1968 Pontiac Firebird

General Motor executive vice president Ed Cole tasked John DeLorean with producing a Pontiac version of the Camaro's F-body platform. DeLorean requested a six-month delay to establish a firm Pontiac identity for the new car. With insufficient time for all-new sheet metal, designers altered the front and rear ends with design cues inspired by the GTO. Unsatisfied with the Camaro's handling and ride height, DeLorean had the new car lowered a full inch and decreed that all Pontiac F-bodies use lower-profile Firestone Wide Oval 70-series tires, offering a racier stance. Work was concentrated on improving the car's handling, but it took time to complete. By the 1968 model year, engineers were able to introduce many of the improvements they had targeted, including multi-leaf rear springs. Engines unique to the Pontiac brand, including the 400 cubic-inch unit found in the GTO, were placed under the bonnet. 413 examples of the 1968 Firebirds were built with the Ram Air I engine, with 92 being mated to the 400 Turbo-Hydramatic transmission. They were designed with 4-bolt mains to ensure maximum durability; the L67 Ram Air I V8 was rated at 335 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque with its 10.75:1 compression, a long duration camshaft, code 31 cylinder heads with swirl-polished valves, and dual valve springs, and 'longbranch' exhaust manifolds for better breathing. All Ram Air I cars were equipped with a Safe-T-Track Positraction rear end with 3.90 gearing. The Ram Air intake system was packed in the trunk at the factory for installation at the dealer.

Introduced in 1967, the first generation Firebird had the distinctive 'coke bottle' styling. Its cousin, the Chevrolet Camaro, was unveiled the same year and shared the same platform. The Pontiac, however, had bumpers that were integrated into the overall design. Hard and soft-top versions were offered along with various straight-six and V8 engines. The styling updates from 1967 to 1968 were limited to removing the quarter lights, the front indicators being enlarged and wrapped around onto the wings, and the Pontiac 'arrowhead' logo was added to each rear flank.

The Pontiac Firebird had bucket seats, side marker lights, vinyl upholstery, GM safety features, and a simulated burl woodgrain dashboard. Bodystyles included a hardtop coupe and a convertible. The base overhead cam six-cylinder 250 cubic-inch engine delivered 175 horsepower. A range of 400 and 428 CID engines was offered with horsepower ranging from 330 to nearly 400 hp.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2019