Vintage Trans Am cars are brilliant. There is no other way to put it.
If you ever get the chance to watch these cars run in person, you'll know why so many consider late '60s and early '70s Trans Am to be one of the greatest racing series of all time.
While enjoying the sights and sounds of vintage Trans Am at Sonoma last weekend, I spent lots of time standing around and admiring the #77 Dodge Challenger, originally driven by Sam Posey.
This Mopar legend has everything that makes Trans Am cars great. First off, a very wide muscular stance. Have a look at the bulge of those rear fenders.
Filling those wide fenders are the original Minilite wheels with meaty Goodyear tires.
The interior is sparse as you'd expect. The low back bucket and tall Hurst shifter dominate the landscape.
Side pipes! These were also featured on street-going version Challenger T/A that Dodge sold. Trans Am rules required the 340 small block of the street car to be destroked to just 303 cubic inches. Power was still an astonishing 460hp.
This particular car has quite a resume, appearing at the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The metal Chin Spoiler has a very DIY look, as do the headlight covers. You have to love the race engineering from those days.
What a a beauty. The lines of the Challenger just lend themselves so well to the Trans Am treatment.
I'm planning on doing a retrospective about both the Challenger and 'Cuda in Trans Am racing, and I thought this would be a nice little appetizer for that piece.
Stay tuned for more great Mopar race history!
-Mike Garrett