Tremec 5 Speed: 1981 Pontiac Trans Am
The second generation Pontiac Trans Am was a well designed car that was a great platform for many engines over its 12 year run. One of the most sought after features is to find a second generation Trans Am equipped with a factory Muncie M-21 or Borg Warner T-10 4 speed transmission. However, there is one upgrade that makes these cars even better and that is the addition of a Tremec 5 speed manual transmission. This 1981 Pontiac Trans Am has been modified so that the factory engine is backed by a Tremec 5 speed manual transmission. This Trans Am is listed here on eBay with 6 days remaining in the auction. The Trans Am is located in Elma, New York and the car is already bid to $30,100.
There was only one year, 1980, that a manual transmission was not available in a Pontiac Trans Am or Formula. The 4 speed option returned in 1981, the final year of the second generation Trans Am. The 4 speed manual transmission was only available with the Chevrolet LG4 305 cubic inch V8 engine. This engine was the same as in the Camaro Z28 and was EPA certified but not a popular engine with Pontiac enthusiasts. It produced only 150 horsepower and 240 lb ft of torque. However, the first gear of the Borg Warner T-10 transmission for this engine was lower than in prior years and with a 3.42:1 rear end, it was respectable off the line. Only 3,023 LG4 5.0 liter engines were mated with 4 speed manual transmissions in 1981. Another 3,068 were mated with 3 speed automatic transmissions. A total of 33,493 Trans Ams were built in 1981.
This car is said to have 36,101 miles on the odometer and it maintains its original charcoal metallic exterior paint. The interior is stardust silver vinyl. All the interior functions are said to be working including air conditioning and an AM/FM 8 track stereo radio. The car is also optioned with tilt steering. The original wheels have been replaced with 17 inch aftermarket snowflake rims and high performance tires. There is no mention as to whether the car left the factory with the WS6 suspension option but it isn’t on the build sheet which is included with loads of factory paperwork.
The car is equipped with the optional deluxe interior and aftermarket T-Tops. The T-tops appear to be Cars and Concepts version because the T-top glass touches in the middle. There were 70,889 Firebirds built by Pontiac in 1981 and 33,493 of them were the Trans Am. This appears to be a well cared for Trans Am that should make a nice driver.
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Comments
Looks contemporary with the charcoal paint and silver vinyl. Lots of options and a clean slate for the ambitious.
Absolutely gorgeous car. Ready for a strong 350, 12 bolt w 3.23 gear ⚙️ and posi-traction. Looks fantastic in this color. 👌
Stroke that 350 out to 383 cubic inches Stan. Not much more initial cost, but lots more torque!
At this point, why not an LS?
I like it, great choices were made.
Gorgeous car. 2nd generation trans am one of my all time favorite cars. I have owned 10 of them over the years. But where 400ci. 80-82 needs an engine upgrade in my opinion to be worth that $$. 30k+ to lose race to stock 4cyl camera a bit steep. Should have put 6.0 ls or pont 400. When they did trans.
The kinda coin being bid on this car why would you have to do anything to make it go? I don’t get whatever going on here.
Forget the boring run of the mill Chevy V8’s. A real car lover/purist would put a 455 Pontiac engine in this.
Wow! Who would have guessed that these malaise era Trams Ams would start fetching such big bucks? I suppose it’s all about the nostalgia. They are nice looking cars but without any go to back it up. My daughter’s 4-cylinder Focus puts out more power than this.
Maybe but that Focus will never be a classic or worth anything. Just a memory.
Throw that Chevy to the side, build a nice 400 for it now, then it’s a Pontiac
I’m 60 years old now and had three gen 2 Trans Am’s my biggest regret was selling my 1973 SD Trans Am back in1986, I knew it was a mistake, but really needed the money for other things back then, I knew at the time when I sold it, it would be well worth over the $100,000 mark one day.
Not a big TA fan. But this car is very nice!
Maybe I’m getting senile in my fifties but in 80 and up the shaker hood scoop was gone and a big ugly bulge was added with a 301 and a garbage turbo. This car is a 79 front end and either a 400 or 403 olds. Am I the only one who noticed.
They built the turbo car that you’re familiar with and this one too. Doesn’t get the same attention because a 4.9 isn’t as sought after as a 6.6.
I was washing cars at a gm dealer at the time. He was a pontiac olds and Buick dealer. And He sold 20 of them in 80. The salesman all versed a 13 yr old on Saturday mornings while I worked. It’s funny how they all agreed that the shaker was gone and so were there sales since it was a delete on the order form. Maybe you know something I don’t but I doubt it.
If you will please refer to the ’80 & ’81 Pontiac brochure in the Firebird facts and figures it states that the shaker hood was standard on Trans Am. That would be with the standard 301 or 305 (California) V8. The Turbo got its own hood as you and your contemporaries correctly state.
You mean to tell me just because a net 150hp malaise era car has a manual transmission it’s all of a sudden a 40k collector? and that’s not counting the engine swap or build for another 5 to 10k what am l missing here? People will spend big bucks on anything. This car will never be worth more than it will sell for and it will never be worth more than 20k at best. You’ll never sell me on this one.
It may have been titled in 82 but a 79 it is. The car was officially altered in 1980. Didn’t buy one new because the scoop was discontinued. Had to buy a 78 used at the time . Best car I’d owned for a long time.