Right now, being Thanksgiving right here within the U.S., most of us are enthusiastic about one sort of chicken: the turkey. I’ll give you another: the screaming rooster on the hood of at present’s Good Value or No Cube basic Trans Am. Between consuming, watching soccer, and naps, let’s determine what this chicken is likely to be price.
In I Sing the Physique Electrical, Walt Whitman celebrates the human physique as nothing wanting 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 absolutely electrical. All of us celebrated the automobile’s $67,000 asking value by giving it a strong 65 % Good Value win.
The story that Benjamin Franklin advocated for the turkey to be America’s nationwide chicken over the eagle is well-known however finally unfaithful. Franklin did reward the turkey as a “Fowl of Braveness,” however fortunately, all of us take pleasure in them on the eating room desk and never as a logo of nationwide pleasure.
One other chicken all of us may take pleasure in proudly owning is the flaming phoenix that historically adorns the hood of Pontiac’s basic pony automobile, the Firebird Trans Am. Launched within the Seventies as a method to spruce up efficiency vehicles that have been sorely missing in precise efficiency as a consequence of emissions and gas financial system requirements, this type of tape and decal therapy is a pastiche of the period. As soon as producers discovered tips on how to make vehicles muscular whereas on the identical 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 Hen” 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 below a shaker scoop. As fitted, the smog-strangled engine managed 185 horsepower and a extra significant 310 lb-ft of torque. On the plus aspect, that is apparently the sooner block which is stronger than these launched later in ’75, and there are many hop-up components out there to provide the Pontiac mill extra poop. In response to the advert, the TH350 mated to the engine (the TH400 received’t match within the automobile with cats) has a shift equipment put in.
Different factors of notice on this automobile embrace a contemporary paint job, new decals, and a totally redone inside. That is additionally the primary yr 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 by way of and options rebuilt suspension and brake parts, 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 parts, which should be sourced and put in. That lack of A/C means this automobile in all probability bought 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 must be addressed. Then there’s the fiddly stuff inherent to proudly owning an previous automobile, akin to 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 value. That’s a whole lot of inexperienced to go together with our darkish and chicken at present. 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 value? Does that really feel like a very good deal? Or does that asking make this Firebird a turkey?
You determine!
Phoenix, Arizona, Craigslist, or go right here if the advert disappears.
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