The Ford Mustang made everyone in Detroit take notice and start working on a competitor. For General Motors, it took over two model years, with Pontiac having to borrow the bones of what Chevrolet was working on. When the 1967 Firebird emerged in the market several months after the Camaro, it came off as a unique offering without the Camaro’s influence being on plain display. One of those first-year Firebirds is our Pick of the Day. It’s listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in West Chester, Pennsylvania. (Click the link to view the listing)
When the Firebird was introduced, Pontiac decided to market it as five models:
- Firebird
- Firebird Sprint
- Firebird 326
- Firebird HO
- Firebird 400
Aside of styling, one of the things that distinguished the Firebird from the Camaro was its use of a OHC straight-six. This was quite techy for Detroit, but what was more interesting was the Sprint, which added a four-barrel carb and performance goodies to give the Firebird a European twist, especially with the optional four-speed manual.
The Firebird 326 was the base two-barrel version that most people picked, but it too had an upgrade in the form of the Firebird HO, which added a four-barrel and hi-po goodies to make 285 horsepower. And, of course, the Firebird 400 was all that its name implied. Strangely, the 400 HO was not available for the 1967 Firebird (unlike the GTO), and the Ram Air 400 only appeared later in the model year. Nonetheless, Pontiac had a complete lineup offering something for everyone.
This 1967 Pontiac Firebird coupe is a Firebird 326, so it is typical of what you’d find on a Pontiac lot or on the street in 1967. Painted in a color introduced for the Firebird in the spring, Coronado Gold (the same as Tiger Gold for 1965-66 GTOs), this Firebird also features the optional Custom interior, console-mounted two-speed automatic, power steering, Rally I wheels, and redline tires. “Totally rust-free, 80,000 miles, stunning Coronado Gold paint, black vinyl roof!” says the seller.
All too often, these base cars are butchered by boy-racer types, but this one appears to be intact. For $32,500, you can cruise around and avoid saying “me-too!” when you spot a Camaro.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
That’s a beautiful Firebird! I always loved Pontiacs until GM made them the same as every other model.