Mythbusting: Here’s What You Need To Know About Trans Am Worldwide’s Latest Creation A 1 Of 1 400-H.O.

Summary

• Trans Am Worldwide continues to create modern muscle car masterpieces, like the one-of-a-kind Trans Am 400-H.O.
• The 400-H.O. is a tribute to Pontiac’s original 400 High Output option, with a powerful 800 horsepower V8 engine.
• Don’t worry, this isn’t the end of Trans Am Worldwide’s creations – they are already planning their next project, which will be totally unique and not electric.

Yes, we know the true muscle-car era is a thing of the past, but Trans Am Worldwide (TAW) surely does its damnedest to make sure that muscle masterpieces are more than just history, and we can only imagine that their recent reveal of a one-of-only-one Trans Am 400-H.O. will make its own mark as a modern muscle car marvel.

Renowned for their unique artistry that resurrects classic muscle onto a modern platform, Trans Am Worldwide has already laid claim to quintessential muscle car come-backs with the Hurst Judge GTO, Firebird Super Duty Racing Series, and their highly-anticipated 2024 Chevelle 70/SS.

And, for those wondering what a modern muscle interpretation can bring to the road, the 70/SS will be revived within multi-formats: as a match of the original 450 horsepower base Chevelle SS 454, as a supercharged version with an optional 2600 Magnuson or for drivers that really want to rocket the road, with a twin-turbo that produces up to 1500 horsepower.

Did you drool a little? Us too. With that kind of cred and horsepower commitment to the muscle car segment, expectations run rampant for the 400-H.O. and we’re certain Trans Am Worldwide won’t disappoint.

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including Trans Am Worldwide, and Hagerty.

The Trans Am 400-H.O. Is One Of TAW’s Innovative Modern Muscle Makeovers

Just off the heels of their modern Trans Am Super Duty, while in the midst of their 2024 70/SS launch, Trans Am Worldwide accepted the challenge of a special request, a one-off build for a return customer. The client’s call for “just one more” spawned the Trans Am 400-H.O.

“Ending the Super Duty and going into the Chevelle, it felt like we were missing the party,” said Tod Warmack Director and Co-Founder of Trans Am Worldwide. “It felt like we missed the celebration at the end of the Super Duty phase and so this came at a good time to bring us full circle.”

The Newest Trans Am Was A 400 High-Output Homage

The impromptu project resulted in a welcome surprise for Tod. He saw it as a fitting tribute to end TAW’s current T/A series and take it back to a series of one with the 400-H.O. powerplant, giving a nod to Pontiac’s beginnings and the original 400 High Output option. It was like fanfare at the farewell that gave respect to the soul of Pontiac.

“That’s what really pushed me into it,” said Tod. “This was unique and if we were going to do a last one. I really wanted to make it count. Doing a true 400 made it really special.”

For Tod to be all in, a project has to make sense, and tying this “last call” into the Trans Am DNA that was done on the prior interpretations made sense. Still built on the Alpha platform, the Florida-based modern muscle manufacturer brought the 400-H.O. to life as the “little brother” to their premier edition Trans Am Super Duty.

The Trans Am 400 High Output Creates 800 Horsepower

The customer’s checklist included power that wasn’t too extreme; so, TAW brought in a 6-liter, 400 cubic-inch V-8 finished in Corporate Blue. The LT1 block was enhanced with an aftermarket Brian Tooley camshaft and topped with a one-of-a-kind 2650 Magnuson Supercharger, making 14 to 15 pounds of boost. Elite Tune provided the base tune that was loaded pre-break-in. The T/A 400 creates 800 horsepower at the wheel, on 93 octane.

“We really wanted to make sure that we went over the top on all the breakable suspension components, said Tod. “It’s rated to take 2,000 pounds of torque.”

The 400’s suspension was upgraded with a Ford-nine rear differential, and coilovers, with the ability to drop or raise its ride height for variable stance. It was a driver-friendly, track-ready grocery-getter, with the potential for aggressive brute force or a smooth, subtle cruise.

Grooming The Bird: The H.O. Hood Has A Distinctive Phoenix

Screaming Chicken, Rising Phoenix, or a number of other monikers were given to the Fire Bird that spanned the hood of the Trans Am. It is arguably one of the most recognizable muscle car logos. It is definitely the largest, and it was a must-have for the TAW Trans Am. The 400-H.O. buyer requested a fully exposed carbon fiber hood. Tod felt that was too “in your face,” but the final rendition couldn’t be better.

The current-day T/A Phoenix hatched as a combination of paint and carbon fiber to make up the giant flaming bird that masterfully lays across the hood. The design retained the three-color combo of black, gold, and red accents that flow throughout the vehicle. Exposed carbon fiber was integrated to provide the body of the bird. Special attention was given to the fiber’s grain as it was laid out for the winged creature.

Tod envisioned graphically fractioning the wings for separation, utilizing the negative space to spotlight the carbon fiber. One of the highlights is the Phoenix’s black ombre center, painstakingly crafted to reveal the slightest carbon fiber edge outline. The aesthetic was money. Integrating both the paint and fiber components of the Phoenix was a multi-layer process. The work stacked up with north of 70 to 80 hours burned on the graphic project alone.

“Credit to my guys,” Tod lauded. “It’s easy to be the dreamer, it takes a little more effort to be the facilitator, but it’s a whole new level to have the talent to pull it off. And, my guys have the talent to pull it off.”

The Gold Rush Trans Am Played A Part in the H.O.

A block font was used for the Trans Am badging and was mocked up on Tod’s own one-off Gold Rush Trans Am prior to the decal’s installation. The red outline utilized on that same Gold Rush was emulated on the H.O. for the unique pop. The red stripe can also be found on the front splitter and the headlight doors. The extreme detail of the little touches makes all the difference. The customized, 19-inch wheels were created with a black barrel and a color-matched gold insert.

“We’ve got 11 inches on the rear and 10 inches on the front,” said Tod. “We wanted the most meat we could get on the car.”

The same tri-color scheme from the exterior wrapped into the interior. The inlay carbon fiber was a standout in the beauty of the Phoenix emblazoned door panels. It was just fiya and another work of art, but is it Tod’s favorite? He was undecided.

“They are all my favorite,” he revealed. “How can you pick from your children? Even if you have a liter, they are all your favorite. In some way or another, they are all unique, but this is really one of the more unique ones. This one and the Gold Rush that I have for myself.”

The Trans Am 400 H.O. Current Status Is On The Road

The original customer has taken possession of their H.O. and although there have already been offers willing to buy it, this stunner is still a one-owner T/A.

“I don’t really blame the customer,” Tod concurred. “Frankly, I’d like the car back myself and would like to have it in my own collection, right now.”

For those who would like to lay their own eyes on the H.O. in person, Tod revealed that it is possible the car could be seen at the annual Pontiacs in Pigeon Forge show.

Mythbusting: There Will Be More Trans Ams To Come

A saddened response was noted to the internet chatter of the Trans Am 400-H.O. being the final countdown to the end of modern Trans Ams; but Tod busted that myth and the truth is Trans Am Worldwide is NOT done with the Trans Am. They are done with the sixth-gen design, but the Trans Am will continue.

“We are already having serious meetings with our team of engineers and designers on what the next project will look like. It’s very possible that the next one could be a brand-new, over the top Trans Am.

However the project comes to life, one thing is certain, the public can expect another Tans Am Worldwide neckbreaker. The plan is that the next version will be totally different from anything TAW has done before.

The statement was a bomb drop; but incited the real question – would the new project be internal combustion or a move to an electric power plant? Rest easy, Tod confirmed there were no plans for an EV, not yet anyway.