Need your opinion...

**Chirodan** · 02-26-2007, 06:36 PM

Thinking about selling my 71' firebird.
Engine needs total rebuild and has not ran in 3 yrs.
It is a 400 w/ ported heads/ RV cam / long tube headers
Originally a 4 spd still w/ clutch pedals inside car. Now a Turbo 400 w/ B&M megashifter and tranny cooler & shift kit.
Disc front breaks and drum rears.
Some run in front quarter panels, already cut out in rear quarters.
rust around windshield and rear glass borders.
one dime size and one nickel size rust holes in trunk.
cut up firewall installing Vintage Air A/C & defrost system... never charged it.

*** also I think this was a rare rear console car b/cuz it does have the metal bracket between the two rear seats on the drive shaft tunnel.***

Paid 1k for Vintage air.
Paid 1k for wheels/tires/adapters. 17"x9.5" ROH SP wheels.
Paid over 1k for stereo system. Sony head unit, xplode 4 channel amp, 10" sub in rear deck and 5" mids and tweeters.

In the very poorest condition, car is valued @ just over 3k

what do u guys think...
look at pics in sig. & give me your opinion.

**Chirodan** · 02-26-2007, 06:43 PM

http://community.webshots.com/user/chirodan04

oops... no sig.

**Firebirdjones** · 02-27-2007, 03:47 AM

Not sure what you want opinions on. I have a 70 Formula ram air 400 and love these cars. Drive nice, get tons of looks, not many people have caught onto the 2nd generation 70-73 Firebirds, so not many running around.
If you plan on restoring this car, first thing I would invest in is documentation from Pontiac Historical Services. Google search it,,,I don't have the phone number handy. Give them your vin number and for a fee of around $60 they will tell you exactly what the car was when new and exactly how it was equipped. Very cool for pontiac to offer such helpfull information, especially on these old cars, I would take advantage of that if you can.

Since you mentioned 400 and 4speed I first thought you may also have a formula,,,but I see in the pics it has a plain hood, not a formula hood, but looks as though it appears to have been changed,,,possibly.

Looks like parts have been swapped here and there and some things changed,,,but I noticed a couple things I can tell you for sure. It appears the car had deluxe interior from the factory, as the grab bar is still on the passenger dash which is deluxe only interior feature,,and the front buckets appear to have the deluxe style covers.
Also someone put the engine turned dash plate in there,,that was trans am only,,,and the Formulas have a woodgrain style insert.

You may find from Pontiac Historical Services that you possibly have something rare, 71 formula 4 speeds are low production,,,in which case the car would be better suited for a more correct restoration.
Then again it could be an Espirit model with some rather unusual options (deluxe interior, 4-speed) either way,,,you will enjoy it. Larry.

**Chirodan** · 02-27-2007, 07:21 AM

Hi Larry...

Thanks for the info., you gave me. I was actually wanting an opinion on how much to sell it for. I don't have the time to restore it anymore. I will get the PHS info though so I can find out more about the car.

I think it may have been a rear console car also. Has a metal bracket on the rear driveshaft tunnel. I have had firebirds/formulas (78/79) in the past and there has never been this bracket in place before. Do you have any experience with this?

**Firebirdjones** · 02-27-2007, 07:51 AM

Yes, they did come with rear console as an option. If brackets are there, it's very likely it had the rear console option, since it appears the car originally had deluxe interior,,,it's very likely the original owner sprung for the rear console as well. The PHS documents I referred to will tell you exactly how it came. Well worth the money, because you can better describe the car,,,and the potential buyer, who will probably be a pontiac nut, are very into the PHS information to prove what they are buying is the real deal. So this PHS info will help sell the car.

As far as what it is worth,,,wow thats a tough one. It really depends on the buyer. How much rust it has. What area of the country will have a huge influence on your asking price,,,due to the fact that I live in the rust belt,,,rust free cars are very pricey. I have traveled accross country to California, Washington, Oregon, North Carolina,,,to grab everything I own,,,simply because they are rust free and out west and down south in the rust free zone they tend to be much cheaper. Just so many things I could go on for pages.

I would aquire the PHS docs and see what exactly the car was originally, scan the local ads to get an idea of the market of that particular car,,,and throw it out there with a price that reflects that. Thats probably the best advice I could give without actually seeing the car in person.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Larry.