1968 Firebird Convertible History
Purchased 1968 Pontiac Firebird (vin 223678U168565) on 11/21/2006 for $5,000
Owner claimed the motor was a 1971 455 just rebuilt prior to his purchase in 1993 as well as a new trans, exhaust, brakes and convertible top. An appraisal was completed 9/3/1993 for $8,500 and I believe the people who owned this prior to me bought it for $6,000. The car was purchased and as I understand it was driven about 1,000 miles from 1993 until 1997 when the car then sat in their garage from 1997 until 2003 then in the driveway covered with a tarp from 2003 until I drive it home on 11/21/2006.
Upon Delivery...... click
to See pictures
Tires are shot, cracked and belts showing
All chrome is spot rusted and dirty
Top is faded and rear window is dull, can’t see through
Paint is faded and chipping, spots of rust on hood…no through rust on
exterior
Interior was a mouse house for the storage period, foam removed, driver seat
rip and carpet is faded.
Engine ran okay and transmission shifted good
Exhaust sounds good but rusted
Exterior lights work good, brake, turn signals… no reverse lights
Electric top up and down switch, doesn’t work
11/25/2006
Cleaned and vacuum interior
Removed back seat to expose convertible top pump
Fixed wiring and electric top works! Sweet, saves about $450
Talked to cousin about a paint job, estimate ~$2,000 to strip paint, prime,
yellow, red and clear coat
Tried to remove belts, no luck, pulley too close to lower cross-member…I’ll
deal with that when we pull the motor for paint
11/26/2006
Installed HEI wires 8mm performance wires
New plugs AC Delco R45TSX
Air filter AC773C
New breather
PF24 oil filter
6 quarts Synthetic Valvoline
Cleaned vinyl top…looks great on the outside
Cleaned trunk and vinyl mat
Started removal of some chrome pieces
1/08/2007
Completely removed:.....Click to see pictures
All the interior components
o Door panels & disassembled components
o Seats (both buckets and rear)
o Well covers and ashtray holder covers
o Counsel, glove compartment, gages
o Most weather stripping
o Windshield header molding
o Carpet
o Seat belts
Front bumper, Rear bumper, Wheel well chrome molding- Broke them!, Rocker chrome,
All emblems, Side markers, Tail lights, Rear spoiler – broke it!, dash
pad, venting
Installed new rear shocks
Polished valve covers and installed new gaskets
New fuel filter
Ordered 1st round of parts $2250
Bought the filter and screen for the PG trans but a cross-member needs to be moved before I can drop the trans pan…I’ll wait until we pull the motor/trans.
4/9/2007
There has been a lot done and learned since early January.
Removed the old rear seat covers and replaced with new
Sent the front seats, foam and covers to an uhpostery person as it looked too
complicated. He charged $150 plus $50 because of some broken springs in the
driver side seat bottom, should have back late April
Recovered well liners and sides, new chromes window felts
Assembled new door panels with window felts, chrome strips, emblems and handle
Placed two new orders to Classic floor pan, seat bracket, radio, speakers…2nd
$530, 3rd $460
Spent about 18 hours sanding paint from car but much bondo and primer remained
on.
Changed the transmission fluid and learned that the transmission is a turbo-hydralic
(TH-350) 3 speed not a powerglide.
Number on the block is 485428 which converts to a 1971 455.
Installed coolant temp sending unit and found the location for the oil pressure
whicj is just above the oil filter.
Cleaned and re-assembled the cluster
Learned the car does not have the same back half as original. The car was cut
from the back seat back and appears to have been replaced with a firebird/camaro
by the looks of the welded in fins on the passenger side
Got about 6 metal patches around the car that had through rust: both rockers,
front clip, door jams and driver floor under seat bracket
Body panels all sanded to bare metal with air DA at Daves
Sandblast, door jams, cowl, trunk lid underside, hood underside, side fins
Fixed crack in windshiels
Installed new header molding
Found a person to install new top for $400
Installed new door hinge rebuild kit
Take the tour of pictures of this 1968 Firebird Cnvertible