For Pontiac fans, 1975 marked the end of an era. The 455 HO Trans Am bowed out after a short production run, making these cars highly sought after today. The seller of this example, listed in Kalama, Washington, says it’s one of just 947 Trans Ams built in 1975 with the 455 HO, and the car comes with documentation that helps back up its history. If you’re someone who values originality and paperwork, this is the kind of listing worth a closer look. You can see it listed here on craigslist, thanks for the tip Curvette!
According to the seller, this car was found in a barn in Bismarck, North Dakota, which only adds to the appeal for anyone who loves a true “as-discovered” Trans Am. The car reportedly includes its original warranty, maintenance schedule, owner’s manuals, dealer’s copy of the shipping record, build sheet, and more. You don’t often see a package with this level of documentation intact, especially for a limited-production performance model from the mid-’70s.
The seller states they are the third owner, and that the second owner confirmed the 64,637 miles shown are believed to be original. The car is said to appear all-original and “never tampered with,” which is an important point for collectors who prefer an unmodified starting point. While the ad keeps things simple and doesn’t go into specific cosmetic or mechanical details beyond that, it does state that the car is running, which is a good head start for anyone planning to take this project forward.
Being a 1975 Trans Am with a 455 HO and a manual transmission already makes this a rare and desirable car. With the added barn-find discovery story, supporting documents, and the reported originality, it has the makings of a rewarding restoration or preservation project. Buyers truly into Pontiac history may appreciate that this model represents the final years of big-cube performance, right before emissions and fuel concerns reshaped the muscle car landscape.
Given the car’s condition is described as “fair” and no detailed needs list is mentioned, any interested buyer would want to inspect it or ask targeted questions before making the trip. But as an honest listing with documentation and a running 455 HO Trans Am, this one will likely get attention quickly.
Would you restore this rare ’75 Trans Am back to its barn-fresh glory, or preserve as much originality as possible and enjoy it as-is?
Light on options , aside from the engine and rust. For $20,000 it would have been nice to see some pictures of the undercarriage . A full restoration may set you back 90 – $100,000. I still think it’s worth it.
The problem is, for the amount of money you suggesting it will cost, why not get a 1971 or 1972 Tans Am with a 455HO that actually had a clean sheet, such as round port heads, aluminum intake, 4 bolt mains, etc.
Steve R
I agree. I am not a big fan of this year model but it isn’t like they are around much at all. I would be worrrrrrrrrrried about the underneath portions. This has to have rust like mad or it would be 35k easy. Man. I would be torn to even attempt this at my age. I am 63 now and probably will have my driver’s license revoked before I could get this road worthy. But of course the flip side is, wouldn’t it be cool. Sure would.
Like the previous comment I thought the same thing about under carriage pictures. I do like that it is a 4-speed trans. and no t-tops.
“H.O” for 1975 meant 200 horsepower in case anybody’s unaware
……something tells me this is a 1974 rather?
The turning signal lights are in the grill on the 1975 instead of under the bumper and the 1975 has a different rear window that wraps around the c-pillar. Unfortunately, the photos are so bad that you can’t see either feature here.
The factory paperwork says 1975, but I wouldn’t spend the asking price without more and better information/verification.
Steve R
I wonder where the 947 production number came from?
poor pics and not enough of them. needs an in-person inspection
Ugh, total pig and way way overpriced. There’s almost nothing there. Wouldn’t pay 2k let alone 20.
The 455 “Super Duty” only lasted two (2) years, 1973-74, so this “H.O.” version appeared in ’75. What are the differences between a Super Duty and an H.O. engine? I assume that H.O. stands for “High Output”, but how high was High Output compared to the legendary Super Duty mill, with the Super Duty’s high flow cylinder heads and four-bolt main bearing caps? The 455 would go away completely by 1976 or ’77, IIRC, with the 400 being the top dog engine by then. The third-generation cars would be further emasculated by 1980, with the top engine choice being the lowly 301 V8, until technology provided better mileage with more power as EFI began to appear in the mid-1980’s.
I agree about the frame. When I was a lot younger I made the mistake of buying a 75 LT Camaro. Getting into the body and frame showed me where all the rust accumulates. Right under the back window through the trunk and into the frame. I am talking major frame repair.
Nice looking when they were new.
Geez, who posts a car for sale with NO full length pictures ? With these pics, I can’t even verify the car is a 1975 (maybe a hard core T/A person can ?). We have no idea what the other 3 wheels are (or if they exist), but the left front is a standard Pontiac Rally, not a T/A honeycomb or snowflake.
The Good: TransAm, with a 455 under the hood, four-speed stick shift, console, complete documentation. The Bad: The interior needs help, as it’s dirty, with torn seat covers, and the high asking price, given the condition and the air cleaner has gone AWOL. The Ugly: Rust everywhere, with holes in the trunk and the peeling paint around the windshield glass strongly suggests that the rust is in the windshield frame, under the glass, in the floors, even the carburetor is rusty! The Verdict: It may be worth saving, if someone can buy it for much less than the asking price, but it will take someone with some combination of mad skills and deep pockets to save this ‘Bird, and it will not be cheap or easy to get this ‘Bird flying again!
I had a 75 Trans Am (ordered it new) with the L78 400, and the L75 455 was a late model year (May 75) addition. And as noted elsewhere, this was actually just a garden variety 455, rated at 200 net HP (and bore no resemblance to the SD 455 of 73 and 74). You could order the same engine in a full size Pontiac. That said, it was a top dog for the model year though.