In 1967, General Motors finally unleashed its Ford Mustang competitors, the Pontiac Firebird and Chevrolet Camaro. Pontiac sold 82,500 Firebirds that first year, less than half the nearly 221,000 Camaros, despite comparable starting prices. Chevrolet was still a sales monster in the late 1960s: Pontiac moved 782,734 cars in 1967, while Chevrolet handed over the keys to more than 1.9 million buyers. The first-generation GM pony cars lasted just three model years before the swoopier, progressively longer second-generation F-body arrived in 1970, beginning a remarkable 12-year run. Those first-generation cars are increasingly valuable, particularly when found in largely original condition. This attractive 1967 Firebird is listed here on Craigslist for $46,500 by a seller in Eugene, Oregon, and looks to be the real deal: an original, driver-quality example. A warm thanks to Curvette for this find.
The Firebird came exclusively with Pontiac power, starting with a pair of overhead-cam inline sixes, including the sportier Sprint, before moving up to three V8 choices. This car has the 326 HO (High Output), which primarily meant a four-barrel carburetor in place of the standard two-barrel (boosting horsepower from 250 to 285), plus cool stripes running from wheel well to wheel well on both sides, telling the world you’d ponied up for the bigger carb. Best of all, the High-Output power gets put to the ground via a four-speed manual transmission.
Some good photography informs your decision whether to travel to Eugene and see the Vendoro Green over black car, talk with the local mechanic who worked on the car (encouraged!), and take the four-speed out for a test drive. Do a few push-ups first, though, as while they upgraded to the High Output motor, the steering and brakes are manual. He’s got PHS (Pontiac Historical Society) documentation, and claims the car was a resident of Oregon for all its 44k miles. There’s an under-dash cassette stereo and speakers in the door panels, which appear to be the only modifications from stock, but thankfully the original radio remains. Returning it to factory condition shouldn’t be particularly difficult, given the availability of parts for these cars.
The seller only purchased the car this past summer from the original owner’s family (I always question how far the family tree can go for you to still legitimately make that claim), but he reveals early a bias for someone in the dry western states, who would get to drive it year-round. If you’re flying in from east of the Rockies, you’d be best to take him up on his offer to email him first so you can make your case. Apparently, having the $46500 might not be quite enough to qualify you for ownership.
Anyone remember that set of posters that you could buy from
Pontiac back in this era for 25 cents? They were a set of color
photos of all the different Pontiac models.I believe a Firebird HO
was one of them.
A good friend of mine had a set. Not sure where they went after he passed away.
Sure do. I have a bunch of them from Widetrack Blvd, still in the original cardboard tubes
That’s a lofty price, and one would expect a better appearing car for that money. The engine compartment, with the incorrectly painted valve covers, and the added radiator overflow tank haphazardly mounted on the inner fender, the overall lack of cleanliness don’t match with the price. The rally wheel center caps are wrong, and the added door speakers all make you question what else could be wrong. Could easily be a nice car, but not at that price.
Agree on the asking price 19sixty5. Very good write up Sam. I’ve wondered why people bought the 326 HO package over the 400 package which cost $183 more. If it’s just because of the price and insurance difference I understand. Correct me if I’m wrong but I think the 400 is the same size and weight as the 326 so there is no handling advantage. This is a good looking car but needs at least some work to be worth anywhere near the asking price.
You are correct Curvette, this engine shared the same block as the 400 and 455. The only differences were the internal bore and crank sizes. Top end components such as valve covers, timing covers and accessory brackets were interchangeable across the 3.
In 1968 $183.00 is around $1700 in 2026. That was a lot of money.🙂
1967
I love the understated green, gives it a Sleeper look.
But the price is just too high.
The low miles is just a big boost to the value, put the interior does not help.
I would love to have it at 20K
I had this exact car back in the 80s. $300 purchase. It got caught in a flood all the way up to the door handles.The water started at night and slowly rose up around it. And all I could do was watch it.
Out of curiosity, where did you live at the time that happened to you?
Hmmm, pretty bland. Not fully original, needs some attention in various areas… High 20s? Definitely. Low 30’s?? Maybe. But no where near 40 let alone 45.
If they really want to sell the car for that price, the seller shouldn’t worry about someone living in a wet state. If that’s the case don’t sell it. I’ve seen cars on this site from the east coast, that look like the seller took really good care of and didn’t have any rust. This car is not a garage queen.
If someone offered him his asking price or close to it, he probably wouldn’t care if the buyer lived in the lost city of Atlantis. If you’ve only owned a car for a few months you aren’t going to care where it goes as long as you are getting paid.
Steve R
Nice, except for the ask …
Nice 4 speed HO engine here but as others have stated price is to high. 25k here. It needs some cosmetic restoration. Get rid of that overflow tank. and replace the door weather strips to start. They say it has an original am/fm radio but does it work. Remove the aftermarket one and just deal with the door speakers. Put on the correct center caps. Still a decent survivor here with a pretty clean interior. Also paint the valve covers correct.
I missed the AM/FM radio info in the write up. I saw it said the original radio was in it. as mine is, but mine is an AM radio.
My very first car was a 1967 firebird HO turquoise color that I got in 1975 when I was a junior in high school. It had the tachometer on the hood and manual 3 speed on the floor. Wish I still had it now!
my parents has a 67 Le Mans in turquoise, best color Pontiac or GM ever had
326 HO got a hotter cam, higher compression with different heads, and dual exhaust
Good info.
I’m not so sure about the 67 326HO having a different cam than the 2bbl 326, but it did have heads with a different compression chamber to increase the ratio from 9.2:1 to 10.5:1.
While I like this car I’m just weird enough that I’d like it a lot more if it was a 67 Sprint instead of an HO. The Sprint’s high output OHC 6 is just unique (and quirky) enough to make it a fun alternative to the HO V8 for me.
The fact that I learned to drive a stick on a 67 4 speed Sprint convertible that belonged to the wife of a teacher I was friends with probably has something to do with my fascination with OHC Sprint 6. I also love Verdoro Green (like this car is), probably because the teacher’s wife’s Sprint convertible was also Verdoro Green, as was my mother’s 68 LeMans that I took my drivers test in.
I’m a wierdo too, and I agree, the Sprint OHC 6 would excite me more than the 326. Mostly because of the uniqueness of the Sprint 6 HO, although the performance with the Q-jet would surprise a lot of people. I’d take the Sprint 6 HO in a Firebird, but the Tempest with that engine would really spin my crank.
Way too much money for this car. You could buy real classics for that kind of money. I’m thinking of Lincoln’s, Packards, Cadillacs etc. and they would look new for less than he is asking for the firebird. It won’t sell.
I believe that his motor in the lemans made 320 hp in 68, I know the firebird got a resrictor plate to restrict WOT.
The Gto motor had to make more power than the firebird.
The firebird made or was advertised as 335 hp for the 400 and the lemans with the 326 was rated at 320 in 1968, not bad.
Well you don’t have to worry about leaving money on the table,maybe this is just the first pass for the car.
the ad is gone. under the hood does not match the rest of the car as far as cleanliness goes especially for what the price is. my guess is somebody liked it and bought it. not many of these left out there.
It’s sold !!!
No longer available. Someone bought it? Or they got smart and realized no one wanted it at that price.
I never understood why Pontiac put side stripes on their Gen 1 Firebird 326 HO models when such stripes adorned 1966 through 1969 Tempest/LeMans models with the Sprint OHC-6 option.
For my college commute, my Dad helped me buy a 1966 Tempest Custom 2-dr HT 4-speed demo from our Pontiac dealer in the Spring of 1966. Painted Reef Turquoise with an aqua interior and Rallye I wheels, it looked stunning with its white “Sprint” side stripes.
I wonder if the seller got his asking price? The Craigslist posting has been deleted.
My cousin had a 68 that was almost a duplicate of this one except without the stripes and to be honest I liked it better without the stripes. The 326 with the 4spd. Moved it down the road just fine. I’m thinking this seller is a dealer that probably picked this up cheap some where and now thinks he can make a killing on it. I don’t see it moving for what he is asking.
Withdrawn by seller