Written by independent automotive journalist Steve Magnante
This 1969 Pontiac Trans Am Ram Air III (Lot #7001) will soon be crossing the block at the Palm Beach Auction.
Engine on the 1969 Trans Am (Lot #449).
In case you haven’t noticed, Pontiac Trans Ams are red-hot in the collector car marketplace right now, with great examples commanding unprecedented sums. Burt Reynolds himself witnessed this phenomena at the recent 2016 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale collector car event, where a verified Universal Studios “Smokey and the Bandit” movie promotion car sold for $550,000. Yep, anything Trans Am is rightfully shining extra-bright these days.
But as any student of the American muscle car landscape will tell you, there are Trans Ams … and there are Trans Ams. There exists something of a dividing line among enthusiasts, with cars built before the 1975 advent of catalytic convertors being seen as the more serious examples. In this realm, the Ram Air 400 and Super Duty 455 offerings are the most desirable of the breed.
The decklid spoiler is a prominent feature of the ’69 T/A.
This is to take nothing away from the 422,017 catalyst-equipped T/As built during the “smog era” of 1975-1981. What they lack in brutal acceleration they make up for with flash, macho styling and ever-improving brake, tire and suspension technology. Even though they may not crack the 13-second barrier at the drag strip or lay 100 feet of rubber like their forbearers, the loud graphics, fender flares, split-outlet exhaust tips and Shaker hood scoops are just as appealing today as they were when disco reigned supreme. So what if a restrictive single catalytic converter lurked upstream of the sexy chrome tips? And too bad that the Shaker bubble is non-functional on all 1974-up T/As. Then, as now, heads turned wherever Trans Ams roamed.
A peek inside the 1969 Trans Am.
But for those who demand a higher level of substance with their style, we present the 1969 (Lot #7001) and 1970 (Lot #125) Trans Ams displayed here and soon to be offered at No Reserve at the 2016 Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach, Florida, event. Born before GM’s 1971 decision to reduce compression ratios to 9:1 to suit unleaded gasoline, both of these T/As are powered by the Ram Air III 400ci V8 with 10.75:1 compression and 335hp. With free-breathing cylinder heads, efficient Rochester Quadrajet carburetors and 430 ft/lbs of torque, many experts agree the Ram Air III 400 is one of Pontiac’s best street-performance engines. These two fully restored beauties are also equipped with GM’s dependable, firm-shifting TH400 automatic transmission. And that is where the similarities end.
Another car to watch for in Palm Beach is this fully restored 1970 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am (Lot #125).
Beyond the shared blue-on-white paint scheme, a quick glance reveals major differences in virtually every detail. If you’re one of the many who automatically associates all Trans Ams with the sleek, rounded fastback body style made famous on the silver screen by Burt Reynolds and Sally Fields, think again. The debut T/A was actually based on the first-generation 1967-1969 F-body (GM insider speak for the Firebird/Camaro platform), of which a mere 697 were built (689 hardtops and eight convertibles). Keep in mind, the 1969 Trans Am was much more than a Cameo Ivory Firebird 400 with Nassau Blue racing stripes. Pontiac spent hundreds of thousands in tooling for its functional twin-scoop steel hood, simulated front fender air extractors and decklid spoiler. That less than 700 were produced makes Pontiac’s decision to invest in so many unique, not-shared-with-lesser Firebirds parts all the more impressive.
The engine in the 1970 T/A.
By the dawn of the ’70s, the pony car market segment was overcrowded and no longer expanding. But GM wisely doubled down with an all new, second-generation F-body. The Trans Am was elevated from an option package to a stand-alone model and sales blossomed to 3,196. Even though the second-generation Firebird shared the same 108-inch wheelbase and semi-unitized construction strategy, it was an entirely different car. Drawing from Ferrari and Maserati, its body was far sleeker, smoother and lower. Rainy days brought wet shoulders thanks to the elimination of rain gutters, and with the carpeted driveshaft tunnel bisecting the back seat bottom cushion, Firebird became a strict 4-seater.
Interior of Lot #125, the second-generation Trans Am heading to Palm Beach.
While the 1969 Trans Am set new standards of handling for Pontiac production offerings, the revised 1970 T/A took things even further. Fifteen-inch rims opened the door to wider, stickier tires, and GM redesigned the steering to position the linkage ahead of the spindles rather than behind them. Further, the upper and lower A-arms were made wider and the track width was enlarged 1.7 inches compared to the 1969 model. These changes enhanced steering response and handling, but are just the beginning of a long list of details that separate the first and second generations of these legendary Pontiac performance cars.
One detail both cars share is the completion of a high-level restoration to bring them to as-new condition. Additionally, each has been fully verified by PHS (Pontiac Historical Services). This is especially helpful with the 1969 model, since the VIN does not contain any codes to confirm its status as a true one-of-697-built Trans Am. All there is to work with is the eighth character, where 1 = V8 and 6 = 6-cylinder. Naturally, this 1969 Trans Am displays the V8 engine code (1), but the PHS documentation seals the deal without question.
Beyond the shared blue-on-white paint scheme, there are major differences between the first- and second-generation Trans Ams.
In the case of the 1970 T/A, Pontiac did us a favor all those years ago by assigning a specific code to each Firebird model when the second generation arrived. On a Trans Am, the VIN must begin with 228, as seen here. For the record, other codes include 223 (base Firebird), 224 (Firebird Esprit) and 226 (Firebird Formula 400). Once again, PHS documents assure legitimacy.
As we look over this pair of street-legal SCCA Trans Am homologation specials, choosing a favorite is difficult. To many, the 1969 T/A stands out as the last of the first generation of Firebirds. Compared to its cousin, the 1969 Camaro Z/28 (also in its final first-generation year), which sold 20,302 units, the miniscule output assures desirability. Then again, if the 1970 T/A’s ground-hugging stance, functional Shaker hood scoop, deep flairs and spoilers don’t get you, then its status as the launch point for every second-generation Trans Am should. Maybe the best way to solve the problem of favorites is to buy them both!
‒ Written by independent automotive journalist Steve Magnante
For up-to-date information on these and other vehicles on the Palm Beach docket, click HERE.