1974 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SD-455

Pony car powered by Pontiac LS2 Super Duty 455 V8.

1974 Pontiac Trans Am Super Duty 455 exterior; exact-year SD-455 visual context, not individual-car paperwork proof.

Factory pathway Factory-built Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

Engine 455-cid Pontiac Super Duty V-8

Rated output 290 hp and 395 lb-ft, SAE net

1974 Trans Am SD-455 production 943 total; 212 manual and 731 automatic

Story

1974 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SD-455

Pontiac's 1974 Firebird Trans Am SD-455 was a factory-built Trans Am fitted with the Super Duty 455 V-8, documented here as a second-generation Firebird two-door coupe rather than a separate special edition. The strongest source-backed identity claim is the powertrain: contemporary and reference records list the SD-455 as a 455-cubic-inch Pontiac V-8 rated at 290 SAE net horsepower and 395 lb-ft of torque, available with either a four-speed manual or a three-speed automatic transmission.

Production coverage is narrow but important: registry and valuation references agree on 943 Trans Am SD-455 cars for 1974, with 212 manuals and 731 automatics. Those figures are recorded as production evidence, not as color, axle, or option breakouts.

This guide is intentionally conservative. It records factory and registry-backed aliases such as “Trans Am SD455,” “SD-455,” and “Super Duty 455,” plus visible Trans Am appearance items only where source coverage supports the broader model context. Exact rear-axle ratios, trim-tag decoding rules, and engine-unit stamp details need factory invoice, service, or parts documentation before they should be treated as public authenticity rules. The clearest authenticity marker captured here is the SD-specific VIN evidence reported by MotorTrend: an X in the fifth VIN position for a verified SD car.

**Stock-presenting 1974 Pontiac Trans Am front three-quarter view used for same-year body, nose, hood, glass, spoiler, wheel, and stance context; visible trim does not prove the SD-455 drivetrain.**americancar / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain Commons media

Price history

Values

Nominal dollars from original price sheets, auction archives, and approved value references.

Original Price

A verified original price is not yet available for this car.

Market Observations

Price guide value $73,000

Jul 28, 2026 · Hagerty Valuation Tools · Current guide point
Current #3 good-condition guide benchmark for the exact 1974 Trans Am hardtop with the 455cid/290hp four-barrel Super Duty engine. · unknown · good Hagerty showed $73,000 when accessed on 2026-07-28. This is an unadjusted automatic-transmission guide value, not a completed transaction or proof of a particular car's originality.
1974 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455cid/290hp Super Duty
Auction sale $112,500

Dec 15, 2025 · Bring a Trailer
X-code Trans Am 2V87X4N139229 with a four-speed, PHS documentation, photographed W8 engine code and partial VIN, and an older repaint. · restored · excellent Bring a Trailer records the $112,500 completed sale. The older repaint and later exhaust work remain material configuration context.
1974 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SD-455 2V87X4N139229
Auction sale $80,000

Jun 8, 2025 · Bring a Trailer
X-code Trans Am 2V87X4N121858 with an automatic transmission, PHS documentation, prior refurbishment, repaint, and engine rebuild. · restored · good Bring a Trailer records the $80,000 completed sale. Hagerty's archive reports $84,000 for the same chassis, so that conflicting aggregate amount is excluded rather than duplicated.
1974 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SD-455 2V87X4N121858
Auction sale $90,000

Mar 21, 2022 · Bring a Trailer
X-code Trans Am 2V87X4N131920 with an automatic transmission, PHS documentation, matching partial engine VIN, and prior cosmetic and mechanical refurbishment. · restored · excellent Bring a Trailer records the $90,000 completed sale. Repainted bodywork, replacement upholstery, and other refurbishment remain material configuration limits.
1974 Pontiac Trans Am SD-455 2V87X4N131920

Values move with paperwork, originality, options, condition, venue, and body style. High bids and guide values are labeled separately from completed sales.

Reference records

Options, Colors & Components

Source-backed details for trim, chassis, production, and authenticity.

Transmission

Factory transmission 4-speed manual
Factory transmission 3-speed Turbo-Hydramatic automatic

Options

WS4 Trans Am package required · performance · Recorded as the Trans Am package code in Firebird option references; factory order documentation should verify the package before canonical use.
LS2 Super Duty 455 engine optional · performance · Recorded as the SD-455 engine option in secondary option references; exact factory ordering restrictions require follow-up with dealer order forms or PHS invoices.

Paint

11 Cameo White unknown · solid
26 Regatta Blue unknown · unknown
29 Admiralty Blue unknown · unknown
36 Gulfmist Blue unknown · unknown
40 Fernmist Green unknown · unknown
46 Limefire Green unknown · unknown
49 Pinehurst Green unknown · unknown
50 Caramel Beige unknown · unknown
51 Sunstorm Yellow unknown · solid
53 Denver Gold unknown · unknown
55 Colonial Gold unknown · unknown
59 Crestwood Brown unknown · unknown
64 Ascot Silver unknown · unknown
66 Fire Coral Bronze unknown · unknown
74 Honduras Maroon unknown · unknown
75 Buccaneer Red unknown · solid

Production

**Pontiac Firebird Trans Am display image used as same-era 1974 context per Commons category placement.**Jeremy / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 Commons media

1974 Trans Am SD-455 total · 943 · reported
1974 Trans Am SD-455 with 4-speed manual by transmission · 212 · reported
1974 Trans Am SD-455 with automatic by transmission · 731 · reported

Authenticity

**1974 Pontiac Trans Am at public cruise-in; restoration-era context.**Bull-Doser / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain Commons media

VIN engine identifier X as the fifth character in the VIN for an SD-455 car · Vehicle identification number plate/documentation · fraud detection
Rear axle documentation Axle ratio/code must match SD-455 transmission and paperwork for the individual car · PHS invoice, axle tube stamp/date code, and restoration documentation · numbers matching
SD-455 engine block usage code W8 for a 1974 SD-455 with manual transmission; Y8 for a 1974 SD-455 with automatic transmission · Stamped on the front of the engine block, toward the deck on the passenger-side cylinder bank · numbers matching

Still Researching

interior Interior equipment was only broadly supported by brochure context; exact upholstery codes, console rules, shifter details, and steering wheel variants were not verified for SD-455.
authenticity markers Engine block usage-code values and stamp location are now normalized from a reference source. Partial VIN stamp locations, carburetor numbers, distributor numbers, trim-tag indicators, and date-code rules remain unresolved.

Codes & names