This Gorgeous 1974 Pontiac Super-Duty 455 Trans Am Just Sold For $173,600!

[CobraBob]

A beautiful 1974 Pontiac Trans Am recently sold at the Broad Arrow Auctions (Amelia Island, Florida), for big money. $173,600 to be exact! Most ever for a 1974 Trans Am.

This Trans Am has Admiralty Blue paint and is one of only 943 sold with the legendary Super Duty 455 cu-in V8. It was also one of only 212 equipped with a four-speed manual. Unfortunately, due to period emissions regulations, this Super Duty only was rated at 290 hp. But it LOOKED like it had 400+.

It's reported that the original owner paid a mere $5,567.75 and kept it for 40 years before selling it to the consignor about 10 years ago. This beauty has only 15,985 miles on the odometer. Here are some pics!

 

[HAMMRHEAD]

Not very fast by today's standards but, Colossal Burnouts!

 

[MG0h3]

Was there a non super duty 455?

Buddy in high school had a 455 TA auto.

Beat him in my H/C/I 83’ GT


Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

 

[72MachOne99GT]

That’s pretty sharp.

I wonder how many mint ‘74 Mustangs you could grab for that price? 173?

 

[Outlaw99]

My favorite older car. The Trans Am. My brother had a 6.6.

Sent from my SM-S908U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[andymarkv]

Was there a non super duty 455?

Buddy in high school had a 455 TA auto.

Beat him in my H/C/I 83’ GT

Yep, father in-law test drove one back in '74 and said it was a complete dog...(I think it just got the "normal" low compression smog head 455 that came in full size cars)
The SD cars got the good stuff! Just not many of them.

 

[CobraBob]

I used to own a 1974 Chevelle Laguna Type S3. It had a lowly 350 2-barrel making 145hp. The 454 4-barrel engine made only 245hp; 45hp less than the Super Duty 455. Performance took a back seat to design frills back then.

 

[Recon]

Nice. The super duties bring respectable money for the those model years. It was the last ditch attempt at a performance muscle car during the gas crisis. Though the hp spec I’ve always heard for the SD455 is 310.


Sent from somewhere in the twilight zone…

 

[tones_RS3]

I used to own a 1974 Chevelle Laguna Type S3. It had a lowly 350 2-barrel making 145hp. The 454 4-barrel engine made only 245hp; 45hp less than the Super Duty 455. Performance took a back seat to design frills back then.

I LOVE that body style!!

 

[04MysticCobra]

73 was the last year of the really great looking Trans Am's before they changed the front in 74. When I was 18 just out of high school my friend had a new 73 Trans Am 455SD like the one in the pic. I had a 72 Formula Firebird just like the one in the pic. We had some great races on interstate 80 back in the day when it was not so crowded. Great cars for their time period.

 

[CobraBob]

@04MysticCobra, that was a really nice 1973 Trans Am you had. You might enjoy this "take me back" 1973 Trans Am video. Same paint you had. Since your photo is obviously from this video, you probably already watched it. If so, others might enjoy watching it.



Here's a nice video highlighting the 1970 Trans Am Ram Air IV. My favorite Trans Am model year.

 

[mc01svt]

i love old skool trans am but the 74 is ugly and slower than a bowel movement.

1970 trans am with the ram air 400 is where its at.

 

[robvas]

Wow, even the smog motor cars are going for insane prices.

I mean you could always LS swap it..

 

[04MysticCobra]

Thanks Bob but the 73 Trans Am was my friends ride and I had the Formula 400 Firebird. Coming from my 69 Judge Ram air car like the one pictured below I preferred the lighter weight 400 Ram Air motors over the heavier 455's. Love all the year Trans Am cars from 69 to 73 but the Ram Air 400's especially the 1969 which is the rarest and most valuable. I got my 1969 Judge at 16 it was my first car and learned how to drive manual on it. The car did amazing hole shots with the pro trac tires I had out back. It was a fun time back then but the performance of these cars does not come close to today's high HP rides. My two 03/04 Cobras and two 13/14 GT500's were quicker than any of my 60's or 70's cars owned and I did have a black 70 Motion Performance Corvette coupe with the rat 454 engine. That was a fun car.

The most valuable Firebirds from every generation - Hagerty Media

Almost everyone has an opinion about Pontiac Firebirds. Ours is that they’re pretty great. Here are the priciest cars from each generation.

insider.hagerty.com

 

[Fat Boss]

i love old skool trans am but the 74 is ugly and slower than a bowel movement.

1970 trans am with the ram air 400 is where its at.

Great car, but I'd take my friend's '69 every day of the week. Four speed car.

 

[CobraBob]

Thanks Bob but the 73 Trans Am was my friends ride and I had the Formula 400 Firebird. Coming from my 69 Judge Ram air car like the one pictured below I preferred the lighter weight 400 Ram Air motors over the heavier 455's. Love all the year Trans Am cars from 69 to 73 but the Ram Air 400's especially the 1969 which is the rarest and most valuable. I got my 1969 Judge at 16 it was my first car and learned how to drive manual on it. The car did amazing hole shots with the pro trac tires I had out back. It was a fun time back then but the performance of these cars does not come close to today's high HP rides. My two 03/04 Cobras and two 13/14 GT500's were quicker than any of my 60's or 70's cars owned and I did have a black 70 Motion Performance Corvette coupe with the rat 454 engine. That was a fun car.

The most valuable Firebirds from every generation - Hagerty Media

Almost everyone has an opinion about Pontiac Firebirds. Ours is that they’re pretty great. Here are the priciest cars from each generation.

insider.hagerty.com

Oops. I read your post too fast. LOL. Well, your '72 Formula was a good looking Firebird, too. I can only imagine how much fun you had with the Motion Performance Corvette. Was that 454 the original Motion motor? I assume so.

 

[04MysticCobra]

Oops. I read your post too fast. LOL. Well, your '72 Formula was a good looking Firebird, too. I can only imagine how much fun you had with the Motion Performance Corvette. Was that 454 the original Motion motor? I assume so.

Thanks Bob and yes it was. Sadly the Motion Vette was broadsided and totaled in 1978 by my work right near Giants stadium in the meadowlands. Sad day in my early years for sure. Wish I had pics of that beauty. It was all black with the motion performance noted fender flares with American Racing Jet 5 spoke satin black polished lip wheels. Satin Black sidepipes and an L88 style hood. It had very light ghost flames in a darker blue on the front end that did not stand out but was nice. It drew crowds wherever I drove it and was loud as heck.

 

[Klaus]

@04MysticCobra, that was a really nice 1973 Trans Am you had. You might enjoy this "take me back" 1973 Trans Am video. Same paint you had. Since your photo is obviously from this video, you probably already watched it. If so, others might enjoy watching it.



Here's a nice video highlighting the 1970 Trans Am Ram Air IV. My favorite Trans Am model year.

I love MCOW

 

[CobraBob]

I used to watch the MCOW videos all the time. Haven't in awhile.

 

[oldmachguy]

i love old skool trans am but the 74 is ugly and slower than a bowel movement.

1970 trans am with the ram air 400 is where its at.

College roommate’s car (‘70 1/2 .. mid-year IIRC):