1973 Pontiac Firebird

Coupe

Pontiac 350

Manual

2U87N3N111455

Clear

You are looking at my 1973 Formula 350 with manual 3-speed transmission. It is an Ascot Silver car with black deluxe interior. I have owned this car for almost ten years but I am familiar with the car before then because I watched my neighbor drive it for years prior to me. I have written the best description I can think of so please read it carefully. I can answer more questions if you wish. Body – The body sits in a modern match of its original Ascot Silver and looks fantastic. It looks stunning when the sun hits the sandy-metallic flake in the daylight and the street lights really dance on the clear-coat at night. The paint was done by a local body man who owned a shop where he painted numerous muscle cars. He passed away a few years ago. As good as it looks, the paint is approaching 10 years old and is starting to show its age in several areas. There are some bubbles starting to show in a few areas and the Endura bumper is showing typical stress cracks. The right rear quarter was replaced and is now showing some cracks along the area where that work was done. There are some other age imperfections here and there. You could touch-up these areas if you are a perfectionist or it will probably just need a repaint in the next four or five years. For now, I rate it well above driver quality but under show quality. It really turns heads EVERYWHERE. Engine/Drive Train – It still has the original, numbers-matching drive train with the VIN stamped on the engine. It was completely rebuilt by a local machine shop here in 1996. I have all the receipts for that rebuild which show everything that went into the engine. It says the pistons, rods and crank were all balanced. It has a Performer Pontiac intake and cam so it has a throaty, lumpy idle for a 350. It runs EXTREMELY well and is very reliable. It walks up steep hills without an ounce of effort. It pulls HARD from a stop and does not burn oil or smoke. The dual exhaust has an H-pipe cross-over and original manifolds. I would expect many more miles out of this engine because it has been so rarely driven over the years. It has also been driven by adults who care about Pontiacs. The transmission had the clutch and throw-out bearing done at the same time as the rebuild. I considered having a 4-speed put in it but I decided to keep it original. The rear is an open 3.08 and does not howl or grind. The drive train is very reliable. Interior – The interior was done by a reputable shop here in town. I requested extra thick vinyl to be used for the seats and they were machine-sewn by a professional. I also asked for extra foam padding so the seats would keep their shape well into the future. The door panels are near perfect as are the rest of the panels in the car. I assume the dash must be cracked underneath but the dash cover is not cracked and looks great. The carpet has been replaced with new and has extra thick nylon jute padding underneath. This creates a very quiet and smooth ride when driving. The headliner is also new along with all new rubber weather-strips, seals, door trims, window felts, trunk seal, etc. The photos do not do it justice. Wheels/Tires – The car has its original Rally II wheels with all center-caps and trim rings present. The tires are BF Goodrich Radial TAs with 275/50/15 on the rear and 265/50/15 on the front. These tires are very wide with a low profile which gives the car an obvious racy stance and great handling. The tires are about 80% worn so I would plan on replacing them eventually with new ones. It has air shocks on the rear so you can adjust the ride-stance to your liking. Undercarriage – The car has a couple issues underneath I want you to know about. While the front and rear floor-pans are fine, there is a bit of rust in the rear wheel-wells toward the bottom of each well. A prior owner welded in some patch panels in this area as seen in photographs. The welding job was a bit rough in my opinion but then again, it isn't really seen. There are also a couple holes (a bit larger than a quarter) in the lower portion of each frame rail which could also be repaired if you have welding skills. The trunk is in very good condition as seen in the photos. General - While the car is not perfect it is an amazing piece of living history for an older restoration. I have had it in many shows and cruise events through the years. Everyone who sees it loves it, even kids. There are not many cars this far along that you can still work on and improve as you go. I am not asking for a mint. My starting price is less than I would like to get but I feel it’s a fair spot to start the bidding. It is important to me that you have the funds before bidding on this car. Payment is non-refundable as I am going to use the money for a down payment on a house. I hold a clear South Dakota title in my name with no liens attached. The car runs and drives and is ready to go. It could be driven anywhere but I recommend you have it hauled home. I will work with your pick-up plans as long as they are reasonable and payment has cleared. I am going to try to put a link to more photos and some video. Feel free to ask questions and I will seek to answer them quickly. If you need to talk about this car, send me your number and best time to reach you. I will try to get back to you right away. Thanks for reading and good luck bidding, Eli. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnSk5KS2JaU&feature=g-upl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO_K5qBYyyM&feature=channel&list=UL