The 1974 Pontiac Firebird, Formula & Trans Am
Lot#2

This Trans Am is owned by John Sattler. John writes:      "I own a 1974 Trans Am restored to original configuration with 1987 paint spec (midnight saphire blue). The Rally II wheels are replaced in this picture with Cragar S/S's. They add highlights to the vehicle which otherwise would have little chrome. These will be replaced with 15 X 8 Rally II's to match the Michelin pilots now on the car which increase the handling of the car tremendously. The original engine is being restored back to the original configuration (400 C.I.D. 225bhp). However, the engine going in the car this spring is an 400 C.I.D. .030 overbore balanced bottom end, 10:1 pistons, ram air IV cam, edlebrock top end, polished, ported, blueprinted and CC'd heads, headers, Etc. This engine is rated at 435bhp at 5200rpm and 425lbs torque. The new red line is set at 6500. This car is not raced but is driven to and from car shows in my area."

Jeff Cronin owns this immaculate Firebird Esprit. Jeff writes:      "I recently found this car; and bought it from the original owner. She purchased it in January of 1975 and had every receipt from the original window sticker to the last oil change. She is 74 years old now. The Firebird is 99% original with 95k actual miles, perfect black interior, power windows, and an inflatable spare that's never been used. Its  perfect and amazing! Only change thats ever been made, the stereo was upgraded to an aftermarket Pioneer with Jensen speakers. It has the 350c.i. engine." Regards, Jeff

This great looking Formula is owned by Jeremy Webster. Jeremy writes:      "Just last week I had an opportunity to purchase an 80% - 90% restored 1974 Firebird Formula 350. The guy needed the money and I got it for a good price. He'd repainted it and rebuilt and repainted the stock engine. The engine has been bored, and he'd muscled up that 350 quite a bit... he patterned his work after a 320 HP 350, and it has a lot of performance parts under the hood, as well as parts from Pontiac 400 engines. He'd done quite a good job of restoring what he'd been able to on limited funds (Incidentally, he still has a Formula 455 engine he'd bought to put in the car, but had decided not to so he could keep the original engine. Hmm, maybe if I'd have offered a little more money... :)  The body's perfect except for the fact that it's missing the emblems that came on the fenders, the firebird emblem on the nose, and it has a crooked and slightly cracked rear bumper. Apparently a previous owner had a "slight" jack slip years ago. A friend and I are going to set out fixing the rear end pronto. I also plan to replace the mags on the car with Rally II's. The interior is worse to look at than the exterior unfortunately, but most of it is niggly little stuff. The previous owner had just reupholstered the seats, but he had paint thinner on the butt of his jeans that ate off a little of the vinyl. The seating is white vinyl and the carpeting is black. The carpet is in great shape. The windshield has a slight crack in it that probably isn't very noticeable in the pics, but nevertheless I will replace it. The steering wheel in the car is definitely NOT the one that came with it... it's a Pontiac steering wheel, but it's the three-spoke type I've seen in a lot of the Bonneville's and such from that time. That'll get switched too. The center console has... ugh... cigarette burns that have melted the plastic, and the console box isn't the original for the car and doesn't fit right. And, as you could have guessed, the car belonged to a smoker, so the previously white headliner is now streaked with dark yellow stains. Hopefully I can get the stains out. If not, I'll replace it. The car rumbles like nothing I've ever heard... it certainly sounds powerful! Hopefully I'll have the rear bumper in tip-top shape soon so I can cruise it as a project car through some car shows. Well, that's all I've got to say about that. If you'd like me to send in pictures of the car as I restore it or after I restore it, let me know and I'll do so. A couple of these pics also have glimpses of my '82 in them... It's supposed to warm up next week, and if it does, I'll send you pics and info on that one too. :)" Sincerely, Jeremy Webster Canton, Kansas

Trans Ams and Formulas have always captured the spotlight with most Firebird and performance enthusiasts. Matt Barry's Firebird proves that Firebirds can still be exciting and pack some performance excitement. Matt writes:      "First, my '74 Firebird.  I bought it during my second semester of college.  Completely stock car with a 350 2bbl, automatic, airplane gears in the rear, vinyl roof, air conditioning, and a set of corroded ET Mag wheels.  As soon as I bought the car, I redid the entire brake system and bought a set of American Racing wheels off of my uncle for $120.  The car has been my daily driver through rain, snow, and the occasional patch of nice weather between for the past 3 1/2 years. During that time, I've rebuilt the engine, tranny, front suspension (PST Polygraphite kit = incredible handling difference), rear suspension, and replaced the vinyl roof.  With the stock gears in it, the car isn't very quick, but I can pull over 60 mph in first gear.  When I rebuilt the engine at 140k on the odometer, the machine shop just polished the crank and cylinders.  There was no need to cut down the journals or bore the cylinders.  The interior and body work is next for the car if I ever get enough money after my T/A payments....  Since I got the T/A, the '74 is sitting in my great-grandmother's garage waiting for classic plates and the little bit of TLC that it needs to be new again. One side picture of the Firebird has the American Racing wheels and the other has a set of wheels off of a '76 T/A that I bought for mounting my winter tires on." Matt also owns a black 2000 Trans Am that can be seen in 2000 Firebirds Lot#1.

This classic Buccaneer Red Trans Am is owned by Glen Hagan. Glen writes:      "Hello,  I'm submitting photos of my '74 Trans Am that I've owned since 1980. Slightly modified inside but stock looking outside except for the "Painted to Match" Corvette Rally Wheels. Specs: '74 455 Automatic Car, Buccaneer Red, Camel Interior            Full Frame and 6pt Roll Cage            Manual Valve Body 400 Trans w/10 Bolt Posi 3:42 Rear            Chevy 502 Big Block Engine, approx 520hp 640ft torque            Aluminum GM Heads Hope you can post it with the other really nice '74's you have on your site. I'm also in the process of restoring another '74 455 auto car in Cameo White. That one will be a stock resto with blue decals, Black interior."        Thank you  Glen Hagan   NJ

Bob Hamm owns this red Formula. Bob writes:      "Here is my '74 Formula 400. Buccaneer red with black interior. The outside has '69 T/A vents just to give it some interest, inside a six point roll bar with a four point Simpson harness for the track. All Hotchkis suspension, 3:42 rear with an Eaton posi. Turbo 400 heavily massaged with a 2,500 stall converter. The engine has worked 4X heads, an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold port matched to the heads, Q-jet Jet performance stage two 750 cfm carb, MSD ignition, Hooker Supercomp ceramic coated headers, an X pipe and two chamber Flowmasters. The car rides on BFG's and American Racing wheels. Hood scoops are functional and the dash has been redone in candy red to match the car and safety belts. This is one of several Firebirds I own including a '67 Bobcat GTO. In the works is a '72 Formula, two '67 400's and a complete make over for the 10th car." Bob also owns a 1979 10th Anniversary Trans Am (mentioned) and it can be seen at Anniversary Firebirds Lot #4 and he recently purchased a 1972 Formula for his daughter Mallory which can be seen at Project Firebirds Lot #5.

This is a great example of a 1974 Formula. The pics were provided by a former owner. 400 4bbl/dual exhaust (middle engine available in '74) 225hp 330lbs-ft/torque TH-400 trans Sunstorm yellow with saddle interior A/C Power windows Power door locks AM/FM "Stereo" with 8 track! Pics courtesy of Mike Buenting.