Both Chevrolet and Pontiac fielded entries in the new “pony car” sector in 1967. The goal was to dethrone the “king”, Ford’s Mustang, but sales of the Camaro and Firebird combined were still less than that of the FOMOCO offering. The first generation of the Firebird ran for three years and the seller’s car is from the last iteration (1969). This automobile doesn’t run, needs restoring, and had a color change at some point. Located in Clarkston, Michigan, this Pontiac is available here on eBay where the current bid is $12,000 (no reserve).

The Firebird and Camaro were built on the same platform, so the similarities in appearance were apparent. They both were treated to a styling refresh in 1969 and the result was generally an improvement (IMO). Yet the two cars would take different paths in terms of sales growth. While the Chevy sales increased by 6& in 1968, Pontiac’s grew by 30%. Yet the Camaro climbed another 3% in 1969, while the Firebird saw a drop of nearly 20%. Both cars had a 15-month production run in ’69 as the all-new models for ’70 were delayed being readied for market.

An assumption made by the seller is that the engine and transmission are original to the car. Nearly 53,000 Firebirds had the 350 cubic inch V8 that year and this one is paired with a TH-350 automatic transmission. The seller is throwing in a spare 400 V8 and we’re told both turn freely, which tells me that the Firebird is not currently operable.

Looking like Hugger Orange (a Camaro color), this car wears a repaint that covers up its original Limelight Green. The interior is beige and would go with either color. The upholstery looks okay, while the door panels, armrests, and dashpad will need some attention. We’re told “most parts” are there to get a restoration underway. Would you stick with the orange or go green again?