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1983
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A very brief historical timeline of the 1982 Pontiac Firebird.
July 1975
General Motors advanced One studio begins turning out sketches on what will be the
new F-car. Front wheel drive, rear wheel drive and mid engine layouts are considered.
The initial release date for the new F-car is the 1980 model year, not 1982.
Autumn 1976
GM's central engineering staff began defining F-car.
November 1976
Chevrolet took the lead of F-car development. Engineering was initially represented
by Duane F. Miller but soon replaced by Robert H. Knickerbocker.
January 24, 1977
A special event meeting was held showing three possible concepts, a front wheel
drive version based on the X-car, a version based on the existing and rear wheel
drive set up and they mid engine design. In attendance were divisional and corporate
management. Initial consensus was that the F-car should be front engine rear wheel
drive.
May 9, 1977
GM holds the first corporate future product conference. This conference consisted
of 100 people and is designed to sort out in plan for the federal government's 1980-85
CAFE requirements. One of their proposals was to make the F-car front wheel drive.
The primary reason for this was that a front wheel drive vehicle could be smaller
and get better fuel economy. In other words downsizing
Summer and fall 1977
The F-car development team had to reevaluate their design goals to meet the new
front wheel drive recommendation. Both rear wheel drive and front wheel drive design
concepts were being evaluated. During this time General Motors decided to push the
introduction of the new F-car to the 1982 model year.
August 1977
First corporate ride and drive to explore the possibility of front wheel drive for
the new F-car. Various front drive prototypes and test mules are driven to the back
roads of Kentucky.
Late 1977
Pontiac Two production studios began working on design concepts for the new Firebird.
Consumers began buying more fuel-efficient vehicles on their own. This pushed GM's
CAFE rating above its initial calculations. In effect, because they were selling
more fuel-efficient vehicles then they had anticipated GM was able to build a rear
wheel drive F-car and still meet their federal CAFE requirements. You might say
the gas crisis of the 70s saved the F-car.
December 20, 1977
GM's top management decided the new F-car should be rear wheel drive thus ending
the debate between FWD and RWD.
February 22, 1978
GM's product policy group gave concept approval to the new rear wheel drive F-car.
December 22, 1978
The first component car or “mule” begins construction.
February 1979
Rochester products division begins work on what will become Crossfire Fuel Injection
and by August 1979 had a working prototype.
December 1979
GM corporate approved the new Crossfire Fuel Injection system.
May 1981
Pontiac considered using the turbo 4.9L engine in the new 1982 Trans Am. It was
dropped for several reasons, including, the fact that Pontiac was no longer building
engines and Pontiac engineering felt a higher compression naturally aspirated engine
would provide quicker throttle response. Also, GM corporate was pushing for the
same engine lineup in all F-cars to help meet its CAFE requirements.
September 22, 1981
Four-wheel disc brakes placed on hold and the special performance package WS7 is
introduced.
November 1981
Pontiac begins production of the 1982 Firebird.
December 1, 1981
The manual transmission is officially dropped as an option for the LU5 Crossfire
V-8.
January 27, 1982
Four wheel disc brakes are taken off hold.
January 28, 1982
Pontiac introduces the Recaro Trans Am option.
February 1, 1982
Four wheel disc brakes began to be used on production vehicles.
April 7, 1982
Four wheel disc brakes placed on hold again and the special performance package
WS7 is reinstated.
May 21, 1982
Four wheel disc brakes set to permanent hold and were no longer available for the
remainder of the model year.
July 7, 1982
Borg-Warner four-speed manual transmission for V-8 Firebirds replaced with the GM
corporate four-speed manual transmission used on four and six cylinder Firebirds.
September 30, 1982
End of the 1982 Pontiac Firebird model year.
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