Some of you will look at this 1971 Pontiac Firebird and question why I referenced the Camaro Z28 in the title. That’s pretty simple, because beneath the skin, this Pontiac is pure 2000 Camaro Z28. The seller extended the changes to the interior, leaving the new owner to add the finishing touches. The time has come for this restomod project to find a new home, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Curvette for spotting the Firebird listed here on eBay in Saint Helena Island, South Carolina. The seller set their price at $24,000, and it appears that figure is fairly firm.
At first glance, this Pontiac looks like an extremely nice Starlight Black Second Generation Firebird with hood scoops and different wheels. The seller commenced their build by replacing the roof and rear quarter panels, ensuring the car was rust-free and as straight as an arrow before applying the mirror-like paint. The results justified the effort and expense, as this Firebird presents extremely well. The tinted glass is clear, the trim is excellent, and the panel gaps are tight and consistent. However, the wheels suggest that this Pontiac packs a punch.
Crawling below the Firebird’s surface reveals where the seller spent over $25,000 in parts for their build. They unbolted every original Pontiac mechanical component, walked to the rubbish skip, and dropped it all in. They then performed some clever engineering to slot the drivetrain from a 2000 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 under the skin. It included the fuel-injected LS1 version of Chevrolet’s 5.7-liter V8, a six-speed manual transmission, a locking rear end, power steering, and huge four-wheel power disc brakes with ABS. Throw in frame connectors, custom suspension with coil-overs on all corners, headers, a custom exhaust, a custom fuel tank, and dual air intake, and this project is a complete package. The V8 would have delivered around 310hp in stock form, but there might be a few extra ponies at the driver’s disposal. It appears this Pontiac is ready to hit the road, or is pretty close to being roadworthy if that isn’t the case.
The seller didn’t restrict their custom touches to the Firebird’s drivetrain, pulling the interior from the donor Camaro and fitting it to this classic. That brings air conditioning, leather trim, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, power seats, cruise control, a tilt wheel, map lights, and other modern touches to this fifty-four-year-old classic. Everything fits surprisingly well, but there is scope for the buyer to add the finishing touches. The driver’s door trim installation is rough, and there is no passenger door trim at the moment. The headliner is hanging down, and the dashpad requires adjustment. With those flaws addressed, the interior will present acceptably for a driver-grade classic.
I always appreciate a well-executed custom build. This 1971 Pontiac Firebird has a few rough edges, but the foundations are there for the new owner to add the finishing touches to create a restomod that will draw crowds and receive plenty of positive comments. It should offer impressive performance, and the modern fuel-injected V8 will almost certainly be more civilized than the motor it replaced. Are you tempted to grab this Firebird to finish the build, or would you prefer an unmolested classic?
Given the opportunity and wherewithal, it’s a good bet that more than a few readers here (or anywhere!) would grab this in a heartbeat then finish the few apparent jobs required.
And that piques the curiosity: having spent the effort time and money this far along why abandon it now with so little needed to finish it?
Regardless, it appears that this will make a new owner one happy rodder!
GLWTS
I like this car. In general, I like restomods. The best of both worlds. I understand the allure of originality and there are definitely cars I would not modify but second generation F bodies, with a few exceptions, are not rare.