Month: September 2026

I still remember the first time I heard a 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 HO wake up. It was not a polite little starter motor whine. It was a deep, rattling, carb-fed growl that made the windows in my garage buzz. That was five years ago, and now in 2026, that memory still gives me goosebumps. Because here is the crazy part: this final big-block Pontiac is still shockingly affordable. While Hemi Mopars and LS6 Chevelles have become auction royalty, the last 455-powered Trans Am remains the blue-collar hero of the muscle car world.

By 1976, Detroit was not exactly having a party. Emissions regulations, rising insurance premiums, and the oil crisis had forced the Motor City to retreat with its tail between its legs. Horsepower ratings fell, compression ratios dropped, and even the mighty muscle car brands had to rethink everything. But Pontiac had one last card to play: the 455-cubic-inch High Output V8. It was not the fire-breathing monster of the early 1970s—factory numbers said 200 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque—but it still had enough twist to shove you back in the seat and make the rear tires beg for mercy. It came almost exclusively with a Super T10 four-speed manual, and the iconic Screaming Chicken hood decal was the chef’s kiss on top.

Let me tell you, the 455 HO did not just start. It awakened. It shuddered, snorted, and then settled into a lumpy idle that felt like the car was breathing. Contemporary reviews called it crude, and in 2026 that is probably true. But crude is exactly what I want from a muscle car. Small-displacement engines can be fast, but they cannot replicate that feeling. The 455 was Pontiac’s final big-block in the Firebird, and it carried a symbolic weight that no spec sheet can capture. It was the last time buyers could get Pontiac’s biggest engine before downsizing took over. In hindsight, it was the closing chapter of an American tradition.

Production numbers make it even more special. Pontiac built 46,701 Trans Ams in 1976, but only 7,528 were ordered with the 455. The T-top versions are rarer still, and the 50th Anniversary Special Edition came with that now-iconic black-and-gold Smokey and the Bandit paint job, unique stripes, and honeycomb wheels. I am not gonna lie: every time I see one, I get a little weak in the knees. It is a rolling time capsule from a world that no longer exists.

But the real story for me is the price. In 2026, Hagerty still values a good-condition 1976 Trans Am 455 HO around the low $30,000s. That is less than a new Volkswagen Golf GTI, which in 2025 started just over $31,000 and has half the displacement, no V8 soundtrack, and none of the retro cool. Let that sink in. You can buy a genuine big-block piece of Pontiac history for the price of a loaded compact hatchback. Here is how it stacks up against other legends:

Car	Typical value (2026)
1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 HO	$30,000–$40,000
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T 426 HEMI	$200,000–$300,000
1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS6	$100,000+
1970 Boss 302 Mustang	$100,000+ for concours

That table is why I call the 455 Trans Am the most undervalued collector car of the 1970s. It is not a garage queen. It is a driver. Pontiac tuned the chassis and gave it a wider stance, so it actually handles with more confidence than many of its rivals. You can take it on a weekend cruise, let the shaker scoop suck in air, and feel the torque push you down the road. It is practical enough for modern traffic, as long as you are willing to feed that big V8. And honestly? That is the point.

Pontiac itself is gone. General Motors phased out the brand after the 2008 financial crisis, and by 2010 it was over. In 2026, Pontiac has been dead for more than a decade and a half. That fact makes the 1976 Trans Am 455 HO even more precious. It is not just a cool car. It is the last of its kind: the final Pontiac to feature the 455 cubic inch V8, a big middle finger to a changing industry, and a reminder that the market does not always reward nostalgia in predictable ways.

So if you have been dreaming of a big-block muscle car but thought you needed six figures, wake up. The 1976 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am 455 HO is still out there, still affordable, and still ready to rumb

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I’m going to say something that sounds unhinged: I am not even mad about the bench that killed me. Well, maybe I’m a little mad, but honestly, it’s the kind of nasty trick I should have seen coming from Team Cherry. In Hollow Knight: Silksong, benches are supposed to be your sanctuary. They’re the little slice of heaven where you heal up, save your progress, swap your Crests, and finally let your shoulders drop from around your ears. So when I found one tucked into a corner in Hunter’s March after a long, miserable slog, I nearly wept with relief. I sat down, sighed, and then a pendulum swung straight down and clobbered Hornet for two masks of damage. I was already low. I died on the spot. You may be entitled to compensation? Nah, I’m entitled to a nap and a stiff drink.

That’s the thing about Silksong: the whole internet is currently up in arms because Team Cherry decided to pull a fast one. In both Hollow Knight and Silksong, benches function like bonfires in a Souls game. They are safe places, respites where you can catch your breath, heal to full health, and save before heading back into the meat grinder. You can swap Charms or Crests, update your map, and nothing can hurt you. Usually. That word is doing a lot of heavy lifting these days.

The Bench That Bites Back

The bench in Hunter’s March is not just dangerous—it’s personal. It sits in a corner where you would normally expect a bench to be, and if you’ve played the series, your brain sees those sun rays and thinks, “Oh sweet mercy, I am saved.” But this bench is booby-trapped. Sit on it, and a pendulum swings down to smack Hornet for two masks of damage. If Hunter’s March has already been kicking your butt, that’s a death sentence. And because Team Cherry clearly enjoys a bit of psychological warfare, it happens every single time you sit on it. It is not a one-time trap. To disarm it, you have to break a wall to the left and hit a lever on the ceiling. Only then can you finally sit safely. It’s like the bench itself is saying, “Not so fast, mate.”

I won’t lie, the first time I got killed I sat there staring at the screen like a total muppet. Then I laughed. Then I respawned and did it again because I needed to confirm it wasn’t a glitch. It was not a glitch. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, well, I’m the clown sitting on the same swinging bench.

Hollow Knight Already Taught Me Better

I’m definitely benefiting from actively playing Hollow Knight for the first time right now, but did I really think the developers wouldn’t troll us in Silksong? This is the studio that created the Deepnest.

The Deepnest is a particularly diabolical area. The rules of the game you’ve learned up to that point seemingly don’t apply. Enemies spawn out of the ground and swarm you with little warning. Levels are winding labyrinths you have to navigate in the dark. Floors give out beneath you without warning, often dumping you into a pit of spikes. And then there’s the Distant Village. This village is at the far end of Deepnest, and if you explore it, you’ll find a group of bugs standing around a beautiful bench. They encourage you to sit and rest. How nice of them! So you sit. And you don’t heal. You can’t move. Webs tie you to your seat as the villagers surround you. The screen goes black, and you wake up in the Beast’s Den, trapped in a web. It’s not as punishing as Hunter’s March, but it’s the same kind of betrayal.

That little moment in Distant Village is the key to understanding Team Cherry. They build up your expectations and then smash them, destabilising you and reminding you that the world is full of surprises, both good and bad. Sometimes a bench saves you, and sometimes a bench kills you. It’s a long con, and I respect the commitment.

Why I’m Not Even Mad

Here’s the thing: I did not go into Silksong expecting a cozy game. I went in expecting beautiful hand-drawn pain, and Team Cherry delivered in spades. The Hunter’s March bench is not unfair; it’s a lesson. It teaches you to read the room. A bench in a corner after a brutal stretch? Maybe too good to be true. A suspicious wall to the left? A lever on the ceiling? These are not decorations. The

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Choral Chambers in Hollow Knight: Silksong is not the cruelest slice of Pharloom, but it has a special talent for making a player feel gloriously lost. One moment they are pogoing off a bell like a tiny, needle-wielding maestro; the next they are staring at the same rectangular room for the fifth time. Is the area actively hostile? Absolutely. Is it also full of rewards, shortcuts, and a few delightful side quests? Equally true. For anyone determined to clear this late-game zone without losing their mind, the first order of business is tracking down the actual map.

The Map Hunt: A Bell-Fueled Odyssey

Starting from the bench just north of the Underworks is the sanest approach. If that bench has not been unlocked yet, a player should head southwest inside Choral Chambers until they tumble into a large rectangular room with a single downward exit to the west and another exit at the lower right. Taking the latter leads to a short corridor with a bench—sit down, save, and take a deep breath, because the real navigation begins now.

From that bench, the route heads west into a large rectangular room. Hug the left wall until a hole in the floor appears. Just to the right of that hole sits a small platform. A few wall jumps later, a corridor opens on the right. The trick here is not to panic as the rooms begin to blur together.

After running down the corridor and wall jumping into a higher room, the player passes an alcove decorated with Rosaries on strings. This is not a suggestion to grab everything in sight; it is a welcome sign that the upward climb is still correct. Continue upward, then head immediately right on the next screen.

Enemies in the following room can be fought or ignored. At the very end, attacking a lever opens a hole in the floor. Dropping through, continuing right, and curving back up leads to a higher platform. On the left side, another lever opens an exit into the room above. Attack it, jump up, and run right. Then, in the next room, avoid the enemies and slip out the right exit.

Now for the fun part: pogo jumping up the bells and platforms. It looks like a musical instrument, and yes, it can absolutely kill. A secluded passage waits on the right, leading to a room full of spinning gears. Platform over them, then drop all the way down the vertical section while avoiding the spikes on the right side. The glide ability earns its keep here. At the bottom, follow the sign toward the Bellway station, pass the Bell Beast, and rest at the bench. A machine at the end of the corridor will happily sell the Choral Chambers map for 70 Rosaries.

Why 70 Rosaries? Perhaps because the cartographer knows exactly how desperate lost bugs can get.

Choral Chambers’ Greatest Hits: Benches, Side Quests, and Upgrades

With the map in hand, the area reveals itself as more than a maze. The most important stop is the Songclave at the northeastern edge. There, a Wishwell offers The Wandering Merchant sidequest, which sends one after the wayward Jubilana. She is tucked away near the bottom-middle of Choral Chambers. From Citadel Spa, head right, drop to the bottom of the room, exit right, then turn around and use the exit just below and to the left. Rescuing her causes Jubilana to set up shop at the Songclave.

Her inventory includes the Ascendant’s Grip and Spool Extender tools, plus a Mask Shard. If a player then completes The Lost Merchant from the Wishboard, her inventory expands even further. Collectors should also keep an eye out for two lost fleas: one in the northeast part of the room near Jubilana, and another in the northeast corner of the Songclave itself.

Though no proper boss battle guards the Choral Chambers, an Arena Battle sits just west of Citadel Spa. Four waves of enemies provide a solid test of Hornet’s tools and patience.

Location	What’s Worth Noting
Songclave	Wishwell, Jubilana’s shop, lost flea
Near Citadel Spa	Arena Battle, Jubilana’s hiding spot
Bellway station	Map vendor, bench
West of large vertical room	Bench near Cogwork Core
Northwest near High Halls	Bench

Choral Chambers also acts as a hub of exits. It connects directly to The Slab, Cogwor

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I never expected a feathery cloak to rewrite the way I moved through Pharloom, but Hollow Knight: Silksong has a habit of hiding its best mobility tools behind freezing climbs and spike-lined detours. The Faydown Cloak, Hornet’s double jump upgrade, sat at the top of Mount Fay, and after several shivering attempts, I finally brought it home. If you want that extra aerial lift without losing your mind to the cold, here is exactly how I got there, what I needed beforehand, and why the reward is worth every rosary I spent.

The Clawline Before the Cloak

Before I could even think about Mount Fay, I needed the Clawline. That little tool made Hornet’s movement feel completely different, but it also meant a detour into the Citadel. I picked up the White Key from the Songclave area, then descended into the depths beneath the Choral Chambers. The Clawline was waiting in the heart of the Whiteward area, and once I had it, I finally felt ready for the climb ahead.

With the Clawline secured, I made my way to the Slab on the left side of the Choral Chambers. If you have already discovered the Bellway fast travel point there, that saves a lot of walking. I exited the Bellway to the left and used the Clawline to sail across a series of hooks, which dropped me right into Mount Fay. That was where I met Shakra sitting near a bench. I rested there immediately and bought the map from her since I had enough Rosaries to spare.

❄️ The Freezing Ascent

The actual climb was a trial of cold, spikes, and careful jumps. I headed left from Shakra’s bench and used the platforms to reach the exit above to the right. Outside, the cold was brutal. I definitely lost some health before I reached the first warm area, but Hornet can tank a little frost.

At the top of that first climb, I went inside and kept left. The frigid lake crossing was the first real test. I had to Clawline off enemies while moving fast enough not to freeze. I fell once, but instead of giving up, I kept using the Clawline and bouncing off enemies until I scrambled to safety.

After the lake, I found a sign pointing to a bench. There was a breakable wall below the exit, and cracking it open revealed a bench. The current cost to unlock it is 60 rosaries, down from the 90 it demanded in earlier builds, so one Rosary string handled it. I rested there and exhaled.

Then came the trickiest part. During the next outside ascent, I had to resist double-tapping the jump button too fast. If you start floating with your cloak too early, you lose the full height of the pogo boost. Clawlining enemies gave me the extra jump without needing a second press, so I used that as much as I could.

I eventually reached an upper right platform and floated down through a spiky corridor toward another warm pocket. From there, I kept Clawline jumping between enemies. I also broke a wall on the right that opened a shortcut back to the starting bench. That shortcut was comforting, but I really did not want to die and redo the whole climb.

In the area above, I broke a wall to my left and found another bench. I rested there before the final push. The last platforming ascent was nerve-wracking. I leapt into the next area, moved left over spikes, and took an air current upward. Speed mattered because the cold could freeze me fast. At the top, I went right, inspected the tuning mechanism, and played my Needolin. The large avian creature appeared, and just like that, I received the Faydown Cloak.

🪶 How the Double Jump Feels

With the Faydown Cloak equipped, a second press of the jump button while airborne gives Hornet a full double jump. If I press and hold again after that, she slows her fall, which makes platforming feel significantly more forgiving. The cloak also keeps Hornet warm, which would have been more useful during the climb than after it.

This upgrade opened up new routes and made some tough Act 2 fights much easier. Before I left Mount Fay, I descended the leftmost slope and found the Mask Maker NPC. I did not receive any items from that meeting, but it was worth it just to meet the character. Later, I learned

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