Vehicle Description
1973 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Super Duty 455 - One of 252 Made -
One Owner Ordered New - 53K Miles - Numbers Matching (Please note:
If you happen to be viewing this vehicle on a website other than
our main website, it's possible that only some of our many
photographs of this car are not presented due to website
limitations. To be sure you access all the photographs, please go
to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.) What makes a classic car
collectible? A big motor? Limited production? Long-standing
ownership? Or is it because the car guys of that era just agreed it
was that cool? Well, this particular vehicle checks all those boxes
and then some. This is the coolest car that Pontiac ever made and
they didn't make many. 252 to be exact. Oh, and just one man has
owned it since new. He ordered it to spec on March 27, 1973. Our
client, a local West Michigan enthusiast, was debating on buying a
new car or picking up a slightly used 1965 Shelby Cobra. By 1973,
the prices on the real Cobra's were pushing $9k, which was more
than he wished to spend (if we had a time machine, right?). Luckily
for Pontiac lovers, he walked into VanDerZee Buick-Pontiac of South
Haven, Michigan in the spring of '73. In our possession and
accompanying this acquisition, is the original, hand-written Bill
of Sale, signed by dealership owner, Raymond VanDerZee. We also
have the original title, dating back to January 11, 1977, the day
he paid off the lien. The base price of the car was $4,203.75 with
a $48 destination fee added on top. However, after a laundry list
of added options, including the most important Super Duty Engine,
the total delivered price came to a staggering $5,027.20. Pontiac
installed that engine, their top performance powerplant, in only
251 other vehicles. At the time, our client knew he had ordered a
nicely optioned automobile but no one could predict how special
that car would end up being. Five months later, he took delivery of
his brand new Trans Am the first week of August, 1973. To further
cement the story, the hand-written prices on the order form match
the prices on the PHS window sticker. The car was ordered in
Buccaneer Red (code R) with Red-Bird written on the VanDerZee
order. It had the Screaming Chicken hood decal with a Black Vinyl
interior (code 361). Other ordered options included the Lamp Group
($10.00), AM Radio ($65.00), 8-Track Stereo ($130.00), Center
Console ($57.00), Roof Moulding ($15.00), Trans Am Hood Decal
($55.00), Tinted Glass ($37.00), Electronic Defroster ($62.00),
Ram-Air Hood ($56.00), Power Windows ($75.00), Delco Battery
($26.00), and GR70x15 Honeycomb Wheels ($70.00). Last but certainly
not least is the $521.00 up charge for the 4bbl 455 Super Duty
motor (code X). All of the PHS documentation confirms what we
already knew from our client. As we handle all claims of
originality, we had to prove it. Especially on a car this rare. The
one-owner piece is right as rain. That part of the story is
unshakable. But what about the numbers? To confirm it really is ALL
there, we hired John Hansen of Michigan Automotive Inspection
Services, to crack the code, if you will, of any discrepancies in
the engine, transmission, and differential casting numbers. He
proved his worth in gold as he verified ALL of the numbers are
correct. Note the photos of his report in the listing. Mr. Hansen
even used a borescope camera to verify a hidden VIN stamping behind
the firewall. There is nothing here that shouldn't be. Since 1973,
our client has owned this Super Duty TA with pride. It has 53,394
original miles. In every mechanical and cosmetic overhaul, he has
ensured the vehicle was put back together to factory
specifications, by professionals. VanDerZee Pontiac installed a new
water pump in 1976, Holland Transmission rebuilt the transmission
in the late 1990's, Hudsonville Auto did a complete repaint in 1995
with new decals, St. Steel Muffler in Pennsylvania rebuilt the
exhaust system in 2000, Seats w
