I don't think I have ever seen a Column Shift no center console automatic T/A before? Looks like a solid car to repair, ad says it runs and drives, but the A/C compressor is missing. https://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/d/chico-1974-pontiac-trans-am-455/7492364149.html
That is interesting. Out of all the F-bombs I've worked on, I've never seen a column shifter either. Now, my late brother's '69 Camaro was weird, the column had a collar that had to be turned by hand to unlock the floor shifter, and turned back in order to shut the ignition off, remove the key. I think it was missing a part or three, but it's the only floor shift auto car I've ever seen that had to be handled that way.
I do question whether that '74 T/A is factory column shift. I cannot find one at all in the 1970s Pontiac brochures.
It was possible to get a Trans Am with a column shifter. People have documented it on a few cars and the occasional original owner has mentioned their story about it. It was one of those "if you ordered the Trans Am package but forgot to check 'console' on the options boxes" it came that way. After 1976 or so the Trans Am package included the console. Definitely by 1977 at the absolute latest. You would need the build sheet to know for certain, I'm not even sure the window sticker\ordering receipt would show it.
Well, that right there would be a very good reason for me to.................not even consider this unit.
Andrew, all the 1st Gen F-Bodies (and like year X-Bodies) all mounted the neutral safety switch on the column with a back drive linkage from the floor shifter if so equipped to rotate the collar to work the switch. If the car had headers installed they interfered with the back drive linkage, and it was usually removed. And then you either had to secure the collar into place in what would be the "park" position, or manually rotate the collar. If you secured it to the park position your reverse lights would not work unless you rigged up a switch to the shifter. I had to do this several times in my youth. On my 69 Firebird I actually took the time to make linkage that would work with the headers. Until I installed a 5-speed trans, then it went back to being secured to the park position. As for the column shifter being stock on this car, you could order the PHS to see if the car was ordered with a console. That would tell you if the car is stock or not. I think 74 was the last year that the Console was not stock on a T/A. I have seen column shift automatic Formula's and regular Firebirds before, but this is the 1st T/A I have ever seen that way.
Another 455 FB. On Hemmings this morning. Not for sale but interesting story. https://www.hemmings.com/stories/20...aily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2022-06-12
Jeff, your explanation makes sense, as my brother had said the original engine had headers. If Fred had been inclined to fix it, he definitely would've, but he just lived with it. When he sold the car to one of my high school buddies, I was already serving in the Navy and lost track of the car. I should ask Donny what happened to it.
Your brother's car was missing the "back-lock" linkage that would turn the steering column collar to the locked position when you put the car in reverse. You had to put the trans in Reverse to lock the ignition and remove the key.
Ah. Interesting. Of course, I was in college at the time, studying Computer Science. Fat lot of good it did me.
That Formula in the Hemmings artical is fantastic! That rear seat center console is very rare, and almost useless (I had a 72 T/A with one) Its very close to how I would have ordered a Formula, I would swap a rear spoiler for the vinyl roof, and would have got plain wheels so I could save some $$$ for a set of 15" Ralley II's. Those Honeycomb rims are pretty, but if you ever picked one up you would regret it. They are about the heaviest wheels I have ever owned. When I swapped out the Honeycombs for a set of Rally II's (themselves not the lightest wheels ever offered) I saw a noticable improvement in the handling and even braking on my 72 T/A.
