A quick glance at this 1970 Pontiac Firebird might lead potential buyers to think it’s a Formula model, but this one’s actually a base car that had the sporty hood added at some point in the past. The seller mentions that twenty-plus years have passed since the last time this car was driven, but he also believes that with some minor work, it could easily be returned to driver status. Another possibility is to move forward with a total restoration, so the next owner will have to decide how far to take this one in terms of both mechanical and cosmetic improvements. This early second-generation F-Body is in Santa Ana, California, and we’d like to thank reader Mitchell G. for finding it here on eBay and sending us the tip! So far, 12 bids have taken the price up to $5,600.
I got a bit distracted when my eyes spotted the bird of a different variety in the garage, and the owner also has an old Barracuda and a B-Body of some sort sitting in his driveway, along with a Cadillac, so I’m guessing this guy loves autos of all varieties! The Firebird is said to have been assembled at the Van Nuys plant and has remained in LA County its entire life, but is still showing a few areas with some rust, including the quarters, lower fender areas, and around the back window. This bird’s also got a cracked beak, so some bodywork will be in the future for the next caretaker if they decide to bring it to a higher-level outside.
This one’s still equipped with its original 350 engine and automatic, with the small block stated as running with no strange noises present. At a minimum, the owner believes it will need an ignition tune-up plus a rebuild of the fuel system to run properly, and with the amount of time this Firebird has spent off the road, new plugs and wires would probably also be a wise investment. There’s no information given about the current state of the transmission.
I’m as guilty as anybody for popping off factory steering wheels back in the day and replacing them with Grant GT units, though I got over it and now prefer the factory helms, but that’ll be an easy swap if the buyer chooses. A thorough cleaning would help the inside appearance tremendously, and some refurbishing would be even better. One thing to take note of here is that there’s a salvage title, although the seller isn’t aware of why. Is this 1970 Pontiac Firebird a better candidate for a complete restoration, or to just get it performing properly and look forward to some fun driving?
350 had 255hp/355lb-ft, 2.73 gears std. Plenty to cruise around with ease. 👍🏁
This was a mess. The most valuable thing about it is the 1970 exclusive seat cores. It had a lot of rust and filler, damage to the front bumper, the Formula hood is shot and it has a salvage title. The highest bid was $7,000 when the auction was cancelled. The car is in the greater Los Angeles, there are plenty of cars for someone willing to put in the work, it wouldn’t be too hard to do better.
Steve R
In 1970 only TransAm’s had the rear spoiler, it wasn’t an option on a Formula until 1971
As for the “small block”, it isn’t. It is a small journal engine with the same block dimensions as a 455.
Pontiacs used that same basic block for many years, in several displacements. And it’s not “small”.
I have driven so many Firebirds/Trans Ams of this vintage. They just don’t feel right to me unless it has gobs of torque and horsepower. I drove a Formula (350) that had quite a,bit of messaging done to the engine and had more gear in the rear. And it still just didn’t feel like a Firebird to me. I even drove a 455 base horsepower with an automatic and it still didn’t feel right. From my experience, the balance feels off without the torque on hand. Am I spoiled?