By: Murray Pfaff
We are all dreamers in one way or another. Some of us dream of that car we could never have back in high school. Some dream of the ideal road trip, cutting the perfect light, or setting a new track record. Others dream of building the perfect car. This is part of what makes us passionate for the hobby we love so much.
As part of my job as a custom car designer, I am fortunate to have the role of designing and drawing these dreams for others. In short, I get to do a lot of dreaming. So with the new Camaro coming out this spring, it only seemed appropriate to dream up a new Firebird for the legions of Pontiac fans everywhere.
Despite the fact we are doing some dreaming - if GM were to build a Firebird/Trans-Am based on the new Camaro, I’m sure it would re-use as much sheet metal as possible. The car would get new front and rear fascias, wheels, interior bits, and wing, with an outside chance of new fenders and hood. Everything else would have to be shared to cut development costs. To make sure I stayed true to the possibilities available, I overlaid the 2010 Camaro and shared bodylines to ensure an accurate representation.
Unlike the Camaro which looks to the first generation for its design cues, I first looked to the most iconic of all Firebirds which is the second generation focusing on 1977-79. Instead of rectangular oriented lights, I created a modern projector beam light with glowing halos mounted in a hexagon grille mesh. Lower air intakes with fog lights add a smirk to the menacing demeanor. Twin scoops and a hood tach complete the look.
I then took a step back and looked towards the first generation cars. This new design sports the pronounced ridge dividing the front of the car. White is one of my favorite colors, and this car looks stunning in a 70 ½ style stripe. Quad headlights peak from within the twin ducts. Molded fender flares and rockers differentiate the body from its Chevy sister. Finally, the ZR1 influenced hood features a clear polycarbonate center section to reveal what lurks within. Hopefully the 620HP LS9 power plant would be available to the top of the line Trans-Am.
Giving the current economic conditions and the declining automotive market, I think we should be grateful that we are getting a new Camaro. However, that shouldn’t stop us from dreaming a little. And if GM won’t build a new Firebird, I hope I have inspired someone to build their very own, one of a kind Firebird!
