Pontiac Firebird (1974) – Ultimate Guide

Introduction

Four models of the Firebird were available:

  • Base Firebird, series 2FS
  • Firebird Esprit, series 2FT
  • Firebird Formula, series 2FU
  • Trans Am, series 2FV

BASE FIREBIRD

  • New shovel-nosed Endura front end
  • New horizontal slotted taillight
  • Lowered rear fender line
  • Twin horizontal rectangular grille inserts with vertical blades
  • Ashtray lamps
  • Nylon carpeting
  • High/low ventilation
  • Standard engine was 250 cid 6-cyl
  • Endura styling
  • Radio antenna in the windshield glass
  • Deluxe two-spoke steering wheel
  • Single buckle seat and shoulder belt arrangement
  • Narrow rocker panel moldings
  • E78-14 tires
  • Optional engine was 155 hp 350 cid V-8

FIREBIRD ESPRIT

  • Identified by a model badge on the rear roof pillar
  • Custom cushion steering wheel
  • Custom interior package
  • Body-color door handle inserts
  • Concealed wipers with articulated left arm
  • Deluxe wheel covers
  • Dual horns
  • Body-color mirrors (both sides)
  • Remote control left mirror
  • Roof drip molding
  • Wheel opening molding
  • Wide body sill molding
  • Window sill and rear hood opening molding
  • Three-speed manual floor shift (with base engine only)
  • Safety belt warning system
  • E78-14 tires
  • Standard engine was 155 hp 350 cid V-8
  • Optional engine was 175 hp 400 cid V-8

FIREBIRD FORMULA

  • All the equipment standard on the Esprit
  • Dual-scoop fiberglass hoods
  • Special heavy-duty suspension
  • Black-textured grilles
  • Dual exhausts
  • F70-14 tires
  • Standard engine was 155 hp 350 cid V-8
  • Optional engine: 175 hp 400 cid V-8
  • Optional engine: 225 hp 400 cid V-8 with dual exhausts
  • Optional engine: 250 hp 455 cid V-8 with dual exhausts
  • Optional engine: 290 hp 455 cid V-8

FIREBIRD TRANS AM

  • Formula steering wheel
  • Rally gauges with clock and dash panel tachometer
  • Swirl grain dash trim
  • Full-width rear deck lid spoiler
  • Power steering
  • Power front disc brakes
  • Limited-slip differential
  • Wheel opening air deflectors (flares)
  • Front fender air extractors
  • Dual exhausts with chrome extensions
  • Rally II wheels with trim rings
  • Special heavy-duty suspension
  • Four-speed manual transmission (or M40 Turbo-Hydra-Matic)
  • Dual outside racing mirrors
  • F60-15 wheel-lettered tires
  • Standard engine was 225 hp 400 cid V-8
  • Optional engine: 250 hp 455 cid V-8
  • Optional engine: 290 hp 455 cid V-8 which was called the LS2 option

I.D. NUMBERS

VIN Location On top of dash at left, viewable through windshield
Position Character Description
1 2 General Motors: Pontiac Division
2 S Basic Firebird
T Firebird Esprit
U Firebird Formula
V Trans Am
3 & 4 87 hardtop coupe
5 _ Engine code (see listing in engine section)
6 4 Year: 1974
7 _ Assembly plant
8 to 13 100001 and up production sequence

IDENTIFICATION

Model Number Style Number Body Type Seating Factory Price Shipping Weight Production Total
2FS S87 2-door Hardtop Base Firebird – 6 cyl 4 $3335 3283 26,372
both 6 & V8
2FS S87 2-door Hardtop Base Firebird – V8 4 $3460 3504
2FT T87 2-door Hardtop Esprit 4 $3687 3540 22,583
2FU U87 2-door Hardtop Formula 4 $3659 3548 14,510
2FV V87 2-door Hardtop Trans Am 4 $4446 3655 10,255

ENGINE

MODEL Code Type Displacement Carb Compression Net HP
Base Firebird (std) D 6-cyl 250 cid 1-V 8.2:1 100 @ 3600 rpm
Base Firebird (opt) M V-8 350 cid 2-V 7.6:1 155 @ 4000 rpm
Esprit (std) M V-8 350 cid 2-V 7.6:1 155 @ 4000 rpm
Esprit (opt) R V-8 400 cid 2-V 7.6:1 175 @ 3600 rpm
Formula (std) M V-8 350 cid 2-V 7.6:1 155 @ 4000 rpm
Formula (opt) R V-8 400 cid 2-V 7.6:1 175 @ 3600 rpm
Formula (opt) T V-8 400 cid 4-V 8.0:1 255 @ 4000 rpm
Formula (opt) Y V-8 455 cid 4-V 8.0:1 250 @ 4000 rpm
Formula (opt) X (LS2) V-8 455 cid 4-V 8.4:1 290 @ 4000 rpm
Trans Am (std) T V-8 400 cid 4-V 8.0:1 255 @ 4000 rpm
Trans Am (opt) Y V-8 455 cid 4-V 8.0:1 250 @ 4000 rpm
Trans Am (opt) X (LS2) V-8 455 cid 4-V 8.4:1 290 @ 4000 rpm

TRANSMISSION

3-speed manual
4-speed manual
M38 Turbo-Hydra-Matic
M40 Turbo-Hydra-Matic

CHASSIS

Wheelbase Overall length Front tread Rear tread
108 in. 196 in. 60 in. 60 in.

OPTIONS

Air Conditioning $412
Clock and Rally gauge cluster $29 to $49
Clock, Tachometer, and Rally gauge cluster $51 to $100
Rear seat console $26
Front seat console $58
Cruise control $69 to $70
Rear window defogger $33 to $38
Trans Am hood decals $55
Formula RAM AIR hood $56
Radial tuned suspension with FR78-14 whitewall tires (Firebird) $107 to $145
Radial tuned suspension with FR78-14 whitewall tires (Formula) $24 to $36
Custom finned wheel covers $24 to $50
Honeycomb wheels $54 to $123
Rally II rims $37 to $87
Firebird Four-speed transmission $207
Turbo-Hydra-Matic $221
M40 Turbo-Hydra-Matic (Esprit & Formula) $242
M40 Turbo-Hydra-Matic (Trans Am) n/c

HISTORICAL NOTES

1974 Firebird Notes

  • Introduced on Sept. 20, 1973
  • 212 Firebirds were built with the LS2 SD-455 engines with syncromesh transmission
  • 731 Firebirds with the LS2 engine option had the Turbo-Hydra-Matic transmission
  • All Firebirds sold in California required automatic transmission

1974 Automotive Notes

  • Lower US traffic fatalities are credited to the national 55-mph speed limit, but others attribute it to the reduction in available fuel and high prices
  • OPEC oil embargo ends March 18
  • All cars are required to have energy absorbing bumpers front and rear
  • US federal government wants an interlock that prevents a car from being started until the seatbelts are fastened. Public objection forces the cancelling of the idea.
  • More emission controls are introduced and fuel consumption ratings increase.
  • GM news:
    • Edward N. Cole was president of GM until October when Elliott M. Estes took over
    • Richard C. Gerstenberg was chairman of the board at GM until December when Thomas A. Murphy took over
    • Chevrolet continues to outsell Ford by over 154,000 units
    • Oldsmobile and Pontiac drop to fourth and fifth place respectively
    • Firebird and some other models get fiberglass reinforced plastic noses
    • The Vega plant in Ohio had a two-month strike
    • Buick buys back the old tooling it sold to AMC in 1968 so it can again build the 231-cid V-6 (3.8 litre)
    • Laguna Type S-3 replaces Chevelle SS
    • Camaro Z28 is temporarily dropped at the end of the year and replaced by the Rally Sport option
    • Corvette gets the last big-block and LT-1 engines, yet sales increase by 23%
  • Ford news:
    • Mustang II subcompact specialty car linked to the Pinto is a disappointment to previous Mustang owners
    • Mustang II gets new overhead-cam 2.3 liter four cylinder built to metric measurements
    • Gran Torino Elite hardtop coupe introduced to match Chevy’s Monte Carlo
    • Cougar XR-7 now on Montego platform
  • Chrysler news:
    • Full-size cars are not selling during the oil embargo so Dodge offers rebates on the Monaco
    • Plymouth rises from fifth place to third based on the sale of its compacts
    • Imperials get four-wheel disc brakes standard on its new 124-inch wheelbase chassis
    • Last Dodge Challenger until the next century
    • Dodge discontinues the Polara series. Full-size cars are simply Monaco
    • Last of Barracuda
  • AMC news:
    • AMC sells back to Buick the tooling for the V-6
    • Last year for Ambassador and Javelin
    • Matador has a new fastback coupe, but sales are poor for AMC
  • Other makes news:
    • Checker builds its last station wagon
    • Ed Cole retires from GM but joins Checker
    • CitiCar, a 2-passenger, Cycolac-body, is best selling electric car
  • Top American Automobile Corporations for 1974
1. General Motors4,232,472
2. Ford2,677,751
3. Chrysler1,349,421
4. AMC731,798
5. Others1,191
  • Top model year production for 1974
Chevrolet  2,333,839
Ford  2,179,791
Plymouth  739,894
Oldsmobile  581,195
Pontiac  580,045
Buick  495,063
Apollo  56,709
Century  190,607
LeSabre  113,792
Estate Wagon  14,412
Electra   22599,414
Riviera  20,129
Dodge  477,728
AMC  431,798
Gremlin   131,905
Hornet   145,258
Javelin   29,536
Matador   99,922
Ambassador Brougham   24,971
Mercury  403,977
Cadillac  242,330
Calais  6,883
DeVille   172,620
Eldorado  40,412
Fleetwood Brougham  18,250
Series Seventy-Five   4,165
Chrysler   117,373
Lincoln   93,983
Imperial   14,426
Checker  950
Avanti II   123
Excalibur   118