Pretender or Genuine: 1974 Pontiac Firebird

Not sure what to think about this one. The ad says it’s a “1974 Firebird 400 Ram,” but it looks like a 1974 Firebird Formula; it has Trans Am spoilers in front of the wheels and a Trans Am dash bezel. We appreciate Christopher for sending us this listing. The 1974 model year marked the end of the road for much of American muscle, but Pontiac wasn’t ready to give up on performance just yet. This 1974 Pontiac Firebird is a Nevada car with its paperwork and original window sticker. It is located in Pelham, New Hampshire, and the seller is asking $25,000. You can find it here on Facebook Marketplace, where it has been listed for a long time, so a patient buyer may have some room to negotiate.

The second-generation Firebird debuted in 1970 and received its first major restyle for 1974. To meet the new 5 mph bumper standards, Pontiac gave the Firebird a new shovel-nose front end, horizontal slotted taillights, and a lowered rear fender line. Buyers liked what they saw. Firebird sales jumped about 60 percent to 73,729 cars, split into 26,372 base Firebirds, 22,583 Esprits, 14,519 Formulas, and 10,255 Trans Ams. The Formula sat between the Esprit and the Trans Am and came with its own dual-scoop hood. A 350 V8 was standard, and buyers could step up to a 400 rated at 190 or 225 horsepower or a 455 rated at 250 horsepower. At the top of the list was the 290-horsepower Super Duty 455, offered for the last time in 1974, and only 58 went into Formulas.

This Firebird is finished in Cameo White with a blue interior and white bucket seats. Inside, the engine-turned dash and Formula steering wheel look clean, and the rear seat appears to be in very good shape. It also has a clean title, and the seller says the car has no significant damage. The seller calls the engine a 400 Ram, and the air cleaner wears a 400 4-barrel decal. Since Ram Air was only available with the L78 400 in 1974, a buyer will want to check the build documents to confirm it. The seller says the engine and automatic transmission have both been rebuilt and the gaskets are all new. The listing shows 1,500 miles, which likely reflects the miles since the rebuild, so that is worth asking about.

1974 was also the last year for true dual exhaust on the Firebird. Pontiac offered 16 exterior colors, including Cameo White, Buccaneer Red, Regatta Blue, Admiralty Blue, Limefire Green, Sunstorm Yellow, Colonial Gold, and Honduras Maroon. More investigation on this bird is needed before an offer is made.