2nd gen Firebird

[CamaroSpike23]

my vote goes for the 81. if only for the fact that it has an L88 hood.

[Supercamaro64]

how much does he want? and does it run? man, it looks good from the outside, thts for sure!! o, and is there any difference in performance at all?

[Shadow-phoenix]

the guy wants 600 for the 81. he has all the interior parts for it (seats, panels, and console). he said that it has a straight 6 in it, and he's not sure if it runs. he bought it in october of 2008, and never tried to fire it up because he was going to pull the 6 cyl, and put a V8 in it...

It does look sweet, but (and this may sound crazy) i like the 73 better. i've seen so many late 2nd gen birds and camaro's running around, but that 73 is only the second or third that i've seen in my life. I really want to get both... lol i told the guy with the81 that i'd let him know by wednesday.

[Mr Twisty]

Don't hate on me...but...the 71? is eaten up with rust, it's oozing out of every nook and cranny. Tell a local bodyman you'll buy his lunch if he'll go by and give it a quick once over. After he gives you the bad news don't be upset, that $20 dollar lunch just saved you 5 grand. If I'm wrong and it is only light surface rust, I'd jump on it.

Save up your money and keep looking...for a straight, fairly rust free example.

That version Firebird is beautiful. Bro had a 70 ram-air 3 formula 400 4spd orange...sex on wheels.

I know this isn't what you wanna hear, so I'll leave you alone with your dream...good luck with your search.

[CamaroSpike23]

get the bird.

cheaper, better condition.

plus it should have a 250 I-6. which is similar to the 292 I had in my 78. very torquey motors. and ive got a nice collection of info to upgrade them (if you so choose)

[Supercamaro64]

id say get the 73. if u dont even kno if the 81 runs, and its got less power, that seems like the better choice. it looks in decent condition too(especially for how old it is) and it runs. thts the one i wud get.
ps- it also looks like it wud be more fun to fix up!

[roadtripper]

I say go for the '73 Firebird (and eventually be on the lookout for a 455 to build up).

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by Supercamaro64

id say get the 73. if u dont even kno if the 81 runs, and its got less power, that seems like the better choice. it looks in decent condition too(especially for how old it is) and it runs. thts the one i wud get.
ps- it also looks like it wud be more fun to fix up!

its hard to kill a GM straight six. trust me. lol


but the fact that the car is in better condition overall would mean more to me than the motor. its a lot easier to swap a new motor into a clean car than it is to fix a busted, rusted car with a decent motor.

[djsnoflake]

I had a 76 T/A and the places to look for rust are in the corners of the doors and inside your rear wheel wells. The 73 looks like it has a lot of hidden rust and i would not be suprised if it costs quite a bit to fix that. You can always do the 'magnet test' to see how much bondo is on a car.

Step 1: Get magnet
Step 2: Wrap magnet in a soft cloth so you dont scratch paint
Step 3: rub magnet all over car

Where the magnet does not stick means you have a bondo hole.

And the 81 looks pretty good, but I'd give it a check too. A purdy paintjob can hide a lot of problems.

Another thing to keep in mind is when people say, "It will be fun to work on" is do you know how to cut out panels and weld and do filler and paint? Cause if not, learning will be expensive and paying someone to do it will be expensive.

I don't want to sound like a dream crusher, but fixing up a car is super fun, but also super expensive, so you need to think this over before you let the lust and passion take over

[Supercamaro64]

but the fact that the car is in better condition overall would mean more to me than the motor. its a lot easier to swap a new motor into a clean car than it is to fix a busted, rusted car with a decent motor.

haha dont worry, i kno. wen i was lookin around for a car, there were 2 tht i was lookin at, one was an 85, PERFECT on the outside, no scratches, no dents, no rust. i looked the whole thing over. but the guy who owned it only had it about a month, and wen i went to look at it it was under 8 inches of snow, no cover, and the damn thing didnt run. then i took a look at the other one, an 86, and it looked like shit. but it ran better than a lot of new cars do, the engine was in perfect condition, and i ended up getting tht one. i wish they had been combined, but thts not likely to happen. ANYWAYS lol i still think he should get the 73, because thts not in bad condition, and he knos it runs. if the 81 runs, then get tht one. just get one, and be sure to enjoy it! thts the most important thing.

[Shadow-phoenix]

ok, don't hate me for this... I really appreciate all the help, but i found a 1993 Trans am that's in great shape, just hasn't been run in about a year, for $1500 bucks, It's black, with grey leather interior, there is nothing wrong with the car, except that it needs a battery. I like the 73, and the 81, but the 93 Trans Am is too good to pass up. so I'm prolly gonna get it. either that or the 89 vette that i found (technically salvaged, but the guy had it inspected, and now has a clean title) for $2000. either would be a great car... but the vette isn't a great daily driver...

Again, Thanks for all the help and all the input. I really appreciate it. Will post pics when i get my next car... Thanks guys.

- Rob

[Supercamaro64]

no prob, u gotta get the best car u can find. and yes, post pics!

[Shadow-phoenix]

ok... scrap the 93 idea... it's gone already... damn. I'm just gonna save my money and buy a t/a or a formula from a dealer... I know I'm gonna pay out the ass for it, but at least that way, i know that the car is in good shape.

I'd really like to get a 90's Firehawk, and there is one at a dealership near here... but it's $14,000 and that's a bit too much for me...

[CamaroSpike23]

keep your eyes open in the classifieds