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1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 4-Speed
This page treats the target as a factory-built 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe ordered with the L75 455-cubic-inch Pontiac V8 and four-speed manual transmission. Pontiac literature and model references separate the Trans Am from the broader Firebird line: the Trans Am was the performance/appearance model with shaker hood, front and rear spoilers, fender air extractors, wheel-opening spoilers, rally instrumentation, and Trans Am graphics. The 455 was not a separate special edition; it was the large-displacement Trans Am engine choice for 1976, and references consistently pair it with a manual four-speed.
The engine record is conservative. The reference identifies the 1976 L75 as a Pontiac 455 V8 with 4-barrel carburetion, 7.6:1 compression, 200 net horsepower at 3,500 rpm, 330 lb-ft at 2,000 rpm, VIN engine code W, and WX engine block stamping for the manual-transmission application. Transmission coverage is likewise target-specific: the 455 row lists the M21 close-ratio four-speed manual as available for Trans Am use. Sources also document the Trans Am chassis context: front independent suspension with coil springs and anti-roll bar, rear semi-elliptic leaf springs with rear anti-roll bar and staggered shocks, an 8.5-inch rear axle housing, power front disc/rear drum brakes, steel-belted radial tires, and Safe-T-Track limited slip as a Trans Am feature. A verified 1976 455 rear-axle ratio was not found in the reviewed references, so no exact ratio is asserted.
Production claims are limited to dimensions directly supported by references: total 1976 Firebird output, total Trans Am output, and reported Trans Am production split by the L78 400 and L75 455. The reported L75 455 Trans Am quantity is 7,528 cars, all paired with the four-speed in the cited engine/transmission tables; limited-edition Y82 quantities are kept separate because this target is not a special edition. Authenticity review should begin with documents and stampings rather than badges: VIN series and engine digit, Fisher body/trim tag Trans Am coding, the WX block stamping, head casting family for the 455, and Pontiac Historic Services or original invoice documentation are the safest evidence path.