Screaming Chicken: ’74 Pontiac Trans-Am 455SD
We often write about the demise and subsequent resurgence of the American muscle car era. We know who to blame and it wasn’t for lack of demand by power-hungry consumers. Yes, those were the days of gas prices soaring to over a dollar a gallon! So it is remarkable that anyone could afford driving a car like today’s featured Pontiac Trans-Am 455SD. The 455 engine was made available in the second generation Firebird Trans Am and was arguably the last high-performance engine of the original muscle car generation. The 455ci engine first made its appearance in 1971 as the 455-HO. In 1973-74, a special version of the 455, called the SD-455, was offered and that is what is in this car. The SD-455 consisted of a strengthened cylinder block and a host of internal modifications. However the mild cam, combined with a low compression ratio of 8.4 resulted in 290hp. Some sources suggest that was “under-rated.” High Performance Pontiac magazine dyno-tested an SD and gave it 371hp. Pontiac offered the 455 for a few more years, but tightening restrictions on vehicle emissions guaranteed its demise. We actually like this version of the Trans-Am with its distinctive “shovel-nose” Endura bumper. This one has some celebrity ownership history but that should have no impact on valuation. It is just a really nice one in a great color and the right equipment including a working 8-track stereo and cold A/C. According to SCM Price Guide, these 455SDs can fetch over $50 grand in great condition and throw in an extra $1,000 for Ram Air. So the Buy It Now price for this one is only a little bit high at $49,800 for a driver quality car. Click here for the listing.