The first thing we did was buy a catalytic converter test pipe from JC Whitney to free up 25 HP! Then open up the shaker scoop for another 15 HP. Recurve the HEI distributor advance with lighter springs and weights, eliminate the air pump and EGR valve, swap in a 160 degree T-stat and you're running low 14 second 1/4 mile ETs.
Herb Adams knew exactly what he was doing, he and his engineer team were road racers and had the pulse of what was going on in the So Cal canyon scene and the mid 70s birds mimicked exactly what was going on there at the time even after he left Pontiac they carried on!
I drove one of these to high school my junior and senior year. I had an orange one. back then I remember I purchased the vehicle for about $4000 which is probably about $12,000 today.
The Buick, Olds and Pontiac 455 engines all took their final bow for 1976 as you said. The '76 442 carried the torch alongside the Trans Am with available 403 and 455 power in a good-looking Colonnade body, although only a handful of 442s came through with the 455 Rocket.
Muscle Car Campy, thanks for reviewing Mike Kelso's 1976 Trans Am. Mr. Kelso, thanks for offering enthusiats and Pontiac lovers an opporutnity to get a hands on experience with Pontiac's 1976 Trans Am.
I love these cars. They are a part of my 20's car memories. I wish you would have asked the owner what HP he has with the high compression heads and if he has run a 1/4 for time. Also what if anything did he have to do to the car after he purchased it? Finally whatever you can do to make the audio on your interviews clearer would make them so much better.
Back in 1989, I was looking for a decent '77-'79 TA or Formula (for that 'look' and 400 or 403 engine--the '80 and '81 were out), so perused the ads of the L.A. Times and L.A. Daily News. TAs were somewhat rare (rare as in 4 or 5 were found daily), and one day, an ad for a black '76 Trans Am popped up. The guy on the phone told me it was used as a prop and the location to see it was an office complex across the San Fernando Valley from where I lived. I arrived and a few people were coming in and out of the building. It was an office space that independent TV/film industry companies would rent temporarily (think low budget straight to VHS) for the production period. Some of the offices were rented by agents, so there was definitely a reason a bunch of attractive actress hopefuls were also seen everywhere. I found the office, and away we went. It was a black TA with the 'ugly' front end and Magnum wheels. It stated 455, but thinking back, it was automatic (I did not know how to drive stick at the time) so not sure if it was even a 'real' car as it appears the only 455 cars in 1976 were 4-speeds. At any rate, it was ugly and underwhelming in my opinion, so the $4k asking price was a bit steep in my opinion. The fact that it was used in a straight to video movie was not pulling my heartstrings. BTW, the one car I did regret not buying and did 'get away' was a 1979 Macho TA with a 4 speed for $1500, but that is a story for another time...
The shaker was on the TA into the 80's, and here is a bit of trivia for you the 76 TA like this one (only black of coarse) was the one in Smoky and the Bandit. Due to delays in production approaching 77 Pontiac sent them over new front fascias to spotlight their new look. ;<)
The first thing we did was buy a catalytic converter test pipe from JC Whitney to free up 25 HP! Then open up the shaker scoop for another 15 HP. Recurve the HEI distributor advance with lighter springs and weights, eliminate the air pump and EGR valve, swap in a 160 degree T-stat and you're running low 14 second 1/4 mile ETs.
Herb Adams knew exactly what he was doing, he and his engineer team were road racers and had the pulse of what was going on in the So Cal canyon scene and the mid 70s birds mimicked exactly what was going on there at the time even after he left Pontiac they carried on!
I drove one of these to high school my junior and senior year. I had an orange one. back then I remember I purchased the vehicle for about $4000 which is probably about $12,000 today.
The Buick, Olds and Pontiac 455 engines all took their final bow for 1976 as you said. The '76 442 carried the torch alongside the Trans Am with available 403 and 455 power in a good-looking Colonnade body, although only a handful of 442s came through with the 455 Rocket.
Muscle Car Campy, thanks for reviewing Mike Kelso's 1976 Trans Am. Mr. Kelso, thanks for offering enthusiats and Pontiac lovers an opporutnity to get a hands on experience with Pontiac's 1976 Trans Am.
Thank god he had the brains to drill out the 3 rivets in the shaker scoop plate and replace it with a screen! 😁
Nice Ride. If I couldn't get a 70-73, I'd go for the 76.
I love these cars. They are a part of my 20's car memories. I wish you would have asked the owner what HP he has with the high compression heads and if he has run a 1/4 for time. Also what if anything did he have to do to the car after he purchased it? Finally whatever you can do to make the audio on your interviews clearer would make them so much better.
I had a 76 455SD TransAm in the early 80s.
Back in 1989, I was looking for a decent '77-'79 TA or Formula (for that 'look' and 400 or 403 engine--the '80 and '81 were out), so perused the ads of the L.A. Times and L.A. Daily News. TAs were somewhat rare (rare as in 4 or 5 were found daily), and one day, an ad for a black '76 Trans Am popped up. The guy on the phone told me it was used as a prop and the location to see it was an office complex across the San Fernando Valley from where I lived. I arrived and a few people were coming in and out of the building. It was an office space that independent TV/film industry companies would rent temporarily (think low budget straight to VHS) for the production period. Some of the offices were rented by agents, so there was definitely a reason a bunch of attractive actress hopefuls were also seen everywhere. I found the office, and away we went. It was a black TA with the 'ugly' front end and Magnum wheels. It stated 455, but thinking back, it was automatic (I did not know how to drive stick at the time) so not sure if it was even a 'real' car as it appears the only 455 cars in 1976 were 4-speeds. At any rate, it was ugly and underwhelming in my opinion, so the $4k asking price was a bit steep in my opinion. The fact that it was used in a straight to video movie was not pulling my heartstrings. BTW, the one car I did regret not buying and did 'get away' was a 1979 Macho TA with a 4 speed for $1500, but that is a story for another time...
The 455 Pontiac engine was brought back into
Joe Oldham got a 15.62 at 91 MPH out of the 76 T/A he tested at Atco.
The shaker was on the TA into the 80's, and here is a bit of trivia for you the 76 TA like this one (only black of coarse) was the one in Smoky and the Bandit. Due to delays in production approaching 77 Pontiac sent them over new front fascias to spotlight their new look. ;<)
I'm starting to like 2nd gen T/As which aren't white and blue, or black and gold, more and more. The red scheme is perfect on that car.
76 was the last year of the shaker hood. Really. My 1981 TA that was my 17th birthday present damn sure had a shaker hood
I had the exact car except it was Carousel Red. After a week of driving brand new, I modified the engine from the carburetor to the exhaust.
Incredible love great content. I’m a sucker for the Trans Am.
These things really did handle nice.
The last of the Muscle Cars. And they could be woke up real easy.
Another great video !