We all have that one car that we dream of owning. Whether it is a childhood dream car or just to own your first car again, we all have that one car we seek after. For most of us, that dream is out of reach, but every once in a while someone submits a story of how they finally found their dream car. These stories give all of us hope of one day finding our dream car. For Reader Wade N, his dream of owning a 1967 Pontiac Firebird finally came true as he was surfing Craigslist. This is the story of how he found his dream project.
Wade has been watching his local Craigslist for several years now in search of a Firebird that he could afford. Finally one day while browsing the internet, he came across an ad for a 1967 Firebird Convertible just 75 miles from his home. He called the seller and told him that he wanted to buy it, but couldn’t justify the asking price. The seller asked him how much he could afford.
After Wade stated what he thought the car was worth, the seller told him to come get it. The next day he loaded up his trailer and headed out to pick up his new project. It isn’t much more than a shell, but it is Wade’s dream car and it has potential. The seller didn’t know much about it, other than it was found in the basement of a house. It was set to go to the scrape yard at the end of the week, but Wade was able to save it from a sad death.
Upon further inspection and research, Wade discovered that this car originally came a 400 cui V8. This was the same engine found in the GTO and was rated at 325 hp. Sadly, as with the rest of the car, it’s long gone. This looks like a massive undertaking, but it should make for a good starting point for Wade. We thank him and wish him the best of luck. Hopefully he will keep us updated on his progress. Stories like this inspire us to keep searching for our dream car, one day we will find it out there in an old barn. If you have a story like Wade’s, please share it with us!
Wow…..that’s like getting one of those new Dynacorn Camaro bodies for cheap, and this guy can do just about anything he wants with it (assuming his credit card limit is big enough, that is)!
as far as shells go, this one looks pretty darn great
The car is completely rust free with the exception of the obvious surface rust. All solid floors, trunk , quarters etc. A great find. I already have a complete sub frame with 400 engine 350 trans and 10 bolt. all built and ready to install. I will keep a blog of the build, it is going to be so much fun. If anyone is in the Mooresville, Nc. area hit me up and come see the progress.
Hi Wade, you have one heck of a project on your hands. Let me know where your blog is & will sure follow it. I will be doing a road trip to Virginia in October, so if your location is somewhere near my Southern route back to AZ, I would be interested in taking a look.
Chuck
Great story and best of luck Wade,
Keep us posted.
Not to be negative, but if he couldn’t afford to buy the shell, how is he going to afford to restore the car? I’ve seen this many times and it always ends up bad.
Don’t Yuck my Yum!
That’s right, scroungers can accomplish most anything.
Huge project but worthy if the new owner has time, funds, patience and time, funds and patience.
I always worry when the project starts out with “I can’t afford X”. If you can’t afford it should you really move forward? Cudo’s for saving a solid piece from the scrap yard but maybe it needs proper owner with deep pockets?
Thanks for the concerns but I got this, the car will be incredible when done. I own a service and restoration shop in North Carolina, and am quite capable of the build, she will get the best of everything.
Now we’ll see how good of a scrounger (in the good sense of the word) Wade is. The shell looks solid, just surface rust. Clean it up, seal it, put it somewhere dry, and start looking for the other bits – they’re out there. Good luck, you have a blank canvas!
~ great potential – i would tackle it. and i seldom see one with this much work which doesn’t make me turn away.
o by the way ..wheres the frame?
These are unibody, they do have a sub frame for the front section, they are out there, shouldn’t be to hard to find.
gOOD LUCK ON THIS DEAL ya better find some kind of doner car cause if all you got was this shell? It will cost you a gazillion dollers to do it 1 peice at a time
Many bits are cheap. Wade is lucky as I understand there are many good ol’ scrap yards down south. So, I reckon a rear end and front a arms, steering items….bla, bla bla will not be a problem
Plus, he is in the biz and the boys have connections. Other than time, I see little issues. It wouldn’t be for me but if one has the room……get to it.
Keep us in the loop Wade.
It is amazing sometimes how a dream becomes a nightmare.
or vice versa
I have a complete powder coated frame, front and rear suspension, Have a 400 engine with about $14k invested in it, Turbo 350 and a TA 10 bolt with 373’s All in show car condition, I need body panels int. a top assembly and the such, Since it will not be #’s matching I will build a very customized car for my tastes but it wont be far from her roots.
Go for it Wade, I have no doubt’s about this project.
I would love to find one of these, especially a ’67. I’ve restored a number of basket cases but never one like this. Personally I think 75% or more of the fun is the build. Hunting down parts, touching each one yourself, watching everything progress… truly making it your own; that’s where I find satisfaction in a build. Anyone can throw a checkbook and credit cards at a project and pay to have the work performed… more power to the ones that can. I ain’t one of them. This would be a multi-year project for me but a very enjoyable one.
Wade, enjoy building the car of your dreams. I wish you well. Please post a link to your blog or project page. I would love to follow your progress.
We have a 1967 firebird convertible which was towed from Michigan in 1990 which was a dream to drive in the summer & stored in winter. Has been parked in garage ever since. How much do you think it’s worth? Avocado green.
Great find Wade! The best of the 2 best birds! I’ve always liked the frontends better than the Camaros (till ’69)…I agree! Without 3’s matching,The skys the limit on customization! especially for the interior! Better seats from a later model ect..Something I always thought would look cool and still keep things in the”family”would be ’66 GTO tailights! there’s room and the chrome trim over the louvers…Best looking Goats ass they made! Just my opinion! Lol…Good Luck! Wish I was there to help!
Go Wade!! I have done dozens of cars over the years, and if this is the one you have dreamed of, go for it!! All it would take is a rusty or wrecked donor car to push you over to some fast progress… You’ll have to stay focused, but with lots of hard work you CAN get there!! :)
congrats on the dream find and, only 75 mi. from your location! If I only held onto the dozen rides I’ve had, at current prices I could retire to some Caribbean Isle. My 3rd ride was a ’67 Camaro RS…. pale yellow convertible w/a Blk. top, deep dish chrome reverse, Pwrd by the 327 w/ a 3 spd… it took me months to find a four speed for ‘er. Then along came son # 1 and the lady sez……well, y’all know how THAT turns out! Enjoy the sled.
I really don’t get it. The guy (Wade) comes across as being poor and can only afford so much…..then owns a service and restoration shop. Already has $14K in an engine. What about the poor seller??? Instead of paying what the car is worth give a sob story. That always seems to work at getting a steal!
AMCFAN, it was that I didn’t think his asking price was affordable to what the car was, the lack there of. There are plenty of complete basket cases out there ranging from $1000 to $5000, he was asking $1600 for it, I told him I couldn’t afford that kind of asking price considering what the car was (before I knew it was a heavily optioned 400 car) I offered him half that and he took it. Never tried coming off poor or anything. However, I do work for everything I have and I’m not one nor can I write a check to have someone else build my dream car. This will be for me and done my way and will take as long as it has to. The drive train I happened to get from a customer who wanted to build a car that lost interest in it, He had nearly $20 invested in the drive train, suspension, frame, etc. I bought that for less than 20% of his investment. So maybe I’m just a shrewd negotiator, or a lucky bastard, either way I got what I wanted and everyone is happy.
Let’s play nice guys. Wade was nice enough to share his find with us and truth is, I doubt anyone who can afford to restore a car is actually “poor”. If they are, they should probably spend more time working and less time playing. Anyway, we updated our text above just in case we misled anyone into thinking Wade was less than honest when he purchased the car. We wish you luck Wade and hope you will keep us updated on your progress.
Congrats on finding the car that you want. Good luck in building it. I am amazed at the number of negative comments on this purchase. Seller was happy at selling and you gave fair market value..IT DOES DIFFER ON WHERE YOU ARE IN THE USA…As someone who bought these new I can say that these are nice cars but I settled on a SS chevy chevelle…Those that can..Do.. Those that can’t pay others to do..Big Difference.
I need to find the exact same uni-body in Santa Barbara County California. I have been saving a Rare 1967 sprint 6 firebird convertable for my daughter but unlike her older sister who restored the 326 convertable that I gave her, my younger daughter never got the bug. Now it has so much rust I’ll have to find just the right person or situation for it to live again. I could go crazy with a good foundation like what you have. GOOD LUCK and keep positive there’s alot more stuff out there than people relize. I have extra front clips, rear ends, engines and tranys but 2 far away to help but keep looking and you’ll find everything u need.
Don’t be so negative, this guy is chasing his dream as I did with my 67 covet which was pretty much in the same condition. I just found a ram air 5 engine, w/ Muncie 4 speed for 1200.00 .,been searching out parts at swap meets and saving thousands of $$$. So if you don’t know what your talking about don’t comment. Great fun and good luck from Swedesboro, Nj.
that is my dream car too. great find!
My dream car too, I purchased one 3 years ago that was apart and missing alot of parts. Some swap meet trips and I have 95 percent of them accounted for, even located a 1970 ram air 5 motor to drop in it. Good luck and dreams do come true!