It was John Z. DeLorean who had brought the Firebird to the American
public in 1967.
Super-sensitive to the steady clamour for muscle cars, his vision extended to fostering the Firebird’s Trans Am performance version – but no sooner had its teething problems been solved for the launch of the Trans Am’s second generation (known as the 1970-1/2 model), than the new Federal emissions regulations drew the fangs of every muscle monster on US highways.
#Pontiac’s mega-punchy Super Duty 455 V8 engine, intended for the 1973 Trans Am, was a damp squib.
Although it was constructed so that it could easily be converted for high-performance racing, its massive power was de-tuned to a street-legal whimper.
1972 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am - By Bull-Doser - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4976130
Pontiac decided to kill it for 1975 – the year they re-drew the Trans Am’s speedometer dial to show a maximum speed of just 100 mph (160 km/h) instead of its previous, ‘Oh-my-lord!’ 160 mph (258 km/h).
The 1975 Firebird Trans Am arrived as a glorious, snarling, but apparently emasculated thug: the enormous firebird decal splashed across the hood was known as the ‘Screamin’ Chicken’.
Everyone wanted one. By 1975 it was the last muscle car around.
1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am - By Bull-Doser - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7144564
Its engine options, the standard 400 V8 and the big block 455 V8 (re-introduced in the mid-year as the ‘HO455’, as carried by the sedate Pontiac Bonneville, but a big block just the same), were authentic, and so was every other potentially racing component.
Pontiac contributed by improving visibility and handling. If they couldn’t sell it as a rocket, they could and did make sure that within the legal limits the Trans Am was the last remaining tiger, poised, lethally quick at low speeds, and joyous to drive.
The 1975 Trans Am has been called the ‘Soul Survivor’ of the ‘Big Cube Birds’.
Treasure it – it’s the real deal.
This Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Has Been Transformed
did you know?
The Firebird Trans Am is most famous in the black and gold livery of the 1976 Limited Edition.
It had gold Honeycomb wheels, grille, steering wheel spokes, body stripes and badging.
A very few also had black chrome exhaust tips, and are relatively very valuable.
Rising prices mean you now have to beware of clones for these and for all Firebird Trans Ams of the period.
The Firebird Trans Am had a top speed of around 120 mph (193 km/h) and could go from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 7.8 seconds.
Some text taken from 501 Must-Drive Cars published by Bounty Books with permission.
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Comments (1)
Nice 👍🏼 ! I have the 1989 TTA t-top 20th Anniversary . SLP 3.8 Turbo (Garrett 16psi boost)