'79 10th Anniversary Silver Edition 400cin, 4spd... how much you think $$ ??>>

[WS6Fury]

A serious and honest question for the collectors out there, and for anything anone has ever seen:

My father own since brand new picking it off the delivery trailer:
1979 10th Anniversary Silver Edition Trans Am 400 cuin, 4spd.

This is the real Pontiac 400, not the POS 403 Olds engine that came with the automatics which aren't worth a damn.

The car has 100kmi on the od. The car is 100% original, and obviously in extremely good, clean, used condition. I know some people like to restore cars to show room condition, but I also know the new trend is to find pristine cars like this untouched and keep them as is, having more value to it and its history.

Reason I'm asking is my father's thinking on selling the car. Doesn't have time for it anymore unfortunately. I would take it from him, but I alreay have 2 cars and cannot afford another one right now... sucks!!! Was hoping this would be a family heirloom (sp?)...


Any guesses??

[Zboner]

$1,000

[formula#492]

Have POS 403 Tenth Ann. that I'm going to restore. I know what its worth if it's a real 400/4 sp car.....

[bbfirebird]

in front of me i have the october 2005 old cars price guide. assuming your dad's car is a grade 3, which would be a "completely operable original or an older restoration showing wear", also a car which from 20 feet away seems to be perfect, would be worth $5,850, plus 10% for a 4-speed, plus 15% for a 10th anniversary edition. so total, that would be $7,312.50.

if it is a grade 2, being "an EXTREMELY well-maintained original showing very minimal wear", it would be $9,100, plus the 10% for 4-speed and 15% for 10th anniversary, equalling $11,375.

basically, this price guide rates grade 2 cars as VERY high condition. grade 1 cars are listed as show cars, completely restored to the highest professional standard, and not driven. basically the same condition as a "showroom" car.

from what you've described your dad's car as, being in pristine condition, you could probably get at least $10k for it.

[GatorSS]

That is one sweet car! Don't let your dad sell that baby. Do whatever you have to do...sell one of your two cars if necessary. But don't let it get away!

[BlackTAWS6]

If he really wants to sell it, I got 10 for it right now. My wife would kill me, but it would be for her, so its cool.

[x-40oz-x]

I got a friend whos got a 78 bandit. He paid 23k canadian for it with 55,000kms on it. i'd say he got ripped off though

[crustysarge]

Need to get it PHS documented if you really want to sell it. 10K is close, costs a lot to restore a TA/TA. Seats are $$$ to redo, around a grand just for the materials.

[WS6Fury]

I hear a lot of the cars that are restored, sometimes loose value. I think I heard the trend is to find a car that is untouched, but still in excellent condition for what it is. Which is where my fathers car would land.

I was hoping he would keep it in the family, its one of a kind you rarely ever see anymore, except for the "Joe Dirt" movie of which Kid Rock was driving, but I think his was an Olds 403 block auto.

I guess if someone was really hurting to get the car "showroom" by restoring it, probably wouldn't look that much different from what it is now except for fresher paint and a new steering wheel we've been trying to find.

Car is perfectly operable, we still take it out on nice days. Was a daily driver for a while for my fathers business. Has a bit over 100k on the dial and still runs perfect to this day. Probably one of Pontiacs best engines.

[WS6Fury]

Have POS 403 Tenth Ann. that I'm going to restore. I know what its worth if it's a real 400/4 sp car.....

What would that be, and in what market or auction? It is a real untouched virgin 400/4spd you'll never see anywhere else.

[Mr. CarelessAndImprudent]

If it's as pristine as you say and he was willing to wait for the right buyer, I'd say you ask 15-17 thousand at least. You'd have to put up with a lot of bs from guys wanting to get it for cheaper though.

[mrbandit]

Its very hard to say without pictures. The range could be from $10k to $15k. I just listed a 19k mile 400/4spd TATA for a friend and it only reached $14k. Granted its not a good time to sell either, but the BIN was $19.5k. Today the cars that bring the money are nice low mileage (20k or less) "Survivor" or high level restore using NOS parts. The survivors only take the show if they are low low mileage usually. In your case a high mileage TATA will show wear in the carpet and the panels will be faded badly most of the time. A TATA had special long loop carpet and seats. Currently the repro markets don't offer the correct pile carpet, but the $1100 seat covers are very good. Just food for thought.

[Zboner]

i got a friend who has a 79 formula 4 speed 400, what would that be worth all fixed up?

[mrbandit]

Those are sought after with W72 hobbiest, but the following is minimal. In driver restoration condition it be high teens. A friend of mine in TX has a 20k mile 79 400/4spd formula burgandy and got no bites at $19k. Just this past summer I had the chance to buy one complete ready to restore for $2500. It was numbers matching as well.

[ws4transam]

a friend of mine sold a cuple of '79 10th Anniversary t/a's his price ranges where from $15000-22500.

[BIG D's SS]

A car is worth what someone will pay for it. You can't go by those books.

[IronBird]

About six months ago, I practally GAVE away my 79 SE T/A i'd had since '80 for 500 bucks to a family member. :cry: Other than normal "wear and tear" it was still a "looker"...even with the original paint. The engine was stock other than me opening up the "shaker" hood scoop, and it was auto with one of those...<ahem>.. "POS" Olds 403. Other than me changing the timing chain and it eating water pumps and motor mounts, it never gave me problems AND it kicked the $hit out of EVERY 400 6.6 T/A I ever run...and it was quite a few!:spank2: Sigh...shudda' kept it....148K original miles. :sulk:

[x-40oz-x]

http://www.showdownmusclecars.com/inventory/C6193

This is one of the nicest cars i've ever seen.
28,000 miles
$28,900
That's like a dollar a mile.

[GatorSS]

That's one nice car! Brings back memories of the one I drove back in the early '80s, when I was a teen.

[jksz71]

As always check ebay and go over to transamcountry.com and take a look around. Some TATA's are going for big bucks if proper. I've seen very few that were in good restorable condition go for less than 8k. Post some pics if you have them.

[x-40oz-x]

That's one nice car! Brings back memories of the one I drove back in the early '80s, when I was a teen.

Cool.
I always wanted one. Especially an 79' SE Bandit, but whenever one was for sale i was bankrupt.:cry:

IMO they're the nicest Firebird/Trans Am ever made.

[x-40oz-x]

As always check ebay and go over to transamcountry.com and take a look around. Some TATA's are going for big bucks if proper. I've seen very few that were in good restorable condition go for less than 8k. Post some pics if you have them.

Check out this one - http://www.cardomain.com/ride/259625
It's for sale, with 60000 miles, but it's got the 403.
If you check out his poll most would still pay 10-15k.:)

[ws4transam]

taspecialties.com has some nice trans ams on that site

[98eles1]

Just thought I'd add that IMO the '79 is the baddest t/a ever made, and I'll eventually have one. As far as the olds 403 being junk, it got a bad rep b/c of the windowed main webs. It still makes loads of torque and can be pushed to around 500 horse without problems.

[x-40oz-x]

Just thought I'd add that IMO the '79 is the baddest t/a ever made, and I'll eventually have one.
:yup::yup::yup:same here.

[KyleLs1]

like everyone else said... its hard to say without seeing pics
its probably worth around 10-15k but if you find the right buyer you may be able to fetch more

[timowen1]

A serious and honest question for the collectors out there, and for anything anone has ever seen:

My father own since brand new picking it off the delivery trailer:
1979 10th Anniversary Silver Edition Trans Am 400 cuin, 4spd.

This is the real Pontiac 400, not the POS 403 Olds engine that came with the automatics which aren't worth a damn.

The car has 100kmi on the od. The car is 100% original, and obviously in extremely good, clean, used condition. I know some people like to restore cars to show room condition, but I also know the new trend is to find pristine cars like this untouched and keep them as is, having more value to it and its history.

Reason I'm asking is my father's thinking on selling the car. Doesn't have time for it anymore unfortunately. I would take it from him, but I alreay have 2 cars and cannot afford another one right now... sucks!!! Was hoping this would be a family heirloom (sp?)...


Any guesses??

Check out mine on cardomain. my screen name is gr879ta. This car has been family owned since new. I am the second owner. I bought it from an uncle. I have all, and I mean all the documentation on this car. Even the temp tags and temp registration it came home from the dealership with. I use a third set of keys my uncle had the foresight to have made at the dealership. The originals still have the knockout slugs still intact. I don't think they have ever been used. This car was featured in HPP mag in Aug 2004. It is a 400 4 speed. It is the one in the foreground on the cover. It is also the one shown in the book written by David Newhardt "The History Of The Trans Am/Firebird" There are 6 pictures of the car or parts of the car in the book. This car is totally original and unrestored. It today has 4,028 miles on it. 5 years ago it was professionally appraised $35,000. Today I would say it is worth 50K+
I think this car is very near if not already museum quality.

[iLIKEtransAMS]

What, no shoutout for the 77 t/a's? The 79's are definetly sharp, but there's just something about that 77. My dad found one about 2 months ago and offered to buy it for me, but it had just been rebuilt and I wasn't impressed wi/the job that was done, it was slower than my 3.4L firebird, and at that point in time I absolutely wanted an ls1 transam. Turns out, a week later my buddy wrecked his gold 98 t/a (some kinda special edition or something) and did not damage to the engine and trans, and this sob had like 450-500 hp all built by him and his dad (I watched). He wanted to sell it to me for cheap, and I coulda had a badass 77 t/a will a screaming ls1 for dirt cheap! :Ohno:
Oh well, sorry this post was so long, but thanks for listening.

[tajoe]

I have a 78 limited gold edition, original pont 400, 4 spd car with factory t-tops that I have had for about 5 yrs now. It is ( finally ) mechanically sound with only cosmetic work needed. I have seen these so for over $25,000 restored. I read about one with very, very low miles go for well over $40,000 out of an auto museum. 2nd gens are supposed to be the next hot car out there, so I've read.