In the 1970s, the Sunbird was a Pontiac subcompact that was a derivative of the Chevrolet Monza. The car was reinvented in 1982, with front-wheel drive and sideways-mounted engines, typical of the engineering of that era. In 1983, a convertible returned to the Pontiac fold for the first time since 1975, this time in subcompact garb. The seller says this 1984 2000 Sunbird convertible is dependable mechanically, though it has a few cosmetic issues. Located in Hortonville, Wisconsin, this little Pontiac is available here on Facebook Marketplace for the Cheap Wheels price of $2,000.
The reborn Sunbird had a bit of an identity crisis in 1982-84. First, it was called the J2000 (for the J-body platform), then just 2000 (as a smaller alternative to the 6000), and then the 2000 Sunbird. The 1984 editions had some updated plastic body panels, and a supercharger was available with the 1.8-liter inline-4 that boosted horsepower to 150. The new drop-tops were not built in big numbers, with 825 in 1983 and 5,548 in 1984 (smaller numbers would follow in 1985-87).
The seller’s red convertible with a grey interior has had just two owners, but it hasn’t been a garage queen, accumulating 126,000 miles. It has a manual transmission (5-speed?), and we’re told the car fires up every time and gets you where you want to go (without a working heater in Winter). The seller adds the car is “fairly clean for the age,” and that makes sense as 42 years have passed. The unseen top is said to be in bad shape, so it’s a fair-weather car for now.
We’re also told there is some rust (but “nothing major”), and the interior may need some detailing. It sounds like if you put a new canvas top on it, you could drive the car anywhere at any time. The seller is open to trades, which include a snowmobile with trailer or an ATV. If you’re looking for a cheap way to let the wind blow through your hair, is this car it? BTW, our thanks to “Zappenduster” for the tip!
I think I would rather have a LeBaron if I had an itch for an 80s FWD ragtop.
At only $2000 for this cute little Pontiac it sounds like a no brainer! If I lived anywhere fairly close to it I would have it in my garage by tomorrow morning!
If it starts and runs every time why can’t you pull it forward 20 feet so we can see it in the sunshine? 🫤.
Also, because I can’t ignore low hanging fruit, looking closely in picture number six I actually saw a Who. 😝
News to me that a supercharger was available on the Sunbird. With a stick this would be fun to drive. I couldn’t see any rust in the available pictures so?
I swear it’s the sloppiest copy this side of ChatGPT. in fact, ChatGPT would be preferable to this. of course there was no supercharger. And it wasn’t a subcompact, either – the FWD J body was a compact.
Available with Turbo, but no supercharger.
Wikipedia said the same thing, so I was confused when the OP mentioned a supercharger. Thanks for clearing up the confusion!
These were the Pontiac sister to the Chevy Cavalier, successors to the X-Body Citation et al. I find them noteworthy only for the fact that the Pontiac examples got the 1.8L “Brazilian Family Two” engines instead of the 2.5L Iron Duke engines in the Chevy and other variants. The Brazilian Family Two engine is the engine I wish that Pontiac had installed in the Fiero instead of the boat anchor that was the Iron Duke. I had forgotten that they were available in both normally aspirated and supercharged versions, however. The supercharged variant would have given the Fiero much more “street cred” than the heavy and power-challenged Iron Duke ever could, and might have made the Fiero more competitive against the Toyota MR2, if GM had been able to keep the cars from overheating on their customers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_J_platform
cheap ride shame that motor is an oil leaking pos. better if it had a v6
What made the Brazilian Family Two engine an “oil leaking pos”? Did GM finally fix them to make them reasonably reliable, or did they just stop using them when the warranty costs got too expensive? I was working at a local gas station when these were new, to earn tuition money and pocket money for college, and a regular customer came in with a brand-new example at the time, a white coupe, IIRC, and always asked for us to check the oil. Now I know why, LOL!
In 85 we had our first child and my wife’s Corvette was no longer ideal for hauling an infant around in. One car we looked at was a new 86 Sunfire GT with with the turbo (yes turbo, not supercharged) 4 cylinder and a 4 speed. I remember it was actually a fun little car to drive, and pretty quick. We also looked at a few other “sport compacts” like the Omni GLH (a tinny piece of crap), and ended up buying a 4 speed 86 Cavalier Z24. I wasn’t then, and I’m still not a big fan of turbo’s, so the Z24’s MFI V6 won out.
Oh good memories, bought one in Sun Valley back in 1994, so was about 10 years old, 1,8 turbo! Good on gas, very reliable, travelled the west coast up and down, Victoria BC to LA and back, I liked it so much that I took it back to Austria. Not a bad car if you think what it cost new and back then as a used one, you must always have the perspective of the price range.
Back in Austria I kept it for some years then I decided that partswise it got to difficult for europeans to keep on the road, sold it for about that sum what the red one is asked for. But the turbo could pull quite nicely on the steering wheel! Good memories, maybee a good oportunity to visit the states again and drive a couple of miles? Hm, might wait a bit to see where the US goes?
regards from Tyrol
supercharger was available with the 1.8-liter inline-4 that boosted horsepower to 150. , a turbo charged engine was available but not a supercharger
Doesn’t look in bad ship considering it’s an ’84. I’m not a convertible guy at all but if you are it looks like it could be some cheap fun.
Love those Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pants. 😄