1969 FIREBIRD
Introduction
Firebirds were restyled late in 1968 to incorporate revisions similar to those planned for the Chevrolet Camaro.
Design changes included:
- flatter wheel openings
- front fender wind splits
- new rooflines
- creased lower beltline
- gas filler was moved behind the rear license plate
- boxier split bumper grill
- headlamps were set into square body-colored Endura bezels
Eight model options were available:
- Base Firebird
- Firebird Spirit
- Firebird 350
- Firebird 350 HO (high output)
- Firebird 400
- Firebird 400 HO
- Firebird RAM AIR 400
- Trans Am
Standard equipment for the base Firebirds included the following:
- vinyl bucket seats
- grained dashboards
- carpeting
- outside mirrors
- side marker lights
- E70 x 14 tires
I.D. NUMBERS
| VIN Location | Top left of instrument panel, visible through the windshield | |
|---|---|---|
| Position | Character | Description |
| 1 | 2 | General Motors: Pontiac Division |
| 2 & 3 | 23 | body series: Firebird |
| 4 & 5 | 67 | convertible |
| 37 | hardtop | |
| 6 | 9 | 1969 |
| 7 | V | Assembled in Lordstown, Ohio |
| 8 to 13 | 100001 and up | production sequence |
IDENTIFICATION
| Model Number | Style Number | Body Type | Seating | Factory Price | Shipping Weight | Production Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 223 | 22337 | 2-door Hardtop |
5 | $2831 | 3080 | 75,362 |
| 223 | 22367 | 2-door Convertible |
5 | $3045 | 3330 | 11,649 |
| 223 | 22337 | 2-door Hardtop Trans Am |
5 | $3556 | 689 | |
| 223 | 22367 | 2-door Convertible Trans Am |
5 | $3770 | 8 |
ENGINE
| FEATURE | Base 6 | Sprint 6 | 350 | 400 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration | Inline | Inline | Vee | Vee |
| Cylinders | Six | Six | 8 | 8 |
| Valves | Overhead | Overhead | Overhead | Overhead |
| Camshaft | Overhead | Overhead | Pushrod | Pushrod |
| Block | Cast Iron | Cast Iron | Cast Iron | Cast Iron |
| Displacement | 250 cid | 250 cid | 350 cid | 400 cid |
| Bore & Stroke | 3.875"x3.531" | 3.875"x3.531" | 3.875"x3.75" | 4.125"x3.746" |
| Compression Ratio | 9.0:1 | 10.5:1 | 10.5:1 | 10.75:1 |
| Brake HP | 175 @ 4800 rpm | 215 @ 4800 rpm | 320 @ 5100 rpm | 330 @ 4800 rpm |
| Main bearings | 5 | |||
| Valve Lifters | Hydraulic | Hydraulic | Hydraulic | Hydraulic |
| Carburetor | Rochester one-barrel |
Rochester four-barrel |
Rochester four-barrel | Rochester four-barrel |
TRANSMISSION
- Three-speed manual transmission with column shift
- Four-speed manual transmission
- Heavy-duty three-speed manual transmission with floor shifter
- Two-speed automatic
- Three-speed Turbo-Hydra-Matic
CHASSIS
| Model | Wheelbase | Overall Length | Front Tread | Rear Tread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firebird | 108" | 191.1" | 60" | 60" |
FIREBIRD RPO PACKAGES
OPTIONS
HISTORICAL NOTES
1969 Firebird Notes
- Production began Aug. 26, 1968
- Introduced a month later
- The Trans-Am was introduced on March 8, 1969
- 87,709 Firebirds and Trans Ams were built
- 20,840 Firebirds and Trans Ams had synchromesh
- 66,868 Firebirds and Trans Ams had automatic
- 114 Trans Ams had the L-74 RAM AIR III V-8 and Turbo-Hydra-Matic
- 520 Trans Ams had the L-74 RAM AIR V-8 and sychromesh
- All eight Trans Am convertibles were L-74s (4 had manual gearboxes)
- Nine Trans Ams had the L-67 RAM AIR IV engine and Turbo-Hydra-Matic
- 46 Trans Ams had the L-67 RAM AIR IV engine and synchromesh
- A short stroke 303-cid tunnel-port V-8 Trans Am engine was used in a small number of Firebirds used exclusively for SCCA Trans Am racing
- The high-performance Trans Am was introduced March 8, 1969.
- This was the most highly refined "model option" to come from Pontiac up to this point in time.
- Because of slow sales and late introductions of next-year models, 1969 Firebirds left in stock were carried over and sold through the following fall.
- This first generation of the Firebird saw a total of 277,380 vehicles built.
1969 FIREBIRD PHOTOS
LITERATURE
