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1976 Pontiac Firebird

Pontiac Firebird (1976) – Ultimate Guide

Pontiac offered four varieties of the Firebird

  • Base Firebird
  • Esprit
  • Formula
  • Trans Am

BASE MODEL

  • Body-colored urethane bumpers at front and back
  • 250 cid inline six cylinder engine
  • A canopy top was a new option
  • A fuel economy indicator was a new option
  • It’s typical twin-section grille had a mesh pattern set in a sloping front panel
  • The single square headlamps were recessed.
  • Park/signal lamps stood at the ends of a wide opening below the bumper strip
  • Three-speed manual transmission
  • Dual horns
  • FR78 x 15 black sidewall SBR tires
  • Power steering
  • Radial-tuned suspension.

ESPRIT MODEL

  • Body-colored urethane bumpers at front and back
  • 250 cid inline six cylinder engine
  • A canopy top was a new option
  • A fuel economy indicator was a new option
  • It’s typical twin-section grille had a mesh pattern set in a sloping front panel
  • The single square headlamps were recessed.
  • Park/signal lamps stood at the ends of a wide opening below the bumper strip
  • Three-speed manual transmission
  • Dual horns
  • FR78 x 15 black sidewall SBR tires
  • Power steering
  • Radial-tuned suspension.
  • Sport mirrors (driver’s side remote-controlled)
  • Deluxe wheel covers

FORMULA MODEL

  • Body-colored urethane bumpers at front and back
  • An appearance package was new for the Formula
  • A canopy top was a new option
  • A fuel economy indicator was a new option
  • It’s typical twin-section grille had a mesh pattern set in a sloping front panel
  • The single square headlamps were recessed.
  • Park/signal lamps stood at the ends of a wide opening below the bumper strip
  • 350-cid two-barrel V-8
  • Either a four-speed manual or Turbo-Hydra-Matic transmission
  • Sport mirrors
  • Full length console

TRANS AM MODEL

  • Body-colored urethane bumpers at front and back
  • A canopy top was a new option
  • A fuel economy indicator was a new option
  • The Trans Am came in five body colors
    • Cameo White
    • Firethorn Red
    • Sterling Silver
    • Carousel Red
    • Goldenrod Yellow
  • It’s typical twin-section grille had a mesh pattern set in a sloping front panel
  • The single square headlamps were recessed.
  • Park/signal lamps stood at the ends of a wide opening below the bumper strip
  • Air dam
  • Rear deck lid spoiler
  • Shaker hood
  • Rally II wheels with trim rings
  • Rally gauges
  • GR70 x 15 tires
  • 400-cid four-barrel V-8.
  • 455 cid V-8 optional engine

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
W Trans Am
3 & 4 87 hardtop coupe
5 _ Engine code (see listing in engine section)
6 6 Year: 1976
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
2F S87 2-door Hardtop Base Firebird – 6 cyl 4 $3908 3383 21,209
both 6 & V8
2F S87 2-door Hardtop Base Firebird – V8 4 $4046 3563
2F T87 2-door Hardtop Esprit – 6 cyl 4 $4162 3431 20,826
2F T87 2-door Hardtop Esprit – V8 4 $4302 3611
2F U87 2-door Hardtop Formula 4 $4566 3625 20,613
2F W87 2-door Hardtop Trans Am 4 $4987 3640 46,701

ENGINE

VIN Code F M S W
Cylinders Inline Six 90° V-8 90° V-8 90° V-8
Valving Overhead valve Overhead valve Overhead valve Overhead valve
Block Cast-iron Cast-iron Cast-iron Cast-iron
Head Cast-iron Cast-iron Cast-iron Cast-iron
Bore & Stroke 3.87 x 3.53 in. 3.88 x 3.75 in. 4.12 x 3.75 in. 4.15 x 4.21 in.
Displacement 250 cid (4.1 liters) 350 cid (5.7 liters) 400 cid (6.6 liters) 455 cid (7.5 liters)
Compression ratio 8.3 : 1 7.6 : 1 7.6 : 1 7.6 : 1
Brake H.P. 110 @ 3400 rpm 160 @ 4000 185 @ 3600 rpm 200 @ 3500 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) 185 @ 1200 rpm 280 @ 2000 rpm 310 @ 1600 rpm 330 @ 2000 rpm
Main bearings Seven Five Five Five
Valve lifters Hydraulic Hydraulic Hydraulic Hydraulic
Carburetor One-barrel Rochester Two-barrel Rochester Four-barrel Rochester Four-barrel Rochester

TRANSMISSION

Engine Transmission Final Gear Ratio
Six-cyl 3-speed manual floor shift 2.73:1
Firebird V-8 Four-speed manual shift 2.41:1
Trans Am 400 V-8 Four-speed manual shift 3.08:1
Trans Am 455 V-8 Four-speed manual shift 3.23:1

CHASSIS

FEATURE Firebird Esprit Formula Trans Am
Wheelbase 108.1 in. 108.1 in. 108.1 in. 108.1 in.
Overall length 196.8 in. 196.8 in. 196.8 in. 196.8 in.
Height 49.1 in. 49.4 49.4 49.6
Width 73.0 73.0 73.0 73.0
Front tread 60.9 60.9 61.3 61.2
Rear tread 60.0 60.0 60.4 60.3
Tires FR78x15 FR78x15 FR78x15 GR70x15
Steering Recirculating ball
Front suspension coil springs with lower trailing links and anti-sway bar
Rear suspension semi-elliptic leaaf springs with anti-sway bar
Brakes Front disc, rear drums
Ignition Electronic
Body construction Unit with separate partial frame
Fuel tank 20.5 gal

OPTIONS

350-cid two-barrel V-8 $140
350-cid four-barrel V-8 (Firebird) $195
350-cid four-barrel V-8 (Formula) $55
400-cid four-barrel V-8 (Firebird) $258
400-cid four-barrel V-8 (Formula) $118
455-cid four-barrel V-8 (Trans Am) $125
Close-ratio four-speed transmission (Firebird) $242
Five-speed manual transmission(Firebird) $262
Five-speed manual transmission(Formula) N/C
Five-speed manual transmission(Trans Am) N/C
Safe-T-Track differential (Firebird) $51
Super-cooling radiator $27 – $49
Heavy-duty battery $15 – $17
Heavy-duty alternator $42
Engine block heater $11 – $12
California emissions $50
Air conditioning $424 – $512
Cruise control $73
Power windows $99 – $159
Firebird custom trim group $81
Firebird Formula appearance package $100

HISTORICAL NOTES

1976 Firebird Notes

  • Introduced Sept. 25, 1975
  • Pontiac’s 50th anniversary
  • Firebird’s 10th anniversary

1976 Automotive Notes

  • Sales across the board have increased except for AMC
  • New nameplates appear: Aspen, Chevette, Sunbird, and Volare
  • Front disc brakes are not standard on US cars due to federal regulation
  • Only two-thirds of domestic cars have a V-8 engine; 10% are four cylinders
  • Last year for 455-cid V-8 (7.5 litre) and 454-cid V-8 (7.5 litre)
  • Last year for Eldorado convertible
  • Chevy’s 305-cid V-8 (5 litre) now standard in full-size models
  • Chevette subcompact introduced based on Opel Kadett
  • Pontiac Sunbird is a clone of Monza
  • GM news:
    • Elliott M. Estes was president of GM
    • Thomas A. Murphy was chairman of the board at GM
    • Chevrolet takes first place ahead of Ford by almost ¼ million; followed by Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Buick
    • Olds Cutlass is top-selling model beating out full-size Chevrolet
  • Ford news:
    • Pinto, Maverick, and Mustang II get new trim but otherwise remain the same
    • Special designer series packages for Lincoln
    • Workers strike for 28 days
  • Chrysler news:
    • Plymouth sales in 6th place and Dodge in 8th
    • Chrysler agrees to buy engines and transaxles from VW
    • New sub-compacts, Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare, sell well but plagued with many recalls
  • AMC news:
    • Matador is largest car with Ambassador gone
    • Gremlin, Pacer, and Hornet remain much the same
  • Top American Automobile Corporations for 1976
GM4,   788,265
Ford  2,466,654
Chrysler   1,172,756
AMC  283,577
Others   740
  • Top model year production for 1976
Chevrolet  2,103,862
Ford  1,861,537
Oldsmobile  891,368
Pontiac  746,430
Buick  737,466
Skyhawk   15,768
Skylark  114,491
Century  163,469
Regal  141,616
LeSabre  137,107
Estate Wagon   20,374
Electra   225124,559
Riviera  20,082
Plymouth  519,962
Mercury  480,361
Dodge  430,641
Cadillac  309,139
Seville  43,772
Calais  6,200
DeVille  182,159
Eldorado   49,184
Fleetwood Brougham  24,500
Series Seventy-Five   3,324
AMC  283,577
Gremlin   52,941
Pacer  117,244
Hornet  71,577
Matador  41,513
Chrysler  222,153
Lincoln   124,756
Checker   400
Excalibur   184
Avanti II   156
Acura   156

1976 FIREBIRD Photo Gallery