This Firebird might not have left the factory with a V8, but I’m alright with that. Being an early Firebird convertible means that this car is quite desirable, but for many its inline six is a deal breaker. It currently has a V8 installed, so if you have to have a V8 it is already there, but I think this one deserves to have its original engine reinstalled. If you know your Pontiac history you already know the original six is an over head cam design, which was very advance for its time. This engine actually has a lot of potential, with Sprint versions putting out 215 horsepower and plenty of torque. With some work this car’s original six could put out decent power without the weight of a V8. Find it here on craigslist in Terre Haute, Indiana for $7,500. So would you keep the V8 or build the inline six and reinstall it into the engine bay? Special thanks to Robert R for this tip!
The ONLY Firebird I ever wanted was a convertible with the OHC 6.
A 400 with 4 on the floor is the only way to go,IMHO.
The only car I lust for more from this genre is a 69 zapper which I owned at a tender age. But hey, what’s with the tarp? Seller wrapping it to ship?
6
If I was younger it would keep the V8 but I’ve grown up quite a bit and in todays world a OHC 6 cylinder would suit me fine.
I really think this seller needs a better definition of “67 Firebird project is 99.9% complete”. Photo’s shows a rough car to me. Still, it is a ’67 topless bird, nice project in the right hands.
For this car the OHC six is the only way to go.
Just got out of my garage after working on my L6. She’s a Camaro so she only had 155hp to start but now I’m a tad above the bird’s 215hp. Plenty of power to spin the tires and surprise a V8 or two.
That said the 6 weighs almost as much as a small block. Lots of iron and they’re very long engines. Extremely reliable though and decent mpg’s. With the right exhaust, split headers, and a 4bbl they do quite well and sound good to boot.
I didn’t know the 6 was OHC that’s pretty cool.
I agree, I’d keep it too. Fact is, even a screaming V8 is slow by today’s standards so who are you impressing? In the incredibly off chance you line up beside another contemporary at a red-light all the money is that it’s an 8 or worse a resto mod with an LS and modern suspension.
Better off showing some originality, with the hood up the crowd would probably gather round to see “something different”.
Josh did you just forget to mention that this one too is another one of my finds?
Oh my apologies Robert, in my haste to get this posted I forgot to give you credit for it. I will update the post to give you credit for it.
Josh
Josh, understandable, thanks for the update. More to come….. Robert
One of the cars I’ve always wanted but never found was a nice ’67 Firebird OHC-6. Wanted one ever since I carpooled to college with a guy who had one in 1975.
We see several OHC six powered Pontiac cars at the Pontiacs in Pigeon Forge show each June in eastern TN, although a 67 Firebird convertible with an OHC six is a rarity. Some Pontiac owners are refraining from pulling out the OHC six’s in favor of a V8.
http://www.pontiacsinpigeonforge.com/
a 305 v8 has a lot going for it
In 1974~75 My older sister had a ’67 hardtop with the OHC 6. I believe it was a factory 4 barrel – Quadrajet. Living in Alabama at the time, she was hit by a truck during a snow storm and rolled it several times down a hill into a small creek. She was fine the car was totaled. Sad.
Snow in Alabama. That doesn’t happen much.
That’s what caused the accident. 3 inches of snow in a place that never gets snow causes a lot of havoc. The driver of the truck said he had never driven on snow before.
1968 Firebird convertible was the car that I owned the longest – 22 years. Mine was originally a 350 w/powerslide but I got it with a 400/TH350. Bored it 0.030 over, cammed with a GM mid-rise manifold and a reworked q-jet. Had special heads, cant recall the number but something along 262 (why does that come to mind?) Produced 375 hp and was pretty darn fast with the TH350 + Stage 1 kit. Although I like the idea of the OHC6 in it, I can’t imagine it being too much fun with about 150 hp less than what I had. Please correct me but didn’t the OHC6 come with drum brakes at all 4 corners? I had that on my 68 and had to plan my stops pretty much in advance. These like to rust at quarters between the door opening and the front of the wheel well as well as the trunk – this one is pretty bad. Center console and the shifter are from a newer car. There’s just too much to do on this one for $7500. I’d rather spend $15k on a decent daily driver, although for at that price you can end up with the original OHC6 under the hood anyway…
Hmm, I’m a bit of a muscle car fan but I do prefer this bodystyle, the 1970 Ram Air may look gawky to some but I love it.
I had a ’66 LeMans ‘vert with the OHC 6 and Powerglide. It was a slug.
The OHC 6 “Sprint” was not too bad though. I believe that version had dual carbs and a more aggressive cam. With 4 speed, it wasn’t too terrible.
Had a 68 350 glide car years ago. Loved it. Wish I atill had it. Judge granted it to the ex In the divorce. Sigh! Being a hot rodder I would normally lean towards the v8 but I like the oddity factor of the ohc6. Sprint version with the 4 barrel would be cc really cool.
I had a yellow 67 Firebird hardtop with black vinyl top equipped with the OHC Sprint option. It had dual exhaust manifolds, 10.5 compression, hotter cam and a 4 barrel. It had a fully synchronized 3 speed, a 4 speed was optional. It would smoke the tires and blow off many low performance V8s. Part of the fun was showing the loser that big dumb looking long blue 6 cylinder with the small chrome air cleaner perched on that Quadrajet :) My grandfather traded his 63 Comet (with 109 horses) for a 67 Tempest with the standard 165 HP OHC 6 and 3 on the tree. First time he took off from a bad a intersection where you didn’t fool around he laid rubber clear across the intersection with my grandmother yelling at him the whole time :) Born in 1901, he told me it was his favorite car of all time, even better then his beloved 55 Chevy. I think I know why there are so few left, in two years I burned a hole in one piston, cracked another, wiped out one cam and 2 lifters… too bad, they were pretty cool. My Grandfather never had any problems with his.
I like these first gen firebirds, I used to own a ’69 with a 350 4 spd great car. I was curious, since when is dust a conformation of storage ?? I can park beside the steel mill I work at and my car will look like that after a few shifts!! just sayin’ lol!!
If you’re going to take the 8 out, put back the 6 and then soup it up, why not save some work and just heat up the 8 that’s in there now? Or put a b75 400 cc with a the crap removed and good headers, duals etc. A positrak rear end wouldn’t hurt either.
It the 6 was a DOHC with twin carbs it might be closer.
Wow, that was my first car, right down to the color. Got it in ’73. The picture brings back a lot of memories! Had it 3 years. Sold it to my then brother-in-law, who stripped it down and rehabbed to race it. But I moved away and don’t know what happened to it after that…