[Mr6x]

I was looking at various Firebirds for sale on the internet and I came across this 1976 base Firebird which the seller claimed it was a 400 4bbl. The car was sold through Gateway Classic Cars for $17,000 (no date given when it sold) and was a well optioned car. Based on the VIN it looks to be legit. Is 1976 the only year you could get a 400 in a base model Firebird? I know the Esprit was offered with a 400 in multiple years but I thought the top of the line V8 for the base model was a 350. Any thoughts or comments?

[Dave R]

At first glance, the VIN looked a bit odd but found a 76 Pontiac Firebird brochure on the web. Seems that you could get a 400 in any Firebird, at least in 76.

[unruhjonny]

I believe that the 1976-400/4bbl engine option in the base and Esprit was intended to fill the gap where the 1975-350/4bbl was;
I happen to have a 1976 sales binder (it's pretty cool, and the only one i have - this is a Canadian ordering book so all of the following prices are for the Canadian market);
The availability of the 400 in base and Esprit is on the first firebird page under the "What's new - options" section.

Moving to the power teams page of the options;
The 400 for the base and Esprit (in the past these two models had different engine option prices) is a $307.70 option;
The option requires power brakes to be ordered on the car.

The same option on the Formula is $141.85;
The same engine on the Trans Am is n/c (standard equipment).

Moving to transmissions;
For the base/Esprit the TH350 is a $315.35 option (standard equipment on Formula);
For the base/Esprit the 4 speed is a $291.35 option (n/c on the Formula)

The power brakes are a $68.75 option on a base/Esprit.

The base model comes in at $4,556 ($298 less than an Esprit, and $782 less than a Formula);
The 400/4bbl would require at least $667.80 in options on a base model - making sticker for a base car with no other cost options coming in at $5,223.80.

A Formula 400 w(with no other cost options) would come in at $5,479.85 - but would have had many other n/c upgrades over the base model.

That is pretty neat that the engine options were so muddied up already in 1976(!) - I knew that after 1976 you could get the same drive train in base/Esprit cars as you could get in a Formula or Trans Am - but in all those cases, I believe you had to downgrade the TA drivetrain.

For 1975 you could have a 350/4bbl Formula or base/Esprit;
For 1971-1974 you could have a 350/2bbl Formula or base/Esprit.
For 1970 there was no overlapping of base/Esprit models versus Formula with regard to drivetrains.

[Dave R]

That would make a 76 Base Firebird 400 pretty unusual as most buyers would likely opt for the Formula at that price point.

[unruhjonny]

I agree 100%.

Although I doubt in the long run that this type of rarity would equate to increased value.

It would have been a stellar sleeper in it's time;
Can you imagine a base model being just as fast as a Trans Am?

Talk about watering down the product line.

[jerry455]

My "plain Jane" 1976 Firebird was a 350 2bbl originally.

[Mr6x]

There were only 20,000 or so base Firebirds made in 1976, about half the amount of Trans Am production. Same with the Esprit. I wonder how many 400 engines were ordered in these two models? Firebirds already fetch a hefty price, so a 400 in these models might get some attention. It kind of reminds me of the 351 option in the Ford Granada. Anyway, I'll be taking a closer look at those VINs because you never know , , ,