1973 Firebird SD455 vs Land Yacht | STOCK DRAG RACE
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- Опубликовано: 30 апр 2022
- 1973 Pontiac Firebird SD455 drag racing 1961 Pontiac Catalina Super Duty 421. Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race. Factory Stock Drag Race.
First car is a 1973 Pontiac Firebird with a Super Duty 455 V8 (SD455). The other a 1961 Pontiac Catalina with a Super Duty 421. The SD455 in the Firebird was rated 310 NET horsepower, and the Super Duty 421 in the Catalina was rated 373 GROSS horsepower. Both cars have 4-speed manual transmissions. Rear gearing in the Firebird is 3.73, while the Catalina has 4.10. The Firebird weighs 3894 pounds, which includes the driver. The Catalina has a curb weight of around 3800 pounds.
Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race (PSMCDR). FAST Factory Appearing Stock Tire factory stock. Super Car Drag Race.
Remember, both cars participate in the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race series, so please check out their website: www.psmcdr.com
Also make sure you find them out on Facebook.
The rules for PSMCDR are listed below:
For 1955 to 1979 musclecars built in United States and Canadian assembly plants with a minimum warranty of 12 months and 12,000 miles.
Any car running faster than 11.50 will be disqualified and will not have a qualifying time recorded.
Any convertible running faster than 13.50 will be disqualified and will not have a qualifying time recorded.
Casting numbers must be correct for the year and horsepower claimed including intake manifold, heads, and exhaust manifolds. Blocks do not have to be "numbers matching," but they must be the correct displacement. Overbores up to .070" are allowed. Stock cranks only.
All Engines - compression ratio 1.5 extra points allowed over advertised.
The camshaft must be correct for the year, model, and horsepower claimed for the type of lifter (hydraulic or solid). Roller cams NOT allowed.
The valve train must be factory stock for the year, make, and horsepower claimed.
The ignition system must be stock, including the distributor, cap, coil, and wires. Points may be replaced with any electronic conversion that fits under the stock distributor cap.
The carburetor must be correct for the year, make, and horsepower claimed. Jetting and metering changes are permitted. THE CHOKE ASSEMBLY MUST BE IN PLACE AND FUNCTIONAL!
Cast-iron exhaust manifolds are mandatory and must be correct for the year, model, and horsepower claimed. Internal modifications to the exhaust manifolds are NOT allowed. Under no circumstances will headers be allowed, including those cars that came with headers delivered in the trunk. Pipes must be routed as they were originally for the year, make, model, and engine combination. Mufflers must be stock looking in design, that is, oval in shape. No glasspacks or straight pipes allowed unless installed as original equipment. Maximum muffler inlet and outlet size is 2.5 inches. X & H pipes allowed.
The radiator must be correct for the year, make, model, and horsepower claimed. No lightweight, aluminum radiators allowed.
The camshaft must be correct for the year, model, and horsepower claimed for the type of lifter (hydraulic or solid). Roller cams NOT allowed. Duration at .050" lobe lift must be within 1% of factory specs. Lift at the valve must be within 2% of factory specs. Maximum stall limited to 2200 rpm.
The transmission must be correct for year, make, model and engine of the car. 3-speed manuals may be upgraded to the correct 4-speed if originally available.
The rear axle must be of the same manufacturer as the car. Any gear ratio is allowed.
Reproduction tires or radial tires only.You are allowed to run tires one size over stock.
Factory wheels only.
Disclaimer: The Cars And Zebras RUclips channel is a news channel bringing results/news of drag racing with added history of automobiles. All footage/pictures used were either captured by the Cars And Zebras channel, or used for critique purposes under Fair Use. 
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Correction: the SD was rated 310 horsepower in ‘73, and 290 horsepower in ‘74
and i n 73 is 455 normal power i have one 73 Trans Am 455 M21 3.42 Brewster green,white int
290 hp both years due to cam change, no 310 hp sold to public
@@chutoparadinni5474 False 73 SD have 310
@@stephanouellet3673 Wrong! No 310 hp version made regular production, FACT!
Find me one, show me the Cam!
Now that's a super rare match up. Very impressive quarter mile times. Thanks to the owners for letting us see them do what they were built to do.
Amen
Excellent race. Poncho SD's from two different eras. Thumb up.
Only 12 years difference.
@@matrox Aren't eras usually measured in 10 year increments?
@@bruceallen6016 Nope, but the 73' does make it to the next era by 1 year.
Veteran Era
The Veteran Era began with the invention of the automobile and continued up to 1890.
The Brass Era
The automotive Brass Era is named for the prominent brass fittings used during this time for such things as lights and radiators. It extends from the first commercial automobiles (first known as motocycles) marketed in the 1890s until about World War I. The term "Brass Era automobile" is a retronym for "horseless carriage," the original name for such vehicles, which is still in use today. The Brass Era closely followed the Veteran Era. The Brass Era is considered from 1890 to 1918.
Antique Era
The Antique Era actually covers a specific time period from the beginning up to 1920 or prior to World War I. The time period for antique cars includes the Veteran Era as well as the Brass Era.
Vintage Era
The Vintage Era followed WWI from 1920 to 1930 (later refined to include up through 1942 by some's definition). There were over 500 automotive companies in 1910 but by the time the Great Depression of 1929 only 60 had survived, and twelve years later there was less than 20.
Pre-WWII Era
The Pre-War Era began with the Great Depression in 1930 through 1942.
War Era
World War II, or the Second World War (often abbreviated as WWII or WW2), was a global military conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945. Civilian car manufacturing was suspended during from 1943 through 1945 as the automakers produced war supplies.
Post-War Era
Automobile design finally emerged from the shadow of World War II in 1946, the year that in the United States saw the introduction of high-compression V8 engines and modern bodies from General Motors' Oldsmobile and Cadillac brands.
Classic Era
The Classic Car Era is designated as the period that cars and trucks were built between 1960 and 1972.
Muscle Car Era
Typically refers to featured cars and trucks built between 1964 and 1972.
Modern Era
The modern era is commonly defined as the 25 years preceding the current year.
Future Era
Potential future car technologies include new energy sources and materials, which are being developed in order to make automobiles more sustainable, safer, more energy efficient, or less polluting. Cars are being developed in many different ways.
With rising gas prices, the future of cars is leaning towards fuel efficiency, energy-savers, hybrid vehicles, battery electric vehicles and fuel-cell vehicles.
That's one of the best sounding runs I've heard.
For Poncho lovers like myself, it doesn't get much better! Thanks for this one.
I love my Pontiac's dump GM for dropping the PMD line Their lose.
I had a 66 GTO that i installed a 1968 400 HO with the 4-speed. All so had 3 Firebirds and ny alst was a 1998 T/A
@@tomm9860 My first car was a 76 TA which eventually became heavily modified but still capable of being daily driven.
my best bud in my teens was fond of Ponti-rags...he had a 65 Old's, F-85 with a 421 to start with then went to a shop built 428 with a tri-power set up that was an absolute BEAST on the street back then...a $6k (1977 dollars) motor and a $1.5k trans , with 12 bolt posi, 411 gears... all in a primer black F-85 ... good times were had
those were the days, my friend. I really miss them. So many cool cars.@@freedomm323
@@tomm9860 Shame what happened to the TA. Last of them were just sinister looking in black (LSx cars). Always had Camaros but the TA were better looking all around
Two super rare Ponchos. Firebird clearly faster but I’d take that ‘61 if I had the choice.
Kim Morrison, if the Catalina was the lightweight "Swiss cheese" 1962 version, the outcome would be far different. No way is that Firebird stock either.
@@sergeantmasson3669 Swiss cheese Ponchos were introduced in ‘63 and were race only with Mckellar #10 camshafts. Not streetable
@@kimmorrison9169 The first ones were produced in late '62 but titled as '63. A former Pontiac dealership owner friend, in FL, has one and the production date is September '62. BTW, it is legally registered in FL and street driven using an "Antique Auto" license plate.
Swiss cheese, Super Duty, or otherwise, I dig the big Cat.
'61 was a WILD year those Pontiacs AND Chevy's had the Bubble Tops.That Chevy was a unique year as well with a 409.(WHY would anyone go Ragtop that year)
Seeing the Catalina in action was a treat, even if it doesn’t meet the factory muscle car criteria, it was a player in the day, thanks for covering it. The Firebird was the other end of the era, and this one certainly has what it takes.
Yeah , And that's exactly what they were racing before the Muscle car era existed.
Screw the official criteria, just like screw the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame we don't need people to tell us what's cool and what's not!
My 1974 T/A (had factory produced 1973 heads installed at Norwood factory.. True), with turbo 400 and factory 3.23 posi gear, power windows, loaded with every option, A/C, including 8 track, weighed about 4328lbs (1974 bumpers also added weight)… ran 12.8 @ 113ish all day long at Kilcare. Back then I had motor blueprinted. hood scoop open, EGR/air pump disabled, timing redone, Turbo 400 had shift kit valve plates inside, factory exhaust. That was on Goodyear GT radials on factory honeycomb wheels.
Later on, got hands on factory dry sump system. That added at least 40HP due to reduced pumping losses. Also, while I never replaced the cast iron round port headers, I did slightly modify exhaust. Did not run 1/4 with these improvements. However, went from 4.9sec to 60, to 4.4sec to 60. Beyond that speed on street was even better improvement. The SD was a total sleeper. Only those who could tell with the slight ting sound in the exhaust, and factory lumpy cam knew not to fool with the Firebird.
I also knew back then a person who ordered and received a 1974 formula that had a column shift, no console SD-455. His was midnight blue like mine. It had both hood scoops. The reverse TA, and the two (these were non functional) formula scoops up front. Weird. He also had the same Trans-Am baseball bat sized sway bars, better springs, etc. of a T/A SD. He had the rally wheels. He said his was one of one ever made. Mine is one of 28 made due to the factory options added.
I have never met up with or heard of another SD on the street that added the over the counter factory dry sump oil system beside mine. All SD block were special made for this system. No other factory Pontiac motor design had this ability to add DS. The 455 oil system design, even with baffled oil pans would have starvation problems around road courses or public road off/on ramps and deep corners. The SD handles real well. Pulling .9g+ on street radials of the time. I measured this on mine using a Valentine G Analyst back when that came out. I think I ran Goodyear NCTs at the time. Adjust to add negative camber of about 2degree, and run positive caster to the limit, made the two ton car feel and handle like a Mini. Imagine with today’s rubber like Sport Cup 2 (if they made the size). You can imagine why the baffles in the oil pan were not enough.
The time shown on the video is real, actually, with better tires of today instead of those horrible Polyglass bias plies, that car would lose .5 seconds, and have at least 6mph better trap. Looks like from what I see/hear, the emissions are all gutted, and timing springs changed. I am surprised the guy is running one of four ever made on the track. There are NO factory SD replacement parts. I heard the factory non aftermarket internals for the manual are not available. I hate to say it, hard core drag runs of a SD-455 is risky. Not because of its age, but it’s rarity with no factory original SD replacement parts available.
Thanks for posting the video.
I had a 1970 Tempest GT-37 with the 400 / 4 speed i just recently sold. I found out a bit late about the Pontiac oil starvation issue with cornering.....I was getting my inner "Steve McQueen" out with my nicely broken in 400 RA III, and toasted a rod bearing. It was devastating. I went to Canton Oil pan, it seemed to help but did not prevent another Rod bearing failure this spring....Argh!!!!
@@gt-37guy6 yea, totally get that. You do the hard cornering with an older 400, do the rod bearing time. Sounds like you had a rare machine. Thanks for the historical comment!
@@gt-37guy6 yikes… sorry to hear about your devastating event.
Strip is a lot safer than the st. NO distracted drivers potholes cross traffic.
Two awesome cars. That Catalina with the bubble top, nice. The Super Duty Firebird, only 10 built and he races it, that's wild.
Sure Grip, '73 Firebird Formula SD 455, 43 were produced not 10. 4800 Trans Am SD 455 were produced in '73.
@@sergeantmasson3669 Correct, but of those 43 only 10 were 4 speed manual transmissions as indicated in the video.
@@suregrip8853 Only applies to the Formula Firebird models, not the others. 4800 455 Firebirds were produced in 1973.
@@suregrip8853 I couldn't care less because I never cared much for Firebirds. The '69 Trans Am was the only Firebird that I ever liked, especially the convertible.
Can't sit in a "Lawn Chair" your whole life!!
That C&D road test of the '73 he posted, I have a follow up test on same car where Nunzi made some tweaks and ran it again. All he did was put slicks on it, uncork the exhaust and remove block off plate on shaker. It ran 13.15 @ 106 bone stock.
Believe it. That is a quick st car even today. Even in the 80s if someone in the st race crowd knew of a guy who owned a legit 13 sec car it was impressive.
The SD Formula came with the TA hood scoop due to federal noise and emissions compliance testing. And that Catalina - what a beast and driver. Nearly matching the best runs, with a professional drag racer at the wheel - wow! Like I wrote in the live - thank you!
Bingo…. I wrote a separate post covering this and other first hand history items.
This car was featured in McQ. Yes..John Wayne in a Firebird Formula screaming around at over 125 mph.. lol. They say it was a de-badged Trans Am for the movie because of the shaker..who knows. It was the same Brewster Green as this one
@@netrioter Have to watch for that. Seems JW liked Pontiavs (station wagons).
You mean the SD455 was run in the tests with the full air cleaner assembly so any car with that engine had to also wear it out the door?
@@fcaughli That is how it was explained to me. It was incredibly hard to get the SD certified, and having to run another set of noise and emissions tests for the engine might have killed the entire program.
This is why I've always loved Pontiacs.
WoW, you can hear that Q jet moaning on the bird. Anybody that thinks that Q jets suck should watch this race. And that 421 sounds like a super stocker. Good matchup C&Z 🤠
Q- jets are great carbs, it's just most people back in the day they didn't have the skills to tune them properly. Nothing like hearing them spread boards crack open at full throttle.
People that disliked the Q-Jet on the street didn't know how to set them up properly. For general all around use, very few carburetors equaled it on the street.
They seriously leaked from the float bowl plugs.
Q jets are awesome carbs!! If I knew more about them Id run one. Small primaries and large secondaries are perfect for a st car . Sound of them opening up cant be beat. My holley dont come close lol
@@gordocarbothe sound of a quadrajet is almost as good as a tripower
I never knew that any formula was a super duty....ty
Thanks for another great vid, if I was in the US instead of Australia I would be out every weekend watching this racing,it is brilliant.
Not the same anymore, though. There was a time when I sometimes was at the drags 3 times a week- Wednesday nights, Friday nights, & Sunday afternoons.
@@mickangio16 We have drags here a couple of times a week which I should go to but for me in Sydney it is an hour and a half drive there, just to watch. I would like to get my 64 Chev going though and have a go occasionally, still a traffic problem though as an hour and a half in heavy traffic with it is not fun and I would have to set it up with electric fans and maybe a water spray so it didn't overheat.
I’m American and your country made really cool muscle cars
I would absolutely love to have both those beautiful Pontiacs sitting in my garage.
ME too
Both are pretty bad-ass cars!! Great matchup!! Thanks to the owners for flogging those bad boys for us!!
Thanks for showing them off, Zebra!!
Get that Catalina hooked up off the line and you get a serious race
Those automatic Pontiacs KICKED @ 60+ MPH.That 4 speed gets the jump every time.
Not with a trap speed 6mph slower...
Awesome race! Love seeing those land yachts fly…that is one impressive Catalina! And what a beauty in the SD Formula. Great matchup, race and video! Thanks C and Z!
1961 Pontiacs were beautiful cars
That 421 dual quad sounds AWESOME! On the second shot with the cars coming towards the camera at top end I believe you can actually hear those carbs sucking huge amounts of air…oh YEAH!
that over 11 to 1 compression makes it sound awesome for sure........
Two amazing cars of their day.. and even more so today. Incredible ET's with all things considered. Love those Pontiacs! Thanks for sharing such a great 👍 video....
That match up was Epic, both of them were total beasts back then in the 70's I loved them both..thanks💪💪💪💯👍😜
That was a good video. Now if you can find a Ram Air 5 vs Ram AIR 4 that would be fantastic 👌
If anyone had a true genuine Ram Air 5 and actually raced it I'd be very impressed. Those things were mean and I'd love to see one someday be it a 303 or the Nascar ram air 5. Those things are worth their weight in gold.
12.71? That's faster than a Hemi,
Mach, or LS6!!!! Go Poncho Go!!!!
My mother had a 1971 Formula 400.
What a machine!! When she floored
the gas pedal, you'd lose your breath! What a car, what a time!!
Thanks for the post!!!!
Those early '60s Pontiacs were no joke.
Way back when I owned a 1974 SD Trans Am and with very little work you could have a monster.
There were only ten of these built I highly doubt you had one.
Yep, as I just wrote about in a separate post in the comment section. Bet you yearn to still have it. Anybody would. :)
@@kskip4242 wrong. Mike likely had one. BTW, the ten you are talking about was a 73 formula.
@@johnross6314
Damn straight..
If I had just a few of my old cars ..man oh man.
71 340 cuda" 71 383 Charger and others..
My brother back in the late 1970s or 1980 bought at an auction 1970 Cougar Eliminator for $800 lmao 🤣
@@kskip4242
Yes genius I did own it. I bought in around 1983 or 84 on Long Island NY .
Paint was not in the best condition ( I believe the color was Buccaneer red ) and I paid if I remember about $900 to $1000. Car prices then where in the toilet for these car and nobody gave a crap about them. Heck I remember a guy in my area was selling a 1970 or 71 olds 442 W30 convertible in fantastic shape for $1800.00
Have a nice day pal.
I didn't expect the fire chicken to do that well. Very impressive!!
Liking the Pontiac matchup. Thanks C&Z
Love Ponchos old school cool
Love! The sound of a Pontiac V8
you seemed more impressed with the catalina than you did the firebird. try buying a stock SD 455 with low miles in original condition today, and see what you pay.
in a stock E/A with a man. the SD ran ran low 13's on a prepped track.
the SD formula, like you said, were very rare.
thanks guys, love this channel for years. you actually listen you what we want. props.
PS you mentioned ''knowing the right people'' well if you wanted a true race engine, you could have ordered a Ram Air V 400 with 520HP in 1970 over the counter.
According to Hagerty, a #2 (excellent shape) is $185,000 USD now....
@@josephsummers2427 Then I guess I'm rich. I'm the second owner of a 74 TA SD-455 4 speed with 14k miles. It's unrestored, all stock and I've owned it since July 78. Paid $5650 for it.
@@clevlandblock The 1974s are worth less, but yeah that is still rich. If it is in excellent shape (#2), it might be book value around $120,000 USD. // Even if some offers reached to 80% of that, that is $96,000....
@@clevlandblock Muscle cars have gone through the roof in pricing the last 5 years
@@clevlandblock you are rich… for the experience everyday, and the financials. :)
I saw Hyden Profitt race two 61 SHD Catalinas under the Mickey Thompson banner at an outlaw "Run What You Brung" track near Charlotte, NC in 1961. All the cars were burning Nitro, and hit low 11's as I remember. The Thompson cars won both 1st and 2nd place, much to the dismay of the local guys.
both of these cars are crazy, especially considering how big and boaty they both are, and they're insanely impressive! props to both drivers for bringing them out and racing them!
You think a 73 Firebird is a boat? Even that Catalina isn't nowhere near as big as some of the 70s cars were. You must be young.
@@kskip4242 oh, trust me. I know just how big some of those old Lincolns and Caddies can get. I've seen quite a few, and I consider those to be land yachts
@@kskip4242 Far as its weight it sure is . 3800 is porky....course today we see musclecars weighing in over 2 tons which is a turnoff for me.
USed to think my 3300 lb elky was heavy...back in the day it was.
3100 today all steel full interior. Id say light?
@@calebrose4607 Grandmother drove caddies from the 60s til the late 80s. Those were huge...but man the room they had, comfort, torque in sheer quiet.
Back in those days a 1 car garage was big enough to park one with room to get out. Last 2 car garage I saw (trying to buy) could not fit my Camino or truck in it. Ex's E320 barely fit what a joke.
Poncho Heaven!!
Thanks for the Pure Pontiac Performance!
Man do I love me a fire bird any day. Especially how that SD sounded, perfect! Awesome seeing those cars today. Thank you for showing us.
Man oh man what a treat for the Poncho fans today. And a couple runners too. I bet you could shock some people with that Catalina on the streets. My dad had a black one of those when I was little. I don't remember it but I've seen pictures of it. I do remember him having a Tempest with the 326 in it though. I'll have to ask him what engine his Catalina had and let him check this video out. I just love that Firebird, what a beauty! Thanks as always for the great vid! 👍
Damn, that Trans Am sounded killer.
I think that was the Catalina. They had long branch manifolds that could be uncapped.
@@1972Ventura455ho I think you're right. I was going by who crossed the finish line first. I'd like to have the Firebird with the 421 engine.
@@1972Ventura455ho I thought the Log Branch was the saloon on Gun Smoke....lol.
@@ricktaylor3748 Maybe so but i'm talking about "long" branches.
Catalina was making all the noise. Classic musclecar sound with that 4 speed.
COuld listen to that all day long
Big difference in these engines is head flow. The SD421 is around 200 cfm, the SD455 around 250cfm.
Most people do not realize the SD455 was originally a SD400 started in 1970 and NOT talking the Ram Air 5 303 ci which was a bust. For various reasons the SD400 got pushed back year to year then they put all those parts on the 455 and then dropped compression and such. They also told GM it was a regular 455 so it did not need to be certified separately or it would never have passed so a little dishonesty got the public the last musclecar of the 1970's.
Yes, a low compression and lower cammed motor was a beast running low 13's stock back then and it was fast
even by old stock musclecar standards. So yes, the 1973/74 SD 455 was a culmination of all Pontiac could throw at a production engine and still stay streetable enough to make it to production. But its roots started in 1970 on a 400 ci platform. Had they gotten that SD 400 it would have been faster than the RA4 of that day.
I had a 1973 SD 455 Trans Am......auto with ac but upgraded the rear gears......lol. Also upgraded the cam and distributor as well as some other minor things and had it running good. I heard back then (1993) when I had mine of a guy in Cali that stuck a custom roller cam in his with a really great profile and he also added compression via pistons and slight head mill and other tricks and it was an absolute beast.....never got over to that side of the country though but I heard from other pontiac guys back then that it ran GOOD.
I noticed all the guys rattling off SD455 specs but rarely do i see it pointed out that the SD block itself was made of a much higher nickel content to increase block strength much like the extra webbing in lifter galley and thicker areas all over the block they could do all to increase block strength to handle high rpm with less distortion.
Those Super Duty heads were racing heads with bigger chambers for lower compression......the ports so big they broke into the pushrod holes and they pressed in pushrod hole tubes to seal it up......also multiple valve angles over the stock D port heads. Yes that extra flow made that big engine able to make the power and those SD rods let the engine spin much higher than a stock D port 455.
Biggest or rather one of the biggest automotive mistakes of mine was selling that 73 SD Trans Am.....it was brewster green ext as well which was my favorite color. Had several 1978 Anniversary Gold trans ams with the 400 that I redid to around ram air four specs but my all time fav Trans Am I ever had was that 1973 SD TA.
@@gregallen9065 Love those gold TAs! They had 0 go, crazy tall gears but cant not notice them. Girl in HS (class of 86) drove a pristine black TA carpooled with her. Sharpest car in the parking lot for sure.
Man 2 awesome examples of Pontiac muscle. People may not know but a few years ago a '73 SD455 won the NMCA fastest pure stock car that year. Pontiac just had these compression ratio & internals just right. They never got the respect they deserve as a serious high performance muscle car.
Thanks for the history lesson on the 421 SD . Never knew such a thing existed and what a crazy price. Someone had some coin back in the day.
I don't believe people who first got them actually paid that price.
It was a way for Pontiac to have a say in who got them.
Factory sponsored race teams were first in line.
Fireball Roberts didn't pay $2200 for his Super Duty.
So happy to be subscribed to you @cars and zebras. Awesome channel
Whoa 😮 Can only dream of ever finding one of those 10 😍 Beautiful car! 😎
I have a '61 Catalina that exact same color. I was going to clone it into a 421 Super Duty. I had a correct block found and most of the 4 speed parts but gave up on it. Now it's just getting a more mundane 428 with a TH400.
Will still be a super cool car👍
Even with the low compression, those 73' & 74' SD's ran circles around their competition.
That car is no longer 8.5 to 1😯
@@chrisvig123 I would love to hear what it is. Please tell me.
I bet that beast is now mid 9 compr. Probably up around 360 net hp (ballpark 450 gross). That is allowed.
@@chrisvig123 A very good friend in Lake City, FL bought one of these rare 1974 SD 455 Formulas new. His performance-savvy Pontiac dealer's tech guy told him that the rated hp difference between 1973 and 1974 SD 455 was all on paper and that the engines were identical in 1973-74.
Another buddy had a 1970 GS Stage 1. Buth cars were stock and always driven to the track, of course. They often raced together for fun at the G'ville FL track. The Stage 1 would run 13-teens at 104-105 mph and the SD 455 Formula would run 13.30's and 13.40's at 102-103 on 80-degree Florida days. Both ran Laramie L60-15 street tires of the day and both had 3.42 gears. This was in the mid to late 1970's and I never saw anything truly factory stock beat either of them back then.
In 1999, the SD 455 engine received a very professional rebuild with some serious head "clean-up" work and thorough blueprinting that allowed the Formula to run high 12's at 110-111 mph on Nitto Drag Radials. That was also along with a new set of Wiseco pistons that gave a true 10.9 to 1 compression. Good memories!
The Pontiac 455 is one motor, even with the lower compression, that survived the horsepower massacre in the early 70's. I briefly owned a stock lower compression 71 455 at the same time as a 360 hp 400 in a Goat, hands down the 455 was the stronger engine.
Love the 61's. They're getting pretty rare these days and nice ones are going for big $$$$!
That Catalina sounded fantastic.
Love that Formula.
I wonder how long it took them to dial and that Pontiac formula that's impressive love those Rochester carburetor.
Probably not long, my 72 455 HO Formula runs the same times with 3.42 gears, Th400, and power everything. Getting the 4 speed moving takes a bit more effort and time. I'm building a clone of my 72 with another set of HO heads so hopefully I can go race with the pure stock guys down in the mitten.
@@SweatyFatGuy Good 4 u. PMD the only way to go
I'd have given the 61 the race on paper. What a surprise. Bet that Formula is taking advantage of the leeway in the rules. Can't wait till the Cat gets dialed.
Ok, it lost the first and second race. I would spend hours trying to figure out which one I would rather have, until I admitted I really want the Catalina.
Check out the History Channel's "Modern Marvels 70s Tech" episode. You'll get a perfect SD-455 4- speed soundtrack coming right at you at full throttle and a nice narrative about the SD-455 motor.
Awesome , Thanks C&Z
If that Catalina was able to hook out of the hole, it would've beat the SD
by at least a fender... That 421 is pure mean & nasty especially on the
2/3 shift when it's up on the cam.
One of my uncles had a '62 Catalina hardtop white/red with a 389.
Although he said he preferred "going hunting" with Dad's '61 Plymouth
Fury 383 (ex- Illinois State Police) that most people said was "beastly."
I shudder to think of what those 413 powered cars were capable of...
...And a good time was had by all.
Who else misses the 60's?
Nope. That SD just flies. 12.71 is insane for that class. It was probably the most powerful car you could buy stock in 1973....
I have to say you have designed a fantastic format bud. I really enjoy your vids.
This video merits a subscription!!
So be it!! I have subscribed to your
fine channel! Poncho Power Forever!
More Firebird/Formula/Trans-Ams!!
Your fan, Norman in Montreal!!
That Formula is priceless!! I would love to own it
Cat sleeping at this tree
Awesome sound, wow
61 bubble top Ponchos had to be the best looking car that year, one of Pontiac’s all time best looking designs.
Awesome car fer sure. Some very cool stuff at the time. My brother had a '61 Olds Super 88 bubbletop. That was a very cool looking car, too.
Love the finish line replay. Hear those Pontiacs in full song!!! 😍
Two beautiful cars .
We had a '62 Grand Prix 2-dr hardtop back when I started the 9th grade. Had a 389 Tri-Power, aluminum 8 lugs, header's, and the automatic was replaced by a T-10 4 speed. Made gobs of low end torque and was 2 tons of pure fun!
I believe the 1973 standard 455 had 8.4:1 compression ratio, but the 1973 Super Duty 455 had 8.5:1 compression ratio, which was GM's limit and the SD 455 might have pushed that a bit more. The Pontiac SD 455 designers wanted a waiver on the GM compression ratio limit, like the 9:1 compression ratio 1973 Chevy L-82 350 had, but GM wouldn't do it. The SD 455 was squeezing a bit more compression ratio than the standard 8.4:1 455 in 1973.
True.
@@johnross6314 From what I understand, both the 1973 and 1974 engines were identical. Pontiac wanted a hotter cam in 1973 but in would not pass emissions.
literature had already gone out with the erroneous "310" HP rating.
Both were 290HP.
Can someone confirm? Thx
2 very cool cars!
Most exciting drag racing series IMHO. I'd rather watch the Pure Stock Series than any of the NHRA Pro classes (Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock). Thanks for another great matchup my friend, Semper Fidelis!
Pontiac made the coolest cars.
I miss Pontiac.
Bring ‘em back !
Too late...they will all be EV in a yr or so. End of an era drive em while ya still can.
Not sure who a lot of these guys are saving them for. Cause there is no line.
Probably my favorite RUclips channel
My dad had a '62 Catalina SD 2 door post car. He even set an indoor world record in it!
Wow what a beautiful day....at a drag raceway! Man I miss those days. Seems nobody anymore cares about this stuff, or has the money to do it. I love remembering the days. Thanx for the great vid Cars and Zebras. Just subscribed.
Problem today the cars all look a like Hard Hats. In the old days all cars looked different and had there own sound. In the old days you could blind fold me and i could tell the difference buy the starter , engine, between a MoPA, Ford,Chevy, VW , Buick and and Pontiac.
I could tell you the sound of a Pontiac or Olds V8 engine mostly as they were driving down the street and most Ford V8s at idle back then. I think Pontiacs sounded the most unique.
I had a 67' Catalina but it only had the 400 but... that car blew the doors off those 5.0L Mustangs and Camaros.
My father bought me a 1973 SD Trans Am for my 18th birthday. This was back in 1981. It had the 4spd transmission. I would give anything to have that car today .
Awesome video!
Amazing cars and the Catalina is still running a 6 volt generator and electrical system.
It's a 12 volt generator.
It's a 12 volt generator.
Didn't GM switch from 6 to 12 in 1955?
Ok So those are the best sounding EVER!!
large 1960s & 1970s American V8s with the right exhaust.... I own one.... outstanding noise. The noise alone makes you have fun.
Hearing the sounds of those V8s battling it out makes me proud to be an American.
Thanks for the symphony!
Great video !!! Love Poncho Super Duty's
Man I love Pontiacs. I'm glad I own one. My fav out of gm.
My hotrod adventures started out with Pontiacs and I still love them but the fact is that we Pontiac po' boys in my neck of the woods were the dirtiest and greasiest of the gearheads spending much more time replacing blown up engines & 4 spds than anyone else😖 The Pontiacs had a very unique sound and when you revved the motor the entire car rocked over to the right side. Sure wish I had one now but I wouldn't be trying to take on the world with it like the maniac destructive kid I once was. '64 & '68 GTOs.
I'm glad I own one as well 74 SD. I street raced it in the '80s up to early 90s when I put it in storage. I had Nunzi Romano build the engine 4.10 gears fiberglass Hood. Manual valve body transmission. He put his stage 3 cam in it. Anyway it ran high 11's on the motor and high 10 with the 150 shot.
I still have the car minus the NOS and it's got gears removed.
It never got beat on the street although I know a couple people that could have beat it.
His Pontiac 455 HO W/blower and two nitrous systems.
@@dannydennis318 nice I actually two 78 Bonneville hardtops,one is a brougham sedan with Pontiac 400 and a two door with olds 403. I'm lucky to have both of those engines.
Beautiful Pontiac Muscle :) would love to own either one and CRUISE it regularly
My Dad let me drive his 1972 Catalina Sport Coupe (not sure if that's accurate) a lot when I was a kid, and the 455 2V was fast for a 15-16 year old kid. I really thought it was a good looking car. It was copper brown with a white vinyl top and the rally wheels of that era. Had a lot of good times in that car. Broke a motor mount once going over some RR tracks but I promptly reported it and all I had to do was fix it. Pretty easy job back then.
Going over some railroad tracks? Uh, huh, suuuuure! Haha.
Did that tear the tread off the tires, too?
Thanks!!! oddly: we heard about the 421SD IN 1961 PONCHOS ….. around our SERVICE STATION hang Outs , and from Dragstrips( Northern Indiana……) ..The ***SD455 in 1970s , efc: got me Hooked PONTIAC, to order in OCT 1976, a 1977 HURST Hatch/ SE 6.6 L/ auto/cruise, etc. TRANS Am( BEFORE SMOKEy Bandit)……that is when we finally got the monies.. Anyways, needed work::used NUNZI, HO PRODUCTS,,KONI, etcp to improve A LOT.
U.S. 30, Osceola, Bunker Hill...👍was some of my favorite places to spend my monies.
My father bought a new 421 Super Duty car and the aluminum exhaust manifolds held up fine. He raced to 1980 with it in a 1968 Firebird. He had it in some GTO's in between.
A real hot rod with three pedals!
2 fabulous looking cars !!! I would be proud to own either one
You got it pontiac !
Hey, if it has a V8, go for it, no matter how massive it is.
Friend of mine had a 61 Catalina with 3 duces and a 4 speed and a 389. He ran my friend and me who had a 1964 Malibu SS 4 speed with a 283 in the 1/4 and the Maibu won.
I'll bet the Malibu was FAR from stock and the Pontiac needed a tune-up haha.
as a teen during the 70s , any car capable of running 13s in the 1/4 mile was FAST on the street at that time, combined with the torque outputs of the day , bias ply tires sketchy brakes and no anti-lock or traction control systems...throw in a limited slip or posi rear, and they were a HANDFUL, of beast like terror, fun... I had a 65 chevy II (nova) with a non-stock 400 ci small block and 390 rear, it was terrifying off the line and a tire eating burn-out monster
Nice ride!!
Those cars sounded absolutely amazing
awesome cars !!🤩
That 421 SD (with factory exhaust cut-outs!) is one of those engines that gets overlooked. Then it kicks your ass.
Awesome matchup.
Each and every time I see that 1973 Formula 455 SD I only think of how I would love to own that car! My first car was a 1974 Formula 400 2bbl, slow as can be stock, done in admiralty blue.
I loved the poor tires comment!
Last Fall , I went with my Son down to central Oklahoma to look at a Pontiac ! Owner liked my Son and Me enough to open his private shop .Where he had 2 SD455 4 speeds 1 green 1 red ..Actually forgot all the other rare Pontiacs he had..What a day for Pontiac folks..
Typo..the Red I ment to type White..
FYI to all you youngin's, the sound you here in this video was the sound I heard every weekend around midnight, I lived on a half mile stretch of quality 4 lane road (rare in that era) with a stop light and a 1/4 long flat straight-away ...my bedroom window overlooked the first few hundred feet of it :)
This guy should do more Super Duty history
I would be willing to help him. I wrote a separate comment, feel free to read.
Cool cars, cool video. Pontiacs don't get enough recognition. My personal favorite Pontiacs are '68-'69 GTOs & '67-'68 Firebirds. SO many cool Pontiacs to choose from, though. All I need is the money!
Very cool