A freshly restored 1971 Pontiac Trans Am 455 H.O. is listed here on Craigslist out of Camas, Washington, carrying an asking price of $137,000 OBO. The seller posted it nine days ago and is open to trades for select classic muscle cars. For a model year that Pontiac built in genuinely small numbers, this is a rare car brought back to better-than-new condition. The seller describes a full frame-off restoration, with new floor pans, quarter panels, trunk components, and hardware throughout. The 455 H.O. engine was rebuilt by Summer’s Machine in Vancouver, Washington, and the seller says it was built to a 4-bolt-main specification. The seller also states this is 1 of 855 produced.
For 1971, General Motors capped compression ratios at 8.5:1 across the board so its engines could run on the low-lead and unleaded fuel coming to gas stations. Pontiac’s answer for the Trans Am was to make the 455 cubic inch V8 standard equipment, built with round-port heads and an 8.4:1 compression ratio, and given the High Output, or H.O., designation. It was also the year GM switched from gross to net horsepower ratings industry-wide, a more conservative measure that made every performance car’s numbers look smaller on paper even where little had changed underhood.
Pontiac offered the 1971 Trans Am in only two colors, Cameo White with blue stripes or Lucerne Blue with white stripes, both standard rather than optional. This car’s white-over-blue scheme matches one of those combinations. Interiors came in black, blue, saddle, jade, sandalwood, or ivory, in standard or custom trim, and the black upholstery shown here lines up with Pontiac’s documented black interior code. Pontiac built 53,124 Firebirds for 1971, and the Trans Am was by far the rarest of the bunch at just 2,116 units, all equipped with the 455 H.O. Of those, factory records show 885 were built with a 4-speed manual transmission and 1,231 with automatics.
The interior was completely redone, including new upholstery, carpet, and a dash restored by Just Dashes, paired with a Hurst competition shifter for the 4-speed manual. The car wears a new coat of Factory Correct Cameo White with a blue center stripe, one of only two correct color and graphics combinations Pontiac offered on the 1971 Trans Am. The hard work is done on this car. It is ready to drive and enjoy.
It’s a nice clean car, but a few things jump out. First, this car did NOT come with a 12 bolt rear. The 1971 Firebirds had the 8.5″ 10 bolt. Next is the fender braces, in the under hood pic are missing. No pic of the trim tag, the honey comb wheels weren’t available on early production 1971’s, not sure of the production date of this car. No mention if it has the original 455HO engine, M-22, carb (which was a special 825 cfm quadrajet that can sell for $3k-$5k on it’s own), distributor (which is very expensive).
As I own one of these cars and mine is 98% original, they can bring this money, but everything needs to be squared away and original. The seller fails to mention any PHS documents, casting and ID numbers, nothing. Plus, many of the body panels have been changed. I need to docs before parting with six figures.
This is likely an example of what is left out of an ads description tells you as much as what’s in it.
Steve R
Oddly, ’70-72 birds did not come with fender braces, but Camaros did.
Chrome gauge bezels used only on ’70 t/a’s.
You’re right about the 12 bolt rear end being incorrect, but I’m wondering what fender braces you’re referring too? I also have a ‘71 TA, fairly crusty but an excellent driver, and mostly original. I thought ‘73 was the first year for the fender braces?
Nice driver. But way too much back in the dumber days of ego biding bj days, maybe that much but that ship has sailed unless you find 2 people at an all day happy hour that want it.
Here in Michigan… we still have a LOT of folks stuck in those “dumber days of ego biding bj days”. See it every day on the road.
nice T/A. i think the glasses on the dash and the blue shift ball are not a good look. i don’t think most people are going to drop almost 140k on a car posted on C/L. seller wants auction house price. he may get it, but it may be a while before he does with the way this economy is headed.
Just one clarification, GM did not switch from gross to net horsepower ratings in 1971, rather it was in 1972.
True dat. All the carmakers did.
The OEM round stick shifter is a Hurst Competition Plus, the shift rods and the way they attach is different. The other difference is most factory Hurst units omitted the stop bolts, but the case is dimpled at the proper location. Drill and tap, a couple blots and nuts and you are good to go.
I had an opportunity in 1978 to buy this car from a Pontiac dealership that I was working at and making four dollars an hour… the price tag was just under $6000 but it might as well have been $60,000 when you’re making four dollars an hour lol