The high desert is a kind place when it comes to vintage cars and this is where a forum member over at Pro-Touring.com found a 1978 Pontiac Trans Am for his next project. As it turns out, this wasn’t just any Bandit pretender, but a genuine Gold Special Edition Trans Am.
Only produced in 1978, the option code Y88 Gold Special Edition was a followup to the 1976 Black Special Edition that celebrated Pontiac’s 50th Anniversary. Instead of black paint with gold stripes, the Gold Edition had gold paint with dark gold striping.
More than just a stripe package, the Y88 Trans Ams were delivered with the WS6 Performance Package, the W72 400cui V8 engine, choice of 4-speed manual or TH350 automatic transmissions, gold-tinted T-top glass and a bevy of other distinctions including an engine turned finish instrument panel and Formula steering wheel with gold painted spokes.
The WS6 package added a close ratio steering box, larger sway bars and 15 x 8-inch ‘Snowflake’ cast aluminum wheels, shod with GR70-15 raised white letter Goodyear Polysteel Radials.
While the desert may be kind, decades of neglect are not and so this co-owner and his buddy started on the teardown. You’ll see in the photos they provided that the internal condition of the 400 V8 engine was less than inspiring.
Tearing down the interior and front clip, however, was more encouraging. Restoration body work has started with an overall plan of doing a mild Pro Touring conversion that can be returned to stock condition easily.
Judging by the progress photos that have been posted, there won’t be too much dust gathering under this particular Bird. If this particular project has got under your feathers, you can follow the project over at Pro-Touring.com
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