Car Model History

Second generation · Long-running '70½–'81 F-body · 1970–1981

1978Pontiac Firebird

The long, swoopy second-generation F-body — the iconic Firebird era. Home of the screaming-chicken hood decal and the black-and-gold 1977 'Bandit' Trans Am that made the car a pop-culture icon.

Second generation · Long-running '70½–'81 F-body

1978 Pontiac Firebird — exact-model-year car

Photo: “2023 Downtown West Allis Classic Car Show 31 (1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am).jpg” by Michael Barera / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.

Start here

What do you need to know?

This page covers the whole 1978 Pontiac Firebird model year. Choose your task first; exact trims and engines are separated where the factory offered different versions.

Complete, source-verified lineup

Find your exact 1978 Firebird

Start with a family, body style, or engine. Every card opens the facts and maintenance information for that factory version.

24factory configurations
Verified complete for the U.S.-marketHow this lineup was verified

We checked this U.S.-market lineup against period sources for factory model, body, engine, and transmission combinations represented by the cited exact-year records. Every version shown below has its own detail page.

Verified 2026-09-01 from 1978 Firebird factory engine and transmission records.

24versions shown
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Firebird Hardtop Coupe — 231 cu in Buick V6, 2-barrel, 3-speed manual

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
231 cu in Buick V6, 2-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed manual
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Firebird Hardtop Coupe — 231 cu in Buick V6, 2-barrel, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
231 cu in Buick V6, 2-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Firebird Hardtop Coupe — 305 cu in Chevrolet V8, 2-barrel, 4-speed wide-ratio manual

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
305 cu in Chevrolet V8, 2-barrel
Gearbox
4-speed wide-ratio manual
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Firebird Hardtop Coupe — 305 cu in Chevrolet V8, 2-barrel, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
305 cu in Chevrolet V8, 2-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Firebird Hardtop Coupe — 350 cu in Chevrolet V8, 4-barrel, 4-speed wide-ratio manual

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
350 cu in Chevrolet V8, 4-barrel
Gearbox
4-speed wide-ratio manual
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Firebird Hardtop Coupe — 350 cu in Chevrolet V8, 4-barrel, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
350 cu in Chevrolet V8, 4-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Esprit Hardtop Coupe — 231 cu in Buick V6, 2-barrel, 3-speed manual

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
231 cu in Buick V6, 2-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed manual
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Esprit Hardtop Coupe — 231 cu in Buick V6, 2-barrel, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
231 cu in Buick V6, 2-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Esprit Hardtop Coupe — 305 cu in Chevrolet V8, 2-barrel, 4-speed wide-ratio manual

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
305 cu in Chevrolet V8, 2-barrel
Gearbox
4-speed wide-ratio manual
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Esprit Hardtop Coupe — 305 cu in Chevrolet V8, 2-barrel, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
305 cu in Chevrolet V8, 2-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Esprit Hardtop Coupe — 350 cu in Chevrolet V8, 4-barrel, 4-speed wide-ratio manual

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
350 cu in Chevrolet V8, 4-barrel
Gearbox
4-speed wide-ratio manual
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Esprit Hardtop Coupe — 350 cu in Chevrolet V8, 4-barrel, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
350 cu in Chevrolet V8, 4-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Formula Hardtop Coupe — 305 cu in Chevrolet V8, 2-barrel, 4-speed wide-ratio manual

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
305 cu in Chevrolet V8, 2-barrel
Gearbox
4-speed wide-ratio manual
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Formula Hardtop Coupe — 305 cu in Chevrolet V8, 2-barrel, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
305 cu in Chevrolet V8, 2-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Formula Hardtop Coupe — 350 cu in Chevrolet V8, 4-barrel, 4-speed wide-ratio manual

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
350 cu in Chevrolet V8, 4-barrel
Gearbox
4-speed wide-ratio manual
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Formula Hardtop Coupe — 350 cu in Chevrolet V8, 4-barrel, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
350 cu in Chevrolet V8, 4-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Formula Hardtop Coupe — 400 cu in Pontiac V8, 4-barrel, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
400 cu in Pontiac V8, 4-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Formula W72 Hardtop Coupe — 400 cu in Pontiac W72 V8, 4-barrel, 4-speed close-ratio manual

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
400 cu in Pontiac W72 V8, 4-barrel
Gearbox
4-speed close-ratio manual
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Formula W72 Hardtop Coupe — 400 cu in Pontiac W72 V8, 4-barrel, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
400 cu in Pontiac W72 V8, 4-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Formula Hardtop Coupe — 403 cu in Oldsmobile V8, 4-barrel, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
403 cu in Oldsmobile V8, 4-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Trans Am Hardtop Coupe — 400 cu in Pontiac V8, 4-barrel, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
400 cu in Pontiac V8, 4-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Trans Am W72 Hardtop Coupe — 400 cu in Pontiac W72 V8, 4-barrel, 4-speed close-ratio manual

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
400 cu in Pontiac W72 V8, 4-barrel
Gearbox
4-speed close-ratio manual
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Trans Am W72 Hardtop Coupe — 400 cu in Pontiac W72 V8, 4-barrel, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
400 cu in Pontiac W72 V8, 4-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Trans Am Hardtop Coupe — 403 cu in Oldsmobile V8, 4-barrel, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic

Body
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe
Engine
403 cu in Oldsmobile V8, 4-barrel
Gearbox
3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic
Built
Regular production
Open exact version

The 1978 model year

Overview

Pontiac's exact-year factory literature documents 24 1978 Firebird configuration rows across 1 model, body, and powertrain combinations. This second-generation roster keeps Firebird, Esprit, Formula, Trans Am, engine, and transmission applicability within their supported year boundaries.

Specifications

Engines
  • 231 cu in Buick V6, 2-barrel
  • 305 cu in Chevrolet V8, 2-barrel
  • 350 cu in Chevrolet V8, 4-barrel
  • 400 cu in Pontiac V8, 4-barrel
  • 400 cu in Pontiac W72 V8, 4-barrel
  • 403 cu in Oldsmobile V8, 4-barrel
Transmissions
3-speed manual, 3-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic automatic, 4-speed wide-ratio manual, 4-speed close-ratio manual
Body styles
Two-door rear-wheel-drive hardtop coupe

Year over year

What changed

  • The 1978 record includes only factory-supported model, body, engine, and transmission pairings; appearance groups and neighboring-year combinations are not inferred.

Worth knowing

Notable

  • The documented lineup exposes 24 source-backed combinations while preserving Trans Am and other equipment boundaries instead of multiplying unsupported model pages.

Living with it

Reliability & ownership notes

  • Verify VIN, engine code, transmission, emissions equipment, and build date before ordering parts. Inspect corrosion and prior body repair, cooling and fuel systems, drivetrain originality, weather seals, electrical accessories, and modification quality.

Maintenance & service parts

Keep your 1978 Firebird on the road

Start with the service interval, then match the engine or exact version you own. Order links appear only when a catalog-backed part number is available, and every listing still needs a fitment check.

Service desk

What this car needs & when

Use this as a service-planning checklist for 1978 Pontiac Firebird. Start with the interval, confirm which engine or configuration you have, then use an exact ordering reference when one is verified.

Service topics
5
Factory intervals
4
Fitment-scoped
5
Exact references
1

Before orderingIdentify your engine, options and build date.Part numbers and sizes can change within one model year. Shopping links appear only for catalog-backed references; still verify the listing against your vehicle before ordering.

  • Carburetor fuel filter

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1978 · United States (49-state federal reference schedule) · The federal database transcribes separate 1978 General Motors Schedule I and II packages for Pontiac. Match the schedule designation to the underhood emissions label; this source does not establish the rest of the owner's maintenance table.

    Published interval: 15,000 mi · Schedule I or II; replace.

    Source: U.S. DOT/NHTSA — 1978 General Motors Pontiac scheduled-maintenance packages · Appendix D, pages D-49 and D-52 — Emissions II · checked

  • PCV system, valve, and filter

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1978 · United States (49-state federal reference schedule) · The federal database transcribes separate 1978 General Motors Schedule I and II packages for Pontiac. Match the schedule designation to the underhood emissions label; this source does not establish the rest of the owner's maintenance table.

    Published interval: 15,000 mi · Schedule I: check the PCV system; replace the valve and filter at 30,000 miles.

    Source: U.S. DOT/NHTSA — 1978 General Motors Pontiac scheduled-maintenance packages · Appendix D, page D-49 — Emissions II and IV · checked

    Schedule II engine family

    Applies to: 1978 · United States (49-state federal reference schedule) · The federal database transcribes separate 1978 General Motors Schedule I and II packages for Pontiac. Match the schedule designation to the underhood emissions label; this source does not establish the rest of the owner's maintenance table.

    Published interval: 15,000 mi · Check the PCV system and replace the PCV valve and filter as listed in Emissions II.

    Source: U.S. DOT/NHTSA — 1978 General Motors Pontiac scheduled-maintenance packages · Appendix D, page D-52 — Emissions II · checked

  • Spark plugs

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1978 · United States (49-state federal reference schedule) · The federal database transcribes separate 1978 General Motors Schedule I and II packages for Pontiac. Match the schedule designation to the underhood emissions label; this source does not establish the rest of the owner's maintenance table. The Schedule I 22,500-mile replacement excludes six-cylinder engines.

    Published interval: 22,500 mi · Schedule I; replace except on six-cylinder engines.

    Source: U.S. DOT/NHTSA — 1978 General Motors Pontiac scheduled-maintenance packages · Appendix D, page D-49 — Emissions III · checked

    Schedule II engine family

    Applies to: 1978 · United States (49-state federal reference schedule) · The federal database transcribes separate 1978 General Motors Schedule I and II packages for Pontiac. Match the schedule designation to the underhood emissions label; this source does not establish the rest of the owner's maintenance table.

    Published interval: 30,000 mi · Schedule II; replace.

    Source: U.S. DOT/NHTSA — 1978 General Motors Pontiac scheduled-maintenance packages · Appendix D, page D-52 — Emissions III · checked

  • Air-cleaner element

    Sourced interval available

    Applies to: 1978 · United States (49-state federal reference schedule) · The federal database transcribes separate 1978 General Motors Schedule I and II packages for Pontiac. Match the schedule designation to the underhood emissions label; this source does not establish the rest of the owner's maintenance table. The Schedule I replacement excludes four-cylinder engines.

    Published interval: 30,000 mi · Schedule I; replace except on four-cylinder engines.

    Source: U.S. DOT/NHTSA — 1978 General Motors Pontiac scheduled-maintenance packages · Appendix D, page D-49 — Emissions IV · checked

    Schedule II engine family

    Applies to: 1978 · United States (49-state federal reference schedule) · The federal database transcribes separate 1978 General Motors Schedule I and II packages for Pontiac. Match the schedule designation to the underhood emissions label; this source does not establish the rest of the owner's maintenance table.

    Published interval: 30,000 mi · Schedule II; replace.

    Source: U.S. DOT/NHTSA — 1978 General Motors Pontiac scheduled-maintenance packages · Appendix D, page D-52 — Emissions III · checked

  • Engine oil filter — catalog fitment

    Exact reference available

    Manufacturer-catalog fitment scoped to the exact engine row in the Firebird application table.

    Baldwin B43-S cataloged fitment

    This manufacturer application record establishes filter fitment only; it does not alter the separately sourced service schedule.

    Applies to: 1978 · 231 cu in Buick V6, 2-barrel · United States · Baldwin's exact 1978 Firebird V6-231 (3.8L), code A row assigns B43-S; confirm the engine code and installed filter before ordering.

    Source: Parker/Baldwin Filters — 2025 Automotive Applications catalog · PDF page 937, Pontiac 1978 Firebird V6-231 (3.8L), code A row — Lube — B43-S · checked

    Verified ordering references

    Baldwin B27 cataloged fitment

    This manufacturer application record establishes filter fitment only; it does not alter the separately sourced service schedule.

    Applies to: 1978 · 305 cu in Chevrolet V8, 2-barrel · United States · Baldwin's exact 1978 Firebird V8-305 (5.0L), code U row assigns B27; confirm the engine code and installed filter before ordering.

    Source: Parker/Baldwin Filters — 2025 Automotive Applications catalog · PDF page 937, Pontiac 1978 Firebird V8-305 (5.0L), code U row — Lube — B27 · checked

    Verified ordering references

    Baldwin B27 cataloged fitment

    This manufacturer application record establishes filter fitment only; it does not alter the separately sourced service schedule.

    Applies to: 1978 · 350 cu in Chevrolet V8, 4-barrel · United States · Baldwin's exact 1978 Firebird V8-350 (5.7L), code L row assigns B27; confirm the engine code and installed filter before ordering.

    Source: Parker/Baldwin Filters — 2025 Automotive Applications catalog · PDF page 937, Pontiac 1978 Firebird V8-350 (5.7L), code L row — Lube — B27 · checked

    Verified ordering references

    Baldwin B39 cataloged fitment

    This manufacturer application record establishes filter fitment only; it does not alter the separately sourced service schedule.

    Applies to: 1978 · 400 cu in Pontiac V8, 4-barrel, 400 cu in Pontiac W72 V8, 4-barrel · United States · Baldwin's exact 1978 Firebird V8-400 (6.6L), codes Z/X row assigns B39; confirm the engine code and installed filter before ordering.

    Source: Parker/Baldwin Filters — 2025 Automotive Applications catalog · PDF page 937, Pontiac 1978 Firebird V8-400 (6.6L), codes Z/X row — Lube — B39 · checked

    Verified ordering references

    Baldwin B30 cataloged fitment

    This manufacturer application record establishes filter fitment only; it does not alter the separately sourced service schedule.

    Applies to: 1978 · 403 cu in Oldsmobile V8, 4-barrel · United States · Baldwin's exact 1978 Firebird V8-403 (6.6L), code K row assigns B30; confirm the engine code and installed filter before ordering.

    Source: Parker/Baldwin Filters — 2025 Automotive Applications catalog · PDF page 937, Pontiac 1978 Firebird V8-403 (6.6L), code K row — Lube — B30 · checked

    Verified ordering references

Collect

Bring this model year home

Find a scale model using the exact year, make, and model—not a generic generation search.

Famous variants this year

Sources

  1. 1978 Firebird factory engine and transmission records

Other Second generation years

Explore the Long-running '70½–'81 F-body generation →All Second generation · Long-running '70½–'81 F-body years →

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