[Hesster1977]

The 1976 455 TA

Last of the 455's. Per an earlier post of mine, if you got a '76 455 4sp with the Limited Edition option, you got a rare one. Only 110 built.

My Bro had one in Firethorn Red, I had my Bandit at the same time, and we thought we were a couple of Bad Asses back in the late '70's.
Was at the local Monday car show yesterday (Fun Time Cruzers in MI), a guy had one there, and he lamented that is was "only 200HP".
I said - yeah, but do you know how much torque it has? Had no clue.
330 Ft-Lb @ only 2000 RPM! Not bad for stock.

Case in point, Horsepower is for braggin, Torque is what you feel on the street.
In General:
"The reason that large displacement engines are so popular with performance enthusiasts is that as displacement increases, so does the ability for the engine to make more torque at lower engine speeds. Which is why hot rodders love big engines."
https://www.streetmusclemag.com/tech...vs-horsepower/

[Hesster1977]

The 1973 Trans Am
Pontiacs answer to the Oil Embargo - a Big Block 455
Pontiac Mag Feb 1988

[TRADERMIKE 2012]

Originally Posted by Hesster1977

The 1973 Trans Am
Pontiacs answer to the Oil Embargo - a Big Block 455
Pontiac Mag Feb 1988

Mikes Reply:

Let's see, it's 1974, I worked at Sears gas station as their night manager. We have to service each and every car completely, got an occasional tip of $1.00, wow, but at the end of the night you had five bucks to take out the girlfriend on the next date. The gas line was a mile long and got longer at times, the Sears employees got 10% off so I ended up running the SRC card machine. They put the cash register in the AC and that was nice. I had to do all the managerial stuff like count the money to dip the large tanks. Unfortunately, I lost the tips from working the line, cheap store didn't even give me a raise, atta boy, pat on the back, you're so good, what a bunch of crap. You know what those $25 bucks by the end of the month could buy in 1974, in South Florida, give you one guess.

PS, where is the service we gave the older people when we were young. Today you have to pump your own gas and it costs ten times as much and forget about service and free water and air?

Then, go to the big box store and check and bag yourself out!

[Hesster1977]

'Nother X-400 Article.
The Grand Prix X-400, from Thunder Am Mag date April 1980

[TRADERMIKE 2012]

[QUOTE=Hesster1977;6342331]'Nother X-400 Article.
The Grand Prix X-400, from Thunder Am Mag date April 1980[/QUOTE

Mikes Reply:

It is easy to say that they should have produced the X-400 as is, but the cost was above the common pay grade and the Brass knew it.

[Hesster1977]

"Trans Am Spotters Guide"
History of the T/A's across the years of production.

[Hesster1977]

Royal Bobcat Firebird

[Hesster1977]

The "CAMMER FIREBIRD"
Pontiac Mag June 1988

This is a really cool engine. Had one in my 1967 Tempest Sprint and it was a light car, handled unbelievably, and kicked ass with this engine as the power plant. Had issues getting parts for a rebuild way back when for a rebuild, and prob not much different now, but I am sure all of the details is on the "OHC Thread". It was my first car as a teenager, and lot's of great memories.
I have seen just one Tempest with this engine at the local car shows, but never seen one in a Firebird.

More info on from the "OHC Tech" Thread.

https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...d.php?t=705666

[Hesster1977]

The Super Duty Banshee
Pontiac Mag Oct 1981

Didn't know there was a few editions of the Banshee, this one with a SD455, the other had a 4.0 L DOHC FI engine. Both were weird..

[77 TRASHCAN]

I wonder what that 4.0 engine was? A one off?

[TRADERMIKE 2012]

Originally Posted by Hesster1977

The Super Duty Banshee
Pontiac Mag Oct 1981

Didn't know there was a few editions of the Banshee, this one with a SD455, the other had a 4.0 L DOHC FI engine. Both were weird.

Mikes Reply:

Good find, I have not seen this version before now either. I wonder what year they are, if in a 1981 magazine and what does a 4.0 L DOHC FI look like? Some were on my computer I have stored a file on all the Prototype cars and If I can find it would that model be in it? I will look.

After re-reading I found it is 1974 and they mention it being 8 years old in 1981.

Where do you get the "4.0 L DOHC FI" from? I can't find it in the 2 Articles.

[Poncho60]

I've always thought there were only 2 Banshees made. One w the OHC six and the other w the 326 V-8.

[TRADERMIKE 2012]

Mikes Reply:

I did not find it here either?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontia...#427_Hemi_SOHC

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Good info on four Banshee models here. Including the 88 model with the 4.0.

https://www.corvsport.com/the-pontia...hat-never-was/

Clay

[Hesster1977]

Here is the other Banshee thread I posted somewhere else a while ago. Pg 2 & 3 covers the 4.0 Engine.
Based on the link below from QS, it is the "Banshee IV 1988 version".
"This was a purely experimental engine and was leftover from a previous design effort that had since ceased."

I bet the Corvette brass did not like the first 1964 Version - looks almost like a Mako Shark or Motion Performance's Manta Ray.
The 1974 III Version looks like a inverted Bathtub with Snowflake Wheels

[Hesster1977]

As a supplement to post #147, here is a article
"NIGHT SHIFT"
on street racing the 1969 Royal Bobcat Firebird.

Pontiac Mag Oct 1984

A good read.

[TRADERMIKE 2012]

Originally Posted by Hesster1977

As a supplement to post #147, here is an article
"NIGHT SHIFT"
on the street racing the 1969 Royal Bobcat Firebird.

Pontiac Mag Oct 1984

A good read.

Mikes Reply:

After reading this Article about the race in Huntington long Island, my ears went up because I moved from there to move to Florida in 1974, missed the race too bad...Plus it would have been Suffolk County jail if they got caught.

[Hesster1977]

A short article about Pontiac "Cammers".
Thunder AM Mag Feb 1982

[Hesster1977]

The 1971 GTO.
Thunder Am Mag Feb 1982

[TRADERMIKE 2012]

Originally Posted by Hesster1977

The 1971 GTO.
Thunder Am Mag Feb 1982

Mikes Reply:

Quite the rite -up, I wonder if the 1971 Chevelle Malibu had both rear and front suspension sway bars, I ask because I had one for 16 years and I can't remember if it had the rear ones? Since I never owned or drove a 1971 GTO, how did the suspension compare to the Chevelle Malibu in 1971?