Hi, (a newbie Here). I bought a beautifully restored 1969 350 HO vert. about 2 years ago. There's some info on this site about the 1969 350 HO only being produced in small numbers, but nothing I can find about verts especially. I had heard that there may have only been around 100+ built. Does anyone know how many exactly? And is there any info on the estimated number of survivors? Grateful for any info.
The best published source of 1st gen Firebird production numbers I have seen is "The Definitive Firebird and Trans Am Guide 1967-1969" by Rocky Rotella. I cannot find that breakdown in the book. According to that source, there were 4,466 '69 350HO engines produced. Overall, 13.3% of the 87,708 '69's were converts. Just using that ratio would suggest about 593 350HO converts but only 100+ is not impossible. The actual number is probably within in the PHS (Pontiac Historical Services) raw data. I don't know how Mr. Rotella assembled his production data but he has some interesting numbers on page 125 of his book; e.g. 1969 "350 HO Firebirds equipped with V01 Heavy-Duty Radiator ......11".
Is your '69 right or left hand drive? And, please add some pictures of your car here. We would enjoy seeing it.
Thanks Jim. Apologies as I see I possibly posted in the wrong forum. Anyway thank you for the feedback, which is at odds with some of what I've read, but does also makes sense and it's good to hear about the book by Rocky Rotella.
My car is a Californian car. Yes, I'm in Australia, but the car is left hand drive. No problem driving LHD on our roads. It's numbers matching and beautifully restored a few years ago. Came with original sales documents. Hope you like it.
Thanks for posting the pictures. And yes, I LIKE that car. Enjoy your new Firebird.
Rotella's book is a pretty good one about the 1st Gen.
I know I found it "interesting" driving in Australia when I was there after well over a million miles and many decades on the left of the car and right of the road in the US. As an Australian Firebird owner coached me, (paraphrasing) "If you look out your side window and see the curb, your in trouble". But in a month there, I only went in one shopping center exit.
I moved the thread over here to general. I didn't notice where it was before.
I have a different source that agrees with the 4,466 Firebird 350 H.O. production. That source is Hemmings Classic Cars March 2014 issue. For anyone with a 1969 Firebird I highly recommend buying a back issue. It's very informative.
I have a different source that agrees with the 4,466 Firebird 350 H.O. production. That source is Hemmings Classic Cars March 2014 issue. For anyone with a 1969 Firebird I highly recommend buying a back issue. It's very informative.
Thank you for this info too. I've just got the Rotella book (thanks to Jim) and I'll try and get a look at this as well. Thank you. The references I have found to 100+ 350 HO verts in that year are all internet anecdotes, not referenced sources.
Originally Posted by Jimc2002
Thanks for posting the pictures. And yes, I LIKE that car. Enjoy your new Firebird.
Rotella's book is a pretty good one about the 1st Gen.
I know I found it "interesting" driving in Australia when I was there after well over a million miles and many decades on the left of the car and right of the road in the US. As an Australian Firebird owner coached me, (paraphrasing) "If you look out your side window and see the curb, your in trouble". But in a month there, I only went in one shopping center exit.
Before my current firebird, I had a '68 vert (photo below). It was a RHD. Trouble was the geometry of the car didn't seem right. The car didn't handle properly at all. I had to get rid of it in the end. Very sad. When I got the '69 I decided on a LHD, because the it hasn't been butchered. Driving LHD on the left side of the road is actually very easy when you get used to it. Some people here think it's a bit unsafe, but I can't see that myself. There are times when being on the left side of the car is safer and other times when it's not. But surprise, surprise the same is true sitting on the right.
The "100+ 350 HO verts" may or may not be correct. I was only using the total coupe to convert ratio and applying it to the known number of 350 HO's as a reasonableness check.