DKM Macho Trans Ams Lot#5

1979 Macho Trans Am #39 of 212

owner: Classic Restorations

'79 #39 has turned up and is currently owned by a company called Classic Restorations. As you might guess, based on the name, the company specializes in restoring classic cars. This is of course good news and means #39 will be returned to its former glory at some point. Owner of Classic Restorations, Melvin Benzaquen, was kind enough to allow us to display some pics of this future project here at The Gallery. This Macho is complete and all original despite the front bumper that was replaced before Melvin purchased it. This includes the original W72 400 installed by Pontiac and modified by Mecham. The drivetrain is the numbers matching drivetrain and all of the modifications performed by Mecham remain intact down to the Hooker Headers sticker on the air cleaner. In the pics included you can see a couple of these modifications including the dual exhaust with catalytic converters and the opened hood scoop with a screen installed. Melvin relates an interesting story in the entry for this car. Reportedly, some dealers would sell these cars to Mecham Pontiac in AZ, who then modified them and sold them back to the original dealer as a "used" car which allowed them to bypass all the factory emission requirements. The build sheet for this Macho shows it was sold to a dealership in Virgina. This is not unusual except this Trans Am was built at the Van Nuys plant in California and then shipped directly to Mecham Pontiac in Arizona. Normally a car to be sold at a dealer on the east coast would have been built at the Norwood plant in Ohio. Melvin even has a DKM jacket (usually part of the Mecham conversion) still new in the bag to go with the car.

1979 Macho Trans Am #43

owner: Craig & Sarah Demuth

This Macho TA changed hands recently and the new owners sent me the following:

"I was looking on the Internet for info re this car (1979 Pontiac Macho Trans Am #43), and found my exact car on your site. I thought I'd e mail you and give you the current owners information. Tallgrass Motors, Craig and Sarah Demuth. We have owned this car for around 3 years, we purchased it for Mr. Holt who registered it on your site. The images and info still remains the same. It hasn't been driven much since we bought it, it sits in our showroom where it attracts alot of attention. Thanks for the website, I enjoyed the pics and other information!"

Sarah Demuth

Macho T/A #43 is gold with black stripes and black interior. It has the T/A 6.6L 400 and 4-speed with a 10 bolt rear equipped with 3.23 gears, 4 wheel disc brakes and A/C. It has the WS6 Snowflake wheels with 245/60/15 BFG Radial T/A's on the front and 255/60/15 BFG Radial T/A's on the rear.

1979 Macho Trans Am #53

owner: Jim & Carol Fleming

Wearing white with red trim this '79 Macho came with a 400/4spd, fiberglass hood and T-Tops. No other info is available at this time...

Photo courtesy Loren Garrigus

1979 Macho Trans Am #54

owner: Larry Gunderson

Scott Hamand sends us pics of number 54. Scott writes:

"Here is 1979 #54. It has a 400 4-speed white with red trim and a red bird on the hood. Its all original with
only 31,000 miles on it. Larry has owned this car since 1981."

1979 Macho Trans Am #58

owner: unknown

Last status I had on this Macho was that it was for sale in July 2005. I do not know who it was sold to.

A previous owner (Bill Hodack) contacted me with the following information on this Macho:

"Hello, I have more information on the 1979 Macho Trans Am #58 listed on your web site. I was the owner of this car from 1991-1995 and can explain many of the details of this car's history. My name is Bill Hodack. I bought the car in 1991 from my cousin. He ran an
auto shop in Erie, PA that restored and customized cars. I was only 16 at the time, so I don't remember the name of the shop. His shop was responsible for the custom paint job on the hood. The shop is no longer in service.
When he finished his work on the car, he trailer'd it down to Chattanooga, TN where I was attending high school at the time. The car had Hooker headers. I don't know if that was any different from other Macho Trans Ams. I drove the car throughout high school, where I proceeded to utterly abuse the car and treat it horribly. I look back on those days and shudder. I didn't know what I was doing. It's a miracle I didn't wreck it.
Parts broke. Being a high school student, my fast-food job at the time could barely afford to keep the car running. So every time a custom part broke, I had to replace it with a stock part. A good exmaple is the tuned headers, which blew, and I replaced with a regular exhaust manifold. I didn't know anything about car mechanics (and still don't).
I went to college in 1994. The car sat in my mother's possession, broke, for almost a year in Memphis, TN. Finally she sold it to a co-worker of her's for a ridiculously low sum of money. The car wasn't running at the time. This co-worker knew the value of the car. They came, towed it away, spent a few hundred bucks fixing it up, and won all their money back in a local money race about 4 weeks later. (legal race, I think) I never heard about the car again after that.
Anyhow, that was my brief moment of ignorant bliss with this beautiful car. From Erie, PA - driven in Chattanooga, TN - sold in Memphis, TN. It was my first car, and no car since has ever brought me as much joy."

1979 Macho Trans Am #60

owners: Kirk Meighan

This Macho Trans Am has a 403 V8, automatic transmission, PW, PS, AC, and posi-trac. It was purchased at Mecham Pontiac in Glendale Az. When the pictures were taken it had only 42,000 miles on it. The Macho modifications performed on this Trans Am include engine work (including a special cam), Hooker headers, modified exhaust system, and a modified suspension system including Koni shocks and larger sway bars. It underwent a repaint in 1985 by Mecham Pontiac and did not have the firebird decal put back on the hood. Interior was restored in 1997. New seat covers and carpet were ordered from Year One and installed.
This Macho is in incredible shape. Hopefully I can get in contact with the owner soon and get more details.

The TA changed hands recently and Kirk, the new owner, wrote the following:

"I just wanted to let you know that I am the new owner of 1979 Macho T/A #60 as of May 2008. I live in Far Hills, New Jersey which is a rural suburb of Manhattan. The car is in great shape, as highlighted previously. It has around 42,300 miles on it now. I took delivery of it, had all the fluids changed, a safety check done, and drove it the first night I had it into New York City for dinner -- not sure but may be the first time a Macho T/A has been in New York City!
Receives lots of positive comments. In fact, also the first day I had it, was parked in front of my local classic/exotic car dealer talking to some friends and a young lady walked past a Porsche Turbo, a Ferrari Testarossa, and a Lamborghini Miura to ask me (breathlessly) if the car was for sale! I bought this car because I am a former Macho owner. In 1980 to 1983, while I was in college in Arizona, I owned a 1978 gold Macho (don't recall the number). My friends and I had a great time in that car, and I feel lucky to have found this very nice example to relive some memories."

Kirk Meighan

1979 Macho Trans Am #65

owner: Donald Jaskolski

Other than the white and tan paint scheme, there is no other information available on this Macho at this time.

Photo courtesy Loren Garrigus

1979 Macho Trans Am #82

owner: Terry Hollings

Very nice Brown and Gold Macho Trans Am. Equipped with:

403ci Olds engine

3-speed TH350 auto tranny

Posi-trac Rear

WS6 Suspension

Koni Shocks

Hooker Headers w/ Dual Exhaust

4-wheel Disc Brakes

Power Windows

Power Door Locks

Power Steering

Tilt Wheel

A/C

Update: This car was recently sold by the second owner to Terry. He contacted me and provided the following:

"Just purchased it from a guy in Arizona who was the second owner of this car. He was friends with the original owner of the car. The car is original and does have 36,000 miles on it. Its in awesome shape, it needs minor cosmetics but nothing else. All facts you have on the car are true. One thing I am not sure of is how many Machos were made in 1979. This car will stay with me for a long time. After a long search I found this car on Ebay. I quickly worked out a deal and had it shipped to Indiana, where I live."

1979 Macho Trans Am #95

owner: unknown

This Macho TA had only 63,000 original miles when these pics were taken. Options included leather seats and a sunroof. Its equipped with the 403 V-8 and 3-speed automatic tranny.

1979 Macho Trans Am #96

owner: Chris Dietz

This Trans Am is currently all black and I imagine that's not the original paint scheme. I found it up for sale on the internet. I am contacting the owner to see if I can get better pics and info and hopefully in touch with the new owner when it sells. What I do know about the car is that it has a 403ci with a TH350 auto tranny, T-Tops, Recaro seats, Roll Bar, 10-bolt posi-trac rear, power door locks and power windows.
Interestingly the current owner did not bother to contact me but the guy who ultimately bought the car did. Heres what Chris had to say:

"Although I did not win the eBay auction, I did work out a deal with the current owner and will be picking up the car this weekend and bringing it back 'home' to its' birthplace here in Arizona. I am planning a full original restoration. I cannot add alot of additional information at this point (obviously) but it does have 4:10 gears and it IS an original black on black car. It did not have a bird, it had red and white pinstriping. I'll keep you updated on the restoration and get you some better pics."

thanks,
Chris Dietz
Chandler, AZ