Time Line

1954	Firebird I, the first gas-turbine car built and tested in U.S. (photos on 38)
1956	Firebird II, the first "family" (four-seat) gas-turbine car and first car designed for radar-controlled "highway of tomorrow" (photos on 38)
1959	Firebird III, with twin bubble canopies (photos on 38)
	XP-833 Project
1966
April 9	Banshee show car pulled from International Auto Show in New York. (photos on 36)
October	Long-lead magazine tests where Jackie Stewart for Popular Mechanics, Mario Andretti for Popular Science, Eric Dahlquist for Hot Rod, and Tom McCahill for Mechanics Illustrated test drove two cars, the Firebird Sprint and Firebird 400.
December 13	First official confirmation that Pontiac new "sports car" sharing Camaro's basic styling would be introduced. It would be named "Firebird" after GM's experimental turbine cars.
December 2nd wk	First Firebird Produced.
1967
Friday, January 27	Official release date with 5600 Firebird press kits from Pontiac Public Relations.
February 23	Public debut of actual Firebirds at the Chicago Auto Show.
Tuesday, May 9	50,000th Firebird - red hardtop coupe - was driven off the Lordstown, Ohio assembly line.
Jun-Jul	Production period for '67 Ram Air Firebird
August	1967 Model year ended.
August 5th wk	Earliest known produced '68 Firebird (in Registry).
October 2nd wk	Earliest known produced '68 Firebird RA I.
August 1967 - May 1968	Production period for '68 Ram Air I Firebird/GTO.
1968
January	Use of Fiberglass Belted Tires begins on Firebird.
March 4	Van Nuys, CA Plant begins building Firebirds.
March 4th wk	Earliest '68 Van Nuys Firebird (in Registry)
May 14	Aprox. date last '68 RA I Firebird produced.
May 20	Ram Air II engine becomes available for Firebird/GTO.
May 21	First Ram Air II Firebird (and GTO) produced.
June 6	Leather Option becomes available on Firebird.
July 7	Latest Invoice for Van Nuys '68 Firebird (in Registry)
July 29	1968 Engine Production Log Report Released.
August 6	Invoice date for last '68 RA II Firebird.
August 2nd wk	Latest Build Date for '68 Firebird (in Registry).
September	Model year ended.
Dates Not Determined for '68 Production Year	Tall hood tachs (used up 67 ones). 2 bulb front side marker (went away around SEPT). Glove box bird (used up 67s). 'BIRD' emblem was discontinued from std. interior glove box doors and possibly from custom. Knit weave vinyl inserts in the Custom option seats (contrary to myth that only early converts got the all madrid grain inserts, early hdtps did too.) Fuel gauge on standard gauge cars added 1/8 tank increments.i.e. 1/8,1/4,3/8,1/2 etc. OSRV mirror change to the ugly rectangular style. Bird glass ....no one can pin this one down as I've had every possible combo get these don't think it was a late model addition or early model deletion. 2 different lower style hood tach, along with RPM changes the face changed also. Both V-8s and OHC-6 were affected Addition of the trunk release as an option. Additional colors added to the lineup, called "Spring colors" (April) Everyone knows this one, RAII was substituted for RAI. Fuel Filler Door Emblem (Early w/Finger Lift, Later Flat) Seat Belts (Early using Metal Buckles on even Std.Inter.cars) 4Bbl Intake Manifold (9790140 early....9794234 mid-year) 4Bbl Throttle Brkt. (9792242 early....9797415 mid-year) Pwr LH Bucket Seat (Mid-Year Option) Variable Ratio Power Steering (Mid-Year Option. in addition to P.S. ?) Rally I's deleted from option list mid-year due to Tire Size Change Leather Seat Trim Option after June.. Custom Interior Only Switched from black washer fluid jar to a white jar Outside Mirror (Round/Rectangular) 4Bbl Intake Manifold 4Bbl Throttle Cable Bracket Hood Tach (Tall/Short) Seat Belts GloveBox Emblem Etched 'Bird' on Front Side Glass Ram Air I and Ram Air II engine H.O. & Ram Air Exhaust Manifolds Power Seat Variable Ratio Power Steering VIN started being stamped on engine blocks
1969
March	Trans Am Option became available.
?	Norwood, OH Plant added for F-Body Production.
Dates Not Determined for '69 Production Year	Gas Tank Venting changed from cap venting to vent tube. Wire wheel covers discontinued mid year '69 Head restraints became standard later in the year Power-Flo Ventilation
September 3rd week	Production was extended but the exact date is not known. In the registry, the latest built '69 Firebird (Norwood) has a build date of September, 3rd week, 1969.
1970
Feb 26	2nd Generation (1970) Firebird Debuts in Chicago.