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2026 Honda Ridgeline ReviewThe Rockford Files Pontiac Firebird
The Rockford Files Firebird was one of TV’s most prolific and popular automotive co-stars, even as it was in disguise the whole time.
Spirit of the Firebird
The Pontiac Firebird was a bona fide star. Back in the 1970s and 80s, while the Mustang II and C4 Corvette were suffering through the height of mediocracy that was the Malaise Era, the Firebird was busy padding its CV with starring roles in Smokey & the Bandit, Knight Rider, and The Rockford Files, cementing itself as one of America’s most legendary sports cars then and now.
When I wrote about the best television hero cars way back when, I received a lot of comments flagging what was in retrospect an egregious oversight, not including Jim Rockford’s Pontiac Firebird Esprit on my list. Indeed, in terms of screen time alone, a total of 123 episodes and eight made-for-TV movies, the Rockford Files Firebird deserves a spot. Moreover, the Rockford Files Firebird was, as we shall see, one of the best TV cars of all time thanks in large part to the show’s star James Garner.
What Makes a Car a Hero Car
In television and film, a hero car is part costume, part prop. A character’s vehicle personifies and defines them, like John Wick’s Boss 429 Mustang or Batman and the many, many Batmobiles. And so it was with Jim Rockford, the ex-con turned hard luck P.I., and his Pontiac Firebird. Rockford lived in a trailer located at a beach parking lot in southern California. The character’s humble station in life meant he drove a Firebird Esprit, one trim up from the base model.
That subtle but telling detail was just one of many automotive contributions from James Garner. Garner wasn’t just a talented actor he was, like Paul Newman and Steve McQueen, an accomplished racecar driver. In fact, Garner had learned to drive Formula-1 cars for his starring role in John Frankenheimer’s Grand Prix. His skills behind the wheel came in handy on the set of The Rockford Files as Garner did most of his own stunt driving. His favorite maneuver? The “Rockford Turn,” or what today we call a J-turn.
Facts Abouts the Rockford Files Firebird
The Firebird’s used in filming The Rockford Files were not actually Firebird Esprits but Formula 400s. The Formula 400 trim came with a larger 400 cu.-in. V8 and an upgraded suspension (compared to the Esprit’s 350 cu.-in. V8), both useful for the show’s many stunt-driving sequences. Garner made sure all the cars were modified to look like the lower trim Esprits, which meant deleting Formula 400 badging, replacing the vented hood, and eliminating the rear spoiler.
The Rockford Files Firebird was painted in a special Sierra Gold color for the show, closely resembling but not identical to the Firebird’s Denver and Colonial Gold colors.
The Rockford Files used new Firebirds for each of its seasons from 1974 through 1978. For many viewers, the later 1977-78 look, with the quad headlights, is the quintessential version of the car. There’s a good reason for this. While prior seasons had featured the latest version of the Firebird, for the 1979 and 1980 seasons The Rockford Files continued to use the 1978 car as Garner didn’t like the updated grille design of the ’79 car (a totally understandable call).
Approximately 16 Firebirds were used in filming The Rockford Files. Garner drove one of the cars for a few years after the show wrapped before eventually selling it. Those cars used extensively in stunt work were scrapped but many of the other gold Firebirds were retained by the studio and reused in film and television productions over the next decade. Some of the cars remain extant, including the 1978 version owned by Garner. That car sold at auction for $115,000.
The Rockford Files Firebird has an easter-egg in the license plate number. In the 853-OKG plate the 853 stood for the month and year of Garner’s first acting role and the OKG stood for Oklahoma Garner, referencing his home state. Not all production staff were aware of the joke initially, and you can see in the earliest episodes the plate reads 835 rather than 853.
