1970

First Year of Second Generation Trans Am Body Style

Total Production - 3,196

Two Colors - Lucerne Blue and Polar White

Only Year Offered with Low Back Bucket Seats

Two Engines - 345 hp RA III & 370 hp RA IV 400 CID V8'S

Only Year with 12-bolt GM rear axle

No engine displacement callouts on the Shaker

1971

Total Production - 2,116

Engine displacement grows to 455 CID

Lower compression ratio results in 335 hp (310 hp net)

Only one engine offered

High back bucket seats introduced along with "bucket" type rear seats

Trim Rings Offered on Rallye II Wheels

"Honeycomb" Polycast Wheels offered

GM 10-bolt axle replaces the 12-bolt

A 3-speed manual transmission is offered

455 H.O. engine callouts are added to the shaker

Cameo White replaces Polar White

1972

Total Production - 1,286

455 H.O. horsepower drops to 300 (net)

Last year for the functional shaker hood scoop

Last year for center stripe graphics

Polycast wheels now have Pontiac crest in center cap

Grille was changed to an elongated honey comb appearance

The GM-UAW strike of 1972 left 2,100 uncompleted Firebirds & Camaros on the assembly line that had to be scrapped

1973

Total Production - 4,772

The 455 H.O. engine is discontinued in favor of an new high performance variant, the Super Duty 455

The SD-455 was originally rated at 310 net hp, but a camshaft brought about by "irregularities" in Pontiac's EPA testing lowered the horsepower to 290

Lucerne Blue was out; Brewster Green and Bucaneer Red were in as exterior colors

The "screaming chicken", the popular nickname given to the new for '73 Trans Am optional hood decal debuts, with a more subdued nose decal of the same basic design being standard

The base 455 engine drops to 250 hp

Radial tires are available on the Trans Ams in a GR70x15 size, supplementing the standard F60-15 bias ply tires. The new radials are offered in blackwalls or (gasp) whitewalls!

The front bumper, although nearly identical in appearance the previous models, more mare robust in response to new federal bumper standards

1973 would be the last year for a chrome rear bumper and the larger two segment taillamps

The shaker scoop, was now non-functional, being sealed by a block off plate because of "noise emissions"

1974

Total Production 10,255

All-new front & rear appearance

The front end now was made of firbeglass and had a rubber coated bumper bar

The front spoiler was cut down severly

The rear tail lamps lost the chrome bezels and became a multi-segmented unit

The 400 returned as the standard engine, but was now rated at 225hp

Two 455's were optional, the 250hp base and the 290hp SD-455

1974 Was supposed to be the last year the 455 engine would be offered

The TurboHydramatic 400 and Muncie "Rock Crusher" were not offered after 1974

The small nose bird decal was no longer available, replaced by a Firebird emblem

A precurser to the 1976 50th Anniv. T/A was shown at the 1974 Chicago Auto show, but not offered to the public

1974 was the last year for true dual exhausts

1975

Total Production 27,274

Last year's front end was modified by moving the parking lamps to the grille

All-new rear window featuring a larger area

The 455 disappeared at the beginning of the model year and returned in the spring

The 455 was dubbed 455 H.O. but was no different than the engines offered in Safari Wagons

The 455 engine included metalic front disc brake pads

Chrome "side splitter" exhaust pipes were part of the 455 H.O. Package

All 455s were 4-speeds

All cars now had the catylitic converter and a single exhaust system with two tailpipes

1976

Total Production 46,704

An all new front an rear appearance featured more integrated front an rear bumpers

The 455 really disappeared after the 1976 model year

A 50th Anniversary model, available with or without Hurst Hatches was offered. This car was similar to the 1974 Chicago Auto Show show car. 2,590 were built

The polycast wheels were last offered in 1976

1976 was the last year for round headlamps

1976 was the last year an All-Pontiac engine line-up was offered

The Firebird emblem was still on the nose; in subsequent years this was replaced with the Pontiac crest