4 Trans Am Racers Built for the Street, Ranked by Rarity

To race in the Trans Am series in 1970, Detroit had to sell the public the same cars. Here are four Trans Am homologation specials, ranked by how rare they were, counted down from four […]

To race in the Trans Am series in 1970, Detroit had to sell the public the same cars. Here are four Trans Am homologation specials, ranked by how rare they were, counted down from four to one. The rarest sold only 2,399 copies.

#4: 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302

The Mustang Boss 302 existed because the Trans Am series limited engines to 302 cubic inches. Ford designer Larry Shinoda gave it a long hood, stripes, and a rear spoiler, and engineers fitted the 302 with big canted valve heads borrowed from the upcoming Cleveland engine. Ford rated it at 290 horsepower, though many believed it made more, and the engine was happy at high revs.

#3: 1970 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am borrowed its name from the racing series, but Pontiac never fielded a factory team in it. The 1970 model arrived in February, with a 400 cubic inch V8 rated at 345 horsepower, a rear spoiler, a shaker style hood scoop, and big stripes. Pontiac built 3,196 of them in 1970.

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#2: 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda

The Plymouth AAR Cuda took its name from All American Racers, the race team of American driver Dan Gurney, who drove a Barracuda in the 1970 Trans Am series. The street version carried a 340 cubic inch V8 with three two barrel carburetors, called the Six Pack, rated at 290 horsepower. Plymouth added a fiberglass hood with a big scoop painted flat black, a rear spoiler, side exit exhausts that ran out in front of the rear wheels, and bigger tires on the back than on the front.

#1: 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A

The Dodge Challenger T/A was the rarest of the four, and it existed only because the racing rules said so. Dodge built 2,399 of them in 1970 to qualify the Challenger for the Trans Am series. Under the hood sat the same 340 cubic inch Six Pack V8 as the Plymouth AAR Cuda, rated at 290 horsepower, with three two barrel carburetors.

That is our list of four Trans Am racers built for the street. Which one would you park in your garage? Tell me your favorite in the comments, and follow Muscle Car Fan for more muscle car stories.

Image credits: 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Trans Am Race Car – Sarah Stierch.jpg by Missvain (CC0) · 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 2.jpg by Calreyn88 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 1.jpg by Calreyn88 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 (16290343986).jpg by Jeremy from Sydney, Australia (CC BY 2.0) · 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 (16314488451).jpg by Jeremy from Sydney, Australia (CC BY 2.0) · Pontiac Firebird Trans Am of Ian Palmer.JPG by GTHO (CC BY-SA 4.0) · 1973 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am (15702162364).jpg by Jeremy from Sydney, Australia (CC BY 2.0) · Pontiac Firebird Trans Am (1972) (54559847266).jpg by Charles from Port Chester, New York (CC BY 2.0) · 1970 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400 (33274443961).jpg by Sicnag (CC BY 2.0) · Pontiac Firebird (41634238742).jpg by Thomas Vogt from Paderborn, Deutschland (CC BY-SA 2.0) · 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda 340 (31456408978).jpg by Sicnag (CC BY 2.0) · 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda 340 (23601131425).jpg by Sicnag (CC BY 2.0) · 1970 Plymouth AAR ‘Cuda in Moulin Rouge, front right (Queen Street 2023).jpg by Elise240SX (CC BY-SA 4.0) · 1970 Plymouth AAR ‘Cuda in Moulin Rouge, rear right (Queen Street 2023).jpg by Elise240SX (CC BY-SA 4.0) · 1970 ‘cuda AAR (54376680713).jpg by Mustang Joe (CC0) · Dodge Challenger (1970) Hirschaid-20220709-RM-115601.jpg by Ermell (CC BY-SA 4.0) · 1970 Dodge Challenger TA (Cruisin’ the River Lowellville Car Cruise, July 17, 2023).jpg by MercurySable99 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · 1970 Dodge Challenger R-T (28263614002).jpg by Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA (CC BY 2.0) · 2022 Downtown West Allis Classic Car Show 031 (1970 Dodge Challenger).jpg by Michael Barera (CC BY-SA 4.0) · 1970 Dodge Challenger R-T (24607283642).jpg by Jeremy from Sydney, Australia (CC BY 2.0). Facts from Wikipedia and manufacturer history.