By the meter the 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am come to the market , Trans Ams had found their niche . Despite ever - higher cost , end product rose again as Pontiac sold one Trans Am for every three Firebirds – even start at $ 4740 with a standard 185 horsepower 400 - cid V-8 .
Pontiac Firebird Image Gallery
A fairish act of Americans still seemed to importune on operation . The brawniness era ’s death knell may have vocalise , but young hot - railroad car enthusiasts were n’t ready to let it pass away completely – even if horsepower continued its down slide .
Wraparound rear windowpane and revise computer graphic had marked the 1975 models , which see the again - optional 455 - cid V-8 engine emasculated to 200 H.P. .
Both the Firebird ’s body and its interior earned some tending for 1976 . Reshaping of the " shovel - nose " Endura front end gave it a more aerodynamic feel , accented by inbuilt body - color bumper ( at both front and rear ) . Taillamps also were modify . engineer made few changes , leaving thing well enough alone .
Trans Ams hold a standard 185 HP 400 - Criminal Investigation Command V-8 , as they had in 1975 . Except in California , the big 455 V-8 remain usable , again give away at 200 HP . Trans Ams proceed to display their huge Firebird emblem , sometimes derided as the " screaming poulet . "
T - roofs arrived for the first clock time . The Trans Am T - top actually was a Limited Edition , with only 643 built ; but that option would gain popularity in subsequent age . paint Starlight Black and Au , those Hurst - converted Trans Ams memorialize Pontiac ’s fiftieth anniversary . A aggregate of 1947 Trans Am Specials wear a conventional roof .
gasolene shortage seemed to be forgotten as Firebird output burgeon forth to 110,775 , including a whopping 46,701 Trans Ams – 42 percent of the sum .
