Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, the U.S. domestic auto market was forced to contend with a series of federal mandates aimed at improving fuel economy and safety, resulting in what is now known as the Malaise Era. American vehicles produced during this time generally offered poor performance, especially compared to the Muscle Car Golden Era. Nevertheless, these vehicles still deserve some love, and now we’re watching as a 1976 Pontiac Firebird goes head-to-head against a 1974 Chevy Corvette in the following drag race video.
Once again coming to us from the Cars And Zebras YouTube channel, the video is relatively brief and to-the-point, giving us some info and specs on both the 1976 Pontiac Firebird and the 1974 Chevy Corvette featured in the race, as well as two runs down the drag strip at the end. If it’s just the racing that you’re after, then skip ahead to the 1-minute, 43-second mark.
With that covered let’s check out what these two machines are bringing to the table, starting with the 1974 Chevy Corvette. With its iconic sharp fenders and swoopy cabin, the 1974 Chevy Corvette offered a few different engine options, starting with the base-level 350 V8 rated at 195 horsepower. This particular example, however, has the uprated 350 V8, which bumps it up to 250 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 285 pound-feet at 4,000 rpm. Output is sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission and 3.73 gears. Weight with driver is estimated at 3,750 pounds.
In the other lane, we find a 1976 Pontiac Firebird Formula, which is showing up with the range-topping engine option in the form of a 400 cubic-inch V8 making 185 horsepower at 3,600 rpm and 310 pound-feet of torque. This particular example is also fitted with a four-speed manual transmission, with 3.42 gears in back.
Both vehicles run in the Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race Series, which does allow for a few minor modifications. Hit play to see how it all shakes down:
Subscribe to GM Authority for more Pontiac Firebird news, Chevy Corvette news, Pontiac news, Chevy news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
Vette is a76
I know it’s a piece of history but I sort of feel bad for performance car owners from this period. A new Suburban with the 5.3L will turn the standing quarter in 15.5 seconds. I graduated from high school in 1974 and none of the performance cars my friends had were newer than 1972 (and they were pretty sluggish) and most had modified late ‘50s through late ‘60s cars.
They seemed fast at that time, but they were so slow and boring to watch, especially in the quarter mile. I had a 1974 Dodge Dart that went 14.9 at 96 and that seemed fast at the time. If there was a 12 second street car you really had something special, now my 2021 HTC Corvette will run in the 11’s stock, how times have changed.
360 Darts and other Chrysler F-bodies were one of the fastest cars you can buy in ’76. C/D tested one back then and surely it was fast as a Vette
Perhaps not the fastest but two timelessly beautiful designs from an era when there were many from GM. The Pontiac GTO in the background of the photos is another example. My preference is for earlier C3s and earlier Gen2 F-Bodies but these two later examples still exude the simple, beautifully sculpted form that will be striking forever and is missing entirely today.
Always liked the Formula over Trans Am. Less gingerbread hanging on it.
At least on the Pontiac, if the exhaust was replaced with a true dual system and high flow cats things would get better. If the car was a Trans Am, making the hood scoop functional helps too, maybe getting to the low 15’s.
Is it a ‘74 ? It doesn’t have a 74 Vette rear bumper cover ….
The Corvette is a 1976 model NOT 1974. Wrong front bumper, wrong rear bumper, and a 1976 only steering wheel.
BS that’s a lie corvette never weighted 3750 lbs thats a lot of corporate BS to make excuse for being so slow they were always a lighter car no more than 3200 to 3300 lbs , I have driven a lot of different years of the corvettes their are light cars at least 500 lbs lighter than a Trans Am