This 1968 Firebird is claimed to have been parked some time in 1973. The odometer is showing 91k miles though and for some reason a valve cover and the driveshaft have gone missing? The seller states that the later was stolen, but doesn’t mention why the valve cover was removed. The story sounds a little fishy to me, but if the frame really is as solid as claimed, it might be a worthwhile project. There’s a 350 under the hood and a 3-speed on the floor. The car is located in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania and is at auction here on eBay with a couple of days left.
I don’t know, there plenty of cancer in the body the underside looks pretty rusty to me. I can’t spot any holes down there though, so maybe there is still some hope? The photos aren’t great, so this is one I’d want to see in person before placing a bid.
The 3-speed/350 combo is interesting in convertible form, but why on earth has the bidding gone so crazy here? This crispy old bird is going to need a complete restoration before it’s going to go anywhere. I know that this car represents the affordable alternative for those of us who want a Camaro, but I’m just not seeing the upside here. Can someone enlighten us?
You never know if bidders are really buyers and even when they are there are a lot of cars that just keep changing hands without being restored which seems to drive up the prices a bit. I don’t really agree that just rarity of an option adds value. Maybe most people were smart enough in 1967 to realize that a 4 speed was worth the extra 50 or so bucks. Just my opinion.
Love the first generation Firebirds but seems some things don’t jive on this auction. there is more stuff missing on the engine such as the fan on the water pump, since the lock is broken or missing why not untie that rope and show a shot of trunk, if he knows very little of the history of motor he isn’t the original owner just another flip. It’s not worth much more than the current bid of $5700 IMO. I got burned on our Mustangs trunk floor because my kid who lived in Colorado and went to inspect it for me didn’t do as I said and made the guy take all the junk out of the trunk, cost me a couple grand more in bodywork on that mistake.
the inspection sticker looks to me to be “78” when you enlarge the pic . Personally, I think it’s in pretty sad shape , the seller doesn’t seem to say much about this ” find” . I’d pass, but that is just me
Yes hard to see , not 1973, but 1978. Seller misread. Here is a sample 78 sticker intact.
http://www.bufs-plates.com/windshield/pennsylvania/pa-inspection-78-2.jpg
She’s a bit tired and creaky. I wish it had the Sprint 6. that would be worth bidding for.
You could put it on Craigslist in Seattle and it’d go for $10K or more in a heartbeat as long as it isn’t too rusted out anywhere. And I agree with Jim above, the 3 spd is nothing special, if only because its still in the car, any Firebird 3 spd that was gotten ahold by a hot rodder (or Camaro 3 spd for that matter), first order of bidness was to replace with a 4 speed
A triple black stick shift first gen Firebird is a nice car to have. It doesn’t look all that bad to me. But I wouldn’t spend that much on it because it would cost me $20k to finish it out with me doing much of the work.
James, not sure car was born triple black. Inside driver’s door hinge area looks green. Need to check trim tag.
JW has the right idda. This story doesn’t add up. Pennsylvania inspection from 78, and those tires look too modern for 73. Quick Google search shows that model tire is still being made by Cooper and sold through Pep Boys. Stamp out the same tire for 40+ years? Maybe but that just smells funny. Someone who cared more could go get the date code off the sidewalls, if they wanted.
The “in the barn” photos strike me as being staged.
I think that all of the underside shots (other than the one with the floor jack lifting the car) were taken with the car on a trailer
Sticker looks to me as being a damaged ’78 as well, not ’73.
Certainly, show the trunk. And more than one engine compartment shot too. Specifically, the battery box area. Single barrel carb? Seems too small for a 350. Is there a cowl tag? Is there a broadcast sheet? Wait… Manual brakes? Based on the hood hinges, the car was built blue or green?
That rust underneath can go either way. Put a grinder on it and if you go thru it’s now really expensive. I’d pass
This guy has what they call an “ATTITUDE PROBLEM” Ask a question and get your head shot off. Number 1, the vehicle is junk, Number 2, pictures stink, Number 3, if you do not have any thing to hide, show the picture.
Im not in a position to buy, but if i was, I would want a good inspection, or fly out there and inspect, But if you read the ad, he addressed the barn issues, the tire issues and who cares if he is a flipper or not. I dont care if he is fat and his breath stinks. Bonus if he has a smoking hot daughter, but again, I could not care less about the seller. Its the CAR people! Its either what you want or it isnt. Check the tags & numbers, check for hidden damage, check the bodywork, check his paperwork. One thing i do know, I had a friend in the 1980s who had a convertible like this one. It was one sweet car. WAY WAY more collectible than a comparable Camaro of these years and Im betting far fewer ever built. Would need a good inspection but in the pix i am guessing the rust is NOT that bad. Most of the underside you see is surface rust. Theres a couple spots on the body but there are readily availible patch panels to fix that. As long as those are the only areas, this is a solid car. Id box up the parts for the 3 speed and swap in a 4 speed or even consider adapting in a modern 5 or 6 speed. No ones gonna tell unless you went under to see. Sellers can be a pain, but buyers can also be a pain. I have gotten some really good deals in the past because people are just fed up with time wasters and tire kickers, You show up with a good attitude, kiss their butt a little, schmooze, flatter them, and you might find yourself with a deal of a lifetime. My wifes 69 Chevelle came to us because the seller was tired of the BS and actually called us back up later, and gave us a smoking deal if we showed back up with cash and a tow truck. He just got fed up with people yanking his chain.