1975 Pontiac Trans Am - Last Man Standing

The standard high-back buckets... 

   

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The standard high-back buckets were comfortable, despite the lack of rake adjustment. Note the plug in the doorjamb from the dealer-installed rustproofing. The optional rear speaker can be seen on the package shelf.

Why You Should Consider One
The fact that the '75 T/As haven't seemed to garner the respect of those that came before them and some that came after, is a benefit to the hobbyist who would like to actually enjoy his prize on the road and at the shows. The buy-in price is much lower than those other years, yet the '75 Trans Ams offer nearly all of the attributes that make the Second-Gen T/As great. Lacking only the neck-snapping power in stock form, some mild exhaust mods, (a rear-gear swap on 400 automatic cars), and engine super tuning will result in tire-smoking output that narrows the performance gap with its forbearers.

Our Feature Car
Carl and Dave Alger's '75 455 HO T/A is one of the best examples of the breed that you're likely to find, and it represents the high end of the price scale. This Cameo White T/A was located in Buffalo, New York, through AutoTrader magazine, and they purchased it in December 1995. "It was in excellent shape when we picked it up, and we didn't need to do anything to it," Carl says. It was the trip home, however, that nearly proved disastrous.

They arrived at the seller's house and looked over the T/A from top to bottom. Carl says, "It was a true, 11,000-mile, matching-numbers original." They made the deal, loaded it onto the trailer, and set out for Kentucky, but meteorologists were predicting heavy snow, so Carl and Dave decided to press on and try to beat the worst of it.

The odometer tells the story... 

   

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The odometer tells the story of this T/A's low miles.

Despite the treacherous weather, they arrived safely in Lexington late that night with the 455 HO Trans Am. They realized just how lucky they were when Carl woke up the next morning and turned on the Weather Channel to find that New York was hit hard. It was so severe that state officials shut down the highway for a few days to remove the few feet of snow that fell.

Going through the included paperwork revealed that the T/A was ordered by an 18-year-old kid from Austin Pontiac in West Seneca, New York, in July 1975 and was built in the fifth week of that month. In addition to the 455 HO package, it received a few other options, including a hood decal; rear window defroster; power windows; tilt steering wheel; front seat console; AM/FM radio with rear sear speaker; Soft Ray glass; and roof drip moldings. As a result, the window sticker read $5,604.10.

The dealer installed splash guards ($17.95), body side moldings ($35), and rustproofing ($129.50). The Alger's favorite appearance item, however, is the scoop decal. The passenger-side 455 HO decal was applied askew at the factory, and it hasn't been touched.

The standard interior had... 

   

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The standard interior had no pull strap on the doors and retained the Firebird emblem on the panel.

While this may be one of many Trans Ams in the Alger's burgeoning collection, it's not "just another" Trans Am. It has a distinct character and is painted Cameo White with blue graphics, a very T/A color scheme. The crooked decal gives it major cool points, and the original drivetrain, paint, and interior make it a rare find. Carl claims he and Dave haven't had to touch the car except repaint the engine. The condition was so immaculate that it's just a wash and wax away from the next show.

Conclusion
Pontiac persevered in 1975 not only by retaining the 400-powered Trans Am when most other ponycars and musclecars went away, but also with the bold move of introducing the 455 HO option in the midst of a recession, ever-tightening emissions standards, and concen-trated focus on increasing fuel economy.

The gamble paid off as the Trans Am and Firebird went on to record sales. Now you, like the Algers, can enjoy the fruits of Pontiac's mid-'70s labor. T/As from this era are still a great buy for the hobbyist who cares more about enjoying his Pontiac than whether or not it can provide instant financial gain on a quick flip at the auction. Get yours while they're still underdogs.