A Brief Firebird Introductory History

The Shaky Start to a Classic

It may not be as appreciated as the GTO or the Camaro, but the Firebird is no less interesting than the aforementioned vehicles. The Firebird started as one of two GM weapons to take on Ford's popular Mustang, but it went on to become a long-lasting sport coupe for thirty-five years.

Pontiac in the 1960s was an exciting company to be in. It was General Motors' performance division and had launched the muscle car boom with the GTO, a Tempest equipped with a tough motor, a strong Hurst shifter, and stripped of unnecessary weight. A rather sleazy PR effort by Pontiac's chief, John DeLorean, that involved a fake comparison test with a Ferrari in the pages of Car and Driver only helped GTOs storm out showroom doors and into people's garages. (The Pontiac was secretly equipped with a bigger engine and the Ferrari never showed up. Decades later, Car and Driver did have a real shootout with the Ferrari easily prevailing.)

DeLorean was an ambitious man and looked to develop an exotic two-seat sports car. This effort was canned when Pontiac's parent company wanted a four-passenger coupe priced and equipped to take on the Mustang. The platform was to be shared between Chevrolet and Pontiac. The first result would be the 1967 Camaro, which debuted in September 1966. Pontiac's product, called the Firebird, would debut five months later.

The Camaro earned a good reception, though sales figures failed to compare with the 1967 Mustang's. Ford had already had plenty of time to fine-tune its steel stallion in advance of the Camaro introduction. The Firebird came late to the show with a mid-year debut.

To help distinguish the Firebird from its Chevy sibling, Pontiac offered six engine options in three different sizes: 3.8 L, 5.3 L, and a 6.6 L. The 3.8 L I-6 "Sprint" motor came with a single- or four-barrel carburetor. The 5.3 L V-8 had a two- or four-barrel option. The 6.6 L V-8 was borrowed from the GTO. A $600 "Ram Air" option with a hotter cam, better valve springs, and special hood scoops was offered, but with no higher output rating (officially).