76 Firebird

I’d gone over my prior attempts to secure a “classic” Firebird.   This is the most recent: a 1976 Pontiac Firebird Esprit, in Firethorn Red (burgundy) with a buckskin (tan) vinyl interior.   The original engine, a Pontiac 350 V8, has since been replaced by an Oldsmobile 455 V8.  The transmission is a 3 speed TH350 automatic.  As an Esprit the hood is plain – no scoops (Formula) or shaker hood (Trans Am). 

I drove it around last weekend.   It takes awhile to start up when cold, but fires right up after it’s been warmed up.  It survived stop-go traffic in the local area and highway travel up and down 95 from Stafford.  The dual mufflers exit out underneath the car without tailpipes, and the front floorpans are peek-a-boo, so the car is very loud.  The 455 gives a nice amount of mid-range oomph, but it looks like the intake, carburetor (Quadrajet) and cam are stock, as are the heads.  It does have headers, though.  The stereo is missing the faceplate, thus no 70s-era tunage (KISS, Zeppelin, GFR, Sabbath, Frampton) – but with the exhaust so loud I’m not sure that really matters. 

The seats are torn up, so it has aftermarket generic seat covers.  The dash is the (fake) woodgrain without the tach – not the famous aluminum turned panel, though I find myself enamored of both styles without a clear preference.  The wheels are aluminum snowflake with no-name tires (225/70R15).  Rally II’s would be nice.

Even though it’s not even a Formula, much less a Trans am – the Esprit was the low-performance luxury model – it still got substantial attention, though most of it male (!).   The ’92 Formula was the same: admiration from mechanics but practically no one else.  The Civic gets no attention at all:  what would someone say?  “Smart choice, man,” with a thumbs up.  You can be cool, or smart, but not both…except maybe in a Porsche.

Obviously it needs work.  What would I do (i.e. what are my plans)?   First off, the paint:  dark blue metallic.   Yeah.  Second, a black interior.  Tan really stinks big time.  The burgundy paint wouldn’t be half so bad combined with a black interior, but with tan?  Tan just ruins everything.  Rally II wheels are the best for Pontiacs, and now they make them in aluminum, so you don’t have to deal with heavy steel wheels.   While I really like the Screaming Chicken hood bird, I can’t accept putting it on a non-Trans Am.  That’s just…King Cobra-esque.  Not good.

Engineering:  it needs a better rear gear with posi, rebuild the TH350, and definitely give it a shaker hood, even if it isn’t a Trans Am.  Edelbrock Air Gap intake, a shiny new Edelbrock carburetor, and a decent cam.  I’d forgo the lumpy idle if it meant off-the-line throttle response.  It needs a rear sway bar, new shocks, and better matched front springs (it's sitting up a little high now).  The overall package would mean a navy-on-black, five-spoked, mellow-toned, beast that can smoke the tires off the line and handle well.  The best of the 70s.