Last of the original American muscle cars shows its Big Block V8 power.
The 1974 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Super Duty 455 is regarded by many as the last of the greats from the original muscle car era. By 1974, most cars had gone away from a monster big block due to rising fuel economy concerns. With the last ditch effort of the Trans Am Super Duty 455, owners could still pack big block power. This YouTube video features a 1974 Trans Am Super Duty 455 running against a considerably quicker second gen Camaro.
The details on the T/A Super Duty 455 are slim, and we only know that it has been “warmed over.” We are going to assume that it has been refreshed to a near-stock form. Based on the launches and how smoothly it covers the track, it is safe to assume the car is running an automatic. The stock auto trans doesn’t stop it from turning a solid elapsed time.
To be exact, the ’74 T/A Super Duty 455 runs a 13.82 at 101.24 miles per hour. Digging through the details, we learn that later in the day, the big block Pontiac ran a 13.71 at 101.9 miles per hour. These aren’t mind blowing numbers in this age of stock muscle cars running low 11s. For a Firebird from 1974, it’s a solid reminder of why this car is often called the last of the great muscle cars.
Finally, if the Trans Am 455 doesn’t interest you, you can watch the Camaro in the far lane blast down the track in the high 10s. So, crank up your speakers and enjoy!
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
