If you are searching for a project candidate that will stand out once restored, this 1968 Pontiac Firebird could be an ideal candidate. Its engine bay houses the original 400ci “HO” V8, ensuring impressive performance. However, the first owner’s decision to order this classic with a bench seat will be a talking point at any Cars & Coffee. It will require a lot of work before that day arrives because it has significant rust issues. That being said, the intense interest the Firebird has generated suggests plenty of people find this classic genuinely interesting. The seller has listed the Pontiac project here on eBay in Everest, Kansas. The current high bid of $4,250 is below the reserve, though there is a BIN option of $13,100.
After its successful 1967 introduction, Pontiac performed a few notable updates to the First Generation Firebird in 1968. Some were to comply with legislative requirements, while the elimination of the front vent windows coincided with the introduction of Astro Ventilation. The first owner ordered this Firebird in Solar Red, and the tired paint is the least of its problems. The exterior rust appears confined to a couple of small areas in the lower rear quarter panels, with the rockers, doors, cowl, and trunk drop-offs rock-solid. However, the situation deteriorates when we delve below the surface. The floors and trunk pan have the consistency of Swiss cheese and are well beyond the point where patches will eliminate the problems. Therefore, stripping the car to the last nut and bolt would be the only way to guarantee that this classic is rust-free before the new owner grabs their spray gun. The exterior trim may be acceptable once polished, and the glass looks okay. The steel wheels and dog dish hubcaps give this Firebird a sleeper look.
The interior is where this Firebird really stands out. Trimmed in Black vinyl, the first owner ordered the car with a Strato bench front seat. What makes it particularly unusual is that buyers traditionally combined the bench with a column shift, but this Firebird features a stick. As with the exterior and sheetmetal, the interior requires an enormous amount of TLC to return to its former glory. The only missing component is the radio, so the foundations are in place for the buyer to restore it using one of the many available interior trim kits.
I described this Firebird as a sleeper, and one look at its mechanical specifications confirms this. The first owner ticked the boxes beside the 400ci “HO” V8, four-speed manual transmission, and a 3.36 Safe-T-Track rear end. Motors like the “HO” blurred the line between traditional pony and muscle cars, placing 335hp and 430 ft/lbs of torque at the driver’s disposal. No matter how you cut it, this Firebird would have been a genuinely fast car in its prime. The good news for serious collectors is that the seller has confirmed that the Pontiac is numbers-matching. However, it hasn’t run for many years, and the seller states that they wouldn’t be surprised if the V8 is locked. It may require a big dose of Mystery Oil before the new owner contemplates a complete mechanical rebuild. That adds further to the restoration budget, but should be worthwhile once the work is completed.
The person brave enough to tackle the restoration of this 1968 Pontiac Firebird 400 will need to be dedicated, because it requires nothing less than a nut-and-bolt approach. Some enthusiasts will find the prospect daunting, but with Listing View and Watch List tallies of 534 and 42, respectively (at the time of writing), the indications are that plenty of people are willing to roll up their sleeves and give it a red-hot go. It has already attracted 16 bids, and that number will almost certainly climb in the final hours. Would you consider joining the party, or would tackling the restoration be biting off more than you can chew?
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