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Find answers to Frequently Asked Questions for First Generation Firebirds that have been asked on First Generation Firebird-L mailing list. Special thanks needs to be given to all the Firebird-L owners that took the time to respond to other subscribers questions. These pages are continuously updated as new information is posted on the mailing list.
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| Q: | '68 Totals |
| I just got my package from PHS which is very informative, except it didn't have the production numbers for '68 - the year I am (most) interested in. It had the # of coupes vs. conv. made for each of the "other" years - 67 & 69. Does anyone have them for '68? And does the Big Red Firebird Book break them down any further? After reading the description of it, it sounded like it might have the numbers of how many '68 conv. had a 400 and an automatic, which is what I really want to know. | |
| A: |
For the '68 Firebird, here are some Production Totals. Note, some figures are from research by Fred Simmonds (PMD) while other numbers are estimates based on the Engine Production Log and Coupe -vs- Conv Ratio....
1968 FIREBIRD PRODUCTION Coupes: 90,152 Conv: 16,960 400 Option 21,000* (est. based on 21,354 engines built) 400 Auto (base) 11,000* (est. based on 11,151 engines built) 400 4-spd (base) 7,500* (est. based on 7,563 engines built) 400 Conv. 3,500* (est. based on coupe -vs- conv. ratio) 400 H.O. 2,087 400 H.O. 4spd 1,400* (est. based on 1,415 engines built) 400 H.O. auto 650* (est. based on 684 engines built) 400 H.O. conv. 350* (est. based on coupe -vs- conv. ratio) 400 Ram Air I 413* (total engines: 414) 400 Ram Air II 110* (total engines: 127) 400 Ram Air Conv. 12* (per Fred Simmonds 7/89) Now, wouldn't it be nice if someone with access to the original databases could comment on these (and other) totals ? Perhaps correct or validate any of these 'assumed' numbers ?? |
| Q: | '68 H.O. Firebirds were built |
| How many '68 H.O. Firebirds were built? | |
| A: |
The only known figure is from the 1968 Engine Production Log.
2099 total Firebird H.O. engines produced 1415 4spd engines 684 auto engines From here, everything is an estimate based on input from several die-hard Pontiac enthusiasts using the Coupe -to- Conv. ratio.... 400 H.O. (coupe & conv) 2087 400 H.O. conv. 350 400 H.O. 4spd 1400 400 H.O. auto 650 400 H.O. conv w/4spd 250 400 H.O. conv w/auto 100Obviously, the only sure way to determine exactly how many Firebirds were built with the H.O. option is to research the Billing History Files at PMD. This would require viewing (or scanning ?) all BH's from 1968, looking for Firebirds, then counting only those with the 348 engine option sales code. To break things down further, one would have to sort the count by body style code and trans option. This could be done given the interest by many enthusiasts out there. However, since these files are somewhat 'controlled' by a private company who sells the information, it's not likely to happen anytime soon. |
| Q: | Ram Air Production Totals for 1968 |
| I have heard conflicting information for the Ram Air production totals for the 1968 Firebird. What is the correct totals? | |
| A: |
With all the confusion about Production Totals regarding the '68 Ram AirFirebirds, I thought I'd run this by you...Once upon a time, Fred Simmonds (PMD) published various break-downs ofspecific totals for variousGTOs, Firebirds including the '68 Ram Air Firebirds. This 'matrix' listed(12) 68 Ram Air Firebirdshaving been built (including I and II). Then, more recently we were told"the total of 12 is not correct".This due to the RA II coming out in May '68 and only VINs from May '68 toAug '68 have been searched.Well, if thats the case, where did the below numbers come from in the first place ? Also, how can it besaid how many Ram Air I Firebirds (or GTOs) were built in '68 ? What about other cars/years ?If the files have not been searched for 68 RA I Firebirds from Aug '67 toMay '68, who had the time togo through other years to search for JUDGE totals, or RAIV, or T/As orSuper Dutys ? Whats to say these totals are correct ? Any thoughts ?
*68 RA I ............. 413 ? *68 RA II ............ 110 *68 RA Conv.......... 12 ? *68 RA I conv....... 7 ? *68 RA I coupe..... 407 ? *68 RA II conv...... 8 *68 RA II coupe.... 102 *68 RA I 4spd...... 321 ? *68 RA I auto...... 92 ? *68 RA II 4spd..... 98 *68 RA II auto...... 12 *68 RA I conv 4spd.... 6 ? *68 RA I conv auto.... 1 ? *68 RA II conv 4spd... 7 *68 RA II conv auto... 1 |
| A: | Fred Simmonds published a matrix of Production Totals many years ago and listed (12) Ram Air Firebird conv's built in '68. Of these, (9) were RAII and (3) were RAI. More recently however, Jim Mattison has said that the actual numbers are unknown since no one knows how many RA I's were built between Sep '67 and May '68 when RA II production started. It is confirmed that only (8) RA II conv's were built. The problem here according to Jim is that it would take a great deal of scanning through microfische to find every RA I Firebird built comparerd to the RA II which only required going through 3 or 4 months of VINs. Only (5) 68 Firebird conv's w/RA I have been accounted for to date (4-speeds).... Verdoro green, Mayfair Maize, Starlight Black. |
| Q: | Surviving totals |
| Is there records of surviving Firebirds? I specifically have a question of how many 67 convertibles with a 400 still running? | |
| A: | I find it interesting that people pay money to companies to tell them how many of a certain car are still left. The best you can get is a state-by-state report on cars that are registered. You know as well as I that there are probably more 1st Gen. Firebirds UNregistered, sitting in garages, fields, backyards, etc. than there are of them restored, original still on the road. As for the '67 400 conv. Firebird, I'd guess around less than 200 based on restored cars in the POCI Registry, various Firebird Clubs, cars for sale, etc. Surviving totals is something that is very difficult to determine unless the car is a Shelby, Hemi Cuda conv, '69 T/A conv, '67-'68 RA Firebird conv. |
| Q: | '69 350 HO |
| I have a '69 350 HO. How many of these were built. I have heard conflicting informatin. | |
| A: |
...The following is from Pontiac Engine Production Logs ('69 Firebird):
350 HO "WN" (manual) 2,455 350 HO "XC" (auto) 2,670 350 HO "YR" (auto) 2 (early prod.type ?)((This low-prod. version may have been Trans. related)) There were 56,052 Standard 350 Firebird engines produced (Man. & Auto) The Engine Log lists (2) types of "Auto" Trans applications..... 350 Std. "XB" (auto) 11,673 350 Std. "YE" (auto) 35,915 This difference was related to the type of Transmission (M-31, M-38). Total '69 Firebird Production was 87,011. With only 5,127 350 HO engines produced, I'd say there probably are not too many originals left. ***NOTE: So far, no one from PMD, PHS or otherwise has come forward to comment on the Engine Production Log Totals. Are these totals for total number of vehicles produced or just the engine assy ? I'm more inclined to believe there were usually more engines built than cars. For many years, there have been all sorts of articles written that use the Engine Log Totals as "Total Cars Produced" and I doubt that is entirely true (unless someone can produce actual Vehicle Production Totals from the Billing History Files... hint, hint :) |
| Q: | More Information |
| Where can I find more total information. | |
| A: |
I have more information located in the specific year sections on the First Generation Firebird web site. Detailed information is not available at this time until a good database is found with all the options. Point your browser to the following web pages: 1967: http://FirstGenFirebird.org/firebird/1967/history.html 1968: http://FirstGenFirebird.org/firebird/1968/history.html 1969: http://FirstGenFirebird.org/firebird/1969/history.html |
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