A 400, a four-speed, and two decades of hibernation: that is the pitch for this 1976 Pontiac Firebird, and it is the kind of combination that makes a Barn Finds reader sit up straight. The car is listed on craigslist in Grove City, Pennsylvania, with an asking price of $13,500, and the seller says they are offering it on behalf of a friend. The ad was posted four days ago and updated two days ago. Thanks for the tip, Tony Primo!
According to the seller, the Firebird carries its original 400 backed by a 4-speed manual, and it is “pretty much all original,” paint included. The listing describes a green coupe with a V8, rear-wheel drive, and a clean title. The odometer reads 53,800 miles, while the description rounds that to 54,000 original miles. That is a small difference, and the listing mentions no documentation, so the mileage is best treated as the seller’s claim until someone sees the paperwork.
Perhaps the most intriguing detail is the car’s history. The seller reports it sat in storage for more than 20 years before this year, which is plenty of time for gremlins to settle in. Fortunately, the seller lists a number of fresh parts: a brand new aluminum radiator, new radiator hoses, a new water pump, a new steering wheel, and tires with less than 1,000 miles on them. The seller says the car runs and drives good, though the listing does not say what else was done to wake it up, so questions about the fuel system, brakes, and the rest of the mechanicals are fair game.
The seller is upfront about the flaws, noting surface rust on the subframe and nothing else beyond that. That would be encouraging for a car with this much storage time, though only an inspection can confirm it. A new factory-style muffler and stainless pipes come with the car, but the seller says they still need to be finished, so the exhaust looks like a job for the next owner. The listing says nothing about the interior, the trim level, options, or the condition of the body and undercarriage, so a close in-person look would be essential.
My take: original paint, a 400, and a manual transmission is a combination I would be thrilled to find, and the fresh cooling parts and tires are a good start. Whether $13,500 is fair will depend on what an inspection turns up, but the ad has plenty going for it. Would you preserve it exactly as it sits, or finish the exhaust and start racking up miles?
This will not last long at this price. A 4 speed 400 plain Jane Firebird is a rare bird indeed!
Hidden wipers were optional, except on the t/a
Original paint except for the hood. Seller states it has surface rust on the subframe but nowhere else, he must have missed the rust at the base of the rear window pictured in his ad. There are also no up close pictures of rust prone areas. It may have been parted for 20 years, but that means it spent 29 years on the road, likely in Pennsylvania.
It may be a decent car, but photographs don’t give the entire picture of a car. The sellers description seems pretty optimistic when compared to the pictures. Worth a look if potential buyers live within driving distance.
Steve R