The fact that old cars tend to gather together is well proven but I was a little surprised to come across so many classic F-bodies at one house in the middle of the city. This household certainly seems to have a thing for classic Camaros and Firebirds although I did see a modern Camaro parked there too yesterday.
Birds of a feather gather together I guess. The white 1969 Camaro is hidden from this view but what else do we see? A pair of 70s Firebirds – one with the 1977-1978 nose and the other wearing the 1979-1981 beak. As far as the first generation stuff goes I believe we have a 1968 Firebird out on the street next to another Camaro (1968 too?) and a 1969 Firebird on the lawn. Corrections would be appreciated if I got any of those wrong.
What side do you fall on? Camaro or Firebird? While the first generation isn’t my favorite I’d take the Firebird as it is quite a bit less common.
How about first versus the second generation? The earlier car might have the edge on horsepower but the later car would handle better. Styling is pretty subjective but this 1977 or 1978 defines Firebird for me. No doubt thanks to Smokey and the Bandit. The hood on the one above looks a little naked without the trademark “Screaming Chicken”.
Of all the TV and movie cars that have not been offered in 1:18 die-cast, the one I want is a Rockford Firebird. That — and not the Bandit or Screaming Chicken — defines the Firebird for me.
There was also John Wayne’s green Firebird Trans-Am (without the screaming chicken) used in the movie McQ. http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_1097-Pontiac-Firebird-Trans-Am-1973.html A Brewster Green color closely similar to Bullitt’s Mustang.
My uncle produced the SATB soundtrack, and the movie came out at the peak of my hooning years, so it probably takes the edge for me. However, I also grew up watching TRF, and the reverse 180 in the opening credits was inspiration for several near-ditch experiences… at least until I perfected the maneuver (funny that I was talking with my 19 y.o. son about this very thing last night!).
I came close to buying a 1st gen Firebird with the straight six, but as I already had a car (my ’71 Vega – first car), and no money (college student), I had to pass. I’d say that’s my favorite F Body…
Give me a Smokey and The Bandit edition car with 6.6ltrs…
This would be a cool photo to recreate for the wedding, anybody got a TransAm? 😛
No TransAm, but I do have Photoshop!
Oddly enough that’s about as calm as I look when performing those sorts of maneuvers…
That’s awesome!
I do like the F-bodies, most years I tend to prefer the Pontiacs — though on the ’79-81 (I think) the nose is truly hideous. Not a deal breaker, but still…
The first Rockford Firebird was always a big fave, and also the last gen Firebird — preferably painted OD with black steelies and dog dish caps. Something like that would just scream “road warrior here, do not mess with me”. 🙂
LOL!!!! Photoshop FTW!!!
I’d rather have the 74 KW W9.
A childhood dream!
Give me Snowman’s Kenny, BJ’s K100, Rubber Duck’s Big Black Mack and a dirty old 55 Pete 281 and I’d be a happy man!
Carrie: [after being given the handle of “Frog” by Bandit] Why?
Bandit: Because you’re always hopping around. And kinda you’re cute, like a frog. And I wanna jump ya.
Pontiac version biggest engine 4 speed thanx flat black no decals
77/78 Trans Ams for me. My dad had a blue/blue screaming chicken in 78 and I probably watched the VHS of SATB non stop as a kid. Never liked any of the second generation Camaros after 1973. I’d pick the Firebird over the Camaro in their first generations as well, maybe with the exception of 1969.
Its like Jim Rockford and Burt Reynolds rented a house together.
Practically speaking these cars were horribly built and horribly unreliable, but are such iconic symbols of the late 70s.
Yup they turned into rattle traps pretty fast.
Sagging doors are a big issue on these – they were very long and heavy for the time.
When I was a kid, my stepsister had a hugger orange ’69 base 350 Camaro with Cowl Induction hood. Years later I owned a Verdero Green ’68 Firebird 400, black interior, console-shifted THM400, Rally IIs, etc.
The Firebird needed a paintjob but was a beautiful beast of a car and my favorite color. I despise orange and column-shift automatic bucket seat cars. But the behind-the-wheel experience of both cars makes me like the Camaro better.
Pontiac…
The 400 hood with twin snorkels & 400 emblems was gorgeous on the outside but it didn’t offer the driver anything nice to look at from the inside. The dash was okay — ovals but if you wanted a clock, it had to go on the floor. The optional tach was mounted on the hood only. Rally gauges went in the right pod. The floor shifter was a T-style with the button being on the top. It was okay I guess – the fake burlwood on the console was cool.
The Camaro
The cowl hood on a ’69 Camaro was and still is to me…the most beautiful behind-the-wheel view I’ve experienced. The lines seem just right to me. I prefer the square pods of the ’69 dash. I’m a clock guy and the square clock between the two pods is perfect placement. The optional tach goes in the right hand pod & balances the speedo perfectly. The sawtooth gauges on the console are inconvenient but they are so cool-looking. Console gauge cars got a low fuel lite on the instrument panel which was nice of Chevrolet. And my favorite shifter ever is the stirrup/horseshoe style of shifter. I’d actually prefer an automatic on one of these just because of that shifter.
So 1st-gen-wise I’m partial to the ’69 Camaro even though the Firebird is so beautful on the outside.
I currently own multiple 2nd & 3rd gen F-cars of both flavors… My 2nd-gen preference is the ’77-’78 Firebird obviously while my 3rd-gen preference is the Camaro. Totally love the console analog clock on the Camaros & functional Z28 hood scoop doors that pop open at WOT. the Formula hoods on the ‘third birds have this feature too but the flapper door is inside the hood.
4th gen – Camaro all the way. I never liked the Firebird or T/A styling. Having owned both versions…the T/A is thankfully gone but selling Camaro#1 left a void..fulfilled by Camaro#2.
I want to like the first gen F cars but a brief test drive in one in the early 90s soured me on them. There was no hiding its roots.
I love the Pontiacs up to 78, the 79-81 nose was hideous.
Overall I’m a 2G Camaro fan. All the way to 81. A stone stock White 81 with Orange stripes would be ideal.
I fall on the Pontiac side…I had a second and 2 fourth gens at the same time for about a year. I’m down to a 74 Esprit (Rockford Files Gold with white interior) and a 2002 Formula Firehawk.
For what its worth…the 74 is pretty well built (I think the interior material quality is nicer than my Cruze and a friend’s brand new Accord) , has no rattles and hasn’t needed at thing in the 8 years I’ve owned it…and is a blast to drive!
I am trying here, guys. I really am. I guess my problem is that I was in high school/college when these were the choice of every kid whose dad had too much money. I just got tired of listening to people who knew squat about cars droning on and on about Z-28 this and Trans Am that, as if they were the greatest things ever made up to that point in time. I guess I was (and remain) too much of a contrarian, and these just never did it for me. I think that time has softened me a bit, but I still have a ways to go.
Don’t mind us, but BigOldChryslers, 73ImpCapn and I are going out on the porch for a fresh beer. We’ll be back in a few, so carry on. And if I have to pick one, let’s make it a Gen1 Firebird.
Seriously though, you gotta love folks who love these like they are Cornbinders or Studebakers. Buying what you know is always a good plan, and it looks like these folks have it down to a science.
LOL, I couldn’t have said it better myself. Camaros of any generation have never really appealed to me, though you have to appreciate anybody that has that kind of loyalty. I like the look of a 69 Firebird well enough that I made a plastic model of one once, so I’d give that car a close inspection, then join you for a beer. 🙂
I’ve always liked the lines on the 69 Camaro. I like 2nd gen too. That 5-spoke steel rally wheel – sort of a greyish colour – is one of my all-time favourite wheels. Just looks great.
Type LT’s, Berlinetta’s and Esprit’s with proper tires you’d keep most of the handling without the hashness a 351ci, nice seats, sound deadening and overall better balance. Thats from personal experience. So technically I’m in both camps.
I have a thing for the Camaro, but something about a Rockford style Espirt Firebird that looks so clean. Much like women somedays one appeals to me more than another.
Much like women somedays one appeals to me more than another.
—–This topic merits a comprehensive write up w/ a nice pictorial 🙂
Given unlimited time, space and money there are a couple of these that appeal – the 69 Camaro & Bandit Transam mostly although the 68 & 70 Camaros are not bad either.
A couple of years ago I saw a bright metallic blue 77/78 Transam with screaming chicken similar to what XR7Matt described although I couldn’t say it didn’t have a black interior. Can’t find the photo just at the minute but here’s another one
@JPC
That might be the most eloquently penned F-U I’ve ever read.
So does this guy have a mullet? I just have to ask.
Oh, firmly in the 2nd generation camp.
Make mine a silver (with the last generation ‘screaming chicken’) 1981 Trans Am with the 301 turbo and 4 speed, WS6 and for the hell of it, the T-tops.
I got an extended ride in a 1979 403 T/A back in the day, it was quite exhilarating for a then 16 year old and I’ve never forgotten it. The newer F bodies have come and gone, but I remain in love with the last series of the 2nd gen.
I’m a 3rd gen Camaro fanboy. It started when my father asked me to let my friend restore his classic z28. At first, my friend was reluctant because classic cars are not his specialty but thanks to the internet, we have read useful articles like this one: http://www.camarotech.com/engine.html
We were both surprised how versatile Camaros are and my friend wants to try to modify Camaros from all generations.
How sad is this? My wife’s best friend had a 1980 Firebird aka Rockford Files gold with tan vinyl buckets – stripped with the exception of automatic transmission, full wheel covers, whitewalls, AM radio and luxury cushion steering wheel. I remember her showing me the window sticker as her Dad ordered the car in the winter of 1979 so it would arrive for the spring of 1980. He drove it for 7 years then she got it in 1987. She drove that car well over 200,000 trouble-free miles until she got married in 1996 and it ended up sitting in her back yard as it only needed some transmission work. Even for a New England car, the body was perfect and the V-6 engine still ran great. It just had some issues going into reverse. In the summer of 2000 I happened to go over their house with my wife to see them and glanced in the backyard to take a look at the car. Thats when I noticed that the ‘bird was gone. Her husband called a junkyard to come and take it away. I was so pissed. That car was an easy restoration, and sadly I’m sure it ended up in the crusher. Horrible ending to a great car.