UPDATE 12/19/2023: Selling a classic car can be a hit-or-miss exercise, and such has been the case with this 1967 Pontiac Firebird 326. The seller didn’t taste success with their last attempt, with bidding falling below the reserve at $25,501. They have decided to have another go, and while the details remain largely as they were with the previous listing, the auction action still remains under the reserve at $11,314. The most significant change has been to the BIN figure, which they have lowered from $34,500 to $32,000. That suggests they are serious about finding a new home for this Firebird, which is listed here on eBay.
12/08/2023: Many classics from the 1960s were modified during the 1970s and 1980s. This was understandable, as their plentiful numbers made them cheap to buy while bolting on bigger wheels or mechanical upgrades was made easy due to the availability of affordable parts. It is almost guaranteed that if those owners had known how the values of some of these cars would climb in the future, they would have left them unmolested. That is the story of this 1967 Pontiac Firebird. It received a repaint and some mechanical work in the past, but it remains unmolested and essentially as it was when the original owner took delivery. Its most pressing need is a new home, with the seller listing the Firebird here on eBay in Houston, Texas.
Pontiac joined the pony car party in 1967 with the Firebird, which shared much with its Chevrolet cousin, the Camaro. While the pair’s styling was similar, there were enough differences to leave no doubt which car was which. Taste is subjective, but I have always felt there is something indefinable about the Firebird that gave it a slight edge over the Camaro. Your view may differ from mine, but these varying opinions make the classic scene fascinating. The original owner ordered this Firebird in Champagne Metallic, with the seller indicating it has received a repaint. It is unclear when this occurred, but the photos reveal that apart from a few tiny imperfections, there is little to criticize about its presentation. The panels are as straight as an arrow, but most importantly, its garage-kept history means the Pontiac remains rust-free. That is a critical consideration because more than a few of these classics have succumbed to the ravages of “Tin Worm.” The trim and chrome look excellent for their age, and there is no evidence of glass issues.
The original owner focused on comfort with this Firebird, equipping it with a Deluxe interior with a console, air conditioning, and a pushbutton radio. The consistency of this classic impresses me the most, with the interior presenting as nicely as the exterior. The only fault worth mentioning is a slight fitting issue on the back seat, but I believe a bit of tweaking could address the shortcoming without costing a dime. Otherwise, this interior needs nothing. The vinyl upholstery is free from wear, and the carpet is spotless, as are the dash and pad. A close inspection will almost inevitably reveal minor shortcomings, but the condition is easily acceptable if considered a survivor-grade vehicle.
Buyers could order their new 1967 Firebird with a six under the hood, but this car’s original owner chose the V8 path. They teamed the 326ci powerplant with a two-speed automatic transmission, adding power assistance for the steering and brakes to lighten the driver’s load. That V8 should produce 250hp and 333 ft/lbs of torque, and while the two-speed negatively impacts performance potential, this Pontiac should still offer an enjoyable driving experience. The new owner will drive away in a numbers-matching classic that is in excellent health. The engine was rebuilt earlier this year, with the transmission subjected to the same treatment in 2015. The engine refresh included new parts, with a shiny new GM carburetor as the crowning glory. The front end features a range of new components, as do the brakes. This Firebird is a turnkey proposition where the new owner could fly in and drive it home.
Pony cars like the 1967 Pontiac Firebird suffered during the recent market slump. However, the situation has stabilized, and signs are emerging that values might climb towards their former levels. That means now could be an ideal time to splash the cash on a car of this caliber because it could be an excellent long-term investment. If we leave those thoughts aside and assess what it offers, it ticks many of the right boxes for enthusiasts. It is a First Generation pony car, it presents superbly, is rock-solid, and is unmolested. Those factors make it worthy of consideration, and while bidding remains below the reserve, I won’t be surprised if this Pontiac heads to a new home in a few days.
Mr. Rocky Rockford. Your car is ready.
Wrong year
Maybe you’re refering to Jim Rockford’s dad, Rocky, played by Noah Beery, Jr. who lived in North Sea, NY and did drive a gold-ish (maybe champagne metallic?) 67 Firebird around town. I often saw him in town on Main St and occasionally at Cooper’s Neck beach. Heck of a nice guy, always ready to talk to fans of the show!
IMOI, only the ultra thin whitewalls(like here) look good with Rally II wheels.
Too bad they are not affordable or widely available today.
When I bought mine in 67, it came with redwalls. At the time I (was young) , and thought that it looked terrific, but since then I went with raised white letters and rally wheels.
Here’s a car that must have been purchased as the apple of someone’s eye. To be this nice all these years later means its owner truly cared. They say they’re only original once but you could still feel alright about driving it. After it’s restored then it’s confinement to protect your investment.
Forgive me for being a relative newby to these pages but when is a car considered not original? Is it the moment the new owner drives it off the new car dealer lot? After the first parking lot ding or headlight replacement? Or, does it only refer to cars that have been modified? Just wonderingl.
Modified, repaired or restored. Others are welcome to add to this.
@ Mark, (cool name btw)
There are many opinions of the definition of “original”. Given the age of many of the vehicles posted, I look at them in one of 3 ways….
“Maintained Original” = a vehicle that has been unaltered in any way shape or form with the exception of having been regularly maintainted over the course of time using only those factory spec’d parts which originally came with the vehicle. i.e. the now famous black 57 Chevy which a lady who in her 80’s had purchased new and it remained her only transpotation from day one. No alterations and regular mechanical maintenance performed by the Chevy dealer.
“Original/Like new” =
A preserved vehicle found which has never been touched since it left the lot…. i.e. a factory fresh 87 Grand National a guy bought as an investment, drove it off the lot and parked it in a climate controlled environment.
“Original/As sold new”. Differs from “Like new” only in that it was not preserved. i.e. a dealer sets a new car that never sold out in a field.
When I met my wife she had the twin of this car. Gold, 326/2 speed but the weird thing is it had a factory BENCH seat. Never seen another one with that option.
Hi, I had a 68′ 400. it hadn’t been monkeyed! nice to see! back seat doesn’t fit?? then it’s not original…unless it was wacked at some point! I read somewhere that conv. back seats were smaller(not sure top&bottom) because of bracing for the top. I had a 69′ conv…never thought to measure them, can’t imagine floor plan would be diff? I have a 68′ rear seat. measure your seats! my friend had 67′ conv. I sat in back seamed the same! my guess is the back is smaller or the mounting is diff. on conv!?
Convertible rear seats are narrower. The convertible cars have the folding top frame that folds into the passenger compartment, the convertible specific interior panels account for this.
@ Mark
I consider a vehicle ‘non original’ when anything has been altered from the way it rolled off the assembly line. More especially, the paint, engine, transmission, etc., but not limited to! A door ding would be excluded, although it’s was not original to the vehicle.
If you would get a slight boo boo from a shopping cart etc, you would be better off to either leave it alone, or have a PDR (paintless dent repair) person massage the dent out. Do NOT ‘hack it’ with some body filler and a rattle can of paint!!
Sometimes a engine has been changed with a ‘numbers matching’ engine and that somewhat passes the originality test?
It’s hard to find an old, completely original vehicle, regardless of what some of these sellers state in the ad?
This is my definition of an original vehicle? I hope this somewhat clarifies your question?
Just my oponion!
Nothin wrong with a Power glide!
67″ had single headlights, 68″ has double.
The 67, 68, and 69 Firebirds were all quad headlamps.
The only difference between the two other than minor trim, NOT the headlights, was the vent window. The 67 has them the 68 came with the useless in the sun Astro Ventilation. .
Mark i guess that my 67 isn’t original, albeit I did buy it new, I have the same OHC Sprint motor, but it has been overhauled. Thus now I don’t have to add lead to the gas every time I fill it up. My Firebird came with a Saginaw 4speed trans, and I kept it for about 45 years. About 10 yrs ago I pulled that trans out, and had a 350 Chevy turbo trans in it. I kept the old 4spd, but just got tired of the shifting. I know my car isn’t totally original too, because I did chrome out a lot of the motor parts. I did add a power booster too, because the standard brakes didn’t stop good enough for me. At any rate, It may not be original in the real context, but I did buy it new, still own it, and I still enjoy cruising around in it.
Dennis, it sounds like you have a very unique vehicle, and a good story to tell that you don’t hear about very often.
Having it from day one for starters, is a huge plus!
You, or perhaps someone else someday could easily return this car back to be very original. Overhauling it and changing the compression didn’t hurt anything at all.
Keeping all of the original parts was brilliant. 350 turbos were everywhere, but having the original one that came with it is much better.
The seller’s that I am referring to usually have a vehicle they just purchased, sometimes still sitting on some raggedy a@@ trailer, attempting to sell something they are calling all original?
I doubt they even know what original is??
Dennis, why don’t we just call you car original? Keep enjoying!
Just my oponion!
Thanks Ashtray, I appreciate your opinion. After having this vehicle since the beginning, it doesn’t really matter whether it is classified original or not. I would never sell it at any price. I bought my Firebird wright after making E-5 in the army. My wife has almost a year more seniority over the car, but they are both great.🤠
Just because you rebuilt the motor or added comfort parts does not make your car not original. A complete new paint job or a replacement motor will make it no longer original. Replacing the interior or changing the wheels will also take from the originality of your car but as far as Dennis’s car is concerned. It is 100 o/o original
These cars rarely stayed original for mote than a day. Some of them stopped at the tire store on the way home for some nice tires and wheels.
No aux gages, no cruise control, no p/w, no headrests & no disc brakes. Hardly what i would call “fully loaded”(mentioned in the ebay description), tho back in the day i would not even get a/c or the less durable delux interior door panels.
Wow! Thank you all for helping clear that up for me! I am guessing then, that the only time a car can be considered original within the “It’s only original once” context is when the vehicle is owned by the “original” buyer (or sibling, spouse, brother/sister, etc)? If I had kept my 1970 Coronet and only maintained but never modified (unless I kept the parts) I would own an “It’s only original once” vehicle. However, if I sold it, it would lose it’s originality at that point?
Thanks again for the information. The term has been bandied about for several months now (longer?) and I was never sure what it specifically meant.
This is a great site for learning!
Mark,
Imo, the honest number of owners really doesnt matter when it comes to describing the vehicle itself.
It does however come into play when a vehicle is promoted for sale as there are many who play fast and loose with the numbers.
In most cases (with exceptions) fewer owners makes it easier to trace the provenance and thus determine whether the state of originality is what it is claimed to be.
Again, there are numerous opinions on all this.
I have a ’67 Firebird Convertible. But it is not numbers matching however. When I got it it had been abused and neglected . So I restored it and did it my way. Every one who sees it loves it. I have owned it for 52 years this month. I love my Firebird.
Although it’s “unmolested”,I couldn’t resist molesting it by installing a stick,uh,I mean, converting it to a manual transmission 🙄