When the arrival of the pony car cracked open a new niche and made automotive history, manufacturers scrambled to catch up. Pontiac was developing its own entry to the market, called the Banshee, but the bosses at GM didn’t want competition for the Corvette; instead, the division was allowed to build a car on the F-body platform as an alternative to the Camaro. That became the Firebird, and it was offered in several iterations. The Trans Am was the high-performance option, benchmarked by a sophisticated suspension, top-of-the-line engine options, and of course, its “screaming chicken” graphic. Here on Hemmings is this second-generation Trans Am, substantially restored and ready to go. The selling dealer is asking $72,495, and the car is located in Medford, New York. Thanks to Rocco B. for sending over this tip!
Underhood lies one of the better engines produced by Pontiac during this period – a 455 cu. in. V8. It’s not the Super Duty 455, but it’s still a relatively potent powerplant given the output downgrades proliferating across car line-ups in the mid-’70s. Paired with the four-speed manual installed in our featured car, the combination will take you from zero to sixty in about 8.0 seconds. After 1972, noise and emissions regulations dictated a change to the famous shaker scoop: it was sealed off via a fiberglass plate. Owners routinely cut the blocking plate away to allow air to feed directly into the carburetor. A solenoid-controlled flapper can also be installed, though new kits have disappeared from the market. Like the engine bay here, the underside is similarly tidy.
I’m very fond of these cars, though anything less than a Super Duty might not completely tick the box for me. Aside from the screaming chicken, my favorite Trans Am feature is the machine-turned instrument panel. This interior is said to have been restored – easy to believe given the beautiful upholstery. The headliner, parcel shelf, door trim – everything is in top condition.
Jack Humbert styled the Trans Am, after graduating to Pontiac’s design studio in 1959 when he was only 34 years old. The Trans Am was one of a long succession of Pontiacs that Humbert created: he penned the GTO, the Grand Prix, and the entire 1965 line-up. Back to our featured car: those honeycomb wheels are stock, and 1976 was the last year for this design. The color brings Smokey’s Bandit to mind, and might add a fraction to the price. I love this car, but for the money, I’d look for a Super Duty – it’ll cost a bit more, but the cachet is worth it.
Very nice example and outstanding resto. The price is decent for this year T/A. The 70-74 command a higher price, but this one is a nice example of a later 2nd gen. It’s a shame, by 1976 all the engines of this era were neutered and didn’t off the same performance like earlier models. I noticed whomever did the resto, eliminated the converter. I hope they trated the engine to a few upgrades as well. I noticed the 1971 T/A for $105k, that popped up on here a couple of weeks ago, sold. T/A’s are a hot ticket now.