Teenager Uses Quarantine To Restore Dad’s 1980 Pontiac Trans Am

While a lot of people are taking time during lockdown to catch up on sleep or their favorite Netflix series, 17-year-old Christopher Blair got to work restoring a 1980 Pontiac Trans Am.

Blair was happy to turn in his textbooks for wrenches when schools in Ontario closed due to Coronavirus. He spent the next two months working on what his dad calls “the last of the true muscle cars”. Blair’s dad bought the car in 1987 and kept it in great condition by driving it only during summer months to keep it from snow and rust.

Blair didn’t just half-complete the project, either. He repainted the exterior, rebuilt the suspension and power steering. He also upgraded the engine to a junkyard 6.0-liter V8 he rebuilt with help from a mechanic.

When a lot of the local parts stores closed due to the pandemic, Blair got to work sourcing parts from junkyards and even making some on a metal lathe.

Blair put in a lot of 10-hour days not only filled with the restoration but studying manuals, watching YouTube, and meeting up with veteran gearheads at his local Cars-and-Coffee club. When he finally finished the restoration, he drove the car to his teacher’s house for inspection. Next up? A 1984 Pontiac Fiero.