Update 1/23/17 – The seller contacted us to let us know that since we posted this, they have removed the Buy-It-Now and lowered their reserve! They also mentioned that the show plaque is from sometime in the ’80s.
From 1/23/17 – ‘Member that time? When you were at a concert? And.. the band was playing really slowly? And, then someone yelled FREE BIRD! and they started cranking? That was awesome… But, that was then and this is now. This bird you cannot change (Oh oh oh oh oh), because it’s a rare, limited-edition 1978 Pontiac Firebird Sky Bird! This free-flyer is listed on eBay with an unmet opening bid of $500. Rock on!
In 1977, Pontiac offered three special editions based on their Esprit model. These “Color Birds” were the Sky Bird, as seen here, then the Red Bird, and finally came the Yellow Bird. The Sky Bird was the first of the trio and, being based on the Esprit, they were more luxurious and not quite as macho as the Trans-Am models were. In fact, for every V8 Trans-Am that Pontiac sold it sold four or five Esprit Firebirds with V6 power to women. It’s hard to nail down production numbers on these cars, even from Pontiac sources. Most agree that around 4,000 of them were made.
This particular car needs work as you can see. They are rare but the buy it now price seems quite ambitious in my opinion. Maybe the Pontiac experts out there know what these are worth in today’s market. A really nice car sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction in 2009 for $9,350, but that was 8 years ago and that’s a lifetime in the car market, or any market.
The interior looks good but the carpet looks like the arena floor after a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert; pretty grimy and well-used. The next owner will want to remove as much of this interior as possible, check the floors, maybe put in some Dynamat, and new carpet. Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men, I mean, in that carpet. You can see power windows here as we would expect to see in a more luxurious model such as the Esprit. And, overall, the interior does look great to me, it just needs a good bath, like most Lynyrd Skynyrd post-concert goers do.
This is my favorite photo of this car for a couple of reasons: 1) It doesn’t show the engine, which I think may be at least a misdemeanor in Dearborn Heights, Michigan where this car is located. 2) The please-look-don’t-touch portion of the sign, as if it were a Delahaye or ’63 Split-Window Coupe. But, hey, I get it, people with their greasy hands and clunky belt buckles all over your car; not good. This car has a Pontiac 350 V8, some of them had a V6 and a 305 V8 was also available depending on which model Color Bird it was. This car was stored in a barn and is all original. Have you ever seen a Sky Bird, or any of Pontiac’s Color Birds?
Never heard of it. I highly doubt you’d see this type of car in “Macho Milwaukee” in the late ’70’s and I don’t ever recall seeing one. You just didn’t see many women ( and for sure, not a guy) driving powder blue Firebird’s the late 70’s. I really like it, although, this particular car is going to need a lot. When rust bubbles on the door like that it’s bad, which was very common, and back 1/4’s, means stuff underneath, as well. I believe the mileage, and it doesn’t take many applications of salt for rust to start doing it’s thing. I’d think there are better Firebirds you could paint blue, although, with as bad a rusters as these were, this may be the best that’s out there now.
This is a 1977 SkyBird Firebird with 350 4bbl V8. I have owned this car since it came out of the Showroom. It has 84K original miles on it.
Still have it.
Like to own it if you decide to sell. Thanks
I still have it stored.
Contact me if interested. 8148810029
It would have to be the right price as it’s mint.
Love this! I had one in high school. Looking for one.
Sherri, mine is in Beaverton Oregon emaim me at jamesmaass278@gmail.com
did you sell It?
9500?? In that rusty condition? Holy Cow. This guy is out to lunch and going by the looks of him and his fine home, I will say it again, this guy is nuts. This was just a trim package offered in this light blue, also in light yellow and in red. They were called, sky blue bird, yellow bird and red bird. Yes, they were kind of neat but they are not that rare to find today. There is a Sky Bird just like this but in much better shape at the local car cruise every Friday night. They are still around. I am not saying this car should be junked but 9500 is insane. For that kind of money, you can still buy a decent T Top Trans Am from this era, if you must have a 70’s Firebird.
Saw plenty of these back then, the red and yellow ones as well. They must have sold well in Hollywood, Florida because they weren’t a ‘rare’ sight at all. The Pontiac Can Ams also. Probably location was a executive marketing decision wher they were shipped.
I worked with a guy who was about 20 or so in ’79 and he came to work and said he was considering buying a ‘Yellow Bird’. I and the other guys in our workplace gave him the business about buying a ‘chick car’ with a truly sissy name. He didn’t buy it.
If this can fetch $9,000 plus then my 2 owner 79 Trans Am as it sits, very good shape with original bird & stickers only downfall a 4.9, then my car is in the $20’s if I were to sell on Ebay….joking of course but hey…
God, these were everywhere in Southern California, driven exclusively by women who loved Firebirds. Still see a few but they’re pretty rough anymore. I’m guessing $3K in that condition here in SoCal, probably less. Out of state rusty cars don’t bring anything.
check this out
s://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdggdc_n_NA
Sky-Blue color equals Blue-Sky pricing? No way Jose
Yuk!!🚙
Does it come with a Leisure Suit?
It is a Leisure Suit.
How much is he asking for that $500 parts car?
LOL… It IS pretty rough for that kinda money, i will say… I saw a couple of these running around in Muscle Shoals, Alabama… where Lynyrd Skynyrd spent a great deal of time recording some of their music. It was also the place where the Song ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ was conceived, while walking the river banks about a block from my house.
Creepy HS teacher used to cruise the parking lots in his SkyBird with the hot cheerleader “teaching assistant” he was grooming. Different times.
“That’s what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.”
I thought the car was kinda femmy for a guy to drive, just made the creepy factor even more so.
Stu,… I think everybody had one of ‘ Those ‘ Teachers… ours was the Band director and his Drum Major… heh heh… he had a Blue Mercedes SL…
Hey SS, didn’t the Police write a song about that guy? ( Don’t stand so close to me)
Ours had a 73 /74 442. Creepy Guy,nice car though.As far as this firebird goes I woulden’t want it.Neither would my wife and she loves this body style.If I took her to look at this car ,first I’d get the look .Then she would tell me, and I quote.I’m not drivin a F_@+! £ baby blue firebird .Lol ya gotta love her.
Ours was the football coach/health teacher & head cheerleader. He had to resign when it came out, but about 5 years later, they named the football field after him, lol! He drove a Pontiac Bonneville & IIRC, it happened to be blue.
Red one like this one is sitting in a barn. The first guy cancer got him before he got to the car. And l MS before l got going on this Red one. Hope this car does not have a thing with men wanting to fix her up little.
I have seen the TRIO so to speak, I went to High School with the Son of a Pontiac Dealer in Flat River back then, and Scott got to drive a Trans-Am to school of course, but his Sister drove a Redbird, but the Dealership at one time had one of each in the Show room!!!
These were shown in the print ads for the 1978 Firebird line. I recall seeing one at a dealership when my older brother ordered his “78 T/A. The harsh Michigan winters and rarity of parts like that blue steering wheel would make me pass on this one.
Thanks for this! I tried to picture or remember a yellow bird, & only the cool gold colored Trans/AM came to mind. I love black birds, Crows are so smart, Big Chiefs black 405 Crow GTO, Smokey And The Bandit, & the SR-71 is still unbeaten, ha, ha,.
I think the old boy got up in that Smokercraft and smoked a few bowls first to come up with that price.
A friend of my dad’s had a Yellow Bird. It’s the only one I remember seeing. I remember being very disappointed when I learned the 4 exhaust tips (dual down facing on each side) were actually fed through a single pipe at the cat. My dad corrected me when I asked about 4 pipe exhaust…
Rare dosent mean valuable.next up super rare yugos.
how about an 82 j2000 or t1000? when was the last time you saw either of those versions? about 1995 or 1996 for me.
You know where screaming “Free Bird” came from right? 1976 Skynard live album ‘One more from
the Road’. Ronnie van Zant calls out ‘What sing do want to hear?’
I was in the crowd that day and I replied “Free Bird!”
July 9 1976.
Back in 1975 i remember rocking to Free Bird while i was parked next to a winged monster of a car called a Super Bird. I kid you not, i thought that song was all about that blue/green Mopar. Oh i was sitting in my little 1972 GT 6 MK 111 Triumph, which i am now trying to get it running again.
“Freebird” has become kind of a long standing cliche joke,, I used to play in bands in my younger years and never failed some yahoo would yell that… Bluegrass and Alt Country has become kind of popular and was at a local show and of course someone yelled it, and to their credit, the Band played a Bluegrass version of it and I really liked it. So did the crowd!
Portland Oregon has TONS of strip clubs, we even have 2 vegan strip clubs! So, Often I have friends who visit from out of the area or overseas so it usually involves the obligatory strip club tour. (The Acropolis has Steak dinners for $5 so I appear generous buying dinner). So, occasionally dancers will take requests. Freebird comes up often. Dancers are NOT keen on that,, look how long that freakin’ song is. But I do know a really good dancer who often will happily dance to Black Crow medicine show,, “Wagon Wheel” is really good. My buddy from New Zealand just sat there shaking his head. Only in Oregon,….Freakin’ hillbillies!
about 14min live. iron butterfly: in-a-gada-da-vida 22min live
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=iron+butterfly+in+a+gadda+da+vida&&view=detail&mid=A1A35BDB40AA76890CEAA1A35BDB40AA76890CEA&FORM=VRDGAR
Ohhh,,, I forget about that one! That is a great suggestion but,, sadly HIGHLY unlikely to be on a strippers I phone or DJs collection. Thanks for the tip,
I forgot about it until you mentioned it,, But there was an old Simpsons episode where Bart swapped out the sheet music and slipped it in to church piano player and choir. Called it “In the Garden of Eden” I fell off my couch laughing so hard. One of my favorite episodes.
See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSCUhqsy4Nk
Apparently Bluegrass versions of “Freebird” is not that unusual,
Multiple listings on you tube.
See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdRZdDbGxoo
I had a 78 in 1986 one owner car got it for 1200$ car ran good had the chevy 305 slow …there werent many in chicago at the time …let my buddy drive it he head on wrecked it…drove it til the chevy threw a rod…tgen bought a 71 clapped out firebird for 300$ with a 350 2bbl pontiac motor dropped the poncho on it drove it wrecked for 3months sold it for a grand …it would smoke the tires all the way through second…drivers window stopped workin so id go thru drive thrus backwards…n it gad a vacuum leak in the manifold causing the brakes to just stop working all together…ahhh high school…
Yeah, i bought a brand new 1984 Camaro 5 speed V-6 that i out ran a cop with. Well until the Mustang i was chasing pulled over, then i stopped to get my radio back. The Cop told me to “shut up until” he “was done with the Mustang”. He let him go with my brand new radio he just ripped off from me. That guy didn’t even get a $140oo 125 mph expedition of speed ticket like i got. The Cop apologized for not hearing me out first because he did see my Sony radio in the thieves car that match my receipt ! He said i “would of easily out ran him in the mountains if i kept going”. He purposely didn’t show up for my purposely 1 week postponed court date, so i got off. He told me he “had already started the ticket before” he “let the fast mustang go”.
pontiac wanted to call it blue bird but could not come to agreement with the bluebird bus company so voila the sky bird
Thanks VIN IN NJ the yellow one looks grate to me t-top
and Trans-Am nice cars.There is not one 77 or 78 like the
Bandit Trans-Am in South Africa to me those were good looking
Pontiacs
Barbie’s hip boyfriend Earring Magic Ken would be right at home in this car.
I had a 76 Firebird. In less than 10 years I lost the bottoms of both rear quarters to rust. Drain holes too small, road salt, sand. Even though I kept ’em clean, I eventually took a plasma cutter to them and drove the car that way for about year before trading for a pickup in ’88.
What’s the guy going to use as a anchor for his boat when he sells this load??
The 1978 Firebird Skybird that sold at Barrett Jackson in 2009 was in Excellent condition inside and out, original one owner California car, all documentation, original spare and air that came with the car, original window sticker and an extra set of original decals. There were approximately 1,235 of these birds made.
Unless you want to spend a fortune, would put this rusty car back in the barn for his price.
I’ve seen them before. Just hideously ugly
But then again, it was the ’70’s…
I have this car, it was my deceased mother’s car, it’s been garaged it’s entire life , doesn’t run but 100% original. Honestly it’s cosmetically perfect. If someone is interested in buying it and taking care of it I’d sell it at a reasonable price . It’s in Oregon
I own this car as well. Mine runs and is mint.
How much would you ask for it. I would love to preserve the integrity of the “breed” so to speak
I know where one is with only 9000 miles on it all just like it came from factory
Where? I own one that is mint.,
She is my girl. Lol. Would love another
I’m in Beaverton Oregon. If your seriously interested in it let me know. I’ll only sell it to a good home
That one would actually be worth some money. There were only 5600 of these made, like I said mine is cosmetically perfect, just hasn’t been started in ten years.
Sherri make me an offer I’ll send you pictures of the car.