The 1980 Limited Edition Indy Pace Car Turbo Trans Am
Lot#1

This pic was most likely used in Pontiac ads for the 80' Turbo TA. This particular car is one of the Turbo Indy Pace Cars, coded X87, that were manufactured in 1980. This special production TA received a white paint job with gray highlights. The interior came with oyster and black, vinyl and cloth bucket seats and the T-Tops were tinted a silver color. These cars also came equipped with A/C, power windows, the WS6 Special Appearance Package, four wheel disc brakes, and a set of 15"x8" finned turbo wheels that were painted white to match the body color. No 4-speeds were offered on any 80' Trans Am.

Hailed by many as the best looking pace car ever built the Indy Pace Car Trans Am was the most popular Firebird offered in 1980. These TAs came with the Turbo 4.9L power plant, a 3-speed automatic transmission and a 3.08:1 rear axle ratio. The car featured a white paint job with charcoal accents on the front and rear bumpers, the hood, and the roof. It also featured white Turbo aluminum rims, silver tinted T-Tops and a white custom interior. Lastly a complete set of special decals was installed on the car. The hood bird was larger than normal and made up of red, charcoal and gray colors. A large size set of decals was also installed on either door denoting the cars Pace Car status. Photo courtesy of Mark Allbaugh.

More info to follow...

Mel Hedrick sends in some pics of this 1980 Indy 500 Turbo Trans Am he restored and later sold. Mel writes:      "The car has 82,000 original miles on it and it came with some very interesting information.  The car was 1 of the 5 actual Pace cars used at Indy in 1980. The letter from Pontiac Historical Services states "The cars that were used for the World famous Indianapolis 500 are as listed: build numbers 0490, 0491, 0492, 0493, 0494. Your vehicle VIN falls into this category." This car is number 0491. "

This Turbo Trans Am Pace Car is owned by Andy Kearns. Andy writes:      "The 1980 Trans Am Pace Car was purchased for $750. The original 301 Turbo motor is gone, and a 4bbl 301 out of an 81 Bonneville sits in its place. I had originally purchased it as a parts car for my other projects, but I don't have the heart to tear it apart. The interior is in amazingly good shape, the body's really straight, and except for the turbo, it's a very complete, unmodified car. It'd been wrecked pretty hard in the front, and all the damaged body pieces replaced with new sheet metal, but I'm afraid the sub-frame needs to be replaced. Since the original engine's long gone, when I swap the sub-frame, I'll probably drop a 400 in, apply new paint and decals, and use it as a driver." Andy also owns an extremely nice '79 Formula that can be seen at the '79 Firebirds Lot#4.

Jeff Nason owns this beautiful example of the 1980 Indy 500 Pace Car Special Edition Turbo Trans Am. Jeff writes:      "I found the car parked in an automotive repair place for sale. The guy that was selling it didn't work there, but he was getting rid of it because he bought a year 2000 Trans Am. He didn't know if it was a Indy Pace T/A or not so I bought it anyway. When I got it, it was three tone blue and white and gray due to someone backing in to it. He replaced the fender and rubber nose. It had the bird on it and pictures of it when it was ripped apart and restored but not completely finished. So after I ran the VIN# and found out it was an original I finished it. It has new springs all around new front end new interior and a big block 400. I redid the trunk with new liners and rubber. Everything has been restored with original parts except the interior and engine which I am now saving to do that. My daughter and I enter it in car shows. It makes me feel proud when people take pictures of it. So here is the outcome a real beauty. "Age and Beauty" are everything."

Larry Shamblaw owns this spectacular Indy Pace Car Trans Am. Larry writes:      "As a teenager, four of my close friends had either Camaro's or Z28's. Always seemed like fun cars but never really excited me enough to buy one. I always liked the styling of a Trans Am better, so when I needed a newer car I looked for one that would stand out a little more than the rest. I had come across 2 Indy Pace cars that at 5 years old looked closer to being 20 and an '81 Turbo SE that had too much sentimental $$value$$ to the seller. Then I run across one that an older school teacher was selling to get room in his garage for older cars. I bought it on the spot. Sixteen years later I think it is still one of my better ideas. When I bought it I had to get a small 2" scratch blown in on the right front fender and paint the rear wheel flares. I added rear window louvers, P255/60 Radial TA's and a stage 2 shift kit over the next couple of years, otherwise it is still original factory stock. I had it PHS documented and have spent alot of money on internet auctions buying memorabilia for it. I now get it out 2 or 3 times a years for a weekend drives just to have a little fun."