Vehicle Description
Have you noticed that Trans Am prices are on the move? Whether it's
nostalgia or people of a certain age finally grabbing the dream
cars of their childhood, machines like this cool 1976 Pontiac Trans
Am are slowly working their way up the collectability ladder. This
one offers 455 power, an upgraded transmission, and a cool look
that's still pure Pontiac excitement but with a bit of a modern
twist. And if you ever wanted to take it back to original, the
original numbers matching drivetrain is available as well!
Cameo White is this car's original color and it might even be the
car's original paint. Either way, it's older and has a nice patina
that actually works rather well. There are no major issues, but
there are a few scratches and signs of age that are simply
unavoidable, especially on a car with big decals and lots of
urethane parts. That said, the sucker looks wicked sitting under
the lights, especially with those big 17-inch wheels and raked
stance, and I'm not so sure I'd worry about the paint. The white
finish cleans up well and many T/A fans consider the '75-76 cars to
be the best of the second-generation cars thanks to the combination
of the early nose and later wrap-around rear window. The black and
red decal on the hood is in decent condition and shows some
restraint compared to some of its siblings and we especially like
the way the white paint highlights the painted portions of the
taillights, giving it a very cool look indeed. Panel fit is good
all around and there's just no evidence that this car was ever
rusty or wrecked.
The red interior is a fantastic choice with the white bodywork, and
those high-back bucket seats are as comfortable as they look. The
upholstery is in fantastic condition, again it's either really nice
original stuff or an older restoration and save for the headliner,
it's very nicely preserved. The headliner shows a little sagging
that could be remedied by a good upholstery shop, but everything
else is ready to rock. The engine-turned dash is full of bright,
clear gauges and it's optioned with power windows, a tilt steering
column and a factory 8-track (not functional, but there's a Pioneer
AM/FM/CD head unit in the glove box). Matching red floor mats
protect the carpets and the leather-wrapped wheel is still one of
Pontiac's better designs. The back seat is in excellent condition
and the trunk is correctly outfitted with gray mats and a
space-saver spare.
While the hood scoop says "400," this is now a code YY 455 cubic
inch V8 that was built for combat. With Edelbrock aluminum heads,
an upgraded cam, a big Holley carburetor, and MSD ignition system,
it barks and cackles like nothing GM was legally permitted to build
in 1976. It's got a traditional Pontiac performance look, starting
with the hood scoop/air cleaner housing and adding a set of cast
Pontiac valve covers and traditional Pontiac Turquoise engine
enamel. Up front there's a giant aluminum radiator to keep it clean
and there's a 700R4 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission behind
it, making this a surprisingly civilized machine when you're not
hammering the throttle. The engine bay is quite clean and nicely
detailed and most folks won't notice the engine swap, which is how
to do it right. The chassis is tidy but not detailed and with
Doug's long-tube headers and traditional quad exhaust tips, it
sounds wicked and looks right. Custom 17-inch wheels that closely
resemble the original Rally Is which come with the car are an
awesome choice and they're wrapped in 245/45/17 front and 275/40/17
rear performance radials.
A very cool Trans Am with great upgrades and an awesome look. A
great price considering what comes with the car plus all the hard
work is already done. Call today!