The 1968 Pontiac Firebird 350 - cid HO V-8 locomotive engine , with high - performance camshaft , better exhaust - gasolene scavenging , and revisedcarburetion , delivered 320 HP , 35 more than its 326 - cid forerunner .
Pontiac Firebird Image Gallery
A fresh 400 HO railway locomotive with wilder camshaft and free - flowing exhaust shot an impressive 335horsepowerto the three - speed control stick , four - speeding ( standard or near - proportion ) , or Turbo Hydra - Matic . Even the regular 400 V-8 included a base - shift , chromeengineparts , and dual - scoop strong-armer .
Pontiac Firebirds and other General Motors product adopted Astro - Ventilation this class . That simply meant vent-hole wing in the lead of the doorway window were gone – a modification less popular with the general public than with GM executives . One - piece door spyglass looked not bad , but did n’t do much for flow of air .
At midyear , a Ram Air II engine seem , rated at 340 horsepower , considerably less than the GTO ’s Ram Air V-8 . New round - port piston chamber head consecrate the engine well ventilation . The Ram Air II option included such goodies as a high - liftcamshaft , mould aluminum plunger , and Arma - steel crankshaft .
Turbo Hydra - Matic or a four - speed was mandatory . Hood scoop were functional with Ram Air induction , which promote both horsepower and the peak of the railway locomotive ’s great power curve .
On metropolis streets , saidSports Car Graphicof its Ram Air Firebird , " the episodic hiss from the quadrajet carburetor and the throaty chug from the dual exhausts gave the depression of enormous office . "
A Aries - outfit Firebird could dash to 60 miles per hour in 4.8 seconds , and execute the quarter - mile in 15 . Not that the 400 HO V-8 was a slouch , with a 5.3 - second 0 - 60 time .
