First introduced for the 1967 model year, the Pontiac Firebird shared the F-body platform with the closely related Camaro that Chevrolet released the same year. Like the Camaro, the Pontiac Firebird's first generation spanned three years, the 1967 to 1969 models.
The 1967 Firebird rightfully gets a great deal of attention because it is the inaugural edition of the model. The 1969 Firebird receives a tremendous amount of fanfare because this was the year that Pontiac introduced the soon-to-be legendary Trans Am.
With all of that first-gen excitement, there's often little left over for that 1968 Firebird for sale at the middle of the vehicle generation. Not only does the 1968 compete with the other Firebirds for attention, it is also competing with the Camaros and Mustangs available those years.
Pontiac offered the 1968 Firebird for sale as either a convertible or a hardtop coupe, and both styles had five engine choices available to them. The standard engine that Pontiac included with the Firebird was the Standard Firebird OHC 230, a 230-cubic-inch one-barrel V6 motor that generated 175 horsepower.
The Firebird Sprint is a 230-cubic-inch four-barrel overhead-cam V6 that produces 215 horsepower. The Firebird 326 is a two-barrel V8 that offers 250 horsepower while the Firebird H.O. (High Output) 326 is a four-barrel V8 that hammers out 285 horsepower. The high performance option that Pontiac offered with the 1968 Firebird for sale was the Firebird 400, a four-barrel V8 that generates 325 horsepower, and was available with the Ram Air option.
The Firebird 400 Ram Air was 400-cubic-inch V8 motor that achieved 335 horsepower at 5300 rpm. This included a beefy valvetrain for 6000-rpm operation, a longer-duration cam, and a larger overlap. Pontiac recalibrated the Quadrajet carburetor to increase fuel flow. In addition, they made the twin hood scoops functional, and used them to duct air directly into the air cleaner. Mid-model-year, Pontiac replaced the 400 Ram Air with the 400 Ram Air II, which boosted horsepower to 340.
The 1968 Firebird for sale received a few updates to the initial '67 body. These changes include front turn lights with a wraparound style, removal of the passenger and driver side vent windows, Pontiac V-crest rear marker lights were added, and the Rally I rims were dropped as an option. Structurally, Pontiac replaced the single-leaf rear springs with multi-leaf units except on 6-cylinder models. In addition, they improved the suspension system with straddle-mounted shock absorbers, and a tire upgrade to Firestone F70 Wide Ovals on V8 models.
Pontiac made changes to the interior as well. These alterations included a larger, padded instrument panel, conical lenses and block lettering on the instrument panel, sun visors, flow-through ventilation system, lower dash adjustable round air outlets, and windshield pillar moldings. Creature comfort and safety additions included crushable armrests, lower door panel carpeting, push-button buckles, and an anti-theft ignition key warning buzzer. Other additions included stronger door hinges made of stamped steel, a larger fuse block that included eleven fuses, and a new bulkhead electrical connector.
A 1968 Firebird for sale today isn't exactly inexpensive, but it is relative to the other options of this period. If an enthusiast can find one that needs moderate to substantial work, it's a great jumping on point at approximately ,000. Restored '68 Firebirds can range anywhere from ,000 to ,000, but are generally found at approximately ,000.
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