Pontiac Firebird (1970) – Ultimate Guide

Introduction

Four models of the Firebird were available:

  • Base Firebird, series 223
  • Firebird Esprit, series 224
  • Firebird Formula, series 226
  • Trans Am, series 228

BASE FIREBIRD

  • High-back seats
  • New wheel covers
  • Simulated louvers behind the front wheel cutouts.
  • Vinyl bucket seats
  • Woodgrain dash
  • Deluxe steering wheel
  • Endura front bumper
  • Bright grille moldings
  • Narrow rocker panel moldings
  • Front disc brakes
  • E78-14 tires
  • 145-hp 250-cid Six engine

FIREBIRD ESPRIT

  • Custom trim features
  • Knit vinyl upholstery
  • Custom cushion steering wheel
  • Trunk mat
  • Bright roof drip moldings
  • Wheel opening moldings
  • Concealed wipers
  • Twin body-colored outside mirrors
  • Wheel trim rings
  • Dual horns
  • Engine
    • Two-barrel carburetor
    • 350-cid V-8
    • 8.0:1 compression
    • 250 hp @ 4400 rpm
  • Floor-mounted three-speed manual transmission

FIREBIRD FORMULA

  • Vinyl bucket seats
  • Custom cushion steering wheel
  • Flame chestnut woodgrain appearance dash panel
  • Right and left body-colored outside mirrors
  • Left outside mirror remote controlled
  • Endura rubber front bumper
  • Fiberglass hood with simulated twin air scoops
  • Black-textured grille insert
  • Bright grille moldings
  • Dual horns
  • Front disc brakes
  • Handling package
  • Dual exhausts with chrome extensions
  • Heavy-duty three-speed manual transmission
  • F70-14 black sidewall tires
  • Formula 350 or 400 or 455 identification numbering
  • Three engine choices
    • Two-barrel 350-cid V-8
    • Four-barrel 400-cid V-8
    • Four-barrel 455-cid V-8

TRANS AM

  • Vinyl bucket seats
  • Rally gauges (with clock and tachometer)
  • Endura front bumper
  • Formula steering wheel
  • Twin outside mirrors (body-colored)
  • Remote control left outside mirror
  • Special honeycomb wheels
  • Functional front fender air extractors
  • Rear deck-lid spoiler
  • Black textured grille insert
  • Bright grille moldings
  • Front and rear wheel opening air spoilers
  • Concealed wipers
  • Trans Am identification markings
  • Performance dual exhausts with extensions
  • Special air cleaner with rear-facing cold air intake on hood controlled by throttle
  • Power flex cooling fan
  • Power steering
  • Safe-T-Track differential
  • Handling package
  • Dual horns
  • Power brakes with discs in front and drums at rear
  • F60-15 white lettered tires
  • RPO LS5 engine
    • 455 HO engine
    • Four-barrel carburetor
    • 8.4:1 compression
    • 335 hp @ 4800 rpm
  • Heavy-duty three-speed manual transmission with floor shifter

I.D. NUMBERS

VIN Location Left front door post
Position Character Description
1 2 General Motors: Pontiac Division
2 & 3 23 body series: Firebird
4 & 5 67 convertible
37 hardtop
6 1 1971
7 V Assembled in Lordstown, Ohio
8 to 13 100001 and up production sequence

IDENTIFICATION

Model Number Style Number Body Type Seating Factory Price Shipping Weight Production Total
223 22387 2-door Hardtop Base Firebird 4 $3047 3164 23,021
224 22487 2-door Hardtop Esprit 4 $3416 3423 20,185
226 22687 2-door Hardtop Formula 4 $3445 3473 7,802
228 22887 2-door Hardtop Trans Am 4 $4594 3578 2,116

ENGINE

FEATURE Base 6 Sprint 6 Tempest 8 GTO 8 HO 8
Configuration Inline Inline Vee Vee Vee
Cylinders Six Six 8 8 8
Valves Overhead Overhead Overhead Overhead Overhead
Camshaft Overhead Overhead Pushrod Pushrod Pushrod
Block Cast Iron Cast Iron Cast Iron Cast Iron Cast Iron
Displacement 250 cid 250 cid 350 cid 350 cid 400 cid
Bore & Stroke 3.875″x3.531″ 3.875″x3.531″ 3.875″x3.75″ 3.875″x3.75″ 4.125″x3.746″
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 10.5:1 9.2:1 10.5:1 10.75:1
Brake HP 175 @ 4800 rpm 215 @ 4800 rpm 265 @ 4600 rpm 320 @ 5100 rpm 330 @ 4800 rpm
Main bearings 5 5
Valve Lifters Hydraulic Hydraulic Hydraulic Hydraulic Hydraulic
Carburetor Rochester
one-barrel
Rochester
four-barrel
Rochester
model 7028071
two-barrel
Rochesterfour-barrel Rochester four-barrel

TRANSMISSION

Two-speed automatic $195
Heavy-duty three-speed manual with floor shift $84

CHASSIS

Wheelbase Overall length Front tread Rear tread
108 in. 191.6 in. 60 in. 60 in.

FIREBIRD RPO PACKAGES

Firebird 350 Package
  • Three-speed manual transmission with coumn shift
  • F70 x 14 tires
  • 350-cid V-8 with 9.2:1 compression
  • Rochester two-barrel carburetor
  • 265 hp @ 4600 rpm
  • Price: $106 over the base model
Firebird 350 Package
  • Three-speed manual transmission with column shift
  • Dual exhausts
  • H.O. side stripes
  • Heavy-duty battery
  • Four F70 x 14 tires
  • 350-cid V8 with 10.5:1 compression
  • Rochesteer four-barrel carburetor
  • 320 hp @ 5100 rpm
  • $181 over the base model
Firebird 400 Package
  • Three-speed manual transmission with floor shift
  • Chrome air cleaner
  • Chrome rocker covers
  • chrome oil cap
  • Sports type springs and shock absorbers
  • Heavy-duty battery
  • Dual exhausts
  • Hood emblem and dual scoop hood
  • F70 x 14 red line or white sidewall tires
  • “ower Flex” variable pitch cooling fan
  • 400-cid V8 with 10.75:1 compression
  • Rochester four-barrel carburetor
  • 330 hp @ 4800 rpm
  • $351 over the base model when included with the 3-speed manual transmission
  • $435 over the base model when included with the four-speed manual transmission
Firebird Ram Air 400 Package
  • Three-speed manual transmission with floor shift
  • Chrome air cleaner
  • Chrome rocker covers
  • chrome oil cap
  • De-clutching fan
  • Sports type springs and shock absorbers
  • Heavy-duty battery
  • Dual exhausts
  • Hood emblem and dual functional scoop hood
  • F70 x 14 red line or white sidewall tires
  • “Power Flex” variable pitch cooling fan
  • 400-cid V8 with 10.75:1 compression
  • Rochester four-barrel carburetor
  • 335 hp @ 5000 rpm
  • $616 over the base model

OPTIONS

Custom air conditioner $360
Custom carpets $19
Console $51 – $68
Cruise control $53
Front disc brakes $63
Auxiliary gauge cluster $32
Rally gauge cluster $51
Rally gauge cluster with tachometer $84
Tinted windows $35
Tinted windshield $26
Right reclining bucket seat head restraint $84
Dual horns $4
Four-way power seat $70
Power brakes $42
Power steering $69
Left four-way power bucket seat $70
AM/FM radio $134
Rally stripes except 350 H.O. $15
Safeguard speedometer $16
Adjustable front and rear shokes $42
Hood mounted tachometer $63
Cordova top $84 – $95
Wire wheel discs $53 – $74
Rally I wheels $40 – $61
Rally II wheels $56 – $72

HISTORICAL NOTES

1971 Firebird Notes

  • Models started August 10, 1970

1971 Automotive Notes

  • In August, US President Nixon announces a 90-day freeze on wages and prices as well as an end of the excise tax on automobiles
  • Horsepower ratings drop as more emission-control standards are introduced so that emisions are now 80% lower than in cars built before 1963
  • A closed fuel system used on all cars to control the evaporation of fuel from the tank or carburetor
  • Sales of muscle cars drop because of federal safety rules and emission regulations coupled with increased insurance rates and high purchase price
  • US Federal Highway Administration approves standard color combinations and symbols for warning signs
  • Automakers attempt to create a catalytic converter to meet projected emissions standards
  • In Los Angeles, over 5000 fleet vehicles are converted to burn propane and natural gas
  • The Silver Eagle electric car sets a speed record of 146 mph
  • Consumer advocate Ralph Nader publishes a new book titled, What To Do With Your Bad Car: An Action Manual For Lemon Owners
  • GM news:
    • GM lowers compression ratios, but other automakers wait until 1972
    • GM engines run on regular or no-lead fuel; likewise for some Chrysler and AMC cars, but not Ford
    • Edward N. Cole was president of GM
    • James M. Roche was chairman of the board at GM until the end of the year
    • GM buys a share of Isuzu
    • GM station wagons boast a “disappearing” clamshell-type tailgate
    • Some GM cars get maintenance-free batteries
    • Chevrolet introduces the sub-compact 97-inch wheelbase Vega
    • The Vega alloy engine with silicon cylinder liner is a failure and the body is prone to rust
    • Pontiac introduces the compact: Ventura II as a Nova clone
    • On July 16, Pontiac builds its 15,000,000th car
    • Full-size Buicks are stretched up to 5799mm (228.3 inches)
    • Buick introduces the restyled “boattail” Riviera with “Max-Trac,” a computerized anti-wheelspin system
    • Oldsmobile issues its last true 4-4-2 models
    • Eldorao is restyled and adds the first front-drive Eldorado
  • Ford news:
    • Ford outsells Chevrolet by over 200,000 units
    • Ford introduces the 84.2-inch wheelbase sub-compact Pinto which sells well over 1/3 million
    • Ford adds the sporty Maverick Grabber option package
    • Ford introduces a four-door Maverick which is 178mm (7 inches) longer than the two-door
    • The new Mustang is both bigger and heavier
    • This is the only year for the Mustang Boss 351
    • Ford station wagons feature a tailgate wiper-washer
    • Ford features automatic temperature-control air conditioning
    • Lincoln-Mercury market the Ford-powered DeTomaso Pantera
  • Chrysler news:
    • Chrysler buys a share of Mitsubishi
    • Plymouth outsells Pontiac to move into third place
    • Last year for Plymouth’s GTX muscle car
    • Dodge introduces the compact: Demon as a Plymouth Duster clone
    • Dodge produces its last convertible: a Challenger
    • Both the Challenger and Charger R/T models are in their last year. The name won’t be revived until the next century
    • Imperial is first to feature four-wheel anti-skid braking system
  • AMC news:
    • The Rebel “The Machine” and the two-seater AMX are dropped from the lineup
    • The name AMX is applied to the top-line Javelin
    • Hornet adds a Sportabout wagon and the hot SC/360
  • Top American Automobile Corporations for 1971

 

1. General Motors3,724,791
2. Ford2,482,303
3. Chrysler1,440,175
4. AMC244,758
5. Others707
  • Top model year production for 1971
Ford  2,054,351
Chevrolet  1,830,319
Plymouth  702,113
Pontiac  586,856
Oldsmobile  567,891
Dodge  551,386
Buick  551,188
Skylark  162,380
Sportwagon   12,525
Gran Sport  9,170
LeSabre  153,835
Estate Wagon   24,034
Centurion   29,398
Electra    225126,036
Riviera   33,810
Mercury   365,310
AMC  244,758
Gremlin  53,480
Hornet  73,784
Javelin  26,184
Ambassador  14,617
Ambassador DPL  26,035
Ambassador SST  35,542
Cadillac  188,537
Calais  6,929
DeVille  135,426
Eldorado  27,368
Fleetwood Brougham  15,200
Series Seventy-Five  3,614
Chrysler  175,118
Lincoln  62,642
Imperial  11,558
Checker   600
Avanti II   107

1968 FIREBIRD Photo Gallery