The 1969 Pontiac Firebird came in several setups. The Firebird 250 and 350 got their names from the displacement of their straight-six engines, 250 and 350 cubic-inch plants delivering 175 and 265 hp respectively. Sportier models boasted a fearsome 335-hp V8 that would make Pontiac one of the defining builders of big-block engines. The very top of the line was the Trans Am package.
The name is shorthand for the Trans-American Cup racing series staged by the Sports Car Club of America. Pontiac even paid the $5 SCCA royalty for buyers to take their Trans Ams racing. Alongside that mighty V8, the Trans Am came with upgraded suspension, a heavy-duty stabilizer bar, and variable power steering to optimize its on-track performance. All 1969 Trans Am models were white with blue racing stripes and came with aero upgrades, including hood scoops to vent the engine bay and an airfoil in the rear for downforce. 1969 was the first and only year of the first-gen Pontiac Firebird Trans Am.
The first-gen Firebird and Trans Am were also available as convertibles. However, the convertible option went away with the second-gen release and wouldn’t make a comeback for decades.
[Featured image by Matt Morgan via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 2.0]
