**Please feel free to copy everything below this note, to add/correct as you see fit - lets keep this thread going, and back to it's original intent!
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Comprehensive/updated unique for 1970 parts/options:
1) stainless roof drip edge moldings (difference?)
2) stainless door edge guards; screw in type as opposed to press on type
3) Washer bottle cap (difference?)
4) seat belts:
a) console mounted seat belt (female) holders
b) roof mounted shoulder belt (male) clips
c) retractable floor mounted (male) front lap belts
d) 1970-only shaped front seat belt washers
5) metal carpet clips for covering front seat track bolts
6) vertical windshield trim had screw holes at the bottom & one year corresponding black plastic water deflectors
7) brackets for alternator, power steering, & air conditioning
8) "open face" alternator
9) Radiator core support; subtle differences in the openings & forming
10) For cars with the California EES, all components are one-year only. 11) Hood hinges; ???
12) front seats; low back buckets with separate headrests
13) front seat tracks; side release; black knob for std interior; chrome knob for deluxe
14) Quarter panels; the formed "dimples" in the door jambs changed for 1971
15) Trunk extensions; with two drain plugs as opposed to one for 71-73
16) rear defog (fan type); unique to 1970 long cutout on rear package tray along with unique plastic molded vent cover
17) Exhaust extensions; 22 degree cut instead of the 71-73 & 74-75 (?)45 degree cut
18) 12 bolt rear differential for Formula 400, Trans Am, & Esprit with optional 400 engine.
19) Formula hoods don't have metal bracing on sides; 1970 & 1971
20) standard Formula air cleaner has no hole for fuel bowl vent tube; California EES used 71-72 style aircleaner
21) 'Ram Air' Formula air cleaners are one year only (Pins and dimples for holley)
22) pot metal rear filler panel (instead of fibreglass); very early part only
23) 4 trunk pan drain plugs); very early part only
24) simulated wood shift knob for automatic; very early part only; this part is not interchangeable to shifters which were not assembled with it.
25) simulated leather shifter knob (#?) with red insert (with four speed shift pattern) for four speed cars; very early part only; suspected as being installed only in cars with deluxe interior.
26) simulated leather shifter knob (#?) with red insert (with no shift pattern) for three speed cars; very early part only; suspected as being installed only in cars with deluxe interior.
27) oversized 'black ball' shifter knob with shift pattern; for both three speed (#?) and four speed cars (#?); used for 1970 and early 1971 cars.
28) Front bumper emblem (#?); standard on Esprit & Formula; 1970-1971 part; reproduction now available, but the "island" infront of the birds beak has been eliminated
29) rear trunk lid "400" emblem (#9808505); very early part only; none documented as being installed on production cars
30) Front fender "Firebird" script emblem (#?); 1970-1971 part
31) Front fender "Formula 400" script emblem; the 1970 part is wholly unique as the mounting stud locations changed; 1970 (#?) vs 1971 (#?)
32) Trans Am dash insert; has separate "wash" & "lights" word openings; the insert was 1970-1972, but only 1970 and some early 1971 cars received chrome gauge surround rings
33) base/Esprit/Formula dash insert; has separate "wash" & "lights" word openings; the insert was 1970-1972, but the wood grain pattern changed every year; Rocky Rotella has documented the pattern used for 1972, but my observation is this:
1970 = light 'milk chocolate' brown
1971 = almost a bleached birchwood look
1972 = a much deeper shade of brown from the two prior years. (I will try to take/share pictures)
34) blue power trunk release button
35) Chrome dressup (valve covers for all 400/4bbl; and air cleaner lid for Formula) & metal spark plug wire retainers
36) Hood hinges (difference?)
37) glove box door; uses 4 rivets instead of six & has different pattern stamped in the steel
38) front plastic valence; very early part only; became regular production item for 1972 & 1973 (but the service replacement was steel)
39) dash wiring harness; front/floor convenience lamps always present
40) round vacuum canister on L78 cars; bolts to firewall with two threaded bolts
41) front rad support to bumper plastic filler panel; very early part only; suspected as originally intended for automatic/AC cars only
42) rear spoiler was NOT an option; standard on Trans Am, not available on others.
43) power steering pump; older style; the pump style change for 1971
44) single snorkel air cleaner base for 1970 Trans Am's; some received dual snorkel air cleaner bases
45) headlight surround trim; single small recess for screws??
46) stainless side window weatherstrip channel
47) sun visor center retaining tabs
48) rear armrests have no ashtrays; these were added after 1970
49) optional front seat back power locks
50) full ratcheting hood latch
51) side window blow out clips; design slightly different from latter ones
52) early "grey" dot/fade white stripes for blue cars; very early part, created unwanted 'greying effect' quickly superseded with conventional 71-72 stripes.
53) two piece black clock knob
54) front inner fender 'dust' flaps, rear quarter panel inner 'mud' flaps, and front rad support seals
55) 1970-only oversize (long) yolk on driveshaft
56) both regular and EEC gas caps are one year only
57) drivers side rear harness guard much longer; goes all the way to firewall
58) ebrake cover for cable where it comes out of floor
59) 'heavy duty' Muncie sourced three speed; std Formula & optional on Esprit w/L30; offered for 1970 & 1971 only then dropped; transmission, shifter and all parts are specific
60) manual transmission shifter arm w/o console; #7945; used only for 1970 & 1971 (all others 1970-1978 used #7244)
61) door panels; full height cardboard backed panel with vinyl wrapped arm rest; some early cars with power windows did not have the window crank opening cut (or the emblem installed)
62) front innner wheel well - bottom forward metal filler panel; 1970 used 4 mounting bolts - 71+ used 2 bolts
63) vacuum actuated heater switch
64) body coloured front parking light surrounds
65) 1970-only Trans Am front/centre spoiler used three center mount recessed holes
66) 1970-only Trans Am 'extra' ground strap inside of scoop
67) high pressure power steering hose w/red stripe
68) 1970-only rubber drain tube used on bottom of a/c box
69) 1970-only stamped script on 3/4" heater hose; branded 1971+
70) 1970-only throttle cable bracket (similar to latter unit; but differs from 71-74 in that it uses a stud on the throttle arm instead of a ball/clip design); uses 1970 & earlier stlye throttle arm bracket
71) A/C 'soft' line from condenser to dryer; 1970-only part was soft/hard - latter was all hard line
72) water pump & power steering pump pulleys
73) 1970-only trunk lock bracket
74) 1970-only rear bracket & outer covers for the inside door release mechanism
75) 1970-only front bumper; 'sqared' notches out of endura cover at bottom of bumper
76) front bumper; 1970 & 1971 Esprit & Formula have holes to mount the emblem
77) 1970-only side glass; 7 holes; extra rear stop added for 1971
78) early 1970-only 'A-pillar bump out' for two, then one door switch
79) early (pre-may) 1970-only rear licence plate cover; retaining bolt head covered when cover in up position
80) ...
noteable items:
- rear seatback frame and seat bottoms are 1970-1973
- early second gen cars used yellow throttle return springs
- early cars use larger (read: longer) exterior door handles
1970 only paint/interior colours
exterior #10 'Polar white' ('69 & '71-'81 are #11 'Cameo white')
exterior #25 'Bermuda blue'
exterior #28 'Attol blue'
exterior #45 'Palisade green'
exterior #47 'Verdoro green'
exterior #51 'Goldenrod yellow'
exterior #58 'Granada gold'
exterior #63 'Palomino copper'
exterior #65 'Carousel red'
interior #201/211 'bright (metallic) blue vs darker non-metallic blue used 1971+
interior #214 red vs toned down 'Sienna' used for 1971
Wheels
14x6" plain steel (std on base & Esprit) =
14x6" Rally II (optional on base & Esprit) =
14x7" plain steel (std on Formula) = CL (1970 through 1972)
14x7" Rally II (optional on Formula) = JS (1970 through 1972??)
15x7" Rally II (optional on Formula; standard on Trans Am) = JW (1970 & early 1971)
400/4bbl info/codes
- Final year of high compression; essetially a carry over from late 1969 mechanicals, with only casting number revisions.
- All engines used 1969 style thermostat housings with 1970 only upper rad hoses.
Alternator:
#1100902 = w/o AC or rear window defogger
#1100903 = w/ AC or rear window defogger
#11100904 = w/ AC and rear window defogger
Starter:
#1108434 = 350
#1108435 = 400 w/o RA
#1108436 = 400 w/RA
http://www.wallaceracing.com/starter-numbers.htm
Exhaust manifolds:
L78 = 9796992(rh) / 9782810 or 480602 (lh)
L74 = 9799720 (rh) / 478140 (lh)
L67 = 9799721 (rh) / 478141 (lh)
Intake manifolds:
L78/L74 = 9799068
L67 = 9799084
Block stamped code / cylinder head casting number / block casting number
L78/auto = YS / 13 / 9799914
L78/manual = WT / 12 / 9799914
L74/auto = YZ / 12 / 9799914**
L74/manaul = WS / 12 / 9799914**
L67/auto = XP / 614 / 9799915*
L67/manual = WW / 614 / 9799915*
* = these started out as '914 blocks, the end of the casting number was ground off, and re-stamped.
** = it is believed that although the '915 block was indtended for RAIV engines, there ware documented cases of RAIII engines being built with '915 blocks
Carburetors:
L78/auto = 7040264; c/w 2 port metal vacuum break
L78/manual = 7040263; c/w 2 port metal vacuum break
L74 & L67/auto = 7040270; c/w yellow/black plastic vacuum break
L74 & L67/manaul = 7040273; c/w yellow/black plastic vacuum break
California L78/auto = 7040564; c/w 2 port metal vacuum break
California L78/manual = 7040563; c/w 2 port metal vacuum break
California L74 & L67/auto = 7040570; c/w yellow/black plastic vacuum break
California L74 & L67/manaul = 7040573; c/w yellow/black plastic vacuum break
Distributors:
L78/auto = 111 1148
L78/manual = 111 1176
L74/auto = 111 2009
L74/manaul = 111 2024
L67/auto & manual = 111 2013