Better To Pass? 1975 455 HO Pontiac Trans Am

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The 1970s Trans Am market has not cooled, and most auctions nowadays feature a few such cars, all shiny and new-looking. One day, everyone with nostalgia for these will have one, but we’re not there yet, so cars of this description and generation are still being found and put into the market. But listen up—every TA is not the same, as this 1975 455 HO Trans Am goes to show. We’ll get into details below on this car, currently resting in Maple Shade Township, New Jersey. Mitchell G is our tipster, and the asking price? $9,500. Sounds like a deal, until you get to looking at the bones of this car.

This generation of Firebird followed the first-generation models which bowed in 1967, debuting in 1970 and carrying on until 1981. Famous film and TV iterations included the obvious Smokey and the Bandit cars from the 1977 film (though the cars themselves were 1976 models updated to look like 1977s, as is detailed here). That sinister black and gold paint scheme inspired many a high-school dream. This car is silver. Is that original? The available dealership paperwork will tell that tale, and also show that it is a non-a/c car, I imagine. Nothing like a birth certificate to clear up any such doubts. In terms of styling, though still second-gen cars, the 1975s received a body styling update that replaced the flat rear window with wrap-around glass. It was also the model that first had a catalytic converter. The Trans Am had a standard 400-CID engine, with the 455-incher an option, as is the case here.

So on the bright side, this is a huge-engined car, at 455-cid, and it’s equipped with a four-speed. That makes it one of 857, according to the seller. There are also all the parts you need to restore it, according to the ad. Of course, you and I know that that kind of claim on a partly disassembled car is almost always dreaming. That’s the more true here, when it’s not random pieces we’re talking about, but body panels. And that brings us to the downside of this project.

This car has been stored for 30 years, and time has not been kind. In short, there’s “extensive rust areas throughout,” and the car is in a “non-running state of storage,” according to the ad, here on craigslist. It’s pretty bad when the hood jams shut and can’t be opened to photograph the engine, but if you’re good with metal work, machine work, and parts sourcing, you might have a gem here. Just take the seller’s story as important: In three decades, he hasn’t touched this car. That might just be because one look at it will make you realize that an avalanche of work will follow the removal of that first rusty fender.

 

 

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Comments

  1. BA

    How bad do you want a 455 T/A with 4 speed? I guess time will tell

    Like 8
  2. Big C

    Super hard pass on this one. But I’m certain there’s a guy who lights his Cuban cigars with $500 bills, that’ll snap this old Poncho right up!

    Like 9
    • Al

      You forgot his unbuttoned shirt open to his fat gut and a heavy golden colored chain around his neck. Also missing is his comb over and goatee.

      But look, the seat is air cooled.

      What more can you ask?

      Like 14
      • BCB42

        Combover.
        Seems familiar…. LOL!

        Like 1
  3. Steve R

    Thirty years ago, when the seller says he bought it, in this condition, it would have been considered a parts car, not a future restoration project. He has a sense of humor, he describes it as “All in all the entire car is pretty solid but tough”.

    A month or so ago there was a 1972 Trans Am featured on this site, it was rough but in much better condition than this car. It too was a 4spd 455HO, but in that year the 455HO was actually something special. It it’s bids on eBay we’re only a couple of thousand more than this cars asking price and it got torn to shreds. It’s hard to see the value in this 74 TA anywhere close to its asking price.

    Steve R

    Like 14
  4. Gtoforever

    I don’t know that I agree that “ one day everyone with nostalgia will have one”, unless everyone has 100k( and that changes monthly) to burn or has the vanishing skills to do it themselves.
    The prices of these things are ridiculous , and now the parts, I mean good parts , not Cheap knockoffs, are getting to the point that doing it yourself is a challenge.
    Used to be a cool hobby for the everyday guy, not so much anymore.

    Like 9
    • Steve R

      There are plenty of desirable cars that are reasonably priced. Only the most sought after muscle cars sell for $100k. Even in the early-80’s me and my friends were priced out of our “dream cars”. We changed our sight and started looking for the best car we could afford regardless of make or model, as long as it had a V8 and a 4spd. Since then we’ve never had problems finding something when we were in the market. Instead of an early 70’s Trans Am, maybe an 80’s or early-90’s model or a late-2000’s G8 GT, Mustang LX or GT maybe even an early Challenger SRT8.

      Steve R

      Like 1
  5. gary englert

    Will you take 3,000 for the car

    Like 1
  6. mercury200

    Prime candidate for a drivetrain/VIN plate transfer.

    Like 1
  7. Nelson C

    She lived a hard and then neglected life. Was once a pretty cool car. Someone wanted the cheapest T/A to romp on and got it.

    Like 2
  8. Joseph Glenn

    Fixing this T/A would be a joy. But it would have to wait till I got done with the 55 napco 3/4 ton I purchased last year. But you’re right about the $3,000 can’t see it being worth much more than that with all the work there is to do. Some people think because of what it was it’s worth thousands of dollars have no idea what they’re getting into LOL my top dollar would be $3,500

    Like 0
  9. Al

    Seats & obvious rot , this things been UNDER water, not just the salty roads here.

    Like 1
  10. Ike Onick

    Tiny chicken.

    Like 0
  11. John D

    The way it sits now is the same condition it was in then 30 years ago.
    And it only needed everything 30 years ago and it only needs everything today so hurry up and buy it he’s on a short timeline…

    Like 1
  12. Marvin

    Pick the whole car up and put in a vat of Por 15 and let it sit for 6 months.

    Like 1
  13. PRA4SNW PRA4SNWMember

    What Joe Dirt would have driven if he was into T/As and not Mopars.

    Like 0
    • Nelson C

      lol. I think Joe’s car was nicer than this.

      Like 0
  14. John Oliveri

    No A/C no interest to begin with, this is a rot box, it’s a shame but it’s junk

    Like 0

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