From Road and Test 1977:
"With its beating wings embracing the remembrance of an air scoop, the monstrous flame-breathing black and gold bird on the hood announces your arrival onto the super slab. Seated deep in this street-fighter's cockpit, with luminescent dials giving you a read-out on the beast's pulse, you are indeed 'King of the Road'. The other cars out there are nothing more than transportation devices, a collection of anonymous and dreary shapes lurching homeward with their anonymous and dreary occupants tired after a day at the desk. But yours is not just a transportation device. It is not anonymous and dreary. From the shinny aluminum and gold spinning wheels to the enormous rear spoiler, with the vibrating ghost of an air scoop that actually makes it seem to come alive with each pulsation, and with the shrieking bird on the hood, it is an orgy of image and power. It is a Trans Am."
I purchased my Trans Am back in 2000 with just over 49,000 original miles on it from Tennessee. I was lucky enough to speak with not only the current owenr of the car, but also the original owner of the car. It was sold to a dealership down in Clarksville, TN and there is spent all of its life until I brought it back to Ohio.
My car started out as a regular run of the mill Trans Am with the L78 Pontiac 400 engine, automatic transmission, WS6 handling package and a Fisher T-top roof. It was the most common one made in 1978 with 57,035 being produced with this configuration. It was pretty much bone stock when I purchased the car with the exception of the previous owner added some of the Special Edition striping to the car. Other than that, it was all original right down to the AM/FM radio with 8-track player installed.
When I first brought the car home, I did a major check up and replacement of mall of the normal maintenence for the car. I changed all the fluids including the oil, transmission, rear end, flushed the radioatior, etc. I also replaced all of the suspension with stock parts and replaced all of the rubber bushings with new. Over the last 16+ years that I have owned the car, I have always changed the oile every year and kept up on all of the normal maintenence for the car to try and keep it running at it's best.
Over the years, I have owned several other Trans Ams. I have had all the generations except for the first generation. I have loved all of them for different reason, but my 1978 will always be my favorite.
It may not be original any longer, but I wanted to make it mine and one of a kind.
Back in 2006, I did a re-paint of the car and decided to make my own "Special Edition". I went with a black, charcoal, and silver theme for the decals. I did like the black and gold the car originally came with, but wanted something different. I changed all of the decals and had them custom made for my car. I also replaced the 15x8 snowflakes with the new 17x9 snowflakes from Year One. I also added a high end bluetooth touchscreen radio in the map pocket of the center console with 300-watt Infinity speakers. I did add headers to the car with ture dual exhaust and Flowmaster mufflers as well. Other than those changes, the rest of the car remains stock.
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