1970 FIREBIRD

Standard equipment on the base Firebirds included the following:
  • A 250-cid 155-hp six
  • E78-14 black fibreglass tires
  • Front and rear bucket type seats
  • Vinyl upholstery
  • Wood grained dashboard
  • Carpeting
  • Outside rearview mirror
  • Manual front disc brakes
  • Six-inch wheel rims
  • Door storage pockets
Style changes included the following:
  • Endura rubber front ends with dual recessed grilles
  • Single headlights
  • Split side marker lamps
  • Enlarged wheel openings
  • Flush door handles
  • Smooth, clean, curvy body panels
Firebird lettering and engine badges appeared behind front wheel cutouts.

FIREBIRD ESPRIT

The Esprit was outwardly identified by the following:
  • Model script on the rear roof pillar
  • Bright roof rail and wheel opening moldings
  • V-8 displacement badges under front fender Firebird lettering
  • bird emblems above the grille
Standard equipment on the Firebird Esprit included the following:
  • A 350-cid two-barrel V-8 with 8.8:1 compression and 255-hp @ 4600 rpm
  • A three-speed manual gearbox with floor-mounted shift lever
  • E78-14 black fibreglass tires
  • Front and rear bucket type seats
  • Knit vinyl upholstery
  • Vinyl-covered deluxe steering wheel
  • Wood grained dashboard
  • Carpeting
  • Dual body-color outside sport mirrors
  • Concealed windshield wipers and antenna
  • Trunk floor mats
  • Manual front disc brakes
  • Six-inch wheel rims
  • Door storage pockets
  • Wheel trim rings
  • Custom trim
  • Decor moldings

FIREBIRD FORMULA 400

Standard equipment on the Firebird Formula 400 included the following:
  • All GM safety features
  • 1-1/8" front and 5/8" rear stabilizer bars
  • High-rate springs
  • Wind-up rear axle controls
  • F70 x 14 bias-belted black sidewall tires
  • seven-inch wheel rims
  • manual front disc brakes and rear drums
  • carpets
  • vinyl interiors
  • front and rear bucket type seats
  • dual outside sport mirrors
  • concealed wipers and antennas
  • deluxe steering wheel
  • 400-cid four-barrel V-8 with 10.25:1 compression and 265-hp @ 4600 rpm
  • Three-speed Hurst floor shift
External distinctions included extra-long twin hood scoops and Formula 400 nameplate.

TRANS AM

Standard equipment on the Trans Am included the following:
  • All GM safety features
  • Front air dams
  • Front and rear spoilers
  • Shaker hood
  • Side air extractors
  • Rear end spoilers
  • Aerodynamically styled outside mirrors with left-hand remote control type
  • Front and rear stabilizers
  • Heavy-duty shock absorbers and springs
  • Engine-turned dash inserts
  • Rally gauge cluster
  • Concealed wipers
  • Bucket seaats
  • Carpet
  • vinyl upholstery
  • Power brakes and steering
  • 11" wide, 15" diameter Rally rims
  • F60-15 white letter tires
  • Transmission: wide-ratio four-speed manual with Hurst floor shift
Standard engine:
  • 335-hp Ram Air V-8 engine
  • Ram Air HO
Optional engine:
  • 400-cid, four-barrel V-8 coded as the L74 engine
  • compression 10.5:1
  • Peak power at 5000 rpm
Trans Ams had white or blue finish with contrasting racing stripes

I.D. NUMBERS

  VIN Location Left front door post
Position Character Description
1 2 General Motors: Pontiac Division
2 & 3 23 body series: Firebird
4 & 5 67 convertible
37 hardtop
6 0 1970
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 22387 2-door Hardtop Base Firebird
hardtop
4 $2875 3140 18,874
224 22487 2-door Hardtop Esprit
esprit
4 $3241 3435 18,961
226 22687 2-door Hardtop Formula 400
formula
4 $3370 3470 7,708
228 22887 2-door Hardtop Trans Am
Trans Am
5 $4305 3550 3,196

ENGINE

FEATURE Base 6 Sprint 6 Tempest 8 GTO 8 HO 8
Configuration Inline Inline Vee Vee Vee
Cylinders Six Six 8 8 8
Valves Overhead Overhead Overhead Overhead Overhead
Camshaft Overhead Overhead Pushrod Pushrod Pushrod
Block Cast Iron Cast Iron Cast Iron Cast Iron Cast Iron
Displacement 250 cid 250 cid 350 cid 350 cid 400 cid
Bore & Stroke 3.875"x3.531" 3.875"x3.531" 3.875"x3.75" 3.875"x3.75" 4.125"x3.746"
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 10.5:1 9.2:1 10.5:1 10.75:1
Brake HP 175 @ 4800 rpm 215 @ 4800 rpm 265 @ 4600 rpm 320 @ 5100 rpm 330 @ 4800 rpm
Main bearings       5 5
Valve Lifters Hydraulic Hydraulic Hydraulic Hydraulic Hydraulic
Carburetor Rochester
one-barrel
Rochester
four-barrel
Rochester
model 7028071
two-barrel
Rochesterfour-barrel Rochester four-barrel

TRANSMISSION

Two-speed automatic $195
Heavy-duty three-speed manual with floor shift $84

CHASSIS

Wheelbase 108 in.
Overall length 191.6 in.
Front tread 60 in.
Rear tread 60 in.

OPTION PACKAGES

Firebird 350 Package
  • Three-speed manual transmission with coumn shift
  • F70 x 14 tires
  • 350-cid V-8 with 9.2:1 compression
  • Rochester two-barrel carburetor
  • 265 hp @ 4600 rpm
  • Price: $106 over the base model
Firebird 350 Package
  • Three-speed manual transmission with column shift
  • Dual exhausts
  • H.O. side stripes
  • Heavy-duty battery
  • Four F70 x 14 tires
  • 350-cid V8 with 10.5:1 compression
  • Rochesteer four-barrel carburetor
  • 320 hp @ 5100 rpm
  • Price: $181 over the base model
Firebird 400 Package
  • Three-speed manual transmission with floor shift
  • Chrome air cleaner
  • Chrome rocker covers
  • chrome oil cap
  • Sports type springs and shock absorbers
  • Heavy-duty battery
  • Dual exhausts
  • Hood emblem and dual scoop hood
  • F70 x 14 red line or white sidewall tires
  • "Power Flex" variable pitch cooling fan
  • 400-cid V8 with 10.75:1 compression
  • Rochester four-barrel carburetor
  • 330 hp @ 4800 rpm
  • Price: $351 over the base model when included with the 3-speed manual transmission
  • Price: $435 over the base model when included with the four-speed manual transmission
Firebird Ram Air 400 Package
  • Three-speed manual transmission with floor shift
  • Chrome air cleaner
  • Chrome rocker covers
  • chrome oil cap
  • De-clutching fan
  • Sports type springs and shock absorbers
  • Heavy-duty battery
  • Dual exhausts
  • Hood emblem and dual functional scoop hood
  • F70 x 14 red line or white sidewall tires
  • "Power Flex" variable pitch cooling fan
  • 400-cid V8 with 10.75:1 compression
  • Rochester four-barrel carburetor
  • 335 hp @ 5000 rpm
  • Price: $616 over the base model

OPTIONS

Custom air conditioner $360
Custom carpets $19
Console $51 - $68
Cruise control $53
Front disc brakes $63
Auxiliary gauge cluster $32
Rally gauge cluster $51
Rally gauge cluster with tachometer $84
Tinted windows $35
Tinted windshield $26
Right reclining bucket seat head restraint $84
Dual horns $4
Four-way power seat $70
Power brakes $42
Power steering $69
Left four-way power buckeet seat $70
AM/FM radio $134
Rally stripes except 350 H.O. $15
Safeguard speedometer $16
Adjustable front and rear shokes $42
Hood mounted tachometer $63
Cordova top $84 - $95
Wire wheel discs $53 - $74
Rally I wheels $40 - $61
Rally II wheels $56 - $72

PERFORMANCE

MODEL 0-to-60 MPH QUARTER MILE
335-hp Firebird 400 6.4 seconds 14.9 seconds

HISTORICAL NOTES


  • The new second generation Firebird became available on Feb 26, 1971
  • General Motors experienced a UAW strike
  • James McDonald became the new general manager of Pontiac Motor Division
  • He replaced John Z. DeLorean who moved to Chevrolet

1970 FIREBIRD PHOTOS


1970 Firebird
1970 Firebird Formula 400
1970 Firebird Transam
1970 Firebird Transam
1970 Firebird Transam
1970 Firebird Transam
1970 Firebird Transam
1970 Firebird Transam
1970 Firebird Transam
1970 Firebird Transam
1970 Firebird Transam
1970 Firebird Transam
1970 Firebird Transam
1970 Firebird Transam
1970 Firebird Transam

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