While Ford, Dodge, and Chevrolet were gutting their muscle cars, Pontiac offered their 455 cubic inch V8 engine all the way through 1976. This engine was only offered with a Borg Warner T-10 4 speed transmission and a 3.23:1 performance rear end ratio. Total production of the Trans Am increased from 27,274 to 46,701 from 1975 to 1976. This example is a 1976 Trans Am that is equipped with the optional 455 cubic inch V8 engine. It is listed for sale here on Craigslist for $13,900. It is a project car but is said to run and drive great. The car is located in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho just east of Spokane, Washington. Many thanks to Rocco B for finding this gem.

Pontiac designated the 455 cubic inch V8 engine as the RPO L75 in 1976. It was rated at 200 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque. This engine is said to be rebuilt and only has 5 miles on the break-in. The seller has the receipts from the professional engine builder. While the horsepower numbers are a mere shadow of a few years earlier, it did not take much to wake up this engine and make some respectable horsepower. There were 7,528 Trans Ams built in 1976 with the L75 455 cubic inch V8 engine. The majority of those were regular Trans Ams but 429 were the Limited Edition Trans Am with the 455. This car was black and gold and celebrated the 50th anniversary of Pontiac. An additional 2,161 Limited Edition Trans Ams were built in 1976 with the base L78 400 cubic inch V8 engine.

The black interior on this car looks dirty but not in too bad of condition. It could be cleaned up and used as a driver. The dash is expensive to replace but it is not cracked. This Trans Am has the console-mounted 8 track tape player but not too many other options. The Code 13 Sterling Silver exterior paint is going to need some work. It appears to be faded and there is damage in a number of areas on the car.

This Trans Am is riding on 1977-1981 15×7 inch snowflake wheels. For 1976, the stock wheel was a 15-inch Rally II wheel and the optional wheel was the same size honeycomb wheel. The car has recently had some work completed including new brakes, a new power steering pump, and a new radiator. The floor pan is partially rusted through but the seller says the trunk and frame rails are solid. This one is going to need some work but it will be well worth it.