First of all, hello and well done for making this very interesting forum!

I have an existential question, does anyone can tell me what bird we have on the firebird? Is it realy a chiken like I can read everywhere?
What are the origins, indian legends?


Please light my candle!

 

isnt it a fire bird with fiery wings hehe Id like to know to, be the new thing i learn today.

 

Pretty sure it's a phoenix:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_(mythology)

 

It is a phoenix

 

Yeah, it' a Phoenix. And I think it's a Native American tie just as the word Camaro means something deep and profound

 

Camaro means friend/comrade.

 

Camaro means Bad!!

 

which fits perfectly doesn't it? I love my car as we all do, and we do think of it as a good friend, usually girlfriend how it alway wants money and shiny things. lol

isn't it strange how, when you have a little extra cash "she" knows and starts acting funny

its a Phoenix AKA "bird of fire" ala Firebird

 

My girlfriend doesn't know, gotta keep her in check!...nah just kidding. Its a Phoenix...


Please keep the language clean. Profanity is frowned upon on TGO

 

FIREBIRD came about in the late 1950's GM was experimenting with a Turbine driven automobile called "Firebird", the car was drivable, and it is actually still around. They then came out with a Firebird II which was again on the same Turbine idea. The problem they had was it could melt the car behind you, and it was not as efficient as they wanted. In effect it was a fun idea.

Then in the 1960's after Ford released the Mustang, and Chevrolet was developing the Camaro, Pontiac wanted a "Sports Car" that was kin to the corvette called the "Banchee", it was a brainchild of John Delorian but GM said "NO" and they ended up with the F-body. From that point on Pontiac always treated the Firebird as a Sports car even though it had 4 seats.

But the name goes back to the 1956. See attached pic.

As for the name, I think we have to realize that the name came about as the car was a fire breathing car... The name goes back quite a way as Stravinsky, wrote a Ballet called "The Firebird." The name has been used for books, music etc. The Bird is fictitious, not styled after a real bird, probably closest to the Phoenix, which was actually a name Pontiac used at one point.

http://gmphotostore.com/products.asp?dept=1132

John

 

From what I know, the origin was a totem representing the personnality of the outaouai (ottawa) tribe and is chief, pontiac.

Nothing in relation with a phoenix, but the actual representation of this one is the most closest to the bird. Amerindians don't seems to use legendary/mythics creatures, from all the symbols I can see, there is only real animals.

Here's the first firebird emblem, looks like a totem






Sure it was an imaginary bird

 

No one said it was imaginary... The term "Firebird" is reference to a Fictitious creature. Imaginary would imply that someone at GM imagined it up, which they obviously did not as the term had been used before GM had it. The actual image may be a representation of a real bird, but the name would imply something that is not real, as there is no creature that is called a "Firebird."

IIRC the Phoenix is/was a fictitious creature from Indian lore. So your comments may be true for some tribes, but not all.

Pontiac was a tribe of Indians in the Michigan region, as was Saginaw, and Cadillac. Flint was the battle ground for the Saginaw and Pontiac Indians IIRC... Flint gets its name from the Stones found at the "Flint River" What is ultimately interesting is the Flint Police department uses an arrowhead for their symbol. BTW, I lived in Flint for 30 years.

FYI
As it turns out Pontiac is a larger city in Oakland County Michigan. More or less Oakland Car Company was the Parent of the Pontiac car company. Back in the mid-20's there was Oakland, and they made a less expensive "Companion" brand called "Pontiac" Much like Buick had an inexpensive line called the "Marquette." In the end it was the only "companion" brand to make it through the 40's. The first car to bear a "Pontiac" name was the "Pontiac Six" from 1926.

Oakland ceased to exist through the depression of the 1930's. AFAIK 1931 was the last year that the Oakland nameplate was used.

 

As for the "Screaming Chicken" That was a nickname given to the firebird. I have also heard Flaming Chicken, and Fire Chicken. The sceaming comes from it appears to be sceaming...

JOhn

 

gloubiboulga,
I have a question for you. Why did you ask the question.
only to have an answer but argue with the answer that was given?

here was your reply:

You apparently have a split personality or you just want to argue. Do you really want to learn or would you rather post questions you think you know the answer to?

John

 

I had one version but I had a doubt about. I just wanted to quote it, never said it was true. So I have some reply I was waiting for, historical version of members.

And sure, I can be wrong too



ps: I agree with you about ficticious term, bad word I used. I can aslo have some difficuties, english is not my native language

 

You are forgiven.

It was a bit confusing is all...

One thing that I may suggest is if you have information that you want verified, post it, then we can always support the information or not. It makes threads shorter and it helps us understand where you are coming from. I think many people find it confusing if someone argues about an answer to a question that they asked.

John

 

I'm pretty sure the 'Screaming Chicken' term was coined to describe the full sized hood decal that first appeared on the second generation 'Bandit' Trans Ams. Calling the Firebird the Screaming Chicken and Firechicken became common after that.