From Army Daily Driver to Vintage Survivor: The 40-Year Journey of a 1966 Ford Galaxie

I met my best friend Manny thirty years ago while we were both still in the Army. We first connected at the Auto Hobby Shop on Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Manny was rebuilding a 289ci small block to replace his worn-out 352ci Ford FE engine, while I was tuning up the 390ci FE in my 1965 Ford Galaxie XL.

Having such similar classic Fords, we immediately struck up a conversation. It wasn’t long before we were hitting junkyards and swap meets together. You have to remember, this was a few years before the internet made hunting parts a piece of cake like it is now. And also these road trips searching for parts were fun. Some people hunt deer, Manny and I hunt for classic car parts.

Dealership cream puff
Manny purchased his 1966 Ford Galaxie from Patrick Ford in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in the fall of 1985. This was the same Patrick Ford that had raced full-size Fords in NASCAR during the 1960s and early 1970s. The car was in remarkable condition with fewer than 60,000 miles on the odometer. It was a true cream puff — rare for a 20-year-old used car to be sitting on a dealership lot in those days. Manny still remembers the salesman’s name, which is amazing. (I can barely remember what I had for breakfast this morning.) Twelve years later, the same salesman at the same dealership sold Manny his 1990 Mustang GT, which he still owns today.

Manny bought the red 1966 Ford Galaxie at Patrick Ford in 1985.

Road miles
From the beginning, Manny used the Galaxie as a daily driver. It wasn’t long before he took it on its first cross-country road trip — 823 miles from Fort Bragg to Chicago to visit his mother. Traveling to and from the Windy City would become routine. That’s impressive considering it was a 1,650-mile round trip in a 20-year-old car equipped with points and a carburetor. In the mid-1960s, American cars were expected to last only about five years or 100,000 miles. Not quite as dependable as our modern day electronic ignition and fuel injection. Anything over seven years old was often considered junk.

Uh oh!
In 1988, Manny took the much longer and more arduous trip to El Paso, Texas, to visit extended family. He first drove to Chicago, then continued to El Paso, adding another 4,500 miles to the odometer. The trip to El Paso was uneventful, as usual. The Galaxie always did well on these road trips. However, this journey carried extra pressure — Manny was getting married before heading to Korea. The plan was to get married in El Paso, then drive back alone to Fort Bragg in time for his flight. The timeline was tight, but doable… until disaster struck on the way home.

Did Manny know he would own the Galaxie for forty years? 

Problem!
While driving down I-55 at 65 mph just outside Litchfield, Illinois, the rear differential ran critically low on gear oil due to a slow leak. Everything heated up and the axle broke as a result. After guiding the car safely to the side of the road, Manny started out on foot to the next exit. Luckily a Highway Patrol officer passed by fairly soon after the incident and gave Manny a ride to a local repair shop. Not having enough the time to get the car repaired and knowing better than to leave it at a shop, Manny made arrangements for the long term storage of his beloved car. Then he contacted the repair shop owner and had the car towed to the storage lot where Manny settled up by paying the towing bill and the first three months of storage. Litchfield was small back then and locating the bus stop was fairly easy. Three days later, Manny was on a plane to Korea. It would be six months before Manny could get back to Litchfield to retrieve his car.

Interior is still in amazing shape and includes an 8-track player.

First recovery
In May of 1989, Manny returned to Chicago and with the help of his brother, he developed a plan to recover the old Ford. The Galaxie was still sitting in a storage lot 245 miles south and was in dire need of a rear differential. A local Chicago area salvage yard had a couple of Fords and after two hours under one of those cars, Manny now had his replacement rear diff. Arrangements were made over the phone to have the car moved to the shop where the repairs would be made, and the two made the four hour trip to Litchfield the following morning. It wasn't long after the car was back on the road again.

Worn engine
As time progressed the car started to show signs of aging. The smoke was minimal at first, a little dark smoke during acceleration. But that was to be expected. Later, it would be more consistent and as time passed by it became more and more apparent that motor had reached the end of its life. A fellow soldier had a 289ci small block that he had no use for and it was donated to the project. And as luck would have it, it came with a bell house that would allow Manny to use the car's original FMX transmission. A weekend at the Auto Hobby Shop and the Galaxie was again back on the road. 

Banged up
By 1995, the 1966 Ford Galaxie was no longer a classic, it was now becoming vintage. It was still being used to get Manny to and from work on daily basis but it was no longer used for the long haul trips. Manny had a new Mustang that he used for that. But the old Galaxie wasn't being ignored either. Manny was collecting parts and slowly restoring his vintage steel back to its former glory. He had just ordered new vinyl seat covers when tragedy struck again. This time a pickup truck pulled out in front of Manny as he made his way home. The damage was minimal. The front clip was banged up, but no structural damage. The frame was intact and straight. Nevertheless, the insurance company totaled the car out. Undeterred, Manny kept the wreck and with the insurance money he bought a donor car.  Again, it wouldn't be long before the Galaxie was back on the road. This time with a new front clip. And the restoration continued. 

To the back burner
As with so many things in life, the passage of time and circumstance take their toll. The plans we made sometimes fail to come to fruition. After Manny retired from the Army, he signed on with the local Sheriff's department where he was allowed to take his patrol car home. As a result, the old Ford was, for the first time since its purchase in 1985, suffered from neglect. The car now rested under the carport of his 1930's bungalow-style home. Work and a divorce turned the once-devoted owner's attention away from the car he so cherished just a few years earlier. It wasn't long before we moved it into my garage in an attempt to at least protect the car from the elements. It would be over a decade before it would see the light of day again. And even longer before it would be back on the road. 

Manny loads up his 1966 Galaxie after the decade-plus storage hiatus.

What happens is...
Have you ever seen a derelict old car sitting in a yard and wondered why? Why is it sitting there? Why would someone ignore something with so much potential? Now, you have the answer. Life just gets in the way. Manny still loved his car. He still collected the parts he would need to eventually restore it. However, the car never moved. No parts were ever bolted on. No progress was made. The car sat there in my garage for fifteen years or so, until recently. Manny has recently retired from a federal law enforcement job he has had for the last ten years and he now has time for his beloved 1966 Galaxie. He has also recently completed a full on restoration of his 1990 Mustang GT. With the completion of the Mustang along with all of his new found free time, Manny is now focusing all of his effort on the Galaxie. Last month, we made the trip to North Carolina to pick up the car and move it to Manny's new home in Texas. 

I can’t wait to see this legendary 1966 Ford Galaxie back on the road where it belongs.

Scott Johnson
– Junkyard Life contributor

There is another 1966 Galaxie hiding under that mess at the storage building. This one is an XL 500 with bucket seats and a center console. We will be returning for it in this summer. 

Manny stands beside his red 1966 Ford Galaxie after pulling it from storage in 2026.

Patch panels visible on quarter panels show years of use and rehabilitation.

Gas station lights highlight the unmistakable 1960s style of American muscle on Manny’s 1966 Ford Galaxie at South Carolina fuel stop.

View of 1966 Galaxie from inside Kabob House in North Carolina on the way to Texas.

Thousands of our military have enjoyed Afghan cuisine while serving our country. Fort Bragg soldiers can still experience the flavors of Kandahar at Kabob House in Fayetteville, N.C.

Dishes from Kabob House in Fayetteville, N.C.

A few other details 

Along with Galaxie rest a few more treasures in the storage location. Three old Coke machines and a couple of large gas signs are just waiting to be rescued. 

I actually forgot I left these two old 1950’s Soda machines here. I’ll be coming back for them real soon. 

Manny’s Mustang GT

After three years the restoration of Manny’s 1990 Mustang is nearing the end. 

Once this car is finished the Galaxie will be rolled into the garage and torn down, painted and reassembled. All this work will happen here.

The attention to detail throughout this build leaves me with no doubt that the Galaxie will be just as nice when it id done. Which I estimate will be three years from now.

Do you have a car story? Junkyard driveway?

Send us details and we’re on the way!  

Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com 

Watch: Late for Work in a 1966 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron

Late for Work! Steve, an Indiana native, sat in the back of the 1966 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron at the Day 4 Hebron, Ohio stop of the 2024 Hot Rod Power Tour. Steve shared his memorable Late for Work story in the back of the long, black, beauty while seeking refuge from the heat. Outside the car stood his grandson and son, Terry, who now owns the car that his dad purchased in 1985. Someday Steve's grandson will become the third-generation owner of the 1966 Chrysler Imperial in their family. 

Steve shared the history of the car dating back to its original Amish owner, who purchased two 1966 Imperials equipped exactly the same brand new. Steve thinks the thirsty 440-cubic inch engine may have been the reason the car was eventually sold. In 1985, when Steve bought the car, the Imperial became his daily driver until he retired in 1995. 

This family, three generations strong, was enjoying their automotive bond with thousands of others at this year's Hot Rod Power Tour. They were a great example of family that can be shared and strengthened by spending time together enjoying classic cars and hot rods.

Thanks for watching! 

Jody Potter

Junkyard Life: The Story Beneath the Rust

Watch more Junkyard Life at the Power Tour.

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1970 Pontiac Grand Prix Model J

“If This is Real, Should I buy It?”

There is no vaccination for the Grand Prix virus. Once you get bitten, you begin to notice them. Then you admire their unique place in automotive history. If you are lucky, like Junkyard Life brother David Owsley, a Grand Prix will practically show up in your driveway. Owsley has always been a Pontiac man. He has an extensive history with Pontiacs and a few of them still reside in his garage. We are long time friends of Owsley, so we were privy to watch his Grand Prix affliction unfold in real time. A 1970 Grand Prix J! And by “show up”, we mean Owsley found this car four miles from his house! None of us ever knew it was in his neighborhood.

“Come into my Parlor,” said the Spider to the Fly
When you ask a self admitted Grand Prix nerd if you should buy a 1970 Granada Gold Grand Prix J Model with a 400 and plenty of options like power windows and deluxe lighting... You know what we told him. There is not enough “Yes” in our response to properly reflect the yes-ness of our answer. As far as we are concerned John DeLorean is still our commander in chief. We smile when we say words like “Castilian Bronze” and “Cross Fire Mahogany.” Grand Prix nerds indeed.


Third owner
Owsley scores a gold 1970 Grand Prix. Not only is the car fully documented via a build sheet and the treasured Protect-O-Plate, but how often do you become only the third owner of an important piece of Pontiac history from the height of the famous Detroit horsepower and styling wars?

Details

A large hood covers the 400-V8 engine. The mammoth hood was a bragging point for the new to market personal luxury genre. Under the hoods was even more fun. Gone from the menu was the exotic 428 from last year. Buyers had two engine choices of 400-cubed variety and for those who dared… A new for 1970 behemoth motor… the 455. It was capable of 370 horsepower. Who knows what numbers it really churned out. Pontiac was notorious for underrating their power plants. Transmission choices were limited to a Hydra-Matic and a couple of manual gearboxes. Though we have never seen a manual three-speed, Pontiac listed it as an option. However, out of 65,750 Grand Prixs produced in 1970, only 329 got a 4-speed. The affluent buyer of the Grand Prix probably didn’t want to shift their own gears. Pontiac did admit that Owsley's 400 with a Quadrajet was throwing down 350 horsepower in stock form. That engine had been around since 1967 and had quite a good run through 1979 and remains to be a solid favorite of Pontiac fans.

Eye candy
Dave’s 70 GP was adorned in Granada Gold (code 58) and slides you into a gorgeous Sandalwood bucket seats. The designers wanted an aero inspired cockpit feel behind the wheel. When you sit in Owsley’s Grand Prix, you begin to relate and connect to their original intentions. Thank you again, John DeLorean.

High praise to the previous owner who really went above and beyond when he had the vinyl top redone. Top notch work on a Sandalwood roof that includes the classy halo top trim. A pricey option available on most of the GM line that made the car appearing to wear its vinyl top as a halo.

Inside the headliner is in superb shape. The 14-inch Rally II wheels (or hub caps if Ron has his way) are going to be an easy restoration. Owsley already has his radar on for a deck lid (his experienced a strange accident) and other Grand Prix swag that he could use.

We welcome Owsley to the Grand Prix family. The personal luxury experience awaits. We at Junkyard Life are quite sure Owsley made the right choice!


Ron Kidd
– Junkyard Life

Dave O’s Grand Prix Fun Facts:

• Owsley’s Grand Prix was built in Fremont California and delivered to Inland Pontiac Olds in Corona, California.
• Owsley’s Grand Prix has the odd 2:93 axle ratio.
• The “J” and “SJ” designation was borrowed from Duesenburg.
• Owsley has been our eyes on Pontiac matters for years. I (Ron) have actually called him for factoids for past stories
• Owsley was actually looking for a station wagon when he stumbled upon this Granada Gold ’70.
• Owsley’s GP experienced a freak accident when the previous owner somehow let it roll down a hill backwards. Lucky for him, there was a tree to catch his fall. Gravity stinks sometimes.
• Despite never being rebuilt, Owsley’s transmission seems to be in excellent shape.
• All of the air conditioning parts are intact, just not functioning at the moment. I anticipate Owsley will be cool very soon in more ways than one.
• Owsley’s Grand Prize still has the original AM radio! This leaves him wide open for one of those old/modern stereos with the retro feel. We can wait to see what stealthy tune maker he comes up with.
• Owsley’s Grand Prix has travelled the country despite only showing 66K. It began life in California and then up and over to Indiana before winding south into north Alabama when it began the wait for Owsley to come along.

Do you have a car story?
Send us details and we’re on the way!  
Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com
and Ron Kidd at kidd403.rk@gmail.com

.

The primer on the driver's side of the Grand Prix will get some attention in the future

14-inch Pontiac Rally wheel with trim rings.

Only 66k miles on the odometer of the 1970 Pontiac Grand Prix.

Do you have a car story?
Send us details and we’re on the way!  
Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com
and Ron Kidd at kidd403.rk@gmail.com

Hidden Jewel: 1969 Kingswood Estate Wagon

 

Long gone! Do you know what Granite Falls, Washington was known for? People there just leave their 1969 Kingswood Estate Wagons under carports to taunt unsuspecting travelers such as Chris Dear from Byram, Mississippi. They “were” known for antics such as that because Chris bought the last one!

This Kingswood wagon had to be the last one. Its option list is so long that it probably had two window stickers because all the goodies would not fit on just one! Junkyard Life Pal and wagon enthusiast Chris knew this was special…and he was right.

Top of the line, highest trim, top shelf, high priced, Grey Poupon, house in the Hamptons buyers with impeccable taste were the demographic for this wagon. If family man or soccer mom needed a station wagon, they could have had one much cheaper than this. This buyer knew what he or she was doing. 

Chris brings the Butternut Yellow wagon back to Mississippi and the fun began. Junkyard Life loves research and codes. Chris had them all for us. This wagon is full of things any wagon would love to have. Comfort and trim aplenty with power windows, power locks, cruise control, air conditioning, luggage rack, and to rock its easy trip down the highway, an AM/FM 8-track found its way into the comfortable cabin. Wagon-only goodies such as a rear air deflector and the awesome tailgate that had an identity crisis. Do we install a tailgate or a swinging door? Tailgate or swinging door? Tailgate or…Can’t decide? How about BOTH! A dual-action tailgate that lays down like a tailgate or swings open like a door! Which ever you need it to do. So cool.

This tailgate folds down or swings out. Multifunction tailgates are not a new thing. 

This vehicle was made to move on down to the next adventure. Traveling must have been on the mind of the buyer who ordered this Butternut Boogiemobile to be powered by a 300HP 350-V8. Plenty of power and torque to move this trip down the road. Want to go extra fast? Someone did, seeing as this wagon has a 2.59:1 geared 12-bolt rear end. Cross country at speed all day and not even trying hard.

Peepers closed
Now, we love love love rare options. Who doesn’t? Chris makes us green with envy. Chevrolet didn’t just give a buyer everything. They had to jump through some hoops to get this one….Hide Away Headlights! Super cool! In order to get this rare option, one had to opt for the higher trim level of the Kingswood Estate Wagon. The regular Kingswood and subsequent lower trim packages stood not a chance. The hidden lamps lended themselves a classy and powerful presence. 

So, now that Chris has this ultra cool piece of automotive history, what does he plan to do? He promises to use this new power for good instead of evil and make all the Power Tours and Cruising the Coast that he can. He is making us jealous and that is kind of evil, but what can we mere mortals do? I hope he lets us cruise with him!

Ron Kidd
— Junkyard Life

Butternut Yellow and hidden headlights make this 1969 Chevy Kingswood wagon stand out on the road. Notice the lack of woodgrain down the side?

Junkyard Life Full Size Wagon Fun Facts:

• In 1969 “Bewitched” was sponsored by Chevrolet. In the episode where Samantha was having a baby, Darrin is rushing her to the hospital in a new 1969 Caprice with Hide Away headlights!
• Chris’s wagon demands a sharp eye. Although it appears to be the original engine, he found the power plant to be a 72 era Small Block 400. Whomever the transplanter was did a great job. It fooled us!
• The hidden headlamps were offered for the first time on the full size Chevy in 1968. It has been suggested that they only could be found on 427 Caprices and such equipped wagons. Not many people have seen or even know of the option on the 1969 models.
• 1969 was the last year for the 327 engine. It could be had in wagons as the base V8, despite the 307 starting to make appearances on other vehicles in the line up.
• Though often adorned in wood grain this example shows no signs of it. It has enjoyed a re-paint at some time in the past.
• Chris’s wagon was born in Canada. It is pure Chevrolet seeing as Canadian Pontiac buyers often found a Chevrolet power plant under the hood.
• New on the wagon and even at the time of Chris gaining ownership…this wagon had our favorite wheels! The finned hubcaps we speak of all the time. Chris went with a more modern rolling stock, which leaves two options. Junkyard Life suggest these should be either in the Smithsonian or in Ron’s garage.*
• If you wonder where the build sheet (body broadcast sheet) is located in a 1969 Kingswood Estate Wagon, mystery solved…under the rear seat! (Or the middle seat in 3rd row equipped wagons such as Chris’s car.)

Editors Note:
We knew Ron could not survive this article without mentioning those cool finned caps. He is our resident hub cap nerd. 

Do you have a car story?
Send us details and we’re on the way!  
Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com
and Ron Kidd at kidd403.rk@gmail.com

1979 Pontiac Trans Am Rescue

A bird in the hand is way better! Have you considered that our treasured dream cars are rapidly becoming endangered species? Cars we could have bought even 20 years ago in decent shape are disappearing. Junkyard Life speaks to a high number of enthusiast with reverse buyer’s remorse… 
  “Why didn’t I buy a Trans Am 20 years ago?”
  Combine that thought with modern sticker shock. We are paying more for whatever is left of whatever Pontiac carcass we can find. Rust waits for no one, especially us. The combination of the effects of time and rising prices due to glamorized auctions geared toward very deep pockets have taken these cars out of the hands of most of us.

New owner, Carl Brownbridge, holds the keys to a rough but worthy one-owner 1979 Pontiac Trans Am.

Well, meet our new best friend Carl Brownbridge. This 19-year-old is somehow immune to the powerful effects of physics and economics. He did it! He set out to find a late 1970s Pontiac Trans Am (in good shape) and he made it happen. Tenacity paid off rather quickly when he set his search on Bird Watch 2019. 

Check out what he found and all the reasons we have to be jealous. A 1979 Pontiac Trans Am 301 Hardtop in (kind of) a rare color with a very rich history! Can you believe Carl is only the second owner? At his age? Owner number two of a 1979 TA? With full documentation and a new lease on life, Carl let us take a closer look.  

Silver paint, worn thin, gave way to surface rust on the top of the T/A.

Dig in!
After we exchanged pleasantries with this disco Bird, we got to know it a little better. We actually became very acquainted when Carl let us disassemble the back seat in our quest for the factory build sheet. Sometimes referred to as “the body broadcast sheet”-this coveted piece of paper went down the assembly line with the car as it morphed into the finished product that a lucky owner was to soon be cruising in. We found it hiding in the usual location for most GM F-bodies. Behind the back seat in the upright section. 
  “Carl, I have some good news for you.” 
  I confirmed the build sheet was still in place for the excited new owner.

Factory build sheet still tucked behind back seat of the 1979 Pontiac Trans Am.

What the build sheet could not tell us
The story the build sheet could not tell us was that the original owner got this Pontiac brand new for his 16th birthday! What a present that must have been! Can you imagine? It really did mean something to him, because he kept the car until very recently selling it to Carl. We also found an inscription from 1979 on a keep sake under the back seat. 

Engraved memento found under back seat of 1979 T/A.
It reads "Michael 9-6-79."

What did the build sheet tell us?
This Bird was delivered to Brownell Pontiac in Birmingham, Alabama in paint code 15 Platinum. Intended to be more of a long term car than a rumbling street fighter, this Bird served duty with a 301 4-bbl Pontiac motor. This was a new power plant for 1979, allowing a third engine option for the sporty Trans Am. When equipped with a 2:73 rear gear, this car would move it down the road and not max out the gas card.    

301-V8 under the shaker on the 1979 T/A.

No tunes
According to the grail, this Pontiac was ordered with no radio whatsoever.
That in itself is not too unusual. Dealers and customers didn’t mind this so much because they intended to rock their own systems provided by the aftermarket. What usually happened in cases such as this, most cars were equipped with a provision to easily install such melody makers as the dealer or customer saw fit. This car was not. They were like Patty LaBelle when it came to wiring up the driving music — own their own. 

Unmistakable second gen Trans Am instrument cluster.

How was it optioned?
Like most cars randomly put together by Pontiac, moderately. Tilt wheel, but no cruise. It has the deluxe lighting option that shines a light on the floor, the trunk and the console. However, it doesn’t have the deluxe map light. It came with standard black vinyl interior that looks really great against the silver. It had a positive traction rear differential (G80) as most Trans Ams of that era came with. 

1979 brought a restyled nose to the Pontiac Firebird lineup.

Decal option?
The Trans Am currently does not have a hood bird, although it was indeed born with one according to the sacred build sheet. Ah, the build sheet. A cavalcade of information all crammed on one beautiful sheet of paper. Carl’s car was subject to a partial repaint at some point and the graphics were left off. The Bird is mostly straight, despite having suffered some slight side damage somewhere along the way. It has great floor pans and the louvers that we used to hate made us eat our words when we saw the level of protection they provided against the harsh Alabama sun over the years. We are envious of the great condition the interior panels including the dash. Some Carls have all the luck.

The truly great thing we learned on this find is that these cars are still out there. Carl focused and then he found the Bird he wanted. He paid what we would have paid when these cars were more plentiful. His enthusiasm is contagious and we can’t wait to see how this project rewards Carl and gives the silver Bird a new lease on life!

Ron Kidd
— Junkyard Life: The Story Beneath the Rust

Junkyard Life’s 1979 Trans Am Fun Facts

• Debut of 301-V8 engine option for the Trans Am.

• Last year for the 400 W72 Pontiac motor. Interestingly, that motor could only be had with a 4-speed.

• Nose change in 1979 would be used through 1981.

• First year for the tail lights to run across the middle of the car, with the middle fuel door hidden in the lights.

• First year for the bright light switch to be located on the turn signal stalk. Previous to 1979, they were located on the floor.

• First year for blacked out window trim. Only it was not prepped properly at the factory. The customer drove off the lot with black trim, only to have chrome eight months later.

• 1979 was an anniversary year for the Trans Am. It was commemorated with the beautiful 10th Anniversary Edition. However, as it was the silver anniversary, most silver Trans Ams around today are anniversary editions. This is what makes Carl’s car so cool. A silver (Code 15 Platinum) non-anniversary Trans Am is seldom seen.

• By 1979 it was becoming more difficult to special order a Trans Am. Dealers would much rather swap with another dealer to realize your Firebird dreams. Some people report having to put down a significant deposit and then pay a note on a car they didn’t have for several months. “Or we can get you this one today…” 

• Most 1979 Trans Ams sold were of the 403 automatic persuasion. This would also be the last year for them. Engines only got smaller from there. 


Editors Note: We give credit to Ron for writing this article and not working in the phrase “Bird Delete” just to bug Scott Scheel of ‘Smoke Signals’ magazine. Our good friend Scott and Ron have argued this point for years. Scott says the famous hood bird was an RPO option, therefore there is no such thing as “bird delete.” Ron claims that most Trans Ams had them, and it was easier to get one with a hood bird and a buyer had to go somewhat out of his way to not have one. Plus, Ron says it is just easier to say “bird delete” than it is to describe a Trans Am with all graphics, sans the hood bird. These guys can go on and on...  

15x7 snowflake wheels with original, round, steel center caps.

The big hood covers a lot of real estate in the Trans Am engine bay.

Aftermarket power antenna added in trunk.

Rear seats in superb condition thanks to the louvers shading them.

Black back seat area in nearly new condition.

All the lights work on this 1979 Trans Am. 

Bird-less hood still looks good.

Seat covers hide the original front bucket seats.

Carl cranks up his "new-to-him" 1979 T/A.

Ron Kidd climbs inside the T/A for some seat time.

Aftermarket equalizer installed in the glovebox.

Tunes provided by the aftermarket on this radio-delete T/A.

If a Trans Am is on your bucket list get one soon, the prices are climbing.

Original compact spare still in trunk.

Full length Firebird tail lights were new design for 1979 models.

Got a classic car in your driveway? Send us details!  Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com and Ron Kidd at Kidd403@bellsouth.net.