What Engine Powered The 1973 Pontiac Firebird & How Much Is One Worth Today?

Hardcore fans will know that Pontiac introduced the Firebird in 1967 in an attempt to take market share from the iconic pony car, the Ford Mustang, which was then still in its first generation. The 1973 Firebird came with four distinct engine choices. The standard engine on the base Firebird was a 250-cubic-inch straight-six with a Rochester single-barrel carburetor. This engine produced an even 100 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque, pushing it sluggishly from 0 to 60 in 14.1 seconds. 

Performance-minded buyers could opt for a 350-cubic-inch V8 that put out 150 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, getting the Firebird from 0 to 60 in just under 10 seconds. That same engine was standard on the Firebird Esprit, which delivered a similar 0-60 time. The 1973 Firebird Formula came standard with the 350-inch V8 with the two-barrel carburetor, but that engine was tuned to make 175 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. With the four-speed manual gearbox, it could hustle from 0 to 60 in 8.8 seconds and got about 13.4 miles per gallon. 

Those buying the 1973 Firebird Formula could also opt to get a 400-inch V8 that made 230 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. This engine got the four-speed Firebird Formula from 0 to 60 in seven seconds flat. In comparison, the 1973 version of the Trans Am — the Firebird's high-performance variant — got a massive 455-cubic-inch V8 that cranked out 250 horsepower and 370 pound-feet of torque, which drove it from 0 to 60 in 6.8 seconds.

The value of a 1973 Firebird varies depending on the submodel and engine. Hagerty estimates that a base model with the 350-inch V8 in good condition is worth $9,800 and the Esprit with that same engine is worth $10,500. A Firebird Formula 350 is valued at just over $14,000, and the submodel with the 400-inch engine is worth $17,000. Unsurprisingly, the Trans Am with the potent 455-cubic-inch V8 is the most precious. 

Hagerty values one in good condition at $28,800, although real-world transactions usually happen at a higher price point. We found four 1973 Trans Ams that sold for over $100,000, including a Super Duty model in Brewster Green that went at auction in May for $260,000. You can still find 1973 Firebirds at a more reasonable price, though. Classic.com has flagged 42 sales of that vintage car in the past five years at an average price of just over $60,000. In 2020, one lucky buyer drove home in a red Esprit for just $12,100, and an orange Formula 400 was listed for $18,500 in 2019 but didn't find a buyer.