Rare ‘bird

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/08/2013 (4511 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The first-generation Firebird was officially released in February, 1967 as Pontiac’s answer to the Ford Mustang and newly introduced Mercury Cougar.

The Firebird, along with the Chevrolet Camaro, would be completely restyled in 1970, offering more room and better handling. In 1979, it received a mild restyle that featured blacked-out taillamps and tunneled quad rectangular headlamps.

Still based on the same platform that appeared in 1970 and with its horsepower steadily in decline, TV series like The Rockford Files and movies like Smokey And The Bandit continued to pump up the Firebird’s performance persona.

That hot-car image meant a lot to Pontiac, but it was a struggle to keep it alive in an age of strangling emissions regulations and corporate average fuel-economy standards. The Firebird was in need of some genuine performance perks.

For 1980, appearance changes were minimal, but Pontiac pushed the envelope on engine choices. The Oldsmobile 403-cubic-inch V8 offered in the Trans Am was replaced by the Chevrolet 305-cubic-inch 4-barrel V8 or 301 4-barrel engine. Other models were available with a base 3.8-litre V6 or optional 4.3-litre V8.

In the Trans Am and Formula models, a further option was the 4.9L (301-cu.-in.) 4-barrel Turbo V8. Rated at 210 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and delivering 345 lbs./ft. of torque at 2,000 rpm, it provided an additional 55 horsepower and 110 lbs./ft. of torque over the non-turbo 4.9-litre. The Turbo not only added power equivalent to the larger V8s, but with lower emissions and the promise of improved fuel economy.

Another item carried over from the 1979 model was the WS6 “Special Performance Package.” Consisting of larger front and rear sway bars, 14:1 constant ratio steering box, upgraded shock absorbers, springs and nylon suspension bushings, it complemented the snowflake aluminium wheels. That, combined with an optional four-wheel disc brake upgrade, turned the Firebird into one of the best-handling American cars of the day.

Dave Fraser of Winnipeg has always prided himself in being a bit of a backyard mechanic, owning and working on a myriad of Corvettes and other vehicles. But he wanted to find something unique. So, with the help of his brother-in-law Geroge Yashuk, he found a 1980 Firebird Formula Turbo that was going to go to public auction in 2011.

The car was an original with only 23,850 kilometres on the odometer. It had some left-rear collision damage, but otherwise carried all of its original parts down to the belts and hoses on the engine. “Once I was sure it was a true low-mileage survivor car I bid to win and brought the car home,” Fraser said.

To repair the collision damage, Fraser took the Formula to Chris Regal at KR Autobody & Glass. Instead of replacing or patching the rear quarter-panel, metal fabricator Fernando hand-hammered and dollied the rear fender for four weeks, bringing it back into factory condition. The Firebird was repainted in Ontario Gray charcoal metallic and the decals and pinstripes were replaced.

Mechanically, the car needed nothing, but Fraser replaced the original belts and hoses for reliability. “I kept all of the original parts and have them stored,” he said.

Maxim Muffler & Auto supplied and installed a new custom dual exhaust system with 2.5-inch-diameter pipes leading to Dynomax Bullet mufflers and exiting through the signature Firebird twin chrome exhaust tips. The Formula rolls on 15-inch aluminium snowflake rims, turning raised-white-letter Firestone Firehawk radial tires.

Inside, the Firebird is flawless — the original black Lombardy cloth upholstery shows virtually no wear. And if you want optional equipment, this ‘bird’s got it. Along with the 210-horsepower 4.9-litre Turbo V8, there’s a Turbo Hydra-matic 350 automatic transmission, 3.08:1 ratio positraction rear axle, the WS6 “Special Performance Package”, power-steering, four-wheel power disc brakes, air conditioning, cruise control, power windows, power door locks, power trunk release, tinted glass and rear window defroster.

There were 9,356 Firebird Formula models built in 1980, but no real breakout on how many left the factory with the 4.9-litre Turbo V8 and the WS6 performance package. A safe bet would be that fewer than 1,000 were built.

Today, about the only one you’ll find registering less than 25,000 original kilometres is Fraser’s.

“I try to drive it every weekend to the Pony Corral or Buffalo Bill’s cruise nights, so it doesn’t just sit in the garage,” he said. “I get a lot of compliments on the car, and most people are really surprised to hear it’s almost all -original and not a restoration.”

The Pontiac Firebird carried over in styling and options in 1981, but was replaced the following year with a new third-generation model. The Firebird would bow out of production in 2002, and the entire Pontiac marque would come to an end in 2008 after an 82-year run.