6 months? Odds are, he bought one as soon as they wrapped! He certainly can afford it....
@@blairbrown4812 He probably bought that one lol
He's not the first.
@@malcolmtudor8039 he definitely won’t be the last either lol
Didn't he say he's already restoring one?
I was 12 when the '79 T/A was new & instantly fell in love😎 Beautiful car & love the silver & grey bird!
The classic Trans Am is one of the truly desirable US made cars. Good looks, good sound, burnouts.
The Rockford Files also gave the Firebird a lot of exposure.
Side note: James Garner did not like the 79 restyle of the front fascia, so he kept the 78 model until the series ended in 1981. Also, the cars used in the series were actually Firebird Formulas, "dressed down" to look like an Esprit. The Sierra Gold paint was also a custom mixed, non factory color so the producers could maintain continuity from season to season.
Loved those J turns!
I do those with my Lawn Tractor 😂
@@macgto ....I remember an episode of Rockford in which he’s telling a valet to get his “Tan Firebird”.
@@mercoid I'm sure in a generic sense, Sierra Gold could be considered "tan"
And the Rockford J turn.
When I was in elementary school in the 70's this was my dream car. I would still drive it!
My sixth grade teacher drove one. They were both hot lol
Same.
A lot of things I would go back and redo in those days if I could do it again. Not the car though. I had the 79 Trans Am when I turned 18 & with it made enough memories for a lifetime.
I can imagine Jay's getting his cheque book out on this one. Great example of a wonderful piece of American iron.
Ya, Jay, buy it!
I was 16 when this car came out in 1979. At the time it was absolutely stunning and still after all these years the car is gorgeous.
I was 16 yrs old then as well. I took my drivers test in my sisters black & gold ‘78 Z-28. I thought that was pretty cool. She never let me drive “her baby” again!
@@jhask64 I don't blame her for letting a 16 year old idiot, such as we were at that age drive her baby. One year later I had my first car, an 1969 Camaro SS 396. Still loved the Trans Am. 👍👍
I love jay having his finger in the shot the hole time , just like my dad when I ask him to film
Jay the to 69 camaro came in a 39
HAHAHAH!
I love the 77-80 Trans Am’s! I know the government sucked the power out of them but they were fun cars that really did handle pretty good. Especially love the 4 speed ones.
The Trans Am is just so over the top that you have to love it
I loved the TA since the first time I saw Smokey & The Bandit. Still own 2 today and Im 59. Love the TA!!
"ONE HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR!" Jay's delivery is amazing...he could do stand up. Keep it up Jay...love all your stuff on cars!
When Jay was host of the Tonight show, he never spent any money he made hosting. That all went in the bank. All the money he used came from his stand up. I'm sure, not anymore, since he's doing neither now. But I'm sure it paid for these cars.
@@robbiereilly - Jay still doing standup comedy in these videos...
The TA video was very special to me because my father purchased the same 1979 black bandit for me as my high school graduation present! I'll never forget how I loved that automobile. Thanks for featuring it.
"The last time I saw legs like that they had a message tied to 'em." - The Bandit
Cue Bandit's laugh!!
The day my dad came home with a Trans Am in the early 80s I thought he was the coolest man on Earth!!!
THEN i noticed it didnt have the Firebird on the hood.....DAY WAS RUINED :D
Epic car, loved it when I was 16, still love it. Smokey and the bandit was the longest car commercial ever made!!
One of few movie cars with posi...
Who sings The Dukes of Hazzard
@@glennbeadshaw727 Waylon Jennings
7.57. “There’s the space saver spare with the air can that goes Pfffffffffff”. Nothing but giggles, Jay Leno, the Comedian.
Nice car. The “screaming chicken” and the fasten seat belt buzzer sound take me back, LOL.
Among other reasons to like these cars is that royalty payments on the “Trans Am” name helped keep the SCCA solvent for many years...
Interesting.
Thats why the Challenger was called T/A to not have to pay for the name
@@ole-mariusbergesen7818 - The Challengers were cheap pieces of garbage. I know. I owned one.
@@stuffhappens5681 i own one. Numbers matching 440 4 speed som they vant be that bad. 50 years and stil going strong
@@ole-mariusbergesen7818 - In the context of a toy that you keep polished, garaged, out of the salt/rain, and take to cars and coffee on weekends Mopars are fine. As actual usable cars back in the day they weren’t anywhere near as robust and well engineered as their Ford and GM counterparts. They painted them pretty colors though. Lined up on car lots in the 70s from a distance they looked like jellybeans. I miss that.
Jay, you’re not alone! I like steering wheels with no airbags too!
LOL
Yea I miss them to! Wrecked a bunch of cars never had a air bag work! Head on 50mph collision is a year old Chevy, nothing! 😂
These cars need no explanation! Love to see them getting driven as they should!
A friend of mine said he doesn't like these cars.
I think he's just trans phobic.
You need to stop. LOL!
Many of the straight engined folks didn’t care for the Trans package and didn’t think it was fair they compete in the same races let alone be allowed in the same service area.
Black T/A’s Matter!
I think I'm going to start calling Tans Am haters Transphobes from now on.
Thanks for making my weekend Lol
Excuse me sir, but my wife has transphobia, which is a very crippling medical disease. Every time she sees a T-Top she collapses and must be taken to a hospital immediately.
Personally, in my teens, I was in love with the SD-455 which was the model prior to this one. It had more horsepower (bigger engine and no smog $hit) and handled extremely well. It could really dig into corners no matter how hard you pushed it. It had the "flattened" front end which I liked much better than this model's "extended" front end. I almost got a red one, but couldn't work it out... one of my life's great regrets. BTW, the "screaming chicken" was a $55 decal option at the time and I thought it put the exclamation point on the car's overall looks.
the sd-455 (of any year) is worth a small fortune now....very sought after
There was plenty of smog controls already by 1973-1974.
@@calripson 1972 was the sweet spot. Yes, they started to layer more crap per year, but, even then, they didn't have near the garbage that they did by the early '80s.
@@trillrifaxegrindor4411 That, and the 455 HO . . .
My '74 SD has some smog controls that I don't feel hurt performance. Most noticeable is EGR. It only functions during part throttle cruising and has no impact on WOT blasts. Its still plenty fast. There is also no catalytic converter.
Ah this brings back memories. My dad owned a 77 Smokey and the bandit T/A when I was younger.
During the end of 70s...Trans-Am and Corvette were the dream of young people..
Now you just need a young Sally Field hopping around inside the car. ;)
Sally still looks pretty good now.
Or driving said car.
Sally looked really good when she was bending over and reaching into the back seat!
Frog
What's she wearin' now?
You have not lived until you've driven this thing blasting Sammy Haggar's "Heavy Metal Noise" at full volume.
Teenage Wonderland!
@G. Kalas I had a 79 firebird I adored. No spoilers, body effects, or hood scopp. Just clean lines. I'd go on to own an '84, and '89, and a 2002 firebird. Those cars were a ton of fun. My buddy fixed his T/A up to look just like this one. ua-cam.com/video/QuYvgf7m830/v-deo.html
Kenny had a good time cheesing
The wealth of automotive knowledge in Jay's brain is astounding.
Yeah. A shame it was all on Covid lock down here. If you know your Firebirds, you'll also know how little of value was said here.
@@AB-80X
What..?
@@AB-80X spot on😎
@@travelinman482
He talked a lot but not much of value was said. There are so many design and technical aspects of this car he could have talked about, and yet he missed it all. In other words, Jay Leno knows nothing about this car, or why John Delorean did what he did. There are some i teresting firsts on this car, which sets it apart from all its competitors as well as the European sports cars of the day. Did you know it was the first production car to have actual positive downforce? It was also the first US car to feature a suspension specifically tuned for radial tires. Did you know that a WS6 car had a higher radial centrifugal load on a skid pad than the Corvette, but also better than both the Ferrari 512 and the Lamborghini Countach LP400S?
There are so much to talk about on the 2G Trans Am which sets it apart from the rest, including the Corvette, Camaro and regular Firebirds.
@@AB-80X
True. But I think that Jay doesn’t want to an hour(s) long video of just one car. Idk..?
10 k really just 4 the footage of u & tony at daytona in the last trans am made in 2002.... & u said u guy's brought ' em all out all the trans am's way cool & u were saying u were working on a ' 66 trans am spirit wooooooooo love to see & hear some of the back story's of u finding ' em & buying & getting them on your trailor & back to where ever u do the work on all the rides ( no matter what's all wrong w/ ' em when u get ' em................... i member way back in the day's.......... U HONESTLY SHOWED US ALL U FINDING EM & GETTING THEM LOAD'D UP & SOME OF THE BACK STORY'S ON THE RIDES................................ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY DID U STOP DOING THAT SORT OF THING'S......................??????????????????????????????
"Lose the chicken"???? That's crazy talk!!! LOL
Why do some people call it a chicken?It looks nothing like a chicken.
@@redgreen6436 I don't know, it is supposed to be a "Fire Bird" I guess...
Yes. The bird is part of the appeal.
Fire”Chicken” is what I always heard them called way back in the day!
Crazy Shaker hood?
Here you go reminding me of mom again. She had one of these in 85.
if you know the vin or the plate then there is a decent chance you can find if its still out there somewhere
Thank you for posting this video . My friend still owns his golden anniversary edition with the Oldsmobile motor handle's and rides beautifully to this day .
My '79 L78-W72, WS6 is in the garage with a little over 48K on the odometer. Ordered it on Black Friday 1978, got it delivered May '79. Drove it for 3 full years than sporadically. During that time it saw action at auto crosses and a few runs down the strip. Mods started with a cam, then headers and dual exhaust, then an engine rebuild with more performance enrichments, a few drag and auto crosses, then more car shows...then a full new interior and exterior refinish. Also made one long cross country 2,600 mile cruise with my wife. TA is now only for car shows.