Pontiac Firebird (1974) – Ultimate Guide
Introduction
Four models of the Firebird were available:
- Base Firebird, series 2FS
- Firebird Esprit, series 2FT
- Firebird Formula, series 2FU
- Trans Am, series 2FV
BASE FIREBIRD
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FIREBIRD ESPRIT
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FIREBIRD FORMULA
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FIREBIRD TRANS AM
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I.D. NUMBERS
VIN Location | On top of dash at left, viewable through windshield | |
---|---|---|
Position | Character | Description |
1 | 2 | General Motors: Pontiac Division |
2 | S | Basic Firebird |
T | Firebird Esprit | |
U | Firebird Formula | |
V | Trans Am | |
3 & 4 | 87 | hardtop coupe |
5 | _ | Engine code (see listing in engine section) |
6 | 4 | Year: 1974 |
7 | _ | Assembly plant |
8 to 13 | 100001 and up | production sequence |
IDENTIFICATION
Model Number | Style Number | Body Type | Seating | Factory Price | Shipping Weight | Production Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2FS | S87 | 2-door Hardtop Base Firebird – 6 cyl | 4 | $3335 | 3283 | 26,372 both 6 & V8 |
2FS | S87 | 2-door Hardtop Base Firebird – V8 | 4 | $3460 | 3504 | |
2FT | T87 | 2-door Hardtop Esprit | 4 | $3687 | 3540 | 22,583 |
2FU | U87 | 2-door Hardtop Formula | 4 | $3659 | 3548 | 14,510 |
2FV | V87 | 2-door Hardtop Trans Am | 4 | $4446 | 3655 | 10,255 |
ENGINE
MODEL | Code | Type | Displacement | Carb | Compression | Net HP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Base Firebird (std) | D | 6-cyl | 250 cid | 1-V | 8.2:1 | 100 @ 3600 rpm |
Base Firebird (opt) | M | V-8 | 350 cid | 2-V | 7.6:1 | 155 @ 4000 rpm |
Esprit (std) | M | V-8 | 350 cid | 2-V | 7.6:1 | 155 @ 4000 rpm |
Esprit (opt) | R | V-8 | 400 cid | 2-V | 7.6:1 | 175 @ 3600 rpm |
Formula (std) | M | V-8 | 350 cid | 2-V | 7.6:1 | 155 @ 4000 rpm |
Formula (opt) | R | V-8 | 400 cid | 2-V | 7.6:1 | 175 @ 3600 rpm |
Formula (opt) | T | V-8 | 400 cid | 4-V | 8.0:1 | 255 @ 4000 rpm |
Formula (opt) | Y | V-8 | 455 cid | 4-V | 8.0:1 | 250 @ 4000 rpm |
Formula (opt) | X (LS2) | V-8 | 455 cid | 4-V | 8.4:1 | 290 @ 4000 rpm |
Trans Am (std) | T | V-8 | 400 cid | 4-V | 8.0:1 | 255 @ 4000 rpm |
Trans Am (opt) | Y | V-8 | 455 cid | 4-V | 8.0:1 | 250 @ 4000 rpm |
Trans Am (opt) | X (LS2) | V-8 | 455 cid | 4-V | 8.4:1 | 290 @ 4000 rpm |
TRANSMISSION
3-speed manual |
4-speed manual |
M38 Turbo-Hydra-Matic |
M40 Turbo-Hydra-Matic |
CHASSIS
Wheelbase | Overall length | Front tread | Rear tread |
---|---|---|---|
108 in. | 196 in. | 60 in. | 60 in. |
OPTIONS
HISTORICAL NOTES
1974 Firebird Notes
- Introduced on Sept. 20, 1973
- 212 Firebirds were built with the LS2 SD-455 engines with syncromesh transmission
- 731 Firebirds with the LS2 engine option had the Turbo-Hydra-Matic transmission
- All Firebirds sold in California required automatic transmission
1974 Automotive Notes
- Lower US traffic fatalities are credited to the national 55-mph speed limit, but others attribute it to the reduction in available fuel and high prices
- OPEC oil embargo ends March 18
- All cars are required to have energy absorbing bumpers front and rear
- US federal government wants an interlock that prevents a car from being started until the seatbelts are fastened. Public objection forces the cancelling of the idea.
- More emission controls are introduced and fuel consumption ratings increase.
- GM news:
- Edward N. Cole was president of GM until October when Elliott M. Estes took over
- Richard C. Gerstenberg was chairman of the board at GM until December when Thomas A. Murphy took over
- Chevrolet continues to outsell Ford by over 154,000 units
- Oldsmobile and Pontiac drop to fourth and fifth place respectively
- Firebird and some other models get fiberglass reinforced plastic noses
- The Vega plant in Ohio had a two-month strike
- Buick buys back the old tooling it sold to AMC in 1968 so it can again build the 231-cid V-6 (3.8 litre)
- Laguna Type S-3 replaces Chevelle SS
- Camaro Z28 is temporarily dropped at the end of the year and replaced by the Rally Sport option
- Corvette gets the last big-block and LT-1 engines, yet sales increase by 23%
- Ford news:
- Mustang II subcompact specialty car linked to the Pinto is a disappointment to previous Mustang owners
- Mustang II gets new overhead-cam 2.3 liter four cylinder built to metric measurements
- Gran Torino Elite hardtop coupe introduced to match Chevy’s Monte Carlo
- Cougar XR-7 now on Montego platform
- Chrysler news:
- Full-size cars are not selling during the oil embargo so Dodge offers rebates on the Monaco
- Plymouth rises from fifth place to third based on the sale of its compacts
- Imperials get four-wheel disc brakes standard on its new 124-inch wheelbase chassis
- Last Dodge Challenger until the next century
- Dodge discontinues the Polara series. Full-size cars are simply Monaco
- Last of Barracuda
- AMC news:
- AMC sells back to Buick the tooling for the V-6
- Last year for Ambassador and Javelin
- Matador has a new fastback coupe, but sales are poor for AMC
- Other makes news:
- Checker builds its last station wagon
- Ed Cole retires from GM but joins Checker
- CitiCar, a 2-passenger, Cycolac-body, is best selling electric car
- Top American Automobile Corporations for 1974
1. General Motors4,232,472
2. Ford2,677,751
3. Chrysler1,349,421
4. AMC731,798
5. Others1,191
- Top model year production for 1974
Chevrolet 2,333,839
Ford 2,179,791
Plymouth 739,894
Oldsmobile 581,195
Pontiac 580,045
Buick 495,063
Apollo 56,709
Century 190,607
LeSabre 113,792
Estate Wagon 14,412
Electra  22599,414
Riviera 20,129
Dodge 477,728
AMCÂ 431,798
Gremlin  131,905
Hornet  145,258
Javelin  29,536
Matador  99,922
Ambassador Brougham  24,971
Mercury 403,977
Cadillac 242,330
Calais 6,883
DeVille  172,620
Eldorado 40,412
Fleetwood Brougham 18,250
Series Seventy-Five  4,165
Chrysler  117,373
Lincoln  93,983
Imperial  14,426
Checker 950
Avanti IIÂ Â 123
Excalibur  118