Car of the Week: 1969 Pontiac Firebird convertible

[dodgechargerfan]

One of the best things about the pony cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s was that they could be so many things to so many different types of customers.

Depending on the engine and equipment they were ordered with, the Mustangs, Camaros, Chargers, Barracudas and similar ilk could be everything from muscle monsters, to cool pseudo-sports cars, to tame family transportation. They may not have been great any one thing, but millions of the mid-size pony cars from the era ably served multiple roles will riding a giant wave of popularity in American showrooms.

Take Dan and Joyce Staehle’s 1969 Pontiac Firebird convertible, for example. Joyce wasn’t too crazy about driving Dan’s hairy 1966 GTO, or his sweet 1954 Lincoln Capri, so Dan started looking for something more suitable. “The Lincoln was just too big for her. She didn’t like driving it,” says Dan, a resident of Brownsville, Wis. “And the GTO, well, it’s a GTO! She wasn’t going to drive that.”

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[BlackCat]

That's lovely.

 

[Tig]

Very nice. I don't remember seeing one in Limelight Green.
While I'd prefer one with a Ram Air III or IV, this is a sweet ride as it is.

 

[VoidTerraFirma]

I'd rock the shit outta that.

 

[DFB]

Nice!

 

[Flatspotter]

Not digging the puke green, but otherwise, hell yeah!

 

[jp_nyc]

The red trimmed tires and wheels make this look like a Batmobile.

 

[tgk03]

My friend has that model. Inherited it from her dad, the original owner.

 

[12Pack]

Very nice. I don't remember seeing one in Limelight Green.
While I'd prefer one with a Ram Air III or IV, this is a sweet ride as it is.

It's Avocado green. Lime green didn't happen until the '80's

 

[Tig]

It's Avocado green. Lime green didn't happen until the '80's

Ah, I was wrong. It is "Limelight" green.

Usage list 1969 Pontiac Limelight Green paint (more information)
year - make - model - code - paint name

1969 Buick Buick 59 Lime Green
1969 Cadillac Cadillac 30 Palmetto Green
1969 Chevrolet Camaro 59 Frost Green
1969 Chevrolet Chevelle 59 Frost Green
1969 Chevrolet Chevrolet 59 Frost Green
1969 Chevrolet ChevyII 59 Frost Green
1969 Chevrolet Corvair 59 Frost Green
1969 Chevrolet Nova 59 Frost Green
1969 GM 59 Lime Green
1969 Oldsmobile Oldsmobile 59 Meadow Green
1969 Pontiac Firebird 59 Limelight Green
1969 Pontiac GTO 59 Limelight Green
1969 Pontiac Pontiac 59 Limelight Green

Paint Manufacturer Codes
Dupont : 5012D, 99335, 5012, 5012A, 5012L, 927-99335
Acme/Rogers : 5664
Sherwin Williams : J3-2564, L11-G2884
Arco : 6302G, L-5381G, S-9558G, AE-3492G
RM/BASF : A2103

 

[mongooz]

very cool car.....except for the 350 and column mount automatic rolleyes1


i know it's not the correct year, but the first thing that popped into my head when i saw the first pic was the theme song from Rockford Files.

 

[TomcatMF]

very cool car.....except for the 350 and column mount automatic rolleyes1


i know it's not the correct year, but the first thing that popped into my head when i saw the first pic was the theme song from Rockford Files.

Wrong car too, he drove a Camaro.

 

[mongooz]

Wrong car too, he drove a Camaro.

no he didn't. he drove a firebird formula.

 

[TomcatMF]

no he didn't. he drove a firebird formula.

 

[mongooz]

granted, by that time camaros and firebirds were the exact same car except for nose and tail lights....but.....

 

[Steverino]

J turns = Rockfords

Or are they?

 

[Lerxst]

no he didn't. he drove a firebird formula.

they were Fbird Esprit models ‘cause Jim Rockford was supposed to be too broke for a spendy Formula

https://jalopnik.com/5928402/this-is-the-largest-collection-of-rockford-files-cars-in-the-universe

 

[Lerxst]

Interesting thing about the first gen Firebird is that John DeLorean originally wanted to build a two seat sports car that would rival the Corvette but GM brass shot that down and made Pontiac use the F-body platform. Then he planned to build it with enough motor to stomp the Mustang and again GM brass said no dice due to a corp limit on CI in the F-bodies. What? You’re gonna let the Chevy guys put the 396 in their model? GM relents and signs off on the 400. But wait, a recently enacted edict says that no division car could have a higher HP:weight ratio than the vette.....so a restrictor plate went on the manifold to limit the throttle....and on and on over the years.
The Firebird was a text book example of how the GM’s politics and rules held the divisions back from putting their best efforts on the showroom floor.