Ultra Rare 1973 Pontiac Trans AM Super Duty Comes Up For Sale With SD 455 and Sensible Mileage

The Pontiac Firebird was a pony and muscle car series manufactured by General Motors' division Pontiac from 1967 to the 2002 model years as the counterpart of the platform-sharing Chevrolet Camaro and as a direct rival for the Ford Mustang and Mercury Cougar tandem. It was produced across four generations, and also had a famous Trans Am specialty package, aimed at upgrading the handling, suspension, and horsepower of the regular model.

The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am has become a fixture of both the automotive community as well as a marked member of popular culture thanks to the appearance of the late 1970s examples in the Smokey and the Bandit (franchise). As such, it’s no wonder they have remained a hunted asset, both by regular car enthusiasts as well as professional memorabilia hunters.

Now, the dealership offers for sale “a documented two-owner” 1973 Pontiac Trans Am Super Duty 455, which has merely 56,160 actual miles on the odometer. That’s a little over 1,059 miles per year, by the way. This is a numbers-matching example originally ordered on March 27, 1973, through VanderZee Buick-Pontiac, Inc., according to the description.

The original owner kept it for most of its existence, and it’s one of just 180 Super Duty Trans Am cars packing the Hydramatic transmission, so this car “represents an exceptionally rare and highly collectible piece that would be nearly impossible to duplicate today.” According to the story, the original owner first considered acquiring a used 1965 Shelby Cobra, but it was too expensive, and instead went for the Trans Am.

The car will be sold with the original handwritten bill of sale, signed by dealer principal Raymond VanDerZee, and it originally carried a base price of $4,203.75 plus a $48 destination charge. However, it was commissioned with a list of factory options, including the $521 Super Duty 455 engine, which was fitted to only 252 vehicles.

The car is dressed in a striking Buccaneer Red hue and has a black vinyl interior “equipped with numerous desirable options, all fully documented and verified by PHS records that match the original order sheet:” the Lamp Group, AM radio with 8-track stereo, center console, roof moldings, Trans Am hood decal, tinted glass, electronic rear defroster, Ram Air hood, power windows, Delco battery, as well as the GR70x15 Honeycomb wheels, along with the Super Duty 455ci V8.

Authentication of the car has been confirmed with a borescope, and the original documentation includes the original title, bill of sale, owner’s manual, operating instructions, maintenance schedule pamphlet, PHS documentation, and window sticker, plus the original 1973 Super Duty 455 dealer service bulletin. The engine was rebuilt to factory specifications in 2000, and about a decade ago, the entire car went through a high-quality restoration, including a bare-metal refinish and an interior refresh.

Even the factory radio is still in place, and also the original Honeycomb wheels have been restored, including the matching spare, and are now fitted with correct GR70-15 tires. Naturally, given the scarcity of this configuration, the dealership is clearly asking an arm and a leg for this show-quality old-school muscle car: the company wants no less than $174,900, but it’s also open for debate via the online portal’s “make an offer” tab. So, what do you think – yay or nay?