ONBOARD - Original 1971 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am/Formula Race Car I 6.4L V8 Sound at Hockenheimring

Brief History of the car:
This 1971 Pontiac Firebird is an original race car from the 1970s. It raced first in britain and then in france and now in germany. It has a formula hood but contains also trans am parts. So it‘s a wild mix between Firebird Formula and Firebird Trans Am. The car was disqualified on Saturday mornings practice session because it exceeded the maximum allowed loudness of 98dB. Therefore I got only one shot of this car on Saturday morning. On the back straight it reached a speed of 133.83km/h and set a time of 2:03.036
The other Practice Session on Saturday evening and the race on Sunday were rain soaked. The car set the 17th fasted time in the wet but becoming first in their class. Before Sundays I met with the owners. Rain was forecasted but the arrival time would be crucial. 30min before the race the cars must enter the pre-grid in the pitlane where tire changes are forbidden. The car stood prepared in the paddock with slick tires on one side and cutter slick tires on the other side. The owner and I looked on the radar. He told me that I should decide wether to put the slicks on or the cuttet slicks (no wet tires available). I suggested to go on cuttet slicks. So they changed tires quickly before the pre grid. The car then rolled to pitlane in the dry. 5 min before race start it started to rain quit heavily. All cars on drys had gone on to the wrong strategy (but couldn’t change tires at all now or only with a penalty). That’s the reason why this car made some amazing progress in the beginning of the race. After a spin in the last corner and some wild slides the car finished the race in P2 (based on time not position) and P1 in class handing victory to the owner.
Engine: Naturally Aspirated
Configuration: Chevy Smallblock V8
Power: +500 HP/368 kW (7500 RPM)
Displacement: 6.4L
Chasis: Rear engined
Weight: 1450 kg
About the Trans Am Series:
Fifty years later, racing fans still talk about the original Trans-American Sedan championship, better known as the Trans-Am. For seven seasons, the series pitted a new generation of American “pony cars”-led by the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro-in closely fought racing at top road circuits across North America. The driving talent ranged from technically sophisticated sports-car driver Mark Donohue to Indy 500 winner Parnelli Jones and all-around driving aces Dan Gurney and Peter Revson.
This video recaptures the speed, intensity, and intrigue of the golden years of the trans am era (1966-1972). Famous cars were Ford Mustang, Camaro, Pontiac Firebird, AMC Javelin, and Dodge Challengers.
At its peak in 1970, the Trans-Am series featured teams backed by Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, and American Motors. With money, marketing, and prestige on the line, the competition was intense, both on the track and behind the scenes. Sheet metal and paint were shredded, while rules were stretched to the limits as teams dug into an ever-growing bag of technical tricks to produce more power and performance.
The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am made it's debut in the 1971 Trans Am season. In it's debut season it scored only 7 points becomming 4th in the over 2.5L class behind American Motors, Ford and Chevrolet.
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Time staps:
0:00 - 1:06 Start up
1:07 - 3:21 ONBOARD
3:22 - 3:51 Practice Session Footage
3:52 - 4:48 Car Details
4:49 - 6:25 WET Race Action
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Onboard footage with explicit authorization from:
• GLPpro Preis der Stadt...
Make sure to check the full onboard on there channel.
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#pontiac #pontiacfirebird #transam #musclecar #v8engine #carsounds #motorsport #racing #scca #uscar #usa #1970s

[@HomeOfMotorsport]

This Pontiac Firebird has a formula hood but contains also trans am parts. So it‘s a wild mix between Firebird Formula and Firebird Trans Am. Which is contradicting to the presented car details in the video. In the same table it should also be rear wheel drive instead of rear engined.

[@sirswerve2493]

Glad to see her out and about at the track. Thank you for showing us a little of America.

[@markcook3570]

That bug was quick...

[@MrBlackbutang]

Absolutely awesome 😊😊😊😊

[@shea455]

This was the era that gave birth to the 455s. I have owned an original 1971 455. Odd choice to put a Chevy block in it, as the "go to" would be the 400/455 series. I own a 535 c.i.d. billet aluminum based on 455-Pontiac build today.

[@vannjunkin8041]

Aluminum block ?? Love to see that monster!!

[@vannjunkin8041]

I love how people say those are no longer Pontiac engines because it's an aftermarket block. So ridiculous you're using Pontiac architecture/engineering of course its pontiac! Yours sounds like a Kaufman or a butler build.

[@vannjunkin8041]

I love the Rodger Bollinger Firebird. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5OUg6yQerh1i9Esi=Ye_QiohGQFexliIM

[@shea455]

@@vannjunkin8041 Built by Butler Perf. They have photos online (google image search), look for the ones on the checkered floor.

[@HomeOfMotorsport]

More information about the car in the video description. For the best experience use headphones.

[@manher4335]

Thank you very much for this! Would love to see update videos in the future if possible.

[@HomeOfMotorsport]

@@manher4335 That will be difficult I think. We live quite far apart. The car recently race on a air field race. But when he is in Hockenheim again I will for sure do another video.

[@manher4335]

@@HomeOfMotorsport Thank you sir. I appreciate it. Great channel as well.

[@HomeOfMotorsport]

@@manher4335 Thank you🙏

[@Zekais]

You have the car listed as "rear-engine". Perhaps you only meant "rear wheel drive", as the engine is definitely not in the rear. Is it really displacing 390CID/6.4L? Displacement in the top TransAm level back then was limited to 305CID/5.0L. Doesn't matter, I suppose, as it could not have raced Trans Am back then with that hood, or with 4 Webers, even if you neglect the displacement of the engine.

[@caspar0777]

Nice video. Pitty for that Chevy engine, a Butler would be nicer. Not easy to drive such kind of cars under wet conditions. I own a 1971 trans am 455HO, it stays in my garage when it's raining😁

[@HomeOfMotorsport]

@@caspar0777 Thank you🙏. No it’s absolutely not easy. The car was often drifting exiting Sachs-Curve. Also they were on cuttet slicks (not wet tires, more info in the description).

[@caspar0777]

@@HomeOfMotorsport by the way, I'm very happy to see a second generation firebird on a racetrack, its very rare. Hope to see more videos coming. Cheers from France

[@HomeOfMotorsport]

@@caspar0777 Indeed it is very rare nowadays. That’s why I took the opportunity to record it. There are more videos coming. Today I recorded a historic, with many group b cars and even the legend himself Walter Röhrl, driving his original Quattro. Greetings from Germany😉

[@nyho508]

How did you get the onboard view?

[@HomeOfMotorsport]

@@nyho508 It‘s not directly my footage. It‘s the cam from the driver and I got the permission to use a part of it.

[@user-sr1xu9pu2w]

Couldn't get around the yellow beetle ?

[@markcook3570]

That wasn’t no regular VW whoever is driving knows how to handle a car and that thing has some serious horsepower, total sleeper

[@HomeOfMotorsport]

@@user-sr1xu9pu2w Like @markcook3570 said. This is no ordinary VW Bettle. I have to talk to the owner. I’ve seen the motor and this thing has serious HP.

[@freedomsnotfreefreedomsnot3270]

Looks like a Formula to me.

[@HomeOfMotorsport]

@@freedomsnotfreefreedomsnot3270 What do you mean by that?

[@freedomsnotfreefreedomsnot3270]

@@HomeOfMotorsport It has a Firebird Formula hood and it has no fender vents. It's a Firebird Formula, not a Trans Am. I've owned two second gen Trans Ams and one Formula.

[@Zekais]

@@HomeOfMotorsport He means that it looks like a Pontiac Firebird Formula to him, rather than like a Pontiac Firebird Trans Am.

[@freedomsnotfreefreedomsnot3270]

@@HomeOfMotorsport If you were talking about that Formula racing in the Trans Am Series SCCA. I apologize, but if you use Trans Am in a racing text, you should include Series after Trans Am.

[@HomeOfMotorsport]

@@freedomsnotfreefreedomsnot3270 If this is correct, I will change the title of course and make a pinned comment. I will ask the owner for clearification. On the events it took part it‘s listed as Firebird with no further specific or as a trans am. If I have news about this I will answer below here again.

[@matrox]

Lets face it, its the only bad ass car on the track. The other cars are ugly ass pods.