Immediately, being Thanksgiving right here within the U.S., most of us are serious about one form of hen: the turkey. I’ll give you another: the screaming rooster on the hood of at the moment’s Good Value or No Cube traditional Trans Am. Between consuming, watching soccer, and naps, let’s resolve what this hen is likely to be value.
In I Sing the Physique Electrical, Walt Whitman celebrates the human physique as nothing in need of a miracle. Whereas not fairly miraculous, the wagon physique on yesterday’s 2021 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo 4 proved fairly handsome. The Taycan is also totally electrical. All of us celebrated the automobile’s $67,000 asking worth by giving it a stable 65 % Good Value win.
The story that Benjamin Franklin advocated for the turkey to be America’s nationwide hen over the eagle is well-known however finally unfaithful. Franklin did reward the turkey as a “Chicken of Braveness,” however fortunately, all of us get pleasure from them on the eating room desk and never as a logo of nationwide pleasure.
One other hen all of us may take pleasure in proudly owning is the flaming phoenix that historically adorns the hood of Pontiac’s traditional pony automobile, the Firebird Trans Am. Launched within the Seventies as a solution to spruce up efficiency vehicles that had been sorely missing in precise efficiency as a result of emissions and gas economic system requirements, this kind of tape and decal therapy is a pastiche of the period. As soon as producers discovered easy methods to make vehicles muscular whereas on the similar time clear and environment friendly, such remedies largely fell by the wayside.
This 1975 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am is then a real denizen of its decade, because it has each the well-known “Screaming Rooster” decal and, as was par for the course on the time, a giant V8 that places out comparatively few ponies.
On this automobile’s case, that’s a 400 CID Pontiac V8 with a four-barrel Quadrajet carb sitting fairly beneath a shaker scoop. As fitted, the smog-strangled engine managed 185 horsepower and a extra significant 310 lb-ft of torque. On the plus facet, that is apparently the sooner block which is stronger than these launched later in ’75, and there are many hop-up elements obtainable to provide the Pontiac mill extra poop. In accordance with the advert, the TH350 mated to the engine (the TH400 gained’t match within the automobile with cats) has a shift equipment put in.
Different factors of notice on this automobile embody a contemporary paint job, new decals, and a totally redone inside. That is additionally the primary 12 months with the wrap-over rear window, so the again seats, whereas cramped, aren’t the previous darkish holes of despair.
Mechanically, the automobile has been gone via and options rebuilt suspension and brake elements, new seals and consumables, and wears new Cooper tires on its good-looking Rally II wheels. Total, the automobile presents as good-looking and clear. Per the advert, the mileage is 84,937, however a changed odo reads 48K. Much less complicated is the title, which the vendor says is clear.
It’s not all turkey and gravy, although. Per the advert, the A/C is lacking the engine bay elements, which have to be sourced and put in. That lack of A/C means this automobile in all probability acquired little use over the previous few months because it resides in Phoenix, Arizona, which masqueraded as a pizza oven for many of the summer time.
There are additionally a few minor leaks (gas pump, oil pan) that ought to be addressed. Then there’s the fiddly stuff inherent to proudly owning an outdated automobile, resembling a misaligned door and the specter of individuals speaking to you on the fuel station. Maybe most egregiously, there’s a CD caught within the stereo. Nonetheless, nothing within the advert’s “Cons” listing ought to show a deal-killer.
What may, although, is the automobile’s $24,500 asking worth. That’s loads of inexperienced to go together with our darkish and chicken at the moment. It’s within the vary for such vehicles of this age and situation, however is it a deal?
The place do you land on this Trans Am at that $24,500 worth? Does that really feel like a very good deal? Or does that asking make this Firebird a turkey?
You resolve!
Phoenix, Arizona, Craigslist, or go right here if the advert disappears.
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