Pontiac is a car brand name created by Oakland Motor Company in USA and which has been produced since 1926. In the same year the company introduced its first car, the five passenger one in NY Auto Show. Pontiac has been sold by the performance division of General Motors for years, especially to the United States,Canada, and Mexico.
In 2009 the company had financial problems and said that there no Pontiacs will be produced after 2010. Instead they will focus on Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC.
In a book called “ American Classic Cars ” by Richard Nicholls, there are Pontiac models mentioned in several different pages but on page 230, there is Pontiac Trans Am SD455 produced in 1974. It is the car of dreams of American youth. It says about the car that;
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“ If you wanted a muscle car of the old school in 1974, there was only one manufacturer who could go to, and that was Pontiac.”
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“ If you wanted a muscle car of the old school in 1974, there was only one manufacturer who could go to, and that was Pontiac. They offered the SD455 (Super Duty) in limited numbers (just 953 were made) but the car was built almost as if the fuel crisis had never happened. Underneath it used a raised transmission tunnel, so the body could be mounted lower on the suspension, thus improving the centre of gravity for beter handling, and the drive train was pure muscle, thanks to a 455ci (7.4 litre) with four-bolt main caps, forged pistons and a massive 800cfm Quadrajet carburettor. Inside it stil looked 1970s, but it still showed the way dash layout was going, with a flataliminium plate housing several dials for maximum driver information, plus a sporty three-spoke Wheel. The car’s performance meant the limited-slip differencial and front disc brakes were much needed.
The top speed for Pontiac SD455 is 211 km/h and it reaches to 96 km speed in 5.4 seconds. The engine type is V8 and the displacement is 7.456 cc. Its weight is 1.661 kg and it spends 4.60 litre per km.”
When you visit the web site of the brand; Pontiac – history and heritage of Firebirds it says ;
“ The king of the LS2 engines the SD455 is one astounding, groud pounding powerplant.Even with the limitations of Federal emissions standards, the SD455 performance was owesome. It has been said that the last great muscle cars were Pontiac’s Super Duty Firebirds of 1973 and 1974. breathtaking track times like a 13:90 second quarter mile at 106mph speak louder than words.”
If there is one thing learned about the SD through the years, it’s that it shares very little with it’s fellow 455’s. In fact, many of it’s components and designs came out of Pontiac’s 366 cubic inch NASCAR program. This engine was designed as a full bore racing engine from the ground up, and was then “adjusted” to appease the EPA. It TRULY IS a different animal from the block and heads to the carb and manifolds.
Also, what it took for the “Bad Boys” of PMD Engineering to bring the SD 455 from the drawing board to reality is muscle car history at it’s best. How they slipped it past GM’s top brass and the Feds is a story all it’s own that I think no other muscle machine can share. It makes the SD 455 Trans Am truly unique among it’s peers as it was born to pound pavement at a time when “Horsepower” was a dirty word.
Consequently, the Firebird SD is immortal, the engine is the biggest one produced in American Automobile history ,the brand is for the ones enjoying fame and creating a legend like old American films. We all wish to see you again Firebird.
Sources;
http://www.pontiac.com/experience/
“ American Classic Cars ” by Richard Nicholls
http://www.angelfire.com/mi/jamos1/
