[1971455HO]

I probably misunderstood, what he meant. I thought he was telling you he had one he could hook you up with. I'm probably wrong.

When you posted on here that you were trying hard to find one, I locked in a search for one on eBay for you, just in case one ever showed up on there.

Will let you know if it ever does. Or buy it as quick as possible and let you know. If I find one, you can have it for what it cost. I don't try to make money on Pontiac people. There's enough of that. Members on here have helped me tremendously. That's how it should work. Good luck on getting your part John.

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by 1971455HO

...
When you posted on here that you were trying hard to find one, I locked in a search for one on eBay for you, just in case one ever showed up on there.
...

First off, wow - thank you!

Do your ebay searches/alerts still work?

I stopped getting emails from my searches ages ago, and have looked into it with no solution in sight.

I can still do manual searches, but I just find it quicker to use picclick.

[1971455HO]

Yep...they do. I put specific information on my search so I'm not constantly looking at lousy related ads that are out there. I know you know what I mean. I have kept a search for anything related to the dealership where my car sold new from Vincell Pontiac in St. Louis. It will ping me every great once in a while with something related to that dealer. Most of the time it is something from the 50's or 60's, but sometimes I hit something I wanted. Hope your part comes up.

[unruhjonny]

ok, you made me look into this, but I am not seeing what's wrong;
I get ebay emails only when it's related directly to a listing - eg: I asked a question about something.
I just noticed that I missed out on two offers from ebay - one was a $25 coupon just for being a member since '99... bummer.
So I guess it's not just search alerts that I'm not getting - and I haven't a clue how to resolve it.

[HO Kenny]

For what it’s worth.
I have a deck lid from what I believe was a 70 esprit 400, with spoiler added, and I found no emblem holes.

[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by keith k

I think your theory is credible. (post #41)

In addition, it's possible, had its usage not been cancelled, that the 400 trunk badge would have been used on Esprits equipped with the 400 as well. For '67-'69, no other model besides the Firebird 400 was available with a 400. But in '70, it was possible to get an Esprit with one.

I am up late, for no good reason, and I decided to do another search, and I think I just stumbled across a clue that has been in plain sight this whole time;

If my ramblings irritate you, please stop now, and close this thread;
If on the other hand you can tolerate it, or are amused by my persistence, please read on

1970 Firebird molding chart 1;
Shows base model side profile on top, and Esprit model on bottom of page.
I would suggest that this page was quite probably needed for the Esprit model, and in particular items #6 & #15, as well as #4 to differentiate a base model with an optional 350-2bbl from an Esprit model with the optional 400-2bbl engine.
Item 6 (rocker trim) and 15 Esprit model callout are wholly unique to this model.

1970 Firebird molding chart 2;
Shows Formula model with "Cordova top" on top, and Trans Am model on bottom of page.
I feel as though it is worth noting right now that item #4 is simply described as:
4. 2 - 481545 EMBLEM PKG "400"
Note this image is clearly the Formula but is worded as though the badge is simply a "400" badge. Now you might thing it to be weak-sauce, but this seems to suggest to me at least this drawing was quite probably created before the model name changed from 'Firebird 400' to 'Formula 400' - something that seems again to me to be thematic here.
AND
If you take this an extra step, and look at 1971-1975 molding chart pages, the emblems are always referred to in their entirety (eg: "Formula 400").
Ok, I've sufficiently flogged that point... moving on.

1970 Firebiird molding chart 3;
Shows Formula model on left and Trans Am model on right;
Notes suggest that this left image is to be used for base/Esprit/Formula BUT the hood gives it away as being a Formula;
If you look close, you can see the "Cordova top", so these two images are in fact the same cars used on molding chart 2(!);
Now, look at item 9;
9. 481543 EMBLEM PKG., Bumper
This may seem insignificant, so please bear with me;
To this point, it has been suggested that the "400" trunk badge in question may have been intended to be used on any Firebird with a 400, because it hasn't said otherwise;
This bumper emblem was not used on the three models being used for this image, and no further explanation is offered for which models use it(!?!);
A quick read of the model information from a dealers book (something many of us do not have access to) will disclose that the Esprit and Formula used this emblem.
So, here is another picture of the Formula from chart 2, with another part that has model specificity, but lacks explanation;
The only explanation is that this is an image of the Formula, and that's why the bumper emblem is there.
Also, since the Esprit and base had no additional badges on the front of the car that the Formula lacked, I am at this time going to assert that this may have been done to eliminate an extra page in the parts catalogue.

1970 Firebird molding chart 4;
Now, I am going to pause here, and first punctuate that the last chart (#3) showed the same two cars from chart #2;
Look at the left car's roof - that's the same "Cordova top", suggesting that this is again the same pair of cars from Chart 2 (& 3);
But wait(!)
Remember how on chart 2 it didn't fully spell out the fender badge?
Remember how on chart 3 the bumper bird emblem application wasn't spelled out?
Is it possible that these two prior items are not spelled out because the elimination of additional molding charts could be done by simply using the Formula chart?
Just as doing this eliminated the need for an additional page for front ends, this would again, eliminate the need for an additional page for rear ends.
I once again, am suggesting that all of this seems to suggest that this trunk emblem, was wholly intended for the 'Firebird (Formula) 400' model - the very same car pictured on chart 2, 3, and (now) 4. Since this was chart was drawn with the intent of using it for the Formula model, that the trunk badge wouldn't require an explanation.

[unruhjonny]

I am posting to say that as unbelievable able as it seems, just as '1971455HO' suggested, 'RamAirBirds' has indeed given one of these badges to me.

I am floored by the generosity.

This badge is quite spectacular.





He and I spoke via PM, and he essentially has gifted it to me.
I received it a week ago and immediately messaged him, but he has as of yet not replied to me. I held off on saying anything just incase our subsequent discussion may have yielded any instructions ect.
I have expressed my gratitude privately, and I am doing so now again publicly.

Thank you so very much 'RamAirBirds'!!

My only dilemma is now this;

When I first learned of this badge, I wanted to get one to install it on my trunk lid;
This badge is so nice, and seemingly rare enough, that I don't think I can do what I had planned... but since my car will not be done any time in the immediate future, I have some time to make a final decision on the matter. Maybe during that time another one will pop up on eBay for $20 again(!!!!!) and I can then affirm I will be installing one on my trunk.

I am told that this badge is NOS (I do not doubt this), and that it came from the estate of a former Pontiac engineer who has since passed. I am told that the engineer's name was Lowell Schneider (hopefully disclosing that is ok). I was not immediately told that he had passed, and had hoped to speak with him on the off chance he was involved with the '70 Firebird and had any information which might clear up speculation on why this badge was dropped in the eleventh hour.
Oh well.
Just to appease my curiosity, does anyone here know who Lowell Schneider was, or what his duties at Pontiac were during this time period?
(I would think that he had this badge because he was somehow involved with the '70 Firebird.)

[1971455HO]

I just simply googled the gentleman and there's a bit of information about him. He did indeed pass in 2014. I found quite a few photos of him as a younger man while he was at Pontiac. Glad a member here helped you. Great community we have here. I'll let you research him as you wish.

Like you, out of respect, don't want to put too much personal info about him out here on the net.

[unruhjonny]

weird.
I tried googling him before posting that, and found some political donations, and not much else.

I keep hearing about country specific internet stuff, I wonder if that's what I am seeing going on!?