The late 1970s were a difficult time to be a performance car enthusiast. Following the OPEC oil embargo and the introduction of much more restrictive emissions requirements, American gearheads watched their favorite muscle cars wither away. The roaring big-block V8s of the early '70s were either discontinued or choked down to horsepower figures that seemed almost insulting. The EPA even blocked dealers from offering special engine-swapped models like the famous 427ci Camaros from Yenko, Baldwin, and Nickey. However, one Arizona-based Pontiac dealer found a workaround to produce a significantly faster 1977-80 Trans Am called the Macho Trans Am.
Photos courtesy of Mecum Auctions
The DKM Macho Trans Am
You may not have heard of DKM Design & Performance, and there's a good reason for that. This company was founded by Dennis and Kyle Mecham as a way of separating themselves from their father's Pontiac dealership in Arizona. The Mecham brothers wanted to build and sell a high-performance modified Trans Am variant, but Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules said it could not be modified and still sold as a new car at the dealership.
The workaround was to sell new Trans Ams to their business, DKM, and have titles issued. At that point, they were no longer new cars, so they could be modified and re-sold, even if the odometer still showed zero miles. These modified cars received special serial numbers, Macho Trans Am graphics, and substantial performance upgrades.
Bringing Back the Horsepower
Starting in 1977, DKM built the Macho Trans Am based on cars equipped with Pontiac's W72 400ci V8. In factory form, the W72 Pontiac produced only 200hp and ran the 1/4 mile in the mid-15-second range. DKM left the engine's internals alone for reliability, but re-jetted the carburetor, tuned the distributor curve, installed Hooker headers, and reverted the car back to a true dual exhaust system without mufflers. The T/A's single catalytic converter was replaced with dual converters for better flow while still maintaining clean emissions. The iconic Shaker hood scoop was also opened up to serve as a functional cold air intake.
This setup added about 50 horsepower, which may not sound like much, but that was enough to easily outrun GM's flagship Corvette. Hot Rod Magazine ran a 14.3-second quarter mile — over a second faster than a stock W72 Trans Am. The Macho T/A was available with either a 4-speed Borg Warner, optional 5-speed Doug Nash , or 3-speed automatic transmission reprogrammed for quicker shifts.
In 1978, DKM upped the ante even further with the addition of an optional turbocharger that produced about 7psi of boost. Combined with a water injection system, this reportedly increased power to roughly 325hp, which would have made it "the undisputed King Of The Streets almost anywhere it went" according to Road & Track. Keep in mind that the '78 Porsche 911 Turbo and Magnum P.I.'s Ferrari 308 GTS made only 260 and 240 horsepower, respectively.
Since the turbo option cost $3,000 (nearly $15,000 today) it was quite rare, only being equipped on roughly 30 Macho Trans Ams in 1978 and 1979.
More Than Straight-Line Speed
Every Macho T/A was equipped with the WS6 performance package (or retrofitted with the appropriate parts after sale). This included 15x8-inch Snowflake wheels, stiffer rear sway bar, and tighter ratio steering box. DKM also installed Koni shocks, front lowering springs for a raked stance, and re-aligned the cars to custom specs. This allowed them to carve corners gracefully.
The interior received upgrades such as optional Recaro or Scheel seats, a Fosgate stereo, DKM steering wheel badge, 160mph speedometer, and 8,000rpm tach. A special badge was attached to the center console showing the car's serial number, which was also emblazoned on the fenders and trunk.
How Many Macho T/As Were Built?
The base Macho Trans Am package cost $3,188 in 1978, which equates to a little under $16,000 in 2025. That didn't include the cost of a Trans Am, which started at $5,799 ($28,700 today). According to the Macho T/A Registry, DKM built 334 Macho Trans Ams in total — 26 in 1977, 204 in 1978, 98 in 1979, and 6 in 1980.
For more interesting details on the Macho Trans Am, check out the video below from Rare Cars:
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