1979 Pontiac Trans Am Pro Touring

The narrator’s own 1979 Pontiac Trans Am was his first car — and, by his own admission, never as fast as it looked. This build, from Steve Holcomb Pro Auto Custom Interiors, fixes that exact problem with a 7.0-liter engine swap and then goes further with one of the most detailed custom interiors the car has ever worn. Watch to see the fix — and the interior work commenters can’t stop talking about.

A 1979 Pontiac Trans Am was supposed to be quick. Ask the guy who actually owned one — narrating this very video — and he’ll tell you his wasn’t, not with the 6.6-liter engine it came with from the factory. Decades later, ScottieDTV tracks down a different 1979 Trans Am built by Steve Holcomb Pro Auto Custom Interiors, one where somebody finally addressed that exact complaint by fitting a 7.0-liter under the hood — and then, almost as an afterthought, built one of the most talked-about custom interiors in the car’s history around it.

The Complaint Every Original Owner Shared

The narrator’s own history with the 1979 Trans Am — his first car — includes the same disappointment plenty of period owners voiced: even with the 6.6-liter (400 cubic-inch) engine, emissions-era power output left the car looking considerably faster than it actually drove. Late-1970s muscle cars across the board suffered from the same gap between styling and real-world performance, a direct consequence of tightening emissions regulations squeezing horsepower ratings across the industry.

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Solving the Problem This Build’s Way

This particular car answers that complaint directly by swapping in a larger 7.0-liter engine, closing the gap between how the Trans Am looks and how it actually performs — a build philosophy that treats the original car’s biggest weakness as the starting point rather than an afterthought.

Why Steve Holcomb’s Name Carries Weight

Steve Holcomb Pro Auto Custom Interiors has built a reputation specifically around interior work, and commenters go out of their way to praise the craftsmanship on display here: speaker grilles, recessed LED lighting, carbon fiber inserts, a redesigned console, and a headliner that all work together in a black-and-blue theme matching the car’s exterior. More than one commenter argues that exterior designers get disproportionate credit compared to interior builders, given how much time an owner actually spends looking at the inside of the car.

A Build That Doesn’t Overreach

Several commenters single out restraint as the build’s biggest strength — custom enough to feel special, but not so heavily modified that an owner would feel intimidated actually driving and enjoying it daily. One viewer specifically calls out how the custom touches feel stock-inspired rather than aftermarket, a distinction that separates a tasteful build from an overdone one.

A Movie Reference Nobody Can Avoid

Given the model and era, at least one commenter can’t resist the obvious comparison, calling the car a modern Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am with a vintage vibe — a reference that follows every black-and-gold or black-and-blue late-1970s Trans Am build regardless of how far removed the actual work is from anything Burt Reynolds drove on screen.

Why This Generation of Trans Am Is Coming Back

One commenter notes that second-generation Firebird and Trans Am restomods are appearing online with increasing frequency, a trend they explicitly welcome given how overlooked the late-1970s cars were for years compared to earlier, more collectible Trans Am model years.

The Owners Who Recognize Themselves in This Build

Multiple commenters mention owning a 1979 Trans Am themselves — one recalling a 403-cubic-inch example with deep-dish mesh wheels used mainly for burnouts, another describing his own ’79 as his first car as well, complete with the tickets that came with it. That shared ownership experience is a big part of why this specific build generates so much recognition in the replies rather than just admiration from a distance.

How This Trans Am Compares to Earlier Second-Gen Builds

Earlier restomods of the second-generation Firebird and Trans Am tended to prioritize engine and suspension upgrades almost exclusively, leaving factory interiors largely untouched even in otherwise heavily modified cars — which is part of why a build this focused on cabin craftsmanship stands out as a departure from the norm rather than simply another engine-swapped Trans Am.

What Custom Interior Work Like This Actually Costs

A full custom interior build at the level shown here — recessed lighting, carbon fiber inserts, a redesigned console, and matching headliner work — typically represents a significant portion of a build’s total budget, often rivaling or exceeding the cost of the engine work itself, a reality that helps explain why so few builders invest this heavily in a part of the car most show attendees never see up close.

Why Late-1970s Trans Ams Are Finally Getting Their Due

For years, second-generation Trans Ams from the emissions-strangled late 1970s were treated as the least desirable version of the model, overshadowed by earlier high-compression cars, but rising interest in restomods that fix the era’s factory shortcomings — as this build does with its engine swap — has started to change that reputation among a new generation of collectors.

What Happens to a Build Like This After the Cameras Leave

A custom interior this detailed requires ongoing care that a stock Trans Am interior never demanded — carbon fiber trim needs specific cleaning products, LED wiring needs to stay accessible for servicing, and upholstery this custom often can’t simply be replaced off a parts shelf if it’s damaged. Owners who commission builds at this level typically budget for that ongoing maintenance reality up front, understanding that a showpiece interior is a standing commitment rather than a one-time expense. That long-term investment is part of why builds like this one tend to stay in a single owner’s hands for years rather than changing hands repeatedly at auction, since a buyer taking on a car this customized also takes on the responsibility of maintaining work this specific to its original vision. Whether that owner keeps the car as a daily driver, as the narrator’s original Trans Am once was, or treats it as a dedicated show piece likely shapes how the interior ages over the next decade — and either way, it’s a considerably more thoughtful second act than the underpowered factory original ever got, a fitting redemption arc for a model year enthusiasts spent decades dismissing outright.

For a car that started life as a disappointment to its own first owner, ending up as a rolling showcase for one of the industry’s most respected interior craftsmen is about as complete a turnaround as this generation of Trans Am could ever hope for.

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