1988 Pontiac Firebird

Pontiac produced vehicles from December 28th, 1925 to February 6th, 2010. The Firebird was built from 1967 to 2002, for 35 of the company's 85 years of existence. It was introduced on February 23rd of 1967, just five months after the Chevrolet division had unveiled its platform-sharing Camaro. The Camaro was designed to compete against Ford's pony car, the Mustang, and the Firebird rivaled the upscale, platform-sharing version from Mercury dubbed the Cougar.

The 1988 Pontiac Firebird was part of the Third Generation which had arrived in 1982 and would remain in production through 1992. General Motors had explored the possibility of making this generation of Firebirds and Camaro with front-wheel-drive platforms but chose to retain the rear-wheel-drive setup. Aerodynamics and lightweight components were instrumental in improving fuel economy, and a four-cylinder engine allowed the Firebird to achieve 34 miles per U.S. gallon. Additionally, performance was enhanced through optimal weight distribution, braking, and handling.

The Second Generation Firebird rested on a 108.2-inch wheelbase and relied on a variety of engines from Buick, Chevy, Olds, and Pontiac that ranged from a 231 CID V6 to a 455 CID V8. The Third-Gen Firebird had a shorter, 101-inch wheelbase and during its production lifespan would employ a 151 cubic-inch inline-4, a 173 and 191 cubic-inch V6, a turbocharged 231 CID V8, and a 305 and 350 CID V8. The styling was dramatically different than its predecessor with streamlined and aerodynamic design cues used throughout the body. It had a 62-degree sloped windshield, a large glass hatchback, two concealed pop-up headlights, a functional rear spoiler, and finned aluminum wheels with smooth hubcaps. Wind tunnel testing perfected the design and was the most aerodynamic product GM had ever released. Additionally, the new F-Body 3rd Gen Firebird was approximately 500 pounds lighter than its predecessor.

The 1988 Pontiac Firebird
The 1988 Pontiac Firebird had a base price of $10,999 making it $640 higher than the previous year. Pontiac would produce 62,455 Firebirds in 1988, a decrease from the previous year's total of 80,439, and slightly less than the 64,406 Firebirds built in 1989.

Trim levels on the 1988 Firebird included the 'base', Formula, Trans Am, and Trans Am GTA. The 'base' Firebird with the 305 CID V8 engine was priced at $11,399, the Formula sold for $11,999, the Trans AM at $13,999, and the Transm AM GTA at $19,299.

General Motors advertised the Firebirds as receiving 17 major updates for 1988, including new standard equipment, mechanical improvements, and new colors. The Tuned Port Induction system on the V8 engines was improved and received new serpentine accessory belt drives. The standard engine was a 2.8-liter (173 cubic-inch) MFI V6 with overhead valves, 8.5:1 compression ratio, EFI/TBI fuel injection, and delivered 135 horsepower at 4,900 RPM and 160 lb-ft of torque at 3,900 RPM. It had a cast-iron block and head, and an aluminum intake manifold. 1987 was the first year that the Firebird used this LB8 2.8-liter engine, and in 1989 it gained multi-port fuel injection but continued to produce 135 horsepower.

The 305 CID (5.0-liter) V8 had overhead valves, 9.3:1 compression, an aluminum intake manifold, and produced 170 horsepower at 4,000 RPM and 255 lb-ft of torque at 2,400 RPM. The following year, this engine gained throttle body injection but its output remained unchanged at 170 hp. An optional version of this engine with tuned port injection brought horsepower to 215 bhp with the manual transmission (190 bhp with the automatic) and 285 ft-lbs of torque (manual - the automatic had 295 ft-lbs). The engine powering the GTA was a 305 CID V8 with an aluminum intake manifold, overhead valves, 9.3: compression and produced 225 horsepower at 4,400 RPM and 330 lb-ft of torque at 3200 RPM. This engine was optional in the Formula and Trans Am.

The base Firebird now came standard with an AM/FM stereo with seek-and-scan and clock, a new Camel-colored interior, Pallex cloth interior trim, and a redesigned four-spoke steering wheel. New exterior features included 15x7 inch deep-dish Hi-Tech Turbo or diamond spoke cast-aluminum wheels, and two new exterior colors of Orange Metallic or Silver Blue Metallic. They had a GM Computer Command Control system, analog instrumentation, full-length console with instrument panel, reclining front bucket seats, lockable storage compartment, folding rear seat, and side window defoggers. There were rectangular-shaped concealed quartz halogen headlights, front air dam, 'wet-arm' windshield wipers, five-speed manual transmission, and P215/65R15 BSW tires.

Firebird Formula
The Firebird Formula came equipped with the 5.0-liter EFI V8, Formula graphics, 16x8-inch Hi-Tech aluminum wheels, two-tone paint and striping, body-color aero rear decklid spoiler, domed hood, and the WS6 special performance suspension. A four-speed automatic transmission was optional.

Firebird Trans Am
The Trans Am came with a Y99 rally-tuned suspension, hood air louvers, soft ray tinted glass, fog lamps, and hood and front fender air extractors.

Firebird Trans Am GTA
The standard engine in the GTA was the 350 CID V8. When the buyer selected the optional removable roof 'T-tops,' the only engine offered was the 305 CID V8 due to the roof not able to support the extra torque from the larger engine. The $800 'notchback' was a new and rare option on the GTA in 1988, with a design closer to the Pontiac Firebird than the Camaro. It was a fiberglass rear deck lid that replaced the large glass hatchback, and had a short vertical rear window instead of the long-sloped window. Just 718 examples of the Notchback were built in 1988 and they were manufactured by Auto-Fab of Auburn Hills, Michigan. Unfortunately, delays in production along with quality control issues plagued many notchbacks. The lack of quality and expensive warranty repairs prompted Pontiac to cancel the notchback for the 1989 model year.

The GTA came with disc brakes, P245/50VR16 Goodyear Eagle tires, 16x8-inch gold-colored light-weight diamond-spoke aluminum wheels, a four-speed automatic transmission, and a special performance suspension. The interiors received a Delco UT4 ETR 'touch control' AM/FM stereo with cassette and anti-theft feature, leather-wrapped steering wheel, steering wheel radio controls, power deck lid release, power door locks, power windows, dual power mirrors, power articulating front bucket seats, cruise control, and air conditioning.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2022