Pontiac Firebird The Pontiac Firebird was a pony car built by the Pontiac Motor Division of General Motors and was manufactured from 1967 until 2002.
The Firebird was introduced in the same year as the Mercury Cougar, which also shared a platform with another well-known pony car, the Ford Mustang.
The vehicles were, for the most part, powered by various V8 motors of different GM divisions. While primarily Pontiac-powered until 1982, Firebirds were built with several different engines from nearly every GM division.
All Firebirds have always included solid rear axles, also referred to as live axles. Pontiac switched to a coil spring/torque arm rear suspension design in 1982.
First generation (1967–1969)
The first-generation Firebirds had a characteristic "coke-bottle" styling. Unlike the Camaro, its bumpers were integrated into the design of the front end and its rear "slit" taillights were inspired by the Pontiac GTO. Both a two-door hardtop and a convertible were offered through the 1970 model year (the next generation, dropping the convertible, being announced as 1970 1/2 models).
It outsold the Camaro.
The base model had a 230 in³ (3.8 L) OHC six-cylinder, single-barrel carburetor motor developing 165 hp (123 kW). The next model, the Sprint, had a four-barrel carburetor, developing 215 hp (160 kW). Most buyers opted for the V8s: the 326 in³ (5.3 L) two-barrel 250 hp (186 kW, the 'H.O.' (High Output) engine of the same size but with a four-barrel carburetor 285 hp (213 kW), or the 400 in³ (6.6 L) from the GTO 325 hp (242 kW). A Ram Air option was available, with functional hood scoops, higher flow heads with stronger valve springs and a different camshaft. Power for the Ram/Air package was the same as the conventional 400HO, but peaked at a higher RPM. The 230 in³ (3.8 L) engines were replaced by 250 in³ (4.1 L) ones, developing 175 hp (130 kW) single barrel, and 215 hp (160 kW) four-barrel. Also, for 1968, the 326 in³ (5.3 L) motor was replaced by a 350 in³ (5.7 L). An H.O. version of the 400 in³ (6.6 L) was offered from 1968, with a revised cam, and developed 330 hp (246 kW), while power output on the other engines increased marginally. In 1969, a $725 optional handling package called the Trans Am Performance and Appearance Package which had rear spoiler was introduced, named after the Trans-Am Series. As the name was used without permission, the SCCA threatened to sue, but GM settled the deal by paying $5 to the SCCA for every car sold. Of these first Trans Ams, 689 hardtops and eight convertibles were made. There was an additional Ram Air IV engine option for the 400 in³ that year to complement the Ram Air II; these generated 345 and 335 hp respectively. Bodywise, the only difference from the 1967 to the 1968 model was the addition of federally-mandated side marker lights. For the front of the car, the blinkers were made larger and moved to wrap around the front edges of the car, and, for the rear, the Pontiac (V-shaped) Arrowhead logo was added to each side.
The 1969 model received a major facelift with a new front end design made of an Endura bumper housing the headlights and grilles. Inside, there was a revised instrument panel and steering wheel. Also, the ignition switch was moved from the dashboard to the steering column with the introduction of GM's new locking ignition switch/steering wheel.
Due to engineering problems that would ultimately delay introduction of the all-new 1970 Firebird past the usual fall debut, Pontiac continued production of 1969-model Firebirds into the early months of the 1970 model year (the other 1970 Pontiacs were introduced Sept. 18, 1969) until the end of calendar year 1969. By late spring 1969, Pontiac deleted all model year references on Firebird literature and promotional materials anticipating the extended production run of the then-current 1969 models.
The first-generation Firebird could easily be told from the Camaro with its four round headlamps, while the Camaro got only two.
Second generation (1970–1981)
The second generation appeared for the 1970 model year as a mid-year introduction on February 26, 1970 - but was officially designated by Pontiac as a 1970 model, not a 1970 1/2 as many sources have reported through the years. Replacing the coke bottle was a more swoopy body style, with the top of the rear window line going almost straight down to the lip of the trunk lid. This body style was the longest-serving, initially with a large C-pillar until 1975; from that year, the rear window was enlarged. A substantial slant-nose facelift came in 1977, redone in 1979. From 1977 to 1981, the Firebird used four square headlamps, while the Camaro retained the two round headlights that had previously been shared by both cars.
The Firebird Trans Am with the 455 engine was the last high-performance muscle engine of the original muscle car generation. The 455 engine first made its appearance in 1971 as the 455-HO. In 1973 and 1974, a special version of the 455, called the SD-455, was offered. The SD-455 used the left over components from Pontiac's 366 NASCAR engine and was built as a full bore racing engine producing over 540 horsepower and was then toned down to appease the EPA and to meet GM's strict horsepower policy which required all GM vehicles to hold the HP to under 300. As a result, the PMD engineers listed the SD-455 at 290 hp but in reality, was producing in final form, 371 hp SAE NET (Approx 440 gross horsepower). What made this engine unique was the ease with which it could be returned to its 500+ horsepower form. The SD-455 is often considered the last of the true muscle car engines and, by many, considered to be the most powerful factory Pontiac engine ever produced. Pontiac offered the 455 for a few more years, but tightening restrictions on vehicle emissions guaranteed its demise. The 1976 Trans Am was the last of the "Big Cube Birds" with only 7,100 units made with the 455 engine.
In 1974, Pontiac offered the 400, 455 and SD-455 in the Trans Am. The 400 and 455 engines were the only other option in the 1975 and 1976 models. In 1977, Pontiac offered the T/A 6.6 Litre 400 (option W72) rated at 200 hp, as opposed to the regular 6.6 Litre 400 (option L78) rated at 180 hp. In addition, California and high altitude cars received the Olds 403. The Olds engine offered slightly higher compression and a more usable torque band than the Pontiac engine in 1977. Beginning in 1978, Pontiac engineers reversed years of declining HP numbers by raising compression in the Pontiac 400 through the installation of different cylinder heads with smaller combustions chambers (from the Pontiac 350). This bumped HP by 20 for a total of 220 for 1978-79. The 400/403 options were available until 1979. The 400 cubic inch engines used in 1979 were only available in the 4 speed transmission Trans Ams and Formulas and were stockpiled from 1978. PMD cut production of the engine at the end of the model year in 1978. In 1980, because of ever increasing emissions restrictions, Pontiac dropped all of its large displacement engines.
1980 saw the biggest engine changes for the Trans Am. The 301, offered in 1979 as a credit option, was now the standard engine. Options included a turbocharged 301 or the Chevrolet 305 small block. The 301 was so underpowered that during filming of the second "Smokey and The Bandit" film, the car (Trigger II) had to be equipped with nitrous just to get the car to spin tires.
The final year of the second generation Trans Am, 1981, still used the same engines as the previous year with the only changes being the addition of a new electronic carburation system.
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