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Rare Super Duty 455: 1974 Pontiac Trans Am

The Camaro had lost its big block, the Mustang was powered by a 4 cylinder and the biggest engine in the Challenger was a 360 cid V8 in 1974. However, Pontiac was still producing powerful Trans Ams and, although the base engine was a weakened 400 cid V8 engine, a buyer could still opt for a Y code 455 cubic inch V8 or the King of the Hill Super Duty 455 cubic inch V8. This car is one of only 943 Trans Am produced in 1974 with this engine. The seller has this car listed here on Hemmings for $94,500. We appreciate Boots for bringing this to our attention. This rare Super Duty 455 Trans Am is located in Milford, Ohio.

Pontiac produced 212 SD 455 Trans Ams that were equipped with a 4-speed manual transmission and 731 SD 455 Trans Ams with the Turbo 400 automatic transmission in 1974. Pontiac rated the engine at 290 horsepower but most enthusiasts and experts agree that the engine was underrated. Motor Trend ran the quarter-mile in 13.8 seconds in 1973 with an SD 455 equipped Trans Am. Production could not keep up with demand and once Pontiac experienced engine rod shortages, they canceled the Super Duty and only 1,243 were built from 1973-1974.

This car is equipped with the optional red and white interior. These are known as Code 208 cars because the data tag on the cowl should reflect 208 in the trim section. This car has a number of nice options including AM/FM Stereo with 8 track. The seller states that the car has been with the same family for a long time and has a lot of paperwork to go with the car.

You could order any Trans Am in 1974 as long as it was Cameo White, Buccaneer Red, or Admiralty Blue. This one is Buccaneer Red which is Code 75. The upcharge for the SD 455 engine was $578 and I doubt anyone ever regretted paying up for this engine. I owned one for a while and it has loads of torque. The SD 455 Trans Am has only traveled 26,000 miles over the past 47 years.

Comments

  1. Avatar alphasud Member

    I would love to drive this car to experience what it felt like in 74 to own the fastest car for the time. Hat tip to Pontiac for keeping the performance alive during the 70’s

    Like 24
    • Avatar Steven W Stull

      I really wanted a 1973 TA because my old man neighbor had one and he would sell it to me. So I ordered a new 455SD in October of 1973 with power windows, rear console,AC, AM/FM in red with white interior and black dash and carpets. They said a few weeks later it would be a 1974 build. Was not happy as I like the earlier body. Car came in and very excited but the shaker was fake and or blocked. Before I took the car I ordered the functional shaker scoop with the vac operated flapped door and the dealership made it happen. I came out of a 1969 Ram air VII GTO to get this car. These were very powerful cars.

      Like 6
      • Avatar Sd77ww3

        A Ram Air VII? That IS rare!!

        Like 6
      • Avatar Gregory Craig

        The only functional scoop was on the 70 thru 72 I believe. Never made them past that. I ordered a 74SD loaded with options but it never got built . Quit making the SD before I could get mine. Settled on a reg 455 and still own it.

        Like 1
  2. Avatar JoeNYWF64

    I know that options add worth, but too many of these SDs are loaded, which defeats the purpose of the motor. I wouldn’t even order the heavy(back then) radio & tape player. I say leave the a/c, p/w, pdl, & automatic for the other motors.
    Make sure that steering wheel is not a later thinner one which would have a seam running around the exterior perimeter, or even an aftermkt one. I expected the steering wheel vinyl to be shinier – not sure if it’s the lighting or camera or what.
    That is the correct “horsehair” bellows attached to the air cleaner snorkle.
    Note how many tread ribs going around the original radial tire in the trunk – compare to today’s narrower(same size!) cracking junk tires with just 4 ribs & some have gone down to 3!
    Wonder if the hood scoop has been opened up & if the exhaust is all original.
    Not a common interior color combo – 1 usually sees black carpet, console & dash with a white interior.
    A little surprising those digits are kind of worn down on the VIN – maybe it depends on the factory this was made in – i seen VINs with lot sharper digits.
    Odd the redline is not higher on the tach, considering this is the only Pont V8 with forged rods & 4 bolt mains.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Motorcityman

      “Too many of these SDs are loaded”??
      There aren’t too many to begin with!

      Like 4
  3. Avatar Jack M.

    That $578 engine upgrade could be equivalent to 2-3 months take home pay for a lot of people in 1974.

    Like 15
    • Avatar Gus

      I had a 75 1/2 year model with a 455 HO package close ratio Muncie 4 sp 3.71 gears…never knew the HP rating if any of you experts might know?..I know this it would burn them down and had a high end pull..let me know Motörheads…

      Like 3
      • Avatar Last 1LE

        According to Thomas A. DeMauro’s excellent book ‘Firebird Decoding Guide 1967-1981’, your L75 455-cubic inch V8 4V
        was rated at 200 horsepower, cost $150, and was available only with the ‘M21 4-speed manual transmission (which was actually a was actually Borg-Warner Super T-10) and a 3.23:1 Safe-T-Track rear axle. Per the ‘…Decoding Guide’ 857 Firebirds (all Trans Ams) were sold that year with the 455.

        The standard engine in 1975 Trans Ams was the 185-horse 400, with either a Turbo Hydra-matic or the 4-speed manual trans, 6,140 equipped with a 4-speed and 20.277 with the automatic.

        Tom’s book, if you can find a copy, should be considered required reading for all 1st- and 2nd-generation Firebird enthusiasts.

        Like 5
      • Avatar Keith

        Have a stellar blue 75 455 H.O
        Mostly original 42315 original miles!
        Hidden for 30 years on blocks !
        I spent 200 plus hours prep /painting / buff
        Its shiny. …

        Like 3
  4. Avatar Jcs

    74, SD, A/C, 4spd, gorgeous color scheme. The only thing missing is my bankers sense of humor.

    Like 12
    • Avatar Tony Primo

      Check the write up again, it’s a 3 speed automatic.

      Like 12
    • Avatar Jcs

      Doh. My fault, further wishful thinking on the 4 spd I guess!

      Like 9
  5. Avatar Big Len

    Breathtaking Poncho.

    Like 6
  6. Avatar Kelly Turner

    Have we all forgotten the unsung hero?
    That would be the AMX resplendent with the 401.

    Like 1
  7. Avatar JC

    Love it… want it… $94,500??? sigh…. I remember seeing one on a used car lot when I was 17 in 1979… It was Yellow and I’m almost certain it was a 455… It was $6500 and my pop thought it was too expensive. Double sigh….

    Like 5
    • Avatar Motorcityman

      The SD455 is a totally different animal than a regular 455.

      Like 7
  8. Avatar Mike

    Don’t forget the Javelin and AMX still had the 401 in ‘74. Just saying!

    Like 6
  9. Avatar Super Glide

    Let’s not forget the 1974 AMX with a 401.
    A fun car with over 400 inches. I thought it was a great looking car.

    Like 7
  10. Avatar Joe Sewell

    I recall a SD Trans Am coming off of the car carrier back in the day. Driver had to take it off and reload it after putting our cars on the ground – same color and options. We sold every Pinto and Mustang II we could get our hands on LOL!!! Still think about that SD Trans Am to this day.

    Like 2
  11. Avatar Motorcityman

    “Sitting for 30 years on blocks”
    You should be in prison Keith! 😁

    Like 1
    • Avatar robert semrad

      I think Keith found it that way…..it wasn’t he that let it sit for 30 years.

      Like 1
      • Avatar Motorcityman

        I know, I was trying to be funny. 😁

        Like 1
  12. Avatar GTO MAN 455

    very nice car but its not even a 4 SP ,and even if it was these cars are no
    where near 100.000

    Like 3
  13. Avatar GTO MAN 455

    These cars are no
    where near 100.000

    Like 0
  14. Avatar GTO MAN 455

    very nice, maybe he sould ask 150.000

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Motorcityman

    Why is it that Red cars often look Orange in pics??
    Or is it my 60 year old eyes? 😁

    BTW….The SD TA is one of my “Dream Cars” along with….

    AC COBRA with 429 or 302 or ANY V8.(kit is fine)
    68-70 AMC AMX
    67-70 MERCURY COUGAR
    Any year BRICKLIN (Love the lines of that car)

    Like 1
    • Avatar JoeNYWF64

      Pontiac Buckaneer Red here is actually a orangish red.
      & the earlier Carosel Red on the ’69 GTO is not really red at all – it’s orange! Odd.

      Like 0
  16. Avatar Harry Quackenboss

    I was not a Pontiac employee, but I worked with Herb Adams and Tom Nell on their 1971 SCCA Trans-Am series 64 Pontiac Tempest driven by Bob Tullius and Rusty Jowett, and when my mentor, Joe Brady, left Pontiac to pursue an MBA, I took over the suspension responsibility on the team that built a Firebird for the 1972 Trans-Am series, where we had a 1st place finish, 2 2nd place finishes driven by Milt Minter, and a 3rd (its first race with no high gear, driven by Tony DeLorenzo). In fact, 20 minutes before writing this, I was on the phone with Herb. I can assure you that Herb preferred automatic transmissions for street cars, including the SD455, which only made it to production because of his personally pushing it.

    One common feature that has been written about a lot is that the SD455 motor had a cast recess in the block that could be machined to accept a Turbo 400 automatic transmission pump that was driven off the back of the camshaft, to create the pressure side of a dry sump system, where the original oil pump performed the scavenge function. Like modern dry sumps in the LS7 Corvette, the sump isn’t kept completely empty.

    Tom Nell came up with this idea on his own, having been personally involved on his own time modifying Turbo 400 transmissions for drag racing. In fact, he personally taught B&M Transmission how to do that. Tom sold a number of transmissions to drag racers himself, built in his basement on his own time.

    What is not well known is that in 1971, Pontiac built about 50 special blocks designed for NASCAR 366 CID displacement that had this provision for a dry sump. These were used in the Tempest in later races, and in 1972 in H.B. Bailey’s NASCAR Grand-Am series Firebirds (Herb’s group partnered with Bailey at 3 events in 1972), and in the SCCA Trans-Am Firebird we built.

    That is a special motor, and Pontiac was ahead of everybody in cylinder head and camshaft profiles.

    This is a special car. I don’t have the garage space.

    Like 7
  17. Avatar Motorcityman

    Yes Sir!
    AND that’s why its worth almost $100,000 most don’t know how special thst SD455 motor is!!
    Thanks for posting!

    Like 1
  18. Avatar Larry W

    I love the Trans Am Firebirds forever and I ordered in 1976 however the dealer only had one available as production had ceased. I did not want a yellow Trans Am. I changed my order to a black 1977 Trans Am with the 400 TA motor & saddle interior. Kind a weak on the horsepower side so after awhile I added a Marvin Miller Nitrous 150HP kit and it really woke up the engine. Sold it in 1983 with 30k miles on it. Mint interior, never smoked in and never in an accident for $5000.

    Like 1

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