Real Hood Scoop: 1970 Pontiac Trans Am Ram Air III

Every now and then, the internet coughs up a car that stops you mid-scroll. We just spotted this 1970 Pontiac Trans Am Ram Air III here on eBay, that was restored in 2015. In the world of second-gen Firebirds, 1970 is iconic because it is the first year of the second generation Trans Am and the last year for the Pontiac high compression engines. This car is bid to just over $60,000 right now with one day left in the auction. It has a Buy It Now Price of $94,944. Located in Mesa, Arizona at a dealer, it is one of only 1,769 Trans Ams made with a 4 speed in 1970. These cars were called “1970½” Trans Ams specifically because the car was delayed until February 26, 1970, due to engineering and tooling complexities

The heart of this beast is the Ram Air III (L74) 400 V8. While the Ram Air IV gets the glory for its high-rpm cam, the Ram Air III was the street fighter, delivering 335 horsepower and a tire-shredding 430 lb-ft of torque. 1970 also marked the debut of the shaker hood scoop, but unlike later years where the scoop was sealed shut, this one functions. Stomp the gas, and a solenoid-actuated flap opens to feed the Quadrajet cool, dense air. A look at the cylinder heads should reveal the coveted #12 casting numbers, verifying its pedigree.

This car wears the classic Polar White (Code 10) with the single broad Lucerne Blue stripe, a livery designed to mimic the SCCA Trans-Am racers of the day. Because this is a 1970, it lacks the massive “screaming chicken” hood decal that would define the mid to late 70s; instead, it relies on a small “bird” on the Endura nose and modest decals on the spoilers. The stance is aggressive, aided by the functional wheel spats and the front air dam which were serious aerodynamic components, not just tack-on flair. The fitment of that heavy urethane nose—often a trouble spot on 2nd Gens—looks factory perfect.

There are no pics of the interior but it appears to be black. Because of the February release, the 1970 production run was incredibly brief. Pontiac only built 3,196 Trans Ams that year. To put that in perspective, they built over 117,000 Trans Ams in 1979. This car is one of either 1,769 four-speeds or 1,339 automatics. This is a blue-chip investment grade car that represents the absolute peak of Pontiac performance before compression ratios dropped in 1971.