Over the past few days I have been wondering why the third gen firebirds have no pontiac logo on them. There is one on the shifter handle, or used to be before my mega shifter. Anyway, there are no pontiac logos on the car. Why is that?

There should (in my opinion) be one on the nose, on the steering wheel, shifter handle, maybe floormats, the tail lights.
Probably not all of those places, but at least on the nose.

I have been toying around with the idea that the pontiac emblem was scrapped because of the corporate engines, and pontiac not having much say in anything about the bird. I don't know if that is true or not, but that seems likely, and I really like that idea. Maybe as a silent protest, they removed their logo, to show the lack of pontiac involvement.

All BS aside, the only markings that i have are the pontiac text on the headlight facing, and right under the bird on the tail lights. New pontiacs embrace the arrow head, and I think that the thirdgens should have too.

Does anyone know why there is no arrowhead anywhere on thirdgens?

And does anyone have one that they added to the nose, where the nose bird was at maybe?

I know that the 4th gens don't have the arrow head either. Maybe the same reason?

 

No arrowhead because we got the screaming chicken instead!!

 

..

 

not on the nose the screaming chicken looks better on the nose maby floor mats. but if you have a third break light in your back window like i do in my 91 RS. you could do a cool Pontiac arrow overlay.

 

but don't you guys think that pontiac should be somewhere?

Mustangs proudly display ford logos. The new gto has an arrowhead. Camaros have the chevy logo everywhere. You can't even spell RS without a bow tie.

I really think that pontiac chose not to have the arrow head because of gm taking power away from individual branches.

It may be completely crazy, but it is a story I like.

I don't care, I think I should have at least one arrow head. Maybe one on each fender. Kinda classy, i think.

Instead of 350, or whatever, just have the arrowhead.

what do you guys think?

 

The '82's have the Pontiac logo on the tailights and on the front left headlight. They have one arrowhead on each hubcap and one arrowhead on the shifter. I would think all that and all of the Firebird+T/A decals on top of that would be enough.

IIRC 1970 didn't have any arrowhead on it.

'71-'73 only had them on the hubcaps.

Those cars did have Pontiac motors in them.

 

I like how thirdgens and even f-bodys for that matter dont have a huge bowtie and pontiac arrowhead...it shows that Gm thought highly enough of them to have their own logo, I believe the only other Gm car to have its own logo is the Corvette.

 

Yes.. I've noticed there is no Poncho logo on my '90 GTA..

Not only does it not have a Pontiac logo.. It doesn't say Firebird anywhere either.. I'm wondering if any 3rd Gen Trans Am had the word Firebird somewhere on it.

 

Not exactly. 70-73 Firebirds only had "Pontiac" lettering on the grill and rear tail panel. Trans Ams only had the lettering on the tail panel.

70-72 Rally II cars had PMD on the center caps. '73-81 had the Pontiac arrowhead. '71 Honeycomb rims had blank center caps and '72-76 had a Pontiac arrowhead.

'70-81 manual transmission cars have the arrowhead on the shift ****. '70-72 and '76-81 automatic transmission got the screaming chicken on the shift ****. '73-75 had the Pontiac arrowhead.

 

The only time a Trans Am had the "Firebird" name on it was on some of the very first production '69 Trans Ams. The Trans Am was the top of the line Firebird and I think Pontiac figured everybody knew it was a Firebird line.

The '87-92 GTAs didn't have Trans Am on them so Pontiac didn't have to pay the SCCA the $5 per car licensing fee for the use of the "Trans Am" name.

 

Just scroll up to GTA Jims Avatar...Im pretty sure GTA's said "TransAm" on them

 

Yeah, I have the pontiac script on my 82 tails, and the headlight too. I just think that an arrowhead would look nice staring in the front.

I have been looking at the camaros with the bowtie up front, and it just looks like pontiac missed the oppertunity for the arrowhead.

I do agree though, that there could have been too many logos. I guess if I had my choice a screaming chicken would look a lot better.

I wonder if the trans am would have had the same alure without that logo? I guess that my trans am apparel, and other colectables don't have the arrowhead either. When I am looking for a poster, or t-shirt, or a hat, the chicken is what I am after. I don't think I would buy a t-shirt for just the arrowhead.

(wearing a pontiac logo shirt) Hey do you have a sunfire? Grand ams are cool, right?

I guess the trans am logo speaks for itself.

So unfortunately my theory has no bering. I was hoping that there was a pontiac rebellion and such. Oh well.

 

Oops! I swear I've seen some GTAs without "Trans Am" on them.

 

I think the early third gen Bird designs were going after a "cleaner" styling. Thats why all of the logo's and badges are subtle. As opposed to the in-your-face styling of the 2nd gen T/A's.

Of course this styling may not have lasted too long. Just compare an 82 T/A and its graphics to an 85 T/A w/ DX1. Seems that the public wanted people to know what they were driving!

The 82 had two T/A logo's on the exterior and some subtle lower body striping, and a four small exterior birds. While an 85 would have had four T/A logo's on the exterior, and depending on the wheels, up to eight exterior birds!

 

when you see the firebird logo,everyone knows it's a pontiac,so its not really needed,not to mention the fact that it says pontiac on the front,the birds are enough.

 

Sorry to hijack the thread slightly, but does anyone have a link or pics to show what an 85 'bird should have in the way of decals/emblems?
All mine has is the Pontiac badge and screaming chicken in the rear lights; I don't even have the Pontiac badge on the headlamp.

I'm afraid the car may be TOO subtle for the UK Check it out in the European region section "Just saying Hi Part II with pics"

Mark.