The 1970 Pontiac Firebird line ushered out the coke-body style of the first gen Pontiac Firebirds and ushered in a new line of sleek, elongated elegance to the muscle car genre.
1970 Pontiac Firebird 400 image by Sicnag (1970 Pontiac Firebird 400) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
New Features for the ’70 Pontiac Firebird
The image of the Firebird above gives you a great view of some of the 1970 Firebird’s most important design changes. As noted by Old Ride, the bumper was molded from a rubbery plastic called Endura and then painted to match the rest of the car. This created a the illusion of the car being bumperless. The above image also provides a nice view of the single headlights and the split, layered side markers. Flush door handles were also a new feature for the 1970 models, but the handles are harder to see in this particular image.
1970 Pontiac Firebird Production Numbers
A total of 43,789 Firebirds rolled off the production line for 1970. These models didn’t begin selling until February of 1970, according to Edmunds, causing some to describe this year’s lineup as the 1970-1/2 Firebird.
- Firebird Base Model: A total of 3,184 base model 6-cylinder Firebirds were produced in 1970
- Firebird Base Model: A total of 15,740 base model 8-cylinder Firebirds were made and sold
- Firebird Esprit: For 1970, 18,961 models of the Firebird Esprit were produced, making the Esprit the most readily available model of 1970 Firebird
- Firebird Formula 400: A total of 7.708 Firebird Formula 400 models were produced (The Formula 400 is the silver model shown in the image above, and it featured hood scoops and an interior console between the front seats.)
- Firebird Trans Am Ram Air III: The Ram Air III production run created a total of 3,108 models
- Firebird Trans Am Ram Air IV: The Ram Air IV was the most rare of the ’70 Firebirds, with only 88 produced
1970 Pontiac Firebird image courtesy of Pixabay
’70 Firebird Trans Am Packages
The Trans Am designation was the result of the addition of a Firebird specialty package. On all the Trans Am models, the package delivered upgraded handling, stronger suspension, and more horsepower, plus a few modifications that ramped up the appearance of the base Firebirds, like Ram Air hoods, rear spoilers, fog lights seated low in the Endura bumpers, and custom wheels.
1970 Pontiac Firebird Specs
A few last things to note on the 1970 Firebird are its weight and dimensions. According to Auto Evolution, the ’70 Firebird weighed in at 3,239 pounds and measured 191.6 inches in total length with a wheelbase measurement of 108 inches. The Firebird’s total height was 50.4 inches and it measured 73.4 inches in width.
By Laure Justice
1970 Pontiac Firebirds for Sale
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