1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

Pony car powered by 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am engine family.

Exact-year stock-presenting Trans Am retained for body, rear spoiler, black-and-gold graphics, snowflake wheels, trim, and stance context.

Bodies Two-door four-passenger hatchback coupe

Configurations Trans Am with Pontiac 400, Trans Am with W72 T/A 6.6, Trans Am with Oldsmobile 403 where available, WS6 Special Performance Package

Engine range Pontiac 400 or Oldsmobile 403 four-barrel V8

Chassis F-body front coils, rear leaves, limited-slip axle, power front discs, and optional WS6 tuning

Production Exact configuration ledger remains unresolved

Story

1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

The 1978 Firebird Trans Am family combined two-door four-passenger hatchback coupe with Trans Am with Pontiac 400, Trans Am with W72 T/A 6.6, Trans Am with Oldsmobile 403 where available, WS6 Special Performance Package configurations. This page keeps those factory choices together without treating an engine, stripe, badge, or trim package as a separate car identity.

Engines and transmissions

L78, W72, and L80 engines require different blocks, induction, emissions equipment, transmissions, axles, cooling, exhaust, dates, and records. Transmission, induction, cooling, exhaust, axle, emissions equipment, and dates must match the selected engine path.

Chassis and brakes

Engine, transmission, WS6, wheel, tire, spring, bar, steering, axle, and emissions combinations changed the Trans Am configuration. Brake, steering, spring, damper, axle, ratio, wheel, and tire equipment varied by configuration and must be reconciled to factory and car-specific records.

Body, trim, and proof

Start with VIN or serial, body tag, title, shell, and ownership history. Then reconcile drivetrain, chassis, protected finish, cabin, trim, dates, and records. Replaceable badges, stripes, wheels, or a swapped engine cannot establish factory configuration.

**Exact-year Trans Am retained for the front body, fascia, shaker hood, glass, spoilers, wheel openings, and stance; visible condition and restoration remain specific to this car.**Jeremy via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Price history

Values

Nominal dollars from original price sheets, auction archives, and approved value references.

Original Price

A verified original price is not yet available for this car.

Values move with paperwork, originality, options, condition, venue, and body style. High bids and guide values are labeled separately from completed sales.

Reference records

Options, Colors & Components

Source-backed details for trim, chassis, production, and authenticity.

Engine Details

L78 Pontiac 400 400 cu in Pontiac four-barrel V8 · Regular Trans Am 400 path · engine assembly / specification
W72 T/A 6.6 400 cu in Pontiac performance V8 · W72 Trans Am path · engine assembly / specification
L80 Oldsmobile 403 403 cu in Oldsmobile four-barrel V8 · Automatic and emissions-market path · carburetor / specification

Transmission

Factory transmission Four-speed manual by Pontiac 400 application
Factory transmission Turbo Hydra-Matic three-speed automatic

Options

Engines and Induction summarized from reviewed factory and marque references.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration

W72 T/A 6.6 Pontiac 400 factory · performance · Codes, dates, installed hardware, body identity, and records must agree.
WS6 Special Performance Package factory · chassis · Codes, dates, installed hardware, body identity, and records must agree.
M21 Four-speed manual factory · performance · Codes, dates, installed hardware, body identity, and records must agree.
CC1 Removable roof panels factory · comfort · Codes, dates, installed hardware, body identity, and records must agree.
Y82 Special Edition appearance package factory · appearance · Codes, dates, installed hardware, body identity, and records must agree.

Paint

11 Cameo White factory · solid
19 Starlight Black factory · solid
24 Martinique Blue Metallic factory · metallic
50 Solar Gold factory · metallic
75 Buccaneer Red factory · solid

Production

Transmissions summarized from reviewed factory and marque references.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration

1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am family total · 0 · reported

Authenticity

Rear Axle and Ratios summarized from reviewed factory and marque references.Classic Muscle · Reference illustration

Model-year identity 1978 Firebird Trans Am VIN or serial, body tag, title, shell, drivetrain, trim, protected finish, and ownership evidence that agrees · VIN or serial plate, body or trim plate, chassis, title, build records, and ownership history · fraud detection
Engine and transmission Configuration-correct engine, induction, transmission, controls, stampings, castings, and dates · Engine, induction, gearbox, shifter, pedals, stamp pads, castings, dates, and records · numbers matching
Axle, brakes, and suspension Application-correct axle, ratio, brake system, steering, springs, links, and dampers · Axle housing and carrier, brakes, steering, suspension, dates, service records, and build evidence · date correctness
Paint, exterior trim, and cabin Plate- and record-supported finish, moldings, badges, wheels, upholstery, instruments, and controls · Body and trim plates, protected paint, upholstery, hardware, dashboard, and restoration records · trim correctness

Still Researching

production No reviewed public ledger reconciles 1978 Firebird Trans Am production by body, model, engine, transmission, axle, paint, trim, options, plant, date, and surviving-car status.
paint colors Reviewed references establish representative factory colors but not a complete body, trim, stripe, special-order, plant, and build-date compatibility matrix.
interior Broad cabin equipment is documented, but the complete upholstery color, material, body, option, and production-date matrix is not publicly reconciled.
authenticity markers Public model references cannot prove one survivor's born-with shell, drivetrain, chassis components, paint, trim, options, or component dates.