The Firebird auctions continue! We’ve already seen two super rare Formula Super Duties, but if those are out of your budget, may I suggest this sweet Trans Am SD-455. It has the same engine but is the relatively less rare Trans Am model. Unless you’re collecting, most of us would prefer the flared out TA version anyway. This car isn’t perfect, but it has the desirable engine and is still wearing its original paint so there shouldn’t be any surprises beyond what you can already see. This is a Barn Finds exclusive auction so be sure to check it out!
There it is! The heart of the beast. This is what makes this Trans Am special. The Super Duty 455 had reinforced internals and was ready to go street racing. With a few mods, it could even be taken to the track and keep up with the full-on race cars. From what I’ve read, these had all the fittings for dry sump lubrication. You had to install it, but after doing so, you could throw this car into a corner without starving the engine of oil. That’s true SCCA Trans-Am racing stuff!
Unfortunately, there is some rust along the bottom of the body. This car was part of a large collection that came out of Minnesota (which we are helping auction) so some corrosion is to be expected. The seller claims that a lot of it is surface rust with some rust-through under the doors and rear quarters. That’s a shame, but at least the paint is original so you know you aren’t dealing with Bondo covered rot. I would treat those areas asap so I could continue to drive the car until I had enough saved up to do the job right.
These Super Duty cars are very special and every single one of them is worth saving. We hope this one gets the attention it deserves. The interior looks very nice in the photos so at least you’d have a nice place to pilot this thing while you’re saving your pennies. This car was optioned with an AM radio (not that you need it with the growler out front), tilt wheel, and a flaming chicken on the hood. Sounds about perfect for an older guy who wanted one of these when he was younger!
The rust is a bummer, but that might also make this one of the more affordable SD-455 options out there. Sure, you could get a car needing a full restoration for less, but you might end up dumping more into it than this one will sell for. If you’re interested in bidding, be sure to look through all the images in the photo gallery here and post your questions in the comments section. We have more Firebirds coming so stay tuned if this one isn’t for you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=HKPwKNEOJyg
- Location: Lincoln, NE
- Title: Clean
- Mileage: 60,414
Auction your car here on Barn Finds!
Amazing, still a solid 55 -65K car!! These were so damn cool!
3 sd-455’s in a row with no a/c & std “tuck & roll” seats. Yes!
This car’s rust illustrates why ’70s cars were not meant to be driven even in the rain.
Hood scoop has been opened!
IMO this is the best lookin style/color combo hood bird of all offered in the ’70s, tho i would prefer it smaller in size, like on the ’72 protoype.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9tSqlxSlnE
is that white 73 trans am the perlie TA with blue carpet??? with white leather . it sure looks like it. either way she’s a beauty
Sure is – look at the custom door panel when the driver opens the door at 1:25. Passenger one viewable earlier through the windshield.
Odd a prototype would have body side molding,
unless it was added later to protect the unique paint &/or hide dents & scrapes over the years.
whoa , i always wondered what bacame of the perlie ta. im glad it is driven in the video. that TA is in my opinion the rarest ta in existence today . even though it does not have the sd engine i just love that car. i have i believe ( built 4th of july week of 1973) the only orange carpet 73 ta that is left in the world. i have thought of having the orange carpet ta interior patterned after the perlie ta with orange piping on the seats just like the perlie ta. for those that do not know about the perlie ta. google :: PERLIE ARTICLE FIREBIRD GALLERY… what a piece of car history and what a beautiful car… i would have loved to be in even the passenger seat of the PERLIE TA. just for even that short of a youtube ride.
The pdf below says the ’72 t/a does have it’s original sd motor, tho with chrome valve covers & epa rejected aluminum intake …
http://www.firebirdgallery.com/Downloads/PerlieArticlelr.pdf
There IS another 1 of 1 t/a unlike any other! …
In
http://www.firebirdgallery.com/72lot1.htm
scroll down to the red ’72 t/a section!!
After seeing that car, my friend put a white shaker on his red ’74 that has no hood bird – looks better that way.
Somebody made a tribute car too out of a ’71 also with auto COLUMN! shifter(the latter shifter being silly IMO) …
http://www.2040-cars.com/Pontiac/Firebird/1971-firebird-1972-trans-am-red-scaa-car-tribute-455ho-70-71-72-73-861175/
with all the interesting info and dedicated employees of GM PONTIAC you have to wonder why they axed pontiac manufacturing. the executives clearly loved pontiac. it would have been just as easy a decision to keep pontiac going. the engines they were making were real torque monsters. and the cars they were building were really something. also on a rarity note you do not by chance know of the red body white interior seats and blue carpet 1973 TRANS AM that was produced in norwood ohio back in 1973. has it been found??? was it by chance an SD ???
google :: Many New Parts: 1973 Pontiac Trans Am
a 4 speed car in barn finds.
this one is definitely worth buying and saving. looks like ziebar?t had there hand in this one. but not as bad as the formula. want to save this car give it a transmission fluid bath. in rust areas allowing a good soak 3 to 5 days. clean metal with paint thinner NOT WATER . this one can easily be saved providing you insure the weep holes are opened to let moisture out . id say BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT…
Love that frontend! I had ‘a 74 Formula 350- 4 speed, wish I still owned it.
I rust proofed cars from 1977 to 1981 at an Oldsmobile dealership. I coated the heck out of them knowing how cars rusted then. I don’t know if many survived. This car is a refreshing sight in place of fake, over restored cars. I say coat the rust with Fluid Film and drive it. I have worked on cars my entire life. I am convinced washing them too much rots them out. These GM doors never drained water that well. Life is too short too worry about perfect cars you drive off and on a trailer. I love this car. I graduated high school in 1974.
These cars along with chrome bumper big block corvettes are finaly gettin the attention they deserve. Pontiac really came through on the entire package especially handling unlike big block camaros which unless equipted with an all aluminium motor didnt handle quite as well. I drove quite a few of these in the late 70s for the bodyshops i worked for and a SD 455 was REALLY something special to drive. I only drove em eqiupted with 4 speeds and even at that time being a MOPAR guy respected them but working for 5 bux an hour. but couldnt afford the low prices on em as people were dumpin em when gas hit a buck a gallon. Im pretty sure they had a m 22 trans ?? And were EXCELLENT cars GOOD LOOKING. GREAT HANDLING. AND FAST. We were really a crash shop but took a lot of cars in needing rust work and paint from local car dealers who in turn sent em to the local auction these cars done were bringing about 3500 to 4000. Max. To the new owner id say buy it and appreciate it and drive it like ya stole it YOU WONT BE SORRY ENJOY
you know the real sad part about these sd’s along with other american fast cars. the kids of today are being nursed on rice wine. when these kids look at fast they think of 9 second honda’s running on almost all street parts. gm should be top of the heap but i guess every thing about the situation will have to take a hit on this one. import cars are running circles around these american cars. i graduated 76 but never had the opportunity to try fast cars. we were to poor. i just enlisted in AIR FORCE so i could survive. i did get to test drive a GTP once what a fast car. but i guess to everyone else even that did not compare to AMERICAN MUSCLE…if i can only hit the lottery. id love to test drive this one.
It’s really nice the buyers have a couple to choose from this week!! Really cool cars but I would want a 4 speed!!!
I owned one of these back in the early 80’s. Was a automatic, and had air. When you nailed it, it would suck you into the seats. Wish I still had it. Same color combo, except my seats were white.
I love it. I had a friend who bought one of these used when he was 19 for $3500. In 1988 maybe? That was not cheap back then. He drove it into the ground in 8 weeks and had to replace it. It was a fun car to ride along in.
the best part about your story is you got to run it into the ground. now what was left back then would probably sell for 10 grand, especially if it was totaled. go figure. these days even if the car was a shell as long as the body had a long gone sd engine people would still buy it.
Is it my email alerts or is BF showing the same 5 cars over and over?
We had an error that showed they same three cars two days in a row. It’ll be fixed in tomorrow’s email though. Thanks.
my,,, Many New Parts : 1973 Pontiac Trans Am … barn find…my regular 73 trans am with orange carpet from factory (the only one mind you and is not a sd) its still available as of 11-12-2019, but the problem is only armchair buyers are looking at the car. its no wonder any one is looking at the 4 sd’s for sale. those sd prices are giveaway and the best part is they are running and driving vehicles. what are these pontiac buyers thinking. talk about a last chance to buy a REAL SD barn find at a reasonable price. i expect to have my car for sale for a long time cause buyers will not get up off the couch and come and look at the car. but in barn finds auction as of 11-12-2019 you have a choice of 4 running and driving sd’s. a sale that buyers will most likely never see again. buyers need to get real and bid like its the last chance of a quality sd trans am. because this will probably be the last time you EVER see 4 SD’s for sale together. and between the 4 i would say at least 2 should have sold by now. BUYERS WAKE UP YOUR PASSING UP A CHANCE OF A LIFE TIME. buy an SD you will have no regrets. the value of the sd’s will go up faster than any depreciated value. 4 sd’s driver quality BUY IT AND CRUISE IT how many sd owners would love to cruise there completely restored trans am and are afraid it will get a scratch on it and then they would cry. these 4 sd barn finds you could scratch them b4 you cruise them.
Like another well-known car auction site, it would be nice to know what the final sale price is.