[TedRamAirII]

I talked to a guy last week, has a 74 455 TA. I noticed it was Auto Trans. He stated there are no 455 TA with a 4 speed? only SD came with a 4 speed. I thought that was odd, is that correct?

[unruhjonny]

yup.

Pretty dumb, huh!?

[pontiacstogo]

Originally Posted by TedRamAirII

I talked to a guy last week, has a 74 455 TA. I noticed it was Auto Trans. He stated there are no 455 TA with a 4 speed? only SD came with a 4 speed. I thought that was odd, is that correct?

Yep - all of the base 455's were autos. 4 speeds were only available on the SD and 400. 1750 400's were produced with 4 speeds.

[TedRamAirII]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

yup.

Pretty dumb, huh!?

Yep.I thought WTF? Dont know why Pontiac would deny a sale of a 455 with a 4 speed. Its not like it would be a big deal?

[thepontiacman]

Last year for TH400 trans. in the TA.

I had a 74 TA 455 auto

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by pontiacstogo

Yep - all of the base 455's were autos. 4 speeds were only available on the SD and 400. 1750 400's were produced with 4 speeds.

Huh!?

I didn't know those numbers were so low!?

[74talovergti337]

Not too different from the 3rd gens TA's. We have a different school of thought of course, but 3rd gens also were only manual in a 305 but 700R4's were the only trans of choice for the 350's. GM thought differently than enthusiasts I guess

[unruhjonny]

with the third gen it was totally different;
GM phased out the ST-10 four speed, and when it started to offer something more than a 305, the T-5 wasn't up to snuff for the job;
So where as the higher powered engines were more often than not reserved for manual transmission applications, for later third gen cars, the higher powered (350) engines were reserved for the automatic.

The sole anomaly throughout the second gen as far as engine and transmission combinations are concerned is that 1974 L75.

The L75 was dropped from the Firebird line after 1974, but after public outcry, L75 engines were essentially taken from the full sized car production, and again offered in the Firebird (regrettably Trans Am only) for late 1975, and all of 1976;
The 1975 & 1976 L75 Firebirds ALL came with the ST-10.

The 1971 L75 Firebirds are a bit of a curiousity, as this was also an automaticv only offering. Unlike 1974 L74 cars, they were only offered only in the Formula model, and served as some sort of a stop-gap between the 300hp 400cid engine, and the 335hp 455HO. Like 1974 L74 cars, the 1971's were automatic only.

[bjohnsontx]

Here is my 1974 455 Auto that my son and I are restoring. He drives it to school on Fridays. It was originally Admiralty Blue so we plan to change it back to its original color.