In 1967, Pontiac introduced the Firebird model as a contender in the muscle car and pony car segments, in answer to Ford’s Mustang and Chevrolet’s Camaro. Running until 2002 over four generations, the Firebird was a much-loved car from GM’s lineup and would see quite a bit of screen time too. Second-generation Firebirds were synonymous with Burt Reynolds in ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ as well as ‘The Rockford Files, whilst the third generation would become a much-loved hero in the shape of KITT from Knight Rider. If a Firebird is your catch, why not hook this 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 Manual from Arizona that’s an enthusiast-owned, PHS-documented example that’s gone through plenty of refurbishment and restoration, and comes with receipts and documentation too. The seller reports that the car is a ‘tire fryer’ after all the work!

Exterior and Interior

The second-generation Firebird replaced the coke-bottle styling of the first with a swoopier and more flowing body style which this 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 Manual beautifully shows off in its new Starlight Black paintwork and sports new decals too. It rolls on 17x9 Year One honeycomb alloy wheels with Pontiac logo on the center caps that give it a lovely resto-mod style appearance. The hood sports the iconic ‘Screaming Chicken’ decal Climb aboard and you are greeted by a black interior that’s reportedly 90% new and offers seating for up to four occupants. The gauges have been replaced by modern Cobalt units, and an interior kill mat has been installed too.

Engine

Here’s where things get superbly interesting. This 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 Manual packs the aforementioned 455ci (7.5L) V8 that’s reportedly period-correct but not numbers-matching. The gearbox is a Super T10 4-speed manual that’s been rebuilt, with a McLeod clutch and pressure plate, and a 3.73 Posi rear differential. The motor’s seen a whole lot of enhancements, including Icon pistons, Scat rods, Crower Level 3 cam, MSD distributor, coil, ignition, and wires, Holley 750 double-pumper, Harland sharp roller rockers with Polylocks, Holley Street Dominator intake and headers, Flowkooler water pump, Milodon 7-quart oil pan, Gen 2 Drop base from Shaker, and Griffin aluminum radiator with dual electric fans. Fueling is helped by a new electric fuel pump and a new tank. The motor’s also been reportedly balanced and blueprinted, with the heads ported and polished and the intake decked and matched. Braking is via four-wheel disc brakes with a new brake booster and master cylinder. There’s also new steering and suspension, with 2-inch lowering springs at the front and rear.