The 70-1/2 Trans-Am Firebird was an awesome car, but somewhat of a mixed bag of hardware and image. Pontiac licensed the “Trans-Am” name from SCCA (the Sports Car Club of America). The Trans-Am racing series was very popular in the late ‘60s when GM and Ford pony cars raced in the series. Chevy came out with the Z-28 in ‘67 specifically as a base to build race cars. Pontiac then release the Trans-Am in ‘69. The car got a little attention and was overshadowed by the Z-28.

But when Chevy unveiled the all-new ‘70-1/2 Camaro and and Pontiac the Firebird and the Trans-Am inspired versions, car lovers were blown away by the Trans-Am. The new T/A was simply stunning and made the Z-28 look somewhat incomplete. The T/A had a distinctive front spoiler that wrapped up in front of the front wheel openings and a big flipper rear spoiler. The front fenders had cool looking engine compartment vents. The hood didn’t had just a scoop, it had a “Shaker Scoop” that faced backwards so that it could draw in cool air from the negative air pressure area at the base of the windshield. With a single wide stripe that ran over the hood and top of the car, the overall look was “DON’T MESS WITH ME!”

However, where as the Z-28 was using a 350 cid small-block (the 302 version was enlarged), the Trans-Am used a big-block 400 cid engine. And to ice the cake even more, there was a 455 Super Duty version! Clearly the big-block Trans-Am Firebirds weren’t “Trans-Am Racing Series” material, but they sure were winners on the street and the strip.

Happily, the Trans-Am, the Z-28, and the Mustang ended up being the longest running of all of the pony cars from the mid-to-late '60s to today!