1979 Pontiac Trans Am - Discovering Atlantis... Over And Over Again

When Steve became of age, he began the hunt for vehicles from his youth. "I liked Trans Ams, but Chevelles were my first love. I saw Frank's car for sale and seriously considered buying it, but we couldn't arrive at a figure, so I passed on it." That car always remained in the back of Steve's mind, however, and when Frank advertised it again, Steve couldn't pass a second time.

The Trans Am remained in Steve's possession for the next couple of years, but his love for Chevelles intervened. "I owned an authentic '70 LS6 car when I was younger and had the chance to buy it back," he says. "That meant that the T/A had to go. I listed it in the classifieds section of the Classical Pontiac website, and Steve Schappaugh of Lincoln, Nebraska, responded immediately."

"I bought the Trans Am from Frank in 2006 with just over 26,000 miles on it," says Steve. "It was still very clean and well preserved, but the original mufflers needed to be replaced. I wasn't content with generic aftermarket replacements, so I searched until I could find the genuine article. I also spent about 100 hours polishing the original Snowflake wheels."

Brad noticed that there were a few minor blemishes in the cloth of the front-seat cushions, so he located N.O.S. Hobnail material to replace those panels. "They were small, but I'm a perfectionist. I also cleaned the interior, detailed the engine compartment and undercarriage, and had the original carburetor rebuilt and tuned up. The car is in outstanding condition inside and out, and all of its equipment works as it should. It looks and runs great," he exclaims.

Conclusion
This Atlantis Blue T/A remained with its original owner for 20 years, and it then changed hands several times in a relatively short period. Each owner yearned for a Trans Am T/A 6.6 engine and four-speed manual transmission, and this particular '79 fulfilled each dream. With more than 8,000 made that year, there is any number to choose from on the market at any given time. Few are as original and well preserved as this example, however, and that's what gives this Trans Am its distinctive character.

Reliving One's Youth Schappaugh says he, too, has always been drawn to '79 400 four-speed Trans Ams. "I bought a 10th Anniversary and a black-and-gold Special Edition new back then, and have always had a soft spot for them," the 54-year old electrical-utility engineer admits. "The WS6 cars handle great, and those with 400 four-speeds are just fun to drive. I've owned at least six others over the years, and when I saw this original '79 for sale, I was immediately interested."

Brad tells HPP that the Trans Am has now found a permanent home and that he has no intentions to ever part with it. He plans to continue giving it the same level of care each of its previous owners had, but admits that he plans to drive it often. "I won't add an excessive amount of mileage, but this Trans Am is just too nice not to enjoy!" After having sat in the driver seat and put a few miles on this car during our photo shoot, Brad has no argument from HPP!

Basgall and Schappaugh made arrangements to meet at a central-Kansas car show the next day. "The show was about 250 miles away from me and my trailer was in use. I knew it'd sell quickly if it was as clean as I'd been told," Schappaugh recollects. "Steve told me that it was very roadworthy, so I figured if I bought it I could drive it back, or if I had doubts, pay for it and return with the trailer when I could."

Sliding behind the Trans Am's Formula steering wheel gave Steve a chance to relive his youth. "The unmodified 400 still gave the feel of a large-cube engine under the hood, but acceleration was modest. The car handled extremely well, however," he says. "It put a smile on my face every time I drove it. It made me think about how impressed I was with the WS6 suspension when I bought my first '79."

Schappaugh's love for low-mile '79 Trans Ams got the best of him, however, when another 400ci four-speed came into his life, forcing him to sell the Atlantis Blue car. "I found a Nocturne Blue '79 T/A with just 15,000 miles on it, and it was far too original for me to pass up. I had one Trans Am too many in my collection and had to let this one go to make from for it, so I called Scott Warmack at Trans Am Depot in Tallahassee, Florida, and sold it to him."

Finding A Permanent Home The T/A wasn't at Trans Am Depot long before Pontiac collector Brad Damico of Brooksville, Florida, learned of its availability. "I collect low-mile '77 to '79 Trans Ams and those with W72 Performance- and WS6 Suspension-packages appeal most to me," says Brad. "I saw this one advertised by Trans Am Depot in early 2009. It was very clean and very original and thought it was a good value for the price. I bought it quickly."