Car of the Week: 1976 Firebird Esprit

[dodgechargerfan]

Jack Kuhlman figured at the time that having a company car to drive around every day would help him keep some miles off his new 1976 Firebird Esprit. But even his most optimistic projections probably didn’t have his Firebird happily rolling along and almost all-original 37 years later.

Kuhlman, a resident of McHenry, Ill., has managed to put just 57,000 miles on his Firebird since ordering it new from the factory in ’76. The car has been preserved well enough to become an unusual conversation piece at hobby gatherings and still hasn’t strayed far from its original purpose — to be a fun driver for Kuhlman, a longtime Poncho lover.

“Back in those days I was going to school and I worked summers at a Pontiac dealer. I was a porter and a clean-up guy and I just fell in love with the GTOs, but in ’76 there were no more GTOs, and the closest thing was the Firebird,” recalled Kuhlman. “I was working at the dealer in Blue Island, Ill. — Borek Pontiac — and I got to drive all these cars — Firebirds and GTOs. I got to put 5 gallons of fuel in them and drive them after they got off the transport truck. That’s how I got hooked on them.

“So when I decided to buy one, I built it up and ordered it with the idea that I was going to hang onto it, but no, I didn’t know I’d have it this long. When I got a job as a salesman, I got a company car [a 1979 Ford LTD], so other than my wife driving it a little here and there, this car just sat in the garage. It was our only car for a couple years, but then it just sat. We only had a 1 1/2-car garage at the time , so obviously it stayed inside and the company car stayed outside … That’s when I think realized that, ‘Hey the styling on this is different, this is the first year of that style of headlights … and the last year of split grille styling,’ and I think then that I decided it was worth keeping.”

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[Dr.Jass]

‘Hey the styling on this is different, this is the first year of that style of headlights … and the last year of split grille styling,’

Well, no, Jack, you're wrong. 1974 was the first year of that style of fascia/headlamps (with a different bumper and lower valance), 1976 was the last. And I don't ever recall seeing a Firebird of any stripe without a split grille, from '67 until it was discontinued.

Also, a chrome front bumper was last used on the '69, and a chrome rear was last used in '73.

Neat old rig to be preserved that well, but the wheels aren't the only add-on. 350-2V cars were not available with dual tailpipes and "Trans Am" chrome extensions, but I can forgive that addition.

 

[Stretch]

At least the spoiler delete looks awefull on those cars. The only thing that looks worse on that body style is a trip to one of the 3 convertable shops like some of the comaros got.

Cool car though. I like the color and the originality.

 

[v8440]

I've only had one pontiac 350, and it was pretty strong for what it was. It was a stone stock 2 barrel motor in a '73 ventura. I'd like to get another of those cars someday-it was a fun car. The car seemed to have a bunch of gear in the rear end compared to other stock cars, and maybe that's why it was so torquey. It drove like good fuel injection. You could literally idle it down to 400 rpm, let it run like that for a few minutes, and smack the gas pedal to the floor. No bogging, it would simply light the right rear tire up and take off. I've never seen a 2 barrel motor of any brand run as well as that one did. I later had a '74 nova with a 350 2 barrel in it, and it was nowhere near as strong as the pontiac was.

 

[Stretch]

Chevy 350 2bbl and Pontiac 2bbl engines arnt even in the same country as far as power and torque go. I'll take a ponco 350 anyday. When we were in high school a buddy of mine had a '77 Grand Prix with a 4bbl. pontiac 350 in it. That was a fun car!

 

[68R/T]

nice clean camaro.....:toot:

 

[restoman]

Well, no, Jack, you're wrong. 1974 was the first year of that style of fascia/headlamps (with a different bumper and lower valance), 1976 was the last. And I don't ever recall seeing a Firebird of any stripe without a split grille, from '67 until it was discontinued.

Also, a chrome front bumper was last used on the '69, and a chrome rear was last used in '73.

Neat old rig to be preserved that well, but the wheels aren't the only add-on. 350-2V cars were not available with dual tailpipes and "Trans Am" chrome extensions, but I can forgive that addition.

I figured you'd catch all that. What about the single, square headamps though?

It's nice. I wouldn't mind having it, but like Stretch says, it needs a rear spoiler. Badly.

I would much rather a Trans Am of that year.

 

[Dr.Jass]

Well, I'm not sure what you mean about single square headlamps. Those were all pop-ups, but the car still had a split grille all the way to the end.

The spoiler was only included with the Trans Am, it was optional (rather than delete) on the rest. Personally, I don't mind them without the spoiler; in fact for most of the time I had my '78 the spoiler was in the trunk rather than on it. It drew the eyes away from the functional shaker hood and kept the car about as sleeper as you can make a Trans Am (all the wheel spats were gone, too).

In my opinion, the Firebird and Trans Am died in '79 with the death of the 350/400 Pontiac engines. Even the Turbo 301 was a joke.. For what I personally consider "true" Firebirds, the '79 was the ugliest, the '76 a very-close 2nd, and the '69 right on the tail of the '76. At this point, barring some incredible deal, I would not consider anything outside a '70-'73, which I still think is the most-beautiful car GM ever unleashed on America.

 

[restoman]

This is what I mean about the single square headlamps...

"All of the Firebirds had new body-colored urethane bumpers — the chrome bumpers were a thing of the past. In front were new square, single headlamps recessed into the front fenders. The traditional Pontiac split grille had a mesh pattern insert."

I missed the part about the headlamps being recessed into the fenders. Looks to me like they're in the fascia, not the fenders...

 

[71ChargerRT]

At this point, barring some incredible deal, I would not consider anything outside a '70-'73, which I still think is the most-beautiful car GM ever unleashed on America.

I am in full agreement with that statement. I'd take 68 Grand Prix as well, kinda like this one... http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/car-of-the-week/car-of-the-week-1968-pontiac-grand-prix but make mine black!

 

[Fishy]

My least favorite of all the Firechickens. Looks too much like a damn Camaro. I liked a few of the early 70's and of course I dig the '77/'78 as well. That nose looks like it belongs on a dirt oval track bumping into some competitors rear end. :dgt: