This 1968 Pontiac Firebird Convertible appears to be a fairly solid project car that still wears its original paint. It will need a full restoration at some point, but I can’t see any obvious reason why it couldn’t be returned to a roadworthy state in the short term, just in time to make the most of the Summer sun. Barn Finder Ikey H has been keeping his eyes open, and spotted this classic for us. Thank you so much for that Ikey. The Firebird is located in Brooklyn, New York, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has been pretty spirited on the Pontiac, and after initially opening at $500, it has quickly rocketed to $7,800. At that price, the reserve has now been met.
It doesn’t matter what make or model of classic car you talk about, some colors are simply more attractive than others. In this case, the Firebird is finished in Meridian Turquoise, which I happen to think is one of the nicest colors to grace the flanks of a Firebird. What it doesn’t hide is the fact that this Pontiac has some rust issues that will need to be addressed at some point. This has impacted both rear quarter panels, and I think that a full replacement of both would be warranted in this case. The front and rear valances have also been impacted, but the rockers and lower extremities of the doors look like they may have been spared from trouble. There are no photos of the Firebird’s underside, and the owner makes no mention of any rust in the floors. However, there is a single photo of the inside of the trunk, and the pan looks like it has quite a collection of pin-holes. Only a personal inspection would confirm whether it will require replacement, but I suspect that it could well be the case. With that in mind, there is also a real possibility that there might be issues with the floors, but once again, only a personal inspection will be able to confirm this. The black top appears to be dirty but in reasonable condition. The rear window has become cloudy, but the rest of the Firebird’s glass, along with the trim and chrome, looks to be in good condition.
The Firebird is a numbers-matching car and features a 350ci V8, a 2-speed Powerglide transmission, and power steering. With 265hp on tap, the Firebird was a pretty decent performer, although it could be hampered a bit by the Powerglide. However, as a relaxed top-down cruiser, it fulfilled that role very nicely. Unfortunately, this is one area of the Firebird where we are left entirely in the dark. The owner provides no information about the mechanical health of the car, so not only do we not know whether it runs or drives, but it isn’t clear whether the engine even turns freely. If I was to hazard a guess at this point, I would say that the Firebird has been sitting for a little while, although I would tend to suggest that we’re talking either weeks or months here and not years. There is some leaf debris visible in a couple of spots around the engine bay, but not enough to suggest that the potential inactivity would have been extended. The lack of other indicators like accumulated cobwebs could possibly be a positive sign. Once again, this is a case where any potential buyer will need to be prepared to ask some questions.
The owner describes the Firebird’s interior as perfect, but that might be a bit of poetic license. Certainly, it is extremely tidy and original, but it does have its faults. The kick panels have become discolored, as have the armrests. The driver’s door trim has some very noticeable wear above the armrest, while the carpet has seen better days. Beyond that, the seats and remaining trim are in very nice condition, while the dash and console both appear to be excellent. Once again, if the Firebird is returned to a roadworthy state in the short-term, the condition of the interior would be nothing to be ashamed of when the car is viewed by the public.
I like this Firebird Convertible, and I believe that it has the potential to be transformed into something pretty spectacular in the right hands. It isn’t perfect, but it almost certainly could be. Don’t take my word for it though. So far, 11 people have submitted a total of 37 bids on this classic. They can obviously see something there. Can you?
This might be the best color on first generation Firebirds. It’s much like one of the colors available of the first generation “Hot Wheels” Firebird which I had. This one looks pretty good for outside Brooklyn storage. The interior is pretty nice too. Not the most exciting drive-train but I would say that it had pretty decent treatment for most of it’s life. It needs someone to love it again.
Faded carpet & paint, but dash & steering wheel not cracked? hmmh.
I didn’t know std firebird seats had more padding than camaro ones for this year.
Delux steering wheel looks smaller in diameter than ’68 chevy one.
Hood insulation IMO is a very dumb option.
Not sure where the heater hose is going towards the front – could simply be extra long in length.
Tough call. I am a HUGE 1st Gen Firebird guy as I have owned and restored several. This would be a good project to learn on. The car is only valuable because of 67-69 and convertible. Never going to be worth much and you will have far more into the restoration, by 3 times, than he car will ever be worth. This would be worth more as a resto mod for sure. Even a 400 clone. I would not restore it as original as it will not be worth more than $35K in #1 condition and the market values are going to continue to decline the years to come.
Power steering but no power brakes. Never understood that?
Well any pontiac v8 (326-455) is 1 heavy animal, compared to a small block chevy & you better have power steering – especially if you do a lot of parallel parking. lol
Back then if cars had 4 wheel manual drum brakes, it was manageable to get by without power assist, except possibly in NYC or LA stop & go traffic. & the sticker price would be a bit cheaper in price than power discs for those on a budget.
Manual front disk brakes could really tire your foot out, however.
What’s silly here is that the car has hood insulation & console but no power brakes.
My 67 GTO convertible I bought from the original owner was just the opposite, equipped with manual steering and power drum brakes. He said he ordered it that way because he was told the power steering “took too many horsepower”. Interestingly enough, it was also a factory AC car, no horsepower loss there, let alone the added weight! The car also had power windows, seat, antenna, console, headrests and reclining passenger seat and an 8 track… likely he added a couple hundred extra pounds in options alone. It was a pain to drive at low speeds, I soon added a factory PS setup.
Bore out the engine, make it a 383, out a 4speed of in it electric power steering pump and see if you can’t make that original paint shine ! It is a beautiful car !
It looks great for its age. A real nice driver. For someone that wants original for the era and doesn’t mind driving one that looks like it should instead of being a trailer queen, this is a good option. Personally, I prefer to find them like this and try to keep them in original form as much as possible with just a few safety and performance p grades that stay true to its era.
I love these cars, but my favorite is the 69 mostly because I had the pleasure of owning one 50 years ago. Mine was 400 ci with 400 trans. It was bright yellow with black vinyl top, a/c, ps, pb and electric windows. Man that car would fly, it read 160 on the speedometer but it topped out at around 145 mph. Good memories.
God bless America
This car needs a lot of work and plenty of $$$$$! All the bottoms of the outer panels show some form of rust, some area more sever than others. Engine will need a complete rebuild along with each mechanical system. Unless you’re really in love and have a lot of time and money, I’d buy one already done.
I’ve mentioned a couple times in the past I have a 1951 Pontiac convertible that I am working on. That car will be on hold for a while after the end of July because of a legal issue I need to handle. It might be on hold for a year or so. I will also be unavailable at that point to pleasure you folks with my smart a$$ comments while I have my project on hold.
This post isn’t about that legal issue or that project. It is about the next project I have “in the wings” once the ’51 is done.
I acquired a 1968 Firebird convertible from a friend in western Michigan. He is an older guy, a Vietnam veteran, owned the car for decades (not original owner as far as I know, but at least since the mid 1980’s). Verdoro green with black interior & top. Factory bench seat, 350 with 2 barrel & 3 speed on the floor.
It will need floors, both passenger compartment and trunk, but the rockers & quarters all appear good, as do the fenders and doors.
I plan on going back to the original dark olive color, but I want to switch the interior to white, along with the top. I think I will add the white “sprint” stripes, because I like how they look. It is a steel wheel car with puppy pan caps.
Seeing this car is getting me excited about it!
I recently sold a couple other toys, besides the Horizon & Skylark. I sold my hearse and another vintage freak. I just found on Craig’s list today locally a colonnade Regal I kinda like. I have the money in the bank & room in the garage. If I were more responsible, I would keep the cash in the bank because of my legal issue. But if I were more responsible, I wouldn’t have this issue…so then there is that lol.
its a convertible dont under estimate rust