porksoda

iTrader: (39)

So I had someone tell me today that the 2nd Gen. T/A's with the firechicken on the hood can tell you what motor the car has? Is this true? He said something about the bird faces a certain way depending on which motor it came with. Can someone confirm this?

LS1W66

No
The bird has nothing to do with what engine is in the Car

porksoda

iTrader: (39)

I didn't think so but he said it did so i figured I'd ask the pros here. I just know he said something about whether the bird faces the driver or passenger tells you what motor it came with.

1995blacktattop

iTrader: (2)

mainly true, although there was a different bird for the 80-81 turbo cars vs the regular 301/305 cars because the hood is different... the main difference is in the turbo T/A the birds head points twords the drivers side of the car and on the regular 301's it points to the pass side

1980 black/gold Turbo T/A


1981 regular 301 T/A



(i couldnt find a good closeup of an 80 regular T/A, the 81 is the same bird)

Cape T/A

interesting, fyi. they didnt start the "big" birds on the hood until 73. so the first two years of the second gens they didnt even have the big firechicken. lol, people are so funny when the try to act like they know something and are totaly wrong.

EchoMirage

iTrader: (3)

the bird, no. the callout on the hood shaker, yes. if it said "T/A 6.6", then it had a 400. if it said "6.6 Litre", then the olds 403.

LS1W66

For 1979 that would be correct `77-78 are a different story.

In `77 and `78 there were 2 Pontiac 400's available along with the Old's 403
The base 400 made 180 HP the Olds made 185 HP and were tagged as 6.6 Litre's. The T/A 400 was a slightly hotter engine and made 200 HP in `77 and 220 in `78-79. It was tagged T/A 6.6

LS1W66

Good point.
Also the `79-81 Birds face the Passenger side the Original `73-78 Birds Face the Driver side.

1995blacktattop

iTrader: (2)

heres another rarity, in 1980-1981 the 4 speed cars were Chevy 305's and thus had "5.0 Litre" badges instead of 4.9 or Turbo 4.9

Morpheus

iTrader: (7)

73-78 hood birds were mostly identical except for colors. One case it's different is for the 1978 Gold Special Edition. It used the 1979 hood bird. 79-80 birds were the same except for the 10th anniversary bird which was also the largest hood bird they ever used. If the 80 car was a turbo car and then it had the turbo hood and a different bird. 81 birds are unique.

Just about all of the 2nd gens had engine call outs on the shaker/scoops. There are few that didn't like some of the 301/305 cars and some of the 78 L78 400 cars(like mine).

1973


1976


1977 Black Special Edition(Bandit)


1978 Gold SE


1979 10th Anniversary TA


1980 Trans Am 301


1980 Pace Car Trans Am


1981 Trans Am SE 301


1981 Trans Am SE Turbo 301


1981 Trans Am Daytona 500 Pace Car

bballr4567

iTrader: (5)

Wow some good info in this thread. Always good to see a firechicken!!

brynnda

iTrader: (5)

also, the 4th gen "rules" dont apply to 2cnd gens, trans am = v8, formula = v8, firebird = v6. i had a 71 firebird, base model bird with a vinyl top, very basic, it came from the factory with a 350.

ill edit with a pic if i can find one -

my 71 firebird with my 90 WS6 Formula, 305, t5 tranny, only about a 1k of them made

LS1W66

[QUOTE=brynnda;9044175]also, the 4th gen "rules" dont apply to 2cnd gens, trans am = v8, formula = v8, firebird = v6. i had a 71 firebird, base model bird with a vinyl top, very basic, it came from the factory with a 350.[QUOTE]

Yes it can get confusing for those who haven't done the research. It gets even worse in the late 70's when Olds and Chevy engines were powering Birds.
Another interesting tidbit is the New for `70 Formula was available with any Trans Am powerplant including the 400 Ram Air IV, though none were ordered that way.
Obviously the worst and most under powered Birds were the 3rd Gen's powered by the Old Iron Duke 4 cylinder

porksoda

iTrader: (39)

Really good info here! Now only if i can remember all the "but this year they did this, and this year this, but look out for this..." All the if's, and's, and but's are gonna require some studying on my part.