Guy bought a building in Illinois and when he got inside, he found an abandoned American dream car
- An abandoned Pontiac muscle car was found in an Illinois building
- The buyer of the building found the car upon his first viewing
- Stripped of major components, the Trans Am is in a poor state
Published on Feb 26, 2025 at 9:41 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Feb 26, 2025 at 9:41 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
An American has discovered an abandoned Pontiac muscle car in a building that he recently bought in Illinois.
The 1974 Pontiac Trans Am was abandoned and unloved, gathering dust and rust, having been stripped for parts.
It’s unclear what the history behind this muscle car is or whether it’s salvageable as a restoration project.
However, the car is currently up for sale for the princely sum of $1,000.
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How the Trans Am was abandoned
According to the seller of the muscle car, the 1974 Pontiac was left in a building and had become a mere shell by the time he saw it.
The listing elaborates further, stating that the previous owner passed away owing $50,000 in storage fees.
Unsurprisingly, given how long it appears to have been left, the Pontiac is in rough shape.
Most major components, such as the engine, are gone, with just a couple of seats filling the interior.
There are no gauges inside the Pontiac, although it does retain its gear stick and steering wheel.
Given the state of the Trans Am, it’s unlikely it will ever be on the road again.
The most likely outcome is that other parts will be stripped, or the body shell will be salvaged for another project car.
The 1974 model year was good for the Pontiac Trans Am
The 1974 Trans Am comes from what was a good year for the muscle car.
That year, Pontiac sold 10,255 units of the Trans Am, while Firebird sales reached 73,700 in total.
The basic Firebird was the best-selling version by far, with over 26,000 units sold, followed by the 22,000+ units of the Esprit model.
As with other muscle cars, there were plenty of options for the Trans Am in the mid-1970s.
The 455ci V8 was one of them, providing up to 310HP and 395LB-FT of torque.
The Firebird has long since disappeared from the American automotive market, with the first model introduced back in 1967.
The final Firebird rolled off the production line in 2002, while Pontiac itself closed its doors in 2010 amidst GM’s financial woes.
So this may be one of the only Firebirds you’ll ever see…
Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
