1969 Pontiac Firebird

The Pontiac Firebird was in production from 1967 through 2002. It shared its platform with its GM Chevrolet sibling, the Camaro. The name 'Firebird' was not new; it had been used by GM on 1950s and early 1960s concept cars. 'Trans Am' was also a known name; in fact, Pontiac had to pay a $5 royalty per car to the SCCA due to the vehicle being named after this popular SCCA Trans-Am racing series.

Trans AM

The late 1960s was an exciting time for the American automobile, as horsepower continued to rise as drivers went down the road a quarter-mile at a time. In March of 1969, Pontiac announced the arrival of the Trans Am option for its Firebird, based on the prior Pontiac Firebird Sport Turismo and Tunnel-Port racing projects. Under the direction of Chief Engineer Bill Collins, Herb Adams worked on the chassis development. Ben Harrison and Jim Wangers worked on product planning and marketing.

The Trans Ams were painted in cameo white paint, had medium blue stripes, a full-width rear airfoil, and dark blue deluxe upholstery. On the front fenders were twin fiberglass, rear-facing scoops which acted as vents for the engine heat. On the hood was a pair of functional air scooped which provided cold air for the 400 cubic-inch engine which breathed through dual exhaust pipes. In base form, the Trans Am Ram Air II V-8 engine was rated at 335 horsepower. For buyers seeking even more, Pontiac offered the Ram Air IV, which brought horsepower to 345. Transmission options included a three or four-speed manual or the high-performance M40 Turbo Hydramatic.

The Trans Am had a well-engineered, heavy-duty, tuned suspension system that included special springs, shocks, and stabilizers. At all four corners were wide F70-14 Polyglas tires on seven-inch Rally II wheels. They had Safe-T-Track limited-slip differential and a variable-ratio power steering setup.

1969 Pontiac Firebird

For 1969, just 697 examples of the Trans Am were sold, including eight convertibles. Total production for the Firebird was down by over 20,000 vehicles compared to the 1968 model year. The hardtop coupe accounted for 75,362 sales while 11,649 buyers selected the convertible. The hardtop coupe had a base price of $2,830 and the convertible listed at $3,045. With the Trans Am option, the base price rose to $3,560 for the hardtop coupe and $3,770 for the convertible.

The styling of the Firebird was modified similarly to those of the Chevrolet Camaro. They were given front fender windsplits, creased lower beltline, new rooflines, and flatter wheel openings. In the back was a split bumper grille, and the gas filler had been moved behind the rear license plate.

Mechancial Specification
The standard engine powering the 1969 Pontiac Firebird was an overhead cam six-cylinder unit displacing 250 cubic-inches and delivering 175 horsepower at 4,800 RPM. It had a cast iron block, seven main bearings, hydraulic valve lifters, a Rochester one-barrel carburetor, and 9.0:1 compression.

The Firebird had a 108 inch wheelbase, an overall length of 191.1 inches, a width of 72.6 inches, and stood approximately 51.5 inches tall.

RPO packages
Several RPO packages were available, including the Sprint Package, which added a three-speed manual floor shift transmission, six emblems, F70-14 tires, and a high-compression, Rochester four-barrel carburetor version of the 250 CID engine offering 230 horsepower.

The 350 Package (option code 340; engine close L-30) had a column shift three-speed manual transmission, F70-14 tires, and a 350 CID V-8 engine offering 260 horsepower. The 350 HO Package (option code 344; engine code L-76) had a heavy-duty battery, dual exhaust, and a 325-horsepower engine.

The 400 Package (option code 345; engine code W-S6) had a 400 CID engine, heavy-duty battery, three-speed manual floor shift transmission, F70-14 red stripe or whitewall tires, variable pitch cooling fan, dual exhaust, and chrome engine parts. The hood had non-functional scoops, and the ride and handling package was required.

The Ram Air 400 package (option code 348; engine code L-74) had all the features of the 400 Package but with functional hoods scoops and a de-clutching fan.

The Ram Air IV Package (option code 347; engine code l-67) had all the features of the Ram Air 400 plus special hood scoop emblems, and a 345 horsepower version of the 400 CID engine.

The Trans Am Package (code 322 UPC WS-4; engine code L-74) had a heavy-duty three-speed manual gearbox with floor shifter and a 3.55:1 axle ratio. At all four corners were fiberglass-belted tires and heavy-duty shocks and springs. There were power front disc brakes, engine air exhaust louvers, rear deck airfoil, full-length body stripes, white and blue finish, special identification decals, leather-covered steering wheel, and variable-ratio power steering.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2019