Documented Loaded West Coast Trans Am 455 4 Speed

If you haven't been paying attention lately, Pontiacs are RED HOT. Maybe the demise of the brand fueled the fire, or maybe it's just the fact that the words “Pontiac” and “muscle car” are as synonymous as “torque” and “tire smoke”, but top-notch Pontiac metal continues to steadily gain value. And when you think of Pontiac, one of the first cars that comes to mind is the mighty Trans Am. In the first three months of 2012 we've sold FIVE second generation Trans Ams to satisfied enthusiasts who were either looking for a nice, long-term investment opportunity or just wanted a bad ass muscle car to enjoy on the weekends. This fully sorted 1973 Firebird Trans Am is one of those cars that everyone has asked us to find for the last three years. It's a documented, early F2 'bird which features all original California sheetmetal, a tough 4-speed transmission and, best of all, a highly desirable, numbers matching 455 V8. The day of the Trans-Am is upon us, and NOW is the time to grab one up while prices are still within reach. So pick up the phone, buy this cool old Pontiac, enjoy it on the weekends and thank us in ten years when its value has tripled!

Before we go any further, I'll go ahead and decode this white hot Trans Am's VIN and cowl tag for you.

VIN: 2V87Y3N102185

* 2: Pontiac
* V: Trans Am
* 87: Sport coupe
* Y: 455 cubic inch V8 with a four barrel carburetor and dual exhaust
* 3: 1973 model year
* N: Assembled at GM's Norwood, Ohio manufacturing facility
* 102185: Production sequence number

COWL TAG:

* 73 --- 1973 model year
* 2FS87 --- 2: Pontiac FS: Firebird 87: two door coupe
* N --- Assembled at GM's Norwood, Ohio manufacturing facility
* 013036 --- Fisher body unit number
* 233 --- Standard Saddle interior
* 11 --- Cameo White lower body
* 11 --- Cameo White upper body
* 11B --- Assembled during the second week of November, 1972
* A51 --- Bucket seats
* WS4 --- Trans Am
* 120231 --- Fisher time date code

Assembled at GM's famous Norwood manufacturing facility in November of 1972, this awesome 'big block bird' was shipped across the country to Corey Pontiac in Salinas, California where it began a 35 year existence filled with immaculate maintenance and impeccable care. Today, still wearing all of its original, rust-free body panels, it displays a nice looking coat of GM code 11 Cameo White paint on top of smooth and solid surfaces that have never been damaged in any significant way. That cool white paint is complemented by a correct set of Trans Am 455 callouts which, along with an aggressive 'Screaming Chicken' hood decal, create some of the most iconic and desirable muscle car war paint in automotive history.

1973 was a defining year for the Firebird. Sales were slow and new 'low speed' crash mandates required that the car either be completely redesigned or jump on the bandwagon of hideous and hastily done nose jobs that were creeping into every automakers showroom. GM refused to spend the money on redesigning the car because of its low sales; and fortunately, Pontiac had a talented engineering staff which managed to blend both functionality and style into the car you see here. Up front, a straight and glossy Endura bumper hangs an aggressive Pontiac split grille, which is complete with a white inlayed “Pontiac” script, between clear halogen headlights and chrome trimmed parking lights. At the top of the car, a great looking “455” branded shaker hood sits in front of pristine glass which is bordered by well-maintained stainless trim. And at the sides of the car, body matched sport mirrors hang between traditional Pontiac fender vents, small chrome door handles and correct rear fender flares. At the back of the car, a D80 rear decklid spoiler visually aligns with a fresh copy of the final chrome bumper to ever adorn a Firebird or Trans Am of any kind. And a centered, white inlayed “Pontiac” script hangs between pristine stainless steel exhaust tips and the last set of 'small' tail lights to ever adorn a Trans Am rear valence.

Take a look under this Trans Am's new-for-1973 black and blue “Screaming Chicken” hood decal and you'll find an original 455 cubic inch L-75 V8 which wears a correct 485428 casting number, a September (I) 11th (11) of 1972 (2) casting date, a correct 102185 partial VIN and a “ZC” California engine stamp. Thanks to government mandated emissions standards, the muscle car era was coming to an abrupt end; and many of the models that virtually owned the streets not even five years earlier were, unfortunately, in their final days of production. Luckily, the car guys at Pontiac kept the faith and continued to offer multiple performance options through both the Firebird and GTO nameplates that still created the kind of torque rich power that muscle car buyers had come to crave. At 455 cubic inches, the L-75 was already one of the largest engines you could buy in 1973; and by utilizing an undersquare bore and new “4X” heads, it managed to meet ever increasing emissions standards while still turning a solid 8 to 1 compression ratio into 260 horsepower and a stump pulling 370 lb./ft. of torque! At the top of the motor, a reliable 4-barrel carburetor sucks air through pliable piping that scavenges a cool breeze from the car's left front fender. Below that carburetor, correct Pontiac turquoise paint coats the entire engine block, a correct points distributor sends fire through high quality Belden high temperature plug wires; and original exhaust manifolds send spent gases into a high performance aftermarket exhaust system. All the hard parts around the big motor, from the belt driven accessories and Delco Moraine brake booster to the seven blade cooling fan and nifty, radiator mounted coolant overflow tank are factory correct. The car's clean engine bay and hood are covered in a nice coat of GM satin black paint; and as expected decals, markings and stamps are just where they should be from the freshly stickered core support to the nicely cleaned cowl tag.

At the bottom of this slick second generation Trans Am, solid floorpans reflect years of sunny California living; and a fully sorted suspension tells the story of excellent maintenance and very little storage time. Behind the monster motor, a virtually indestructible Borg Warner 4-speed transmission sends power to a correct 10 bolt Posi-traction rear end which does a great job on both the back roads and the interstate. Below that stellar powertrain, a rebuilt Trans Am suspension, which includes power steering, thicker sway bars, better shocks and stiffer springs, combines with standard issue power front disc brakes and rear drums to provide quick stops and great handling. And at the center of the car, a power boosting mandrel bent true dual exhaust system barks out a deep, vintage sound from modern two chamber turbo mufflers and spotless stainless steel exhaust tips. All this road ready hardware rolls on a rare set of Pontiac honeycomb wheels which spin 235/60 BF Goodrich Radial T/As around pristine arrowhead center caps. And all of the cars hardware and bushings appear to be in good shape from its tie rods to its solid and leak-free fuel tank.

Open this Pontiac's straight white doors and you'll find a fully restored blue interior which does an excellent job of complementing the car's bright blue Trans Am call outs! The rebuilt Morrokide vinyl bucket seats are supple, firm, and look every bit as nice and rich as their exotic name implies. Below those seats, like-new blue carpet, which is carefully protected by factory replacement floor mats, displays no fading or unraveling; and between the seats, a molded blue console props an enclosed storage bin behind a chrome Hurst shifter. At the top of the car, a stain-free headliner is stretched tight from the front window to the back window. And at the sides of the car, standard blue door panels hang pristine chrome door handles between chrome window cranks and vinyl armrests. In front of the driver, an excellent looking engine turned dash houses crystal clear gauges, controls for heater, and a modern Sony CD player behind a black Formula steering wheel that's complete with a blue horn button. And behind the cockpit, a fully restored trunk hangs correct decklid decals above a new houndstooth mat.

Documentation for this awesome Trans Am includes a stack of Pontiac Historical Services paperwork and a vintage California blue plate.

Exciting cars from the mid-70s are pretty hard to find, and this highly desirable 1973 Trans Am 455 is a pristine example of Pontiac's contribution to a virtually non-existent performance car market. This is the kind of car that you can take to the show on Saturday and drive to work on a sunny Monday morning. And with its numbers matching engine, tough 4-speed transmission and killer color combination, it's set to provide a new lucky owner with years of reliable cruising and great memories. If you're in the market for an old school Trans Am that is the quintessential American muscle car; here it is. Grab it fast!