Automotif CXCVI...

Shortly after the '53 Chevy rolled by on Sunday afternoon, lightning struck twice!

It's a second-generation Pontiac Firebird! While the snout on the '74-'76 Firebirds was generally the same, they can be distinguished by the placement of their turn signals. A 1974 has them below the bumper, outboard, directly beneath the headlights. A 1976 has them in the intake grilles under the bumper. A '75, like this one, has them in the grille openings above the bumper.

This one's a '75 Firebird Formula 400, at least according to the badge. By the mid-Seventies, the 400cid 4-barrel had a compression ratio something like 7.5:1 or so and was putting out only 185 SAE net horsepower, even in the Formula's 4bbl performance-oriented installation. At some 3800ish pounds, this thing would be hard pressed keeping up with an airport rental Kia these days and struggled to top 100mph...

But it sure is a good-looking car, and it didn't take much work to uncork a lot more power out of that big motor.

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