[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by Brad Pringle

Can you tell me what month and yr the article on the test car was published. I would like to buy it. Thank You Brad

Hey Brad - darned if I can recall exactly what month C & D magazine that article was published.

My foggy, tired ol' brain wants to think March, April, May or June of 1973 issue.

I've got the magazine at home - somewhere . . .

[Jim Rotella]

Originally Posted by Lloyd-TX

Hey Brad - darned if I can recall exactly what month C & D magazine that article was published.

My foggy, tired ol' brain wants to think March, April, May or June of 1973 issue.

I've got the magazine at home - somewhere . . .

That article was in the May 1973 Car & Driver and the Hot Rod article was June of '73.

[LeighP]

Guys....you are all awesome......
I knew we'd be able to find some info on this....besides the new owner getting a heck of a kick out of this when I tell him, its a great find for Pontiac Firebird history fans as well.
Thanks very much to all who posted.

[falcon4]

Originally Posted by LeighP

Guys....you are all awesome......
I knew we'd be able to find some info on this....besides the new owner getting a heck of a kick out of this when I tell him, its a great find for Pontiac Firebird history fans as well.
Thanks very much to all who posted.

Wow great stuff.

[mscicluna007]

Just purchashed my first Pontiac and its a 1973 Transam.

A few things with the numbers had me stumped and when i received the PHS documents it really didn't help knowng their was once an SD in this car. Amazing.
The VIN showed the car was a firebird but the body tag has WS4.
their is a partial VIN on the firewall which matches the VIN on the Dash.


Has a WT 455 which is correct to that year but not the original VIN no. Engine. This engine belonged to a Manual but this car has T400 Auto.

So i sifted through all the receits i was given.

Nothing from the USA unfortunately but it seems it made its way to Australia by 1981 so she only lived in USA for about 8 years.

55639 miles in Queensland in 1981 for a rebuild
67875 miles in 1983 for a transmission service
69775 miles for registration in 1983
70492 miles for a service in late 1983

Than went to canberra where it got ACT Rego in 1984

Then to Melbourne in 2004

Now in Sydney the Clock reads

72511 miles

So assuming between 1973 and 1981 the car had done 55000 miles somewhere in the USA and another 17000 in AUS i would say the kms are genuine as after 1985 she was off the road from what i understand from previous owner.



The resto i am planning is as you see the car.
Back to Buccanneer Red and it had Deluxe Saddle Tan Interior.

I was going to leave it right hand drive as i have no plans on selling it so it but now i am thinking otherwise after reading up on it.

I am hoping its my one and only project.

Its a complete car so just a matter of getting it back to how it should look.

Thats if it doesn't become addictive.

Heres some Pics and in time i am sure i will keep you all posted.


If anyone knows more of the original owners or history i would love to hear about it.

Thanks to Rocky Rotella and Jim for your Info. Its great to actually hear theirs a story behind the Car.
Thankyou for all your support.

Regards

Michael

[mscicluna007]

Aso i know these look like novelty items on the car but before i rip things out if anyone knows if these were in the car at the time i will try and keep them.

The horn with alot of crazy tunes. It was still working.
The scotch 455 HO sticker which looks to have been made up and the 455 HO sticker on the shaker.

I dought the HO stickers are anything but before they are taken away and forgotten about i will put them out their.

Michael

[The Boss]

That car is a piece of Pontiac history, no different than the Silver 69 TA that was discovered recently. Put it back to LHD & find a SD motor for it.

Go buy a lottery ticket today - you are one lucky SOB!!!

[LeighP]

Michael...glad you joined up here....guys will be interested in your car.

[Lloyd-TX]

Welcome aboard Michael.

As The Boss stated, you are one lucky guy! That car is UBER famous and certainly has historical value. Since it was originally produced with a D-port 455 and then went to PMD engineering for a SD transplant, most certainly famous PMD engineers such as Herb Adams and Tom Goad, amongst others, have had thier butts in the seats.

If it were mine, I'd have to do my best to re-install a SD powertrain . . .

[Brad Pringle]

I just talked to a couple friends this winter about where this car was. In my research no one knew where it was. This is awesome news! Cant wait to see it in person! Please let me know when it hits the streets or an automotive museum! Brad

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by Jim Rotella

That article was in the May 1973 Car & Driver and the Hot Rod article was June of '73.

Thanks for saving me the trouble of finding that old magazine, Jim!

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by mscicluna007

Aso i know these look like novelty items on the car but before i rip things out if anyone knows if these were in the car at the time i will try and keep them.

The horn with alot of crazy tunes. It was still working.
The scotch 455 HO sticker which looks to have been made up and the 455 HO sticker on the shaker.

I dought the HO stickers are anything but before they are taken away and forgotten about i will put them out their.

Michael

VERY interesting car........I WANT THE HORN!

[johnta1]

Lloyd, was that article you posted the one for this car?
(in this thread)

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by johnta1

Lloyd, was that article you posted the one for this car?
(in this thread)

John, I didn't go through all the options to confirm, but Jim and Rocky did.

Short answer - yep.

[njsteve]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

VERY interesting car........I WANT THE HORN!

I remember that exact horn setup! My brother put one in his 1969 SS396 Camaro in the late 1970's. It was the cheesiest contraption you can imagine. It had hundreds of obnoxious songs to play when the horn button was pressed.

If you thought the Duke's of Hazard, Dixie horn was annoying, you should hear this thing.

[sd455hota]

Michael, that car and all the articles about it are what prompted me to buy my first SD. I believe it was this car that was part of an article along with a Pantera. I remember one of the remarks in the article was something like "at half the price, the Trans Am is twice the car". I always liked that one. Very rare part of Pontiac history you have. Congratulations on the find and enjoy it.

[Jim Rotella]

That same car was also featured in the Flat-Out American Classic in the July '73 Motor Trend. That article tested six of the best American cars to see which one was the fastest on a flat out run at the Ontario Motor Speedway. The fastest car.......the '73 SD 455 Trans AM with a top speed of 125.69 on the track's longest straightaway.

That car was also the subject of Car & Driver's tire test story that was featured in their June '73 issue. In that article 15 different sets of tires were tested on the red '73 SD T/A. C & D said they chose the Trans Am because it had Detriot's most powerful engine in 1973 and it could corner at 0.80g.

There certainly was a lot of interest in the SD 455 from car enthusiasts in 1973 and because that engine wasn't ready for production at that time, you can see why that single Super Duty car was passed around from magazine to magazine.

[Held for Ransom]

Do you have a picture of the trim tag?


My musical horn was different, but I remember that one too (yours is a Cal-Custom Super Horn).

[mscicluna007]

yes i do have in and chassis blade noting the ws4 option and code for deluxe saddle tan interior and buccaneer red. i am happy to put them on but before i do is it safe to post that sort of information on the net as in can it be replicated. i have noticed when matching numbers cars are sold parts of the VIN are blanked out . is their data theft to be concerned of.
that's why i banked the VIN on the PHS document at the moment.
let me know some of your thoughts before i post.

Michael

[Lloyd-TX]

Originally Posted by mscicluna007

yes i do have in and chassis blade noting the ws4 option and code for deluxe saddle tan interior and buccaneer red. i am happy to put them on but before i do is it safe to post that sort of information on the net as in can it be replicated. i have noticed when matching numbers cars are sold parts of the VIN are blanked out . is their data theft to be concerned of.
that's why i banked the VIN on the PHS document at the moment.
let me know some of your thoughts before i post.

Michael

Michael - I've posted complete VINs and other information here in the past, but since all of the scammers / spammers have become so bold I'm more careful now.

If the "chassis blade" you're speaking of is the cowl / body tag showing body #, paint and trim codes, etc. - I wouldn't be concerned. Other folks may have other opinions . . .