69 Firebird questions

[JLM]

As I'm finishing up the build on my 1969 Firebird I keep finding items that don't look to be right for what the car is. For example I can't find any codes or packages that have factory AC but no power brakes. My car did come with factory air but did not have power brakes. Additionally I know the car used to be a column shift, as I found the linkage when gutting the front end. My main question now is partaining to my dash and the guage clusters. My dash contains all the dummy warning lights as well as an in-dash tachometer and a 160mph speedometer.



I'm asking this because I need to do the front harness and don't know what I need now. Year one sells harnesses for standard guages 69 Firebirds or a harness for a 69 TA with in dash tachomoter.

I'm wondering if maybe somebody has changed the guage package over time or if it's possible the car came from the factory like this. It would seem to me that this guage package doesn't match the car, especially since it had the run of the mill 2 bbl 350 in it from the factory.

[Tom Welch]

Contact Pontiac Historic Services. THey can provide info on the original setup the car came with. Year one or Painless Wiring should be able to help out.

[69injun]

Well as far as the guage cluster I am not sure. I have factory rally guage package but no tac. I am adding a hood tac though. I could be wrong but I don't think any firebirds were column shift. All the floor shifters were linked to the column because the Neutral safty switch is still on the column. So to operate the switch they just linked the trany shift arm to the column and a cable shifted the trany from the floor shifter.

[Jimmy Sean]

I have a 69 bird. Came with 350ci, 2brl carb, column shift th400, bucket seats, ac, 160 speedometer, idiot lights, front disk brakes. Best way to see if it was original is to contact http://www.phs-online.com/

[69injun]

Well there you go I am wrong. however that doesn't change the fact that if you have a floor shifter it maybe original. they still did connect the shifter to the column for the neutral safety switch. but they are right check with PHS

[69Lowbird]

My car was originally a 350 2 barrel with factory AC, manual drums, and floor shift with a linkage to column for neutral safety switch. From what I understand the section that turns on the column is notorious for getting gummed up making it very hard to shift. Mine had just been disconnected but it is possible someone could have installed a used column with the column shifter to solve the problem on yours. The guy the built my engine used to work at a dealership in the late 60's and early 70's as a mechanic and he used to install factory AC- It was an option that was installed at both the dealership as well as the factory.

[steve g]

That seems to be a peculiar set of gauges. Does the in-dsh tach match the speedo? Typically the "rally gauges" had the fuel, water and oil gauges in the left gauge and the speedo on the right. If you wanted the tach with that setup it was a hood mounted one. There was also a package that had the in-dash tach on the left, speedo on the right and three rectangular, fuel, water and oil gauges stacked to the right of the speedo.

[Widetracker]

The tach came in the dash on the auxilary gauge package. The other gauges were in the spot were the clock option goes.