Mark K. found this 1976 Pontiac Trans Am equipped with a 455 cubic inch V8 engine and 4 speed transmission. There were only 7,528 Trans Ams built in 1976 with the L75 455 cubic inch V8 engine. This car is located in Littleton, Colorado and is listed here on Craigslist. While the car appears to be a project that has been stored for over 28 years, the seller is asking $15,500 to part with the car. The ad does not state if the car is in running condition but it is said to be a solid car.

Buyers had the choice of either a 400 cubic inch V8 engine or a 455 cubic inch V8 engine in the 1976 Trans Am. The base engine for the Trans Am in 1976 was the L78 400 cubic inch V8 engine that was rated at 180 horsepower. The optional 455 cubic inch V8 engine was rated at only 20 horsepower more (200 horsepower) with 330 lb-ft of torque. This engine was only available with a 4-speed transmission in 1976 and came with a performance 3:23 rear gear ratio. While those power numbers don’t look impressive, it is important to realize that this was in the middle of the 1970’s when Mustangs were powered by 4 cylinder engines, the Z28 was gone and so was the Dodge Challenger. Most Pontiac enthusiasts will tell you that a stock 455 can be modified to generate 400 horsepower and 500 ft lbs of torque using early Pontiac heads and exhaust manifolds.

The car has the deluxe interior option that came with upgraded “horse collar” seats and door panels. A dash cover is on the top of the dash which usually indicates that the dash is cracked or sun baked. The carpet is extremely faded and looks rust colored. The options on the car are not listed by it has an AM/FM radio and air conditioning.

Performance cars were not what they were in prior years but Pontiac carried the torch for big engines and great handling. This car has the optional 15×7 honeycomb wheels. It is going to need a lot of work to clean this one up and get it on the road but it should be worth it.