Pontiac Trans Am 1979 WS6 4-Speed

Pontiac didn’t let 1979 buyers order the 400 cubic-inch V8 on its own, choosing it automatically meant the WS6 handling package and a 4-speed manual came along for the ride. Only a few thousand Trans Ams were built in this exact configuration before the 400 disappeared from the lineup.

400 / 4-Speed Performance Package .. WS6 Additional Performance Package .. T-Tops .. Hobnail Cloth Interior .. This is really rare and beautiful!!

Pontiac buyers in 1979 who wanted the 400 cubic-inch engine didn’t get a choice about how it came packaged, the factory made the decision for them. Ordering the W72 400 automatically meant ordering the WS6 handling package and the 4-speed manual transmission, no exceptions, which is exactly why so few of these cars exist in this configuration today. This particular Trans Am carries all three, plus T-tops and the hobnail cloth interior, options that together tell a very specific story about what Pontiac was actually trying to build in its final year offering the 400.

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The Engine Pontiac Bundled on Purpose

The W72 400 cubic-inch V8 produced 220 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque, backed by a Borg-Warner Super T-10 4-speed manual transmission and a Safe-T-Track limited-slip differential geared at 3.23:1. That combination was enough to get the car from 0 to 60 mph in 6.90 seconds, respectable numbers for the tail end of the malaise era, when most domestic performance cars were losing power year over year rather than gaining it.

What WS6 Actually Bought You

The mandatory WS6 package added a larger-diameter front sway bar, a quicker-ratio steering box, 15×8-inch snowflake wheels, and power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes, upgrades aimed squarely at handling rather than straight-line speed alone. Only 2,485 Trans Ams were built with the 400 engine, 4-speed manual, and WS6 package without T-tops, making this T-top-equipped example an even narrower slice of an already rare build combination, and exactly the kind of car collectors specifically hunt for today.

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