Model History: Pontiac Firebird

[@JamesLyons-i5d]

I always be a Pontiac man forever. I still have my Nineteen eighty nine firebird

[@512bb]

As a long time T/A collector, you did a superb job covering some of the most minor details that is often overlooked. Reference quality indeed, thank you, now an official subscriber.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Much appreciated!

[@KoltonCass]

Thank you for reassuring me this guys a good guy for info getting a 83 firebird as my first car

[@512bb]

@@KoltonCass Congratulations, welcome to the club! there are so many things you can do to improve & personalize the 3rd gen birds...Take your time to figure out what you like & gets you juiced up. Enjoy it in good health my friend.

[@davidp2888]

You really know your stuff. My mother had a '69 Firebird, I had a '73 Esprit and my father had a '77 Formula with the black/gold package. I really miss my car. Thanks for covering the lesser known details of these great cars.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thanks for watching.

[@lagunsmoose]

I was born in Pontiac, Mi. I've owned a '79 Firebird Formula, 2 Sunbirds with V8's in them, an 85 Fiero, and an '88 Trans Am GTA-still angry GM shed the Pontiac Div, grrrr! Great video here, lots of knowledge, thank you!👍🏼

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thanks, and I understand.

[@musclecarfan74]

My brother had a well used 1977 T/A, I had a used 1992 Firebird with a base V8, and a friend had a 1992 Formula 350 that he bought from his uncle.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

My neighbor is currently restoring a 78 T/A. Black of course.

[@TonyM132]

I can't believe you never mentioned the T-top roof which became a very popular feature for gen 3 and 4 Firebirds. It is an especially significant feature for Pontiac since Firebird offered it first, two years before Camaro, beginning 1976 vs '78.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

That's true.

[@Firebird1984]

And after Smokey and the bandit

[@OGK_Show]

Excellent video. As they were my first two brand new cars I have big love for Firebirds. Now with the Camaro looking at its run I mourn the iconic GM pony cars.

[@mistermauser3608]

Such a nice collection! Very beautiful cars!

[@kennethharless9696]

Awesome!! Thank you for this video. I just bought another 94 firebird. Absolutely love these cars. My first one I got right after high school (ex gf totaled it) it’s my daily driver. I have a lot of work to do on it.. got it from not such a good area. Base model 3.4. I still love it though. Brings back so many good memories.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Congratulations.

[@jayelbee1111]

John DeLorean, whom was in charge of the Pontiac Motor Division during the late 1960s, begged and pleaded to executives at General Motors to give Pontiac a Corvette-based sports car that was supposed to be named Banshee. GM executives refused to grant Pontiac a sports car because they felt that the Banshee would affect the sales of the Chevrolet Corvette. So, GM executives had Chevrolet Motor Division offered the Camaro F-Body to Pontiac and the Firebird was born. In 1969, Buick Motor Division and Oldsmobile Division was supposed to have their own versions of the second generation F-Body like Chevrolet and Pontiac, but GM executives shelved the Buick and Oldsmobile F-Body. True story!

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Infighting at GM is notorious.

[@jamesstewart3771]

I had a ‘94 Trans Am GT . One of my ex girlfriends almost killed me in it . I got the Trans Am , then found her a 77 firebird esprit . One night I couldn’t drive after my band played because I had knee surgery. She thought because she had that esprit with and 8 cylinder, she could handle my TA with an 8 cylinder . She floored it on wet tarmac , when the rear stepped out she didn’t know what to do . I’m screaming turn into to it ! So she wham slams the week the into the skid . So now the whole car is sideways going down the street . That was the last time she drove my car .

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Good times.

[@youtubecarspottersguide1]

as. kid I liked the 73 formula 350 , like all teenagers of the late 70s we all wanted the 1977 T/A after smokey and the bandit

[@youtubecarspottersguide1]

rockford files made all of us want to do reverse spin arounds

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I always like the dual scoops of the early formula Firebirds better than the T/As shaker. I have a neighbor that is restoring a Smokey and the Bandit T/A. One side of it is all primer and it is a 403, but with the black and gold paint it could have the V-6 and I'd still think it was cool.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Couldn't do a firebird video without the Rockford J-turn.

[@mgonzales56]

Great video

[@chrisjeffries2322]

Thanks for the share. I will stick with my 67 and 68 Camero's.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

There do seem to be two camps there.

[@TonyM132]

Since you own two Camaros, you'll be glad to know how to spell the models you own. There are two 'a's in Camaro, no 'e'.

[@jamiedriscoll9781]

13:00 the firehawk was finished by SLP Engineering of Troy, Michigan and wasn't entirely in house with Pontiac.

[@renamamiya158]

I feel like everyone forgets about the third gen firehawk, it existed but were only around 27 made. its a trim practically unknown to most people.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I think many rare packages are unknown to most people.

[@renamamiya158]

@@thehopelesscarguy Ashame cause the thirdgen firehawk is really one of my favorite firebird trims ever, very few information exists about them but You can see some for sale sometimes so they're not entirely forgotten

[@OLDS98]

Thank you. Another excellent video. I know it takes time and effort to put the footage together. Thank you for your hard work and outstanding efforts. Where do you get all your information?

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thank you. I use a variety of sources. I have a reasonably sized automotive library of my own that include a couple of automobile encyclopedias. I get most of my stats from the automobile catalog website. And when all else fails, Google.

[@ronchristopher8281]

There was no Formula model after 1981 until the 1987 model year. From 1982 to 1986, there were only base models, Firebird SE, and Trans Am models available.

[@glenpeters2260]

i have been driving PONTIAC RAND PRIX'S since i was 17. i will be 58 in november of this year . I LOVE A-G-BODY'S . !!~~!~!!

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Wow, It sounds like it.

[@jimvellios1426]

very well wrapped up ! learnf few things 😁

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thanks.

[@vassa1972]

One of my favorites

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Understood.

[@davidpistek6241]

The fire hawk seemed to have impala wheels 'they all look beautiful now I'd love a trans am of any year

[@thehopelesscarguy]

They are out there.

[@angeldiaz-gv8uk]

Awesome job describing the generations only problem was 1989 turbo trans am was NOT A 6 SECOND 0 TO 60 CAR AND QUATERMILE 15 SECOND. MORE like 4.5 seconds 0 to 60 and low to high 13 second quarter mile times.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

There is always some variation in performance figures. I use the same source for the majority of my acceleration times to try to keep them consistent, as I don't have the access to time them myself.

[@thebacdoc6464]

That had to be the fastest. I would love to have my hands on one of those 1989 TTA Indy pace cars, and also a Y88, W72, 1978 Trans Am. I had the latter in 1986, with the 220hp t/a 6.6 automatic in 1986. I bought the car used for only $4,500.00, had I known, I obviously would of kept it.

[@louiszierlein5814]

I can't help but think they advertised the HP lower than it actually was for compliance and insurance purposes. I grew up in the 70s and early 80s and seen first hand what these cars could do.

[@sparklingtuna1]

Good video, I wish you would have covered a bit on the 3rd gen firehawks though.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Thanks, it is hard to cover everything.

[@ryanstaygrinding]

So the black and gold color scheme was a 50th anniversary edition 😮. I did not know that.

[@Primus54]

I’d like to own a ‘68 Formula 400 in bright red and a nice copy of the ‘01 Anniversary Edition. A number of my single friends owned ‘78 Trans Ams and Z-28s… our last gasps before marriage, kids, and minivans! 😂

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Maybe it is just me, but the Firebird always seemed to be just a bit cooler than a Camaro. I think it was American Beauty where the guy traded his new Camry for a 70s Trans Am while having his mid-life crisis.

[@Primus54]

@@thehopelesscarguy I’m with you on the Firebird vs Camaro choice. I like the split grill and the slitted taillights. Plus Pontiac was always a notch or two more upscale. Cheers!

[@williamg2552]

No mention (or PICTURES) of..the RETURN of the FIREBIRD CONVERTIBLE

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Nope.

[@robhicks2117]

How about the Macho T/A?

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Did not know about that one.

[@eddiejennings8067]

Great video!! Although it's really sad how the government has to ruin everything with agencies and regulations...

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Well that is kind of what they are for. And thanks.

[@Live2die555]

Do you make the what are we eating videos too?

[@thehopelesscarguy]

No.

[@Live2die555]

@thehopelesscarguy very similar vocal range sound when talking check it out for yourself

[@raymondhaley6185]

East bound and down bro

[@thehopelesscarguy]

We gonna do what they say can't be done.

[@TonyM132]

Loaded up and truckin'! 😎

[@shanespence6128]

We got a long way to go , and short time to get there.......

[@DKnight51]

A few small errors about the 3rd and 4th gen cars, but otherwise we’ll put together.

[@w41duvernay]

Really, the only thing you didn't mension on the first gen models was that through Bobcat or Myrtle you could get a 428 version of them. They ran 12's in the quarter.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Interesting.

[@msh6865]

I'll never forgive GM for shuttering Pontiac and keeping Buick. Screw GM.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Seems they do that to themselves.

[@frankartale1026]

The 1982 t/a qjet carb cars. Most of them were rockets. Believe it or not. Even rated at 165 ish hp.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

I'm sure they were.

[@frankartale1026]

@@thehopelesscarguy they weighed 2900 lbs to boot.

[@thehopelesscarguy]

@@frankartale1026 Makes a difference.

[@WhittyPics]

I bought a 78 Firebird new when I was 18. I didn't care for the 3rd gen at all

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Product of their times.

[@Juice9zero]

I feel like I’m 1969 gm made firebird get rid of louvers in rear panel so that camaro can add them

[@JacksoNR26]

1973/74 trans am are the best 2nd gens. But im a 68 firebird guy

[@chrispeters4405]

steadily went downhill after the shovel nose model

[@Bobster986]

I’m assuming that if Pontiac didn’t end, the Trans Am Firebird would look retro like the new Camaro today 🤮

[@thehopelesscarguy]

Seems likely.