You have to admit, those numbers are pretty impressive, even by today’s standards. With a 3-speed automatic, they were able to run from 0 to 60 in 5.4 seconds and dash the quarter mile in 13.8 seconds at 103.6 mph. Car and Driver tested a 1973 Super Duty Trans Am for their May 1973 issue. The automotive press raved about the Super Duty. Today, these numbers may sound miniscule but in 1973, this was top shelf muscle. The engine was rated at 290 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 390 pound feet of torque at 3,600 rpm. This engine was hand-built with a heavy duty block, forged aluminum flat top pistons, and Rochester 800 cfm four-barrel carburetor. For 1973, Pontiac introduced a version of the 455 cubic-inch V8 called the Super Duty or SD-455. However, it seems the folks over at Pontiac didn’t get the memo. ![]() What a difference a few years makes, huh? Before 1973, horsepower dominated and it seemed the Big Three couldn’t make enough muscle cars to satisfy the buying public. ![]() An era when the GTO, Mustang, and Charger were now shadows of their former selves. A time when oil embargoes, the Clean Air Act, and cheap economy cars had taken their toll on muscle car sales. The Super Duty was launched at the beginning of what was to become known as the Malaise Era. ![]() How it ever got past the preview audience in GM’s board room is a mystery, but here it is – the car that couldn’t happen.” Car and Driver, May 1973 “Just when we had fast cars relegated to the museum sections, Pontiac has surprised everyone and opened a whole new exhibit.
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