So many new car dealers now are part of a large conglomerate, but Davenport Auto Park is a family owned car dealer that has been in business since 1929 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The dealership was formerly known as Davenport Motor Company. In 1968, when it sold Pontiac and Cadillac, a parent walked in and purchased a car for their eighteen-year-old daughter. That car has now been sold back to the dealer by the original owner. This 1968 Pontiac Firebird 350 2 door hardtop coupe is for sale here on the dealer website in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
This car was stored in a garage over the past 50 years but appears like it never left the showroom. The Firebird 350 was a step up from the base Firebird which had a six-cylinder engine. This Firebird is finished in Verdoro Green, one of the most beautiful green shades I’ve ever seen in a car. It was used exclusively on Pontiacs from about 1968 to 1971, and no other General Motors division had this color. This one is set off with a tan vinyl top which is in great condition.
From the side, it is very evident that the Firebird body was shared with the Chevrolet Camaro. But Pontiac was a more upscale brand which while it competed with the Ford Mustang, competed more directly with the Mercury Cougar. The car also sports factory wire wheel covers and bodyside molding.
The interior still looks remarkably well. This Firebird has standard slimline bucket seats, extra cost console, air conditioning, and wood covering accents on the dash and console. It also has an automatic transmission. The factory radio has been replaced with an AM/FM cassette radio.
The reason the car is called a Firebird 350 is its engine, the 350 cubic inch V-8 with 2 barrel carburetor which originally produced 265 horsepower, was able to run on regular fuel, and currently runs great. The car has only been driven 78,704 miles in 50 years.
Years after this car was purchased, Davenport changed from a Pontiac/Cadillac dealer to a Pontiac/Buick/GMC dealer, and of course, no longer sells new Pontiacs because General Motors decided to kill the make ten years ago. I have purchased a couple of new Buicks at the dealership myself over the years. This car is being offered by the dealership for $27,500. By the way, it listed new in 1968 for $3,853.52. Is this something that you would like to add to your garage?
I love the color combo. That price is a bit too steep for me, but it’s a gorgeous car.
That it is. Amazing how some people can and do take care of their cars.
FYI, that is a deluxe interior. The indicator is the dual material type seats and the deluxe door panels.
IMHO, one of the nicest ones I’ve seen in a while. A little pricey though for me. Given a choice, I’d prefer one with the 400 engine and hood scoops, but it wouldn’t be hard to enjoy the heck out of this one.
Beautiful car, same color as my first, a 1968 Catalina. Seems they sold millions of Pontiacs in this color. I’d certainly love to have it in my garage !
Very nice and the price for the condition and you just don’t see many of these as compared to the Camaro seems pretty spot on to me.
Beautiful Firebird. I don’t believe it has AC, at least I don’t see a compressor and believe it should have vent above the controls in the middle of the dash if it has AC.
Absolutely CORRECT. This car has NO AC. No compressor and yes it would have a vent in the top center of the dash where that flat piece of wood grain is currently.
Too bad a dealer did not buy themselfs a better optioned car.
Vents in the kick panels is another give away.
Amazing time capsule. You GM types should know- is this the first appearance of the incredible GM 350?
this has Pontiac’s version of the 350 V8, not to be confused with soon-to-be ubiquitous Chevrolet’s small block 350 that was introduced in the Camaro in ’67.
or Oldsmobile’s 350.
or Buick’s 350.
it was basically a reduced displacement 389. or was it an enlarged 326? same difference.
great motor’s regardless.
This 350 is the Poncho engine. Not a “Big Block,” or a “Small Block”, as they were all the same from 326, up to 455.
The ’67s had a 326 as an option. 1968 was the first year for the Pontiac 350.
It took me years to figure out where “Verdoro” came from. In Spanish ‘verde’ = green & ‘oro’ = gold. Certainly a classic Pontiac color, even moreso on the GTOs of that era.
The ’67-’68 front bumper is a work of art IMHO, beautiful sculpture. The ’69 is kind of a disappointment by comparison. I drove a ’67 with the 326 back in the day. It had pretty brisk performance in a lightweight car.
Nice find.
Not for sure but I think this car makes me glad I am color blind.
small thing but that is a remote side view mirror control. not extremely common.
Indeed, quite rare. I had one on my 67 400 convertible that the recession bought. I am going to cry now (again).
Just a small detail correction to the writer. GM Canada used Verdoro Green metallic in 1968 on Chevelles and Camaros that were built at the Oshawa, Ontario plant.
Attached photo is of a car that I knew from 1974 until I bought and restored it in 2002/2003.
had a 68 400 convertible that color body and interior with a white top 4 speed car wish I still had it. loved the color.
Nice one! Looks like it may have a tilt wheel also. I used to cringe when I saw first generation Firebirds without Rally II wheels. Now, those faux wire wheelcovers have kind of grown on me. Definitely a “girly” car back in the day. Probably what saved it from being trashed by a succession of randy twenty-something boys — or second, third and fourth owners who let their 1st gens rust away in the back yard and lose the title along the way.
Don’t think so on the tilt. the stalk on the left side is for turn signals. I don’t see another. I could be wrong, just ask my wife !!!!!
How come no-one has commented the front bumper bar- obviously taken a small hit?
Good eye. That is a pretty hard hit. Surprising it has not caused the rest of the bumper to be MORE out of alignment. It is hard to get the gap right on this bumper in the first place, much less when damaged.
That colour Vedoro green (love it), was also available in Oz on the HT Holdens. On the GT350 Monaros it had gold stripes which really highlighted the colour.
Just a small addition to the story. Verdoro green metallic was used by GM of Canada at their Oshawa, Ontario assembly plant on Chevelles and Camaros in 1968.
Attached is a 1968 Chevelle SS396 that I knew from 1978 – bought from the second owner in 2000 and restored in 2002/2003. It was Verdoro green from the factory.
If I lived in North Carolina, I would be there — truly amazing