The original storage bag for the Hurst Hatches remains in the trunk. A Space-Saver spare tire was standard equipment on the Firebird.
The Purchase
Fortunately for Larry, the lowest-priced S/E T/A equipped with Hurst Hatches and vinyl custom interior happened to have the W72 package. "I didn't really know how much the two engines differed at the time, but I was happy that the cheapest T/A was equipped with it." Convinced this was the right move, Larry and his father purchased an S/E T/A from McKenzie Pontiac for $6,950 and drove it home on October 5, 1977.
Though it might seem that Larry's Trans Am was otherwise sparsely equipped, convenience options included air conditioning, tilt wheel, and cruise control. One feature that was conspicuously absent, however, was a radio of any type. "The car didn't have a radio, but it didn't matter to me at the time, because it meant that I could install a better stereo at a later date, which I did the following spring."
The Honeymoon
Larry drove his new T/A as much as possible to break it in before it saw its first Nebraska winter. "I knew before purchasing the car that I was going to preserve it, so I drove it that first winter only when the streets were dry, and borrowed family-members' cars or carpooled in bad weather," he says.
The Trans Am's street duty was limited for the next couple of years, and Larry admits that he was fanatical about its cleanliness when he drove it. "I washed it regularly, and it was always exceptionally clean. So clean, in fact, that my friend Gus Frics suggested I enter it into a local ISCA show in 1979. I did, and at that point my desire to preserve it grew even stronger."
The odometer reveals that this T/A had accumulated just 15,402 miles at the time of our photo shoot.
It wasn't long thereafter that the T/A was officially retired to a life of ISCA shows and local area Pontiac events. Its first appearance at a national gathering occurred in 2004 at the POCI National Convention in Joplin, Missouri, where it amassed 389 out of 400 possible points, earning Gold Survivor status.
"The Hurst Hatches leaked when they were new, and I immediately took it in to the dealership for adjustments. On the third visit, they replaced the weatherstrip, and they didn't seem to leak nearly as bad, but the car wasn't really driven in the rain after that. I found out just how bad the hatches really leak during a downpour in Joplin. Let's just say it'll never be in the rain again," he jokes.
The Twilight Years
Larry tells HPP that his love affair with the Special Edition Trans Am is as strong today as it was over 30 years ago. "I love the look of a black car when it's clean, and the appearance of any S/E T/A is, in my opinion, stunning. The Second-Gen T/A already has a sleek, aggressive stance, and the black and gold contrast grips me. The stripes pop off the body."
One look at Larry's Trans Am's mirror-like Starlight Black finish, and most would bet that it's been professionally repainted, but Larry maintains that the exterior is completely factory applied. "My dad was a car polisher, and he liked Blue Coral liquid polish. I hand-rubbed the T/A for hours a day, panel by panel, until the finish was absolutely smooth. I was careful not to damage any decals, so some of the factory orange peel is still visible," he states.
When asked what he likes best about his S/E T/A, Larry modestly replies, "How well it's preserved, and how good it looks after all these years. I'm continually asked if it's restored, but I'm proud to say it's completely original. It's far from perfect, though. There are body dimples, runs in the paint, and the stripes are not perfectly positioned in places, but that's the way it rolled off the assembly line, and that's the way it's going to stay."
Today, Larry's T/A shows just over 15,400 miles on its odometer, and he says that future plans include adding a handful of miles each year attending area events, and possibly any nearby national-type gatherings. He adds, "I'm mostly going to do my best to continue preserving this survivor for years to come."
The Firebird Trans Am features of a Formula steering wheel and full instrumentation as standard equipment. The Special Edition package included a host of gold interior pieces including an engine-turned instrument panel trim plate, steering wheel spokes, horn emblem, and automatic transmission shifter button. | 
Larry's T/A is equipped with Y90 custom trim group with black Morrokide vinyl trim. Cloth trim was available at extra cost. Other convenience options include an N33 tilt wheel, K30 cruise control, and B37 front and rear floor mats. D55 front console was required with an automatic transmission. | 
The 1977 model year was the first that aluminum wheels were available, and vehicles equipped with them received this decal located on the underside of the decklid. |