Pontiac Power

Pontiac Power
The Pontiac Spotlight:
1969 Firebird Ram Air HO Convertible

The Pontiac Spotlight will feature a different Pontiac each month. If you have a Pontiac that you would like featured here please email me your details and a few pictures to share.

For July a 1969 Firebird Ram Air HO Convertible 1 of 87

In 1969 the Firebird got its first "face-lift". The styling was clearly Pontiac, with it's split grille leading the way. Under the hood the horsepower race was going strong. The styling and horsepower both helped Pontiac make over 84,000 in '69. And unlike today, there were many options available. You didn't have options packages, you ordered the options that you wanted. If you wanted power windows, but no power locks you got it.

This featured 1969 Firebird has a option list that is as long as your arm, 22 in all. Highlighting the list are such gems as Convertible, Air conditioning, deluxe interior. Want to go fast? How about a 400 HO and Ram Air, 4-speed and 3.55 posi? All of this wrapped in Antique Gold and a White power top. Not something you see every day. Although, there were 87 in this engine/trans/body style made, it would be safe to say that this might be the only one like it.
This '69 Firebird is owned by Mike Schleick. Mike bought this car back in 1990, for a "huge price" but it was all there right down to the original window sticker. Mike quickly found a guy to do the restoration. But after the guy had to relocate the shop several times and a divorce (the guy at the shop not Mike) along the way, Mike had to find someone else to finish. "I learned an expensive lesson on who to trust doing your resto... Lots of money lost over the years along with some of my car parts. Lots of problems along the way. After having it worked on for over 5 years it came home and was not near done. After I found the guys who finally did the right job, almost all previous work had to be re done along with another complete engine rebuild. What a nightmare! In the end I am quite pleased with the car"
But after some 11 years it was done. Mike entered it in a car show earlier this year and "the first (and only) real pontiac guy who knew how rare the car is said I was nuts for even driving it on the street. He is right but after waiting 11 years to get it done I really needed to get a little drive time out of it. " Be sure to look for Mike at the Trans Am Nations this summer.

Click here for Previous Spotlights:
1979 Hurst Grand Am
1998 Trans Am WS6
2000 Grand Prix Pace Car
1969 Firebird HO Ram Air
1978 Firebird Sky Bird
1977 Trans Am
1980 Trans Am
1968 Firebird Ram Air I

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