The other-other Pony car, third in line after the ubiquitous Mustang and oft-seen Camaro, the 1968 Pontiac Firebird is worth considering if you want something small enough to drive easily  and stylish enough to cause you to do a backwards glance every time you walk away. Todd K brings us this tip on a Firebird that, as a “true barn find,” is still in excellent shape according to the ad seen here on craigslist. It’s available in Gilroy, CA, home of the world-famous Garlic Festival and close enough to San Francisco for you to fly in for a look. You’ll have to produce $13, 500 (or 13 grand, if you look at a different part of the ad) to take this home. Just don’t plan on driving it there, because there’s no power plant. Maybe in the bargain, you can score the trailer the car is pictured on.

The specs are simple: the car has 56,000 miles (also said as 60,000 in the ad) on a rust-free body which is adorned with “the best original paint I have ever seen,” as boasted by the ad. Indeed, the finish looks like it would be entirely serviceable after a couple of days in the care of an experienced detailer. And like they always say, “They’re original only once,” so you’d be best to leave it as is. Then again, what’s that appearing in the wheel wells? You’re definitely going to need some closer imaging or an in-person look to really know.

Now for the downside: there’s no engine, save a 400 that the ad is making no particular claims for. Better to do as the current owner suggests and drop in your own drivetrain. You also need a transmission, btw. Then, depending on your preference (mine is for stock), figure out how much work it will take to reverse the 1980s (I hope I have the era right; experts please use the comments to give your kindly feedback) Detroit mini rear tubs. After that, it’s find some front seats or reskin these, clean up the filthy interior, source some bits like the rear window crank and perhaps its associated hardware, and work hard on the details, which are always the last ten percent of a restoration that ends up taking forty percent of the time. The big draw here is not the work done, it’s the originality.

But before you go calling this guy and offering up twelve thousand bucks, look hard at the ad. The lists of what’s been done and what needs doing are kind of a mishmash (how does the mind jump from custom rear traction bars to clean title to perfect grille?), so maybe plan on making a few lists of like items, then get out your calculator and figure out how much more you’re going to need to spend. Just because a person has done work doesn’t mean the next owner is OK with that, especially when we’re talking about mods. In fact, I’d tend to read “has all the hard stuff done” with a grain of salt. If the paint is original, then nothing’s been done, and if you’re not into mini tubs, then what’s been done will need to be undone, and that can get expensive. But if you like the direction someone has already taken this car, then it might be a platform worthy of your attention, care, and money.