1972 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Stays Put, $66,000 Not Enough To Rescue It out of Florida

When it comes to the second-generation Pontiac Firebird, peak desirability ultimately comes down to model year, and I feel as though early cars (1970 through 1972) have a lot more to offer from a performance standpoint. Meanwhile, later models might have the edge when it comes to design and overall popularity.

Let’s just say that the 1977 film ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ went a long way towards securing the second-gen Firebird’s place among automotive royalty. That being said, we’re here to talk about a 1972 model year car, specifically a 1972 Trans Am powered by the iconic 455 ci H.O. V8 engine.

So far so good, right? Well, this Trans Am was up for grabs at auction up until recently, where it failed to sell due to its owner refusing a bid of $66,000. Clearly this person believes the car is worth more than $66k, and it maybe it is, but not by a whole lot, I reckon. Also, we’ve been keeping an eye on this car for a while now, since back when the highest bid was just $33,333.

Since the vehicle resides in Daytona Beach, Florida, it would have been nice for somebody to hurry up and snatch it away from such a high humidity environment, which can lead to tarnishing, metal corrosion and rust when it comes to classic cars.

In terms of specs, we’re dealing with a Cameo White exterior (refinished under previous ownership), a shaker hood, front air dam and spoiler, front fender vents, blue Trans Am stripes and decals, a rear decklid spoiler, dual exhaust outlets, and a set of 15” honeycomb-style wheels with 235/60 BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires. The car also comes with power steering and power-assisted front disc brakes.

Meanwhile, the interior features vinyl white front bucket seats, engine-turned metal trim for the dashboard, a black center console, AM/FM stereo, air conditioning and a three-spoke steering wheel.

As for the power unit, as previously stated it is a period-appropriate 455 ci High Output V8, rocking a four-barrel carburetor and a factory rating of 300 horsepower (net) and 415 lb-ft of torque. Everything gets sent to the rear wheels via a Turbo Hydra-Matic three-speed automatic gearbox.

Show me something nicer

Don’t mind if I do. Check out this 1970 Firebird Trans Am rocking Polar White. It sold for $81,000 back in February and it showed just 19,000 miles on its L74 Ram Air III 400 ci V8 engine. It also came with a four-speed manual transmission.

For all intents and purposes, that right there is peak Firebird, as far as early second-gen models are concerned.