Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

What A Shame! Firebird Under Leak

e1

The good news is that this 1967 Pontiac Firebird has 30,648 original miles and had been stored from 1980 until four months ago. The bad news is that the roof leaked, apparently the entire time it was in storage. Based on the corrosion, I’m wondering if the roof leaked acid! It’s for sale in Princeton, New Jersey and is listed here on eBay. Bidding as I write this is just over $3,000, and the buy it now figure is $5,000.

e3

You can see the path the water (acid) took on this rear fender. Apparently the flow was down the rear channel by the window and then onto the fender.  Ouch!

collage

Here’s a close up of the damage.  Double ouch.

e4

As you can see, the A pillar was another route the water took. The sad part is, panels where the water didn’t touch look really nice with original paint. You can also see the 1980 inspection sticker on the windshield.

e7

The low mileage claim is born out by the upholstery and floor mats. Unfortunately, it looks as though some of the moisture got in the inside as well. I can’t quite agree with the seller that “everything is as it was in 1967” though.

e6

The engine in this case is a 400 V8, and the seller was able to get it running after changing out the spark plugs. However, it looks like nothing else has been done, and that would be the case based on the seller’s description. Interestingly enough, the seller is including the original tires and snow tires on separate rims.

In this original advertisement available on eBay, apparently Pontiac thought of the 400 as the “Heavyweight.” Even though this one is missing a little bit of its original metal, do you think you could find a home for it? How would you proceed if you did end up with this find? Let us know in the comments below!

 

Comments

  1. Avatar MH

    That alot of work to fix properly. Not a car I really car for so I would pass for sure.

    Like 0
  2. Avatar The Walrus

    You wondered how the roof leaked acid, then answered how via the location in the very next sentence!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jamie Staff

      Yup. I remember cars losing their paint luster in less than a year up there in my youth. My father kept the two cars in rotation for waxing at least once a month to try to keep ahead of the acid rain.

      Like 0
  3. Avatar Mark P

    So nobody saw or cared about this really long term damage to this otherwise nice car. We’re talking a glacial pace of destruction, like the creation of the Grand Canyon. Amazing. This thing might have been better off outside.

    Like 0
  4. Avatar Steve

    looks more like 130k miles to me…

    Like 0
  5. Avatar grant

    This is just sad.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar ccrvtt

    The front bumper & grille would make a really nice wall hanging. The rest of it’s just trash.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar JW

    These Firebirds are the coolest and seeing this one breaks my heart that I can’t buy it and do what needs to be done to get it looking great again.

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Fred W.

    It’s nothing that Dynacorn can’t fix… for $14K

    Like 0
    • Avatar DrinkinGasoline

      It’s definitely a thought but….they are original only once.

      Like 0
  9. Avatar DrinkinGasoline

    I liked the Firebird over the Camero. It’s beyond me how folks just ignore the storage of any car. I take great pains to service our vehicles as well as prep them for seasonal storage and I cannot fathom how some folks can just allow this to happen. It is sad but, this example has been relegated to “donor status”….disgusting.

    Like 0
    • Avatar DrinkinGasoline

      Wow….a “thumbs down” for disgust about not taking care of a vehicle ? ? Must be from the seller….that’s a new one on me…dang.

      Like 0
      • Avatar Barzini

        Sometimes a negative reply was done by mistake. (It happened to me once but I owned up to it.) That’s the only rationale explanation at times.

        Like 0
  10. Avatar Bruce

    I picked one up a few years ago that was featured here on BF, Jesse came out and took pictures of me towing it home. These care will and are coming up in value. Is this one worth it? Not to me, but someone else might love it.

    B

    Like 0
    • Avatar DrinkinGasoline

      That’s cool, but not much left to love with this one. If this were a Duesenberg or the like, then I could see the time and financial investment but not with this example. It would have to be more than love…”There comes a time when one has to pick their battles and decide if the investment will eventually win the war”.

      Like 0
  11. Avatar 68 custom

    to bad a 67/400 is hard to come by, here we go with the rust again. a 69 body is slightly different I think in respect to the Dynacorn solution?

    Like 0
    • Avatar Tom Member

      69 is 100% different from the 67-68 and also 100% different than a 70. I have owned them all and know them well

      Like 0
  12. Avatar Bill

    Some people don’t deserve to have nice things.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar sir mike

    Why are some people just idiots? What a waste.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Rocco

    I bet it has a T-400 trans with that 400ci eng. If there was a pic of the underside, I could tell.

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Steve

    Geesh! What a sad state that car wound up in. I’m surprised the bidding is all the way up to $4K. That’s going to take a lot of money and work to bring back to life. Low mileage and numbers matching does go a long way I suppose for a car like that. But there are holes in the body!

    Like 0
  16. Avatar keith

    pour thing is hammered

    Like 0
  17. Avatar Tom Member

    Steve, I see your 130K miles and raise you to 230K miles. 30K miles on this car, even with the limited photos is ABSOLUTE B_ _ _ S _ _ _! I cannot stand people who put cars like this out there and think we are THAT stupid…..unfortunately anyone bidding on this car is who this seller is looking for. actually I agree with Steve’s 130K miles.

    I have owned many of these and am an expert. I am also an expert on rust and corrosion. There are items worn on this car at a level that 30K miles would not accomplish unless you just beat the SH out of this car ….which I guess is possible. Guessing it was an old man and his widow I am going with the “they took care of it” angle. Other than being a 400, the Arrow Head on the front bumper along with the chrome horizontal strips on the grill indicated the sport options group, which is rare, and is mostly related to aesthetic options like rocker and wheel opening trim, visors mirrors, grab strap above the glove box, deluxe interior, remote mirror (which this does not have) and a few others. I LOVE these cars but this one is D.O.A.

    Unless this thing is Christine’s Sister, it being pretty again will mean you will pretty much have to sell your soul for it. Find a donor, pull the cool stuff and junk it. Rare that I will say that.

    Like 0
  18. Avatar Jeff

    Wow that’s bad I can’t believe just how bad it is,, so sad

    Like 0
  19. Avatar Roger

    Imo, roof / pillar replacement is more complicated and a pita than normal panel replacement. With that being said I think I’d buy it if it went cheap enough and take a sawzall to it and have me a roadster and drive it as is.

    Like 0
  20. Avatar GoodoleMike

    Sure looks like a Yooper car. Spend a couple years in da UP of Michigan’s 8 month winter and salted roads and your car can look just like this.
    I would keep it like it is. Art work ya know.

    Like 0
  21. Avatar Mike W.

    Unless the car is almost for free there’s way to much metal damage to even consider restoring it. On second thought even if it is for free I don’t think it’d be worth it. WHAT A SHAME. I’m sure it was beautiful in its day.

    Like 0
  22. Avatar Robert_B

    My step mom had one of these, a 68 with a 400 in it. Thing was a total beast. She bought it because she wanted a sports car, haha. We owned it from about the time I was 12 to age 16. I got to drive it only 1 time. My step mom could be pretty cool some times. My dad was working the night shift and it was about 8pm one night, I was 16 and just got my learners permit. She tossed me the keys and said, go get us a couple of ice cream cones…. and as I was heading out the door she said, leave some rubber on my rear tires please. ha…. good god that thing was bad azzz.

    I would love to find one for a reasonable cost these days and buy it. I would not touch this car in this article as out here in wa these are around, in decent shape for 6 to 10k and if you want a very nice one that needs relatively nothing, those start around 15k. This one just seems really far gone for the $$ wanted considering what I can get one for that has just a little rust and runs. Though, the 400 engine versions are pretty hard to find.

    Like 0

Leave a Reply to sir mike Cancel reply

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.