Pontiac gave buyers six ways to power a 1967 Firebird, and the choice of 1967 Firebird engine ran from an overhead-cam six to a Ram Air 400. As a result, the same body could be an economical six-cylinder cruiser or a 325-horsepower street car.
According to Over-Drive Magazine, Pontiac built the first Firebird at Lordstown, Ohio, in early January 1967, and released it on February 23. By the end of that first season, Pontiac had built 82,560 of them. So here is each engine, in order of output, with the numbers behind it.
1. 230 OHC six, the base 1967 Firebird engine (165 hp)
First, the standard engine was a 230-cubic-inch six with its camshaft in the head, not in the block. Fed by a one-barrel carburetor, it made 165 horsepower.
According to the first-generation Firebird club’s 1967 technical page, the coupe started at $2,666 with this engine, and 10,454 cars got it. Over-Drive Magazine’s fact sheet adds the details: 9.0:1 compression, 165 horsepower at 4,700 rpm and 216 lb-ft of torque.
2. 230 Sprint OHC six, four-barrel (215 hp)
The Firebird Sprint took the same six and woke it up. Unique Cars and Parts says the Sprint added a four-barrel Quadrajet carburetor and a hotter cam, for 215 horsepower.
In addition, Over-Drive lists 10.5:1 compression, 215 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 240 lb-ft of torque. The Sprint also came with a floor-mounted three-speed manual and heavy-duty suspension. Meanwhile, the Firebird club lists the Sprint at $105.60 over the base car, and it counts 7,210 built.
3. 326 V8, two-barrel (250 hp)
Most Firebird buyers wanted a V8, and this was the one they chose most often. Specifically, the Firebird 326 used a two-barrel version of Pontiac’s 326-cubic-inch V8, rated at 250 horsepower, according to Unique Cars and Parts.
Over-Drive gives 9.2:1 compression, 250 horsepower at 4,600 rpm and 333 lb-ft of torque. The Firebird club prices the option at $95.04, and in fact it counts 40,121 built. In other words, nearly half of all 1967 Firebirds had this engine.
4. 326 HO V8, four-barrel (285 hp)
The 326 HO was the middle step between the 326 and the 400. Unique Cars and Parts says it gained higher compression, a four-barrel carburetor and a dual exhaust system, for 285 horsepower. However, the side stripes were only there for identification.
Over-Drive lists 10.5:1 compression, 285 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 359 lb-ft of torque, though one passage in the same fact sheet says 280. The Firebird club, for its part, prices the HO at $169.70 and counts 6,078 built.
5. 400 V8, four-barrel (325 hp)
Finally, the biggest engine was Pontiac’s 400-cubic-inch V8 with a Quadrajet four-barrel. It made 325 horsepower, according to the Firebird club, which lists it at $358.09 and counts 18,632 built.
Over-Drive puts the figures at 10.75:1 compression, 325 horsepower at 4,800 rpm and 410 lb-ft of torque. Why not the 360 horsepower of the GTO HO? Over-Drive blames restrictive exhaust manifolds needed to fit the smaller Firebird engine bay. Even so, it adds that some believe the lower figure was a marketing decision.
6. Ram Air 400 V8
The Ram Air package turned the 400’s twin hood scoops from decoration into working intakes. Unique Cars and Parts says it also brought low-restriction cast-iron exhaust manifolds and a hotter cam. The Firebird club lists the package at $263.
On paper, the output barely changed. Over-Drive rates the Ram Air 400 at the same 325 horsepower, but at 5,200 rpm, with 410 lb-ft at 3,600 rpm and a de-clutching fan. In the end, few buyers took it. According to the Firebird club, Pontiac built only 65 Ram Air cars in 1967.
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This article was created with the help of AI and was reviewed and edited by Fast Lane Only editors before publication.
