My 67 has a set of gauges on the end of the console in a little triangular pod under the center dash. A buddy of mine swore they were Camaro only but I discovered this interesting options video from 1967 that shows them installed in the convertible the man is using to illustrate available options. So, now I'm leaning toward these being original. Any thoughts?
Looks like an 8 track player to me. Only when they zoom in does it look different. But then I'm watching on my phone.
1968 400 Coupe, verdoro green, black vinyl top 1968 400 Convertible, verdoro green, black top 1971 Trans Am, cameo white, auto 1970 Buick Skylark Custom Convertible 350-4(driver)
The car he's sitting in does have an 8 track or something in it. But when they zoom in on the console about 1:15 into the video there are clearly gauges installed. I looked and you can buy these aftermarket on Camaro sites but I've not seen any mention of them for Firebird until I saw this clip.
No, but I have the original sales order - better than PHS? It doesn't mention gauges but perhaps someone more knowledgeable can say if these gauges were part of one of these packages.
The 1968 sales manual which shows each of the options and what is included(available here at this site) makes no mention of them.
The video quite clearly pans to another vehicle. Any idea when the video was made? In all of this, keep in mind that Pontiac's solution for this was the Rally Gauge cluster in the dash that was available in '67 also.
Last edited by wovenweb; 10/19/1602:15 PM.
1968 400 Coupe, verdoro green, black vinyl top 1968 400 Convertible, verdoro green, black top 1971 Trans Am, cameo white, auto 1970 Buick Skylark Custom Convertible 350-4(driver)
Any idea when the video was made? In all of this, keep in mind that Pontiac's solution for this was the Rally Gauge cluster in the dash that was available in '67 also.
I would assume, based on the fact that the man in the video is selling 1967 Firebird options, and sitting in a 1967 Firebird, that the video was made sometime in 1967 or perhaps earlier. The reason I'm asking this question is that "internet wisdom" says these were not available on the Firebird - yet here they obviously are in the car. I have seen multiple posts, most of them notably from one source, that repeatedly say these were not available, or are Camaro only - and yet, here they are in a Firebird promotional video. Because the man doesn't mention them is not proof they were not offered - he also doesn't talk about the 8 track player in the first car. I suspect what has happened is one guy shared his "knowledge" gleaned only from his experiences, and people have quoted him over time, then eventually everyone believes it, so now that's the final word on the subject. I've seen this happen over and over in various forums of all descriptions. I'm certainly not trying to be argumentative but I think it's unfortunate that we all read things on the web and take it for gospel when evidence to the contrary is staring us right in the face. I prefer to believe what my eyes tell me, and that is that the gauges were, in fact available. Perhaps dealer installed, I don't know. How else can their presence in the video be explained?
Yours appear to be black in the photo, so unless someone removed the walnut, I would say you have a Camaro set of gauges. We also know that the Camaro dash center piece came in the pebble grain black, matching your gauges.
If the video were filmed before the release date when all options were finalized, that would explain their appearance(after the 8 track) in the sample car and not in the final release versions.
In support of that I would note that the driver in the series of videos, Pedro Rodriguez, while he did in fact drive some races for Ferrari, they were in the 1966 season. By the 1967 season he had a full time ride with Cooper and in fact on January 2nd of 1967, he won the South African Grand Prix while driving for them. The Firebird was released on February 23, 1967. Now, because Cooper wouldn't have been a well known name in American households, the use of Ferrari, even though he wasn't driving for them at that point, would draw more recognition.
Thanks for linking to the video, however, I don't believe it proves that they were available as a factory option from Pontiac. Dealer installed perhaps, but again, wouldn't they match the walnut trim? Also, what isn't shown that would also go in that same location as the 8 track and those gauges is the clock. That isn't in any of the videos that I see.
1968 400 Coupe, verdoro green, black vinyl top 1968 400 Convertible, verdoro green, black top 1971 Trans Am, cameo white, auto 1970 Buick Skylark Custom Convertible 350-4(driver)
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
Given that it's Burlwood, I would think it was Pontiac, but may be a carryover from another line (Big car? etc?)
But, given that it was a video selling the 67's, it may have been an option that didn't make it into production or possibly just a few out there as Car Show models etc...
Apparently the link I supplied to Rick's Camaro's did not hold up, but if you look at Part #33-184621-1 there you will see that exact pebble grain housing and gauge cluster in your Firebird for sale new for about $460.
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
Oh, I definitely agree these can be had as reproductions. Looking at mine though, it's obviously vintage and looks very much like it came in the car. However, the dash gauges are the normal ones with the big fuel gauge on the right. That's the fly in the ointment for my theory. Currently there are two fuel gauges in the car, one in the dash and one in the console. It could very well have been transplanted anywhere along the line from a Camaro. I'm going to go over the wiring to see if it gives up any clues.
The videos are for salesman training and the convertible shown may be pre-production...it has the beak badge and hockey sticks but no 400 badge on the trunk lid.
Yeah that was my guess. I'd think they were mounted in there from some other car. I can't recall if the z28 gauges included fuel or not but it seems like it would have to come from a gauge pkg option from a car that didn't have two of the same. Something like the stacked gauge pkg from 69.